Galley Foot Pump

[Bud Cary]

The galley sink foot pump on my J40 had been disconnected by the previous owner and I would like to reconnect it. 

There's no obvious evidence as to where the input hose to the pump originated and as a note, I have the cabin layout with the engine under the companionway and the galley sink faces starboard. 

As built, was the source to the foot pump seawater or fresh water or was that up to the preference of the buyer?

If freshwater, would it connect to the main water line before or after the pressure pump and if seawater did it come from the aft or forward head intake?

Thanks

Bud

S/V Pooh J40 (#82) 

[Joseph Ruzzi]

Bud,

On Spada, J/40 hull #45, the foot pump inlet hose feeds from the freshwater tank selection manifold under the nav station.   The manifold has 4 gate valves.  One each for the 3 freshwater tanks, and one for the foot pump.   Effectively, any tank with an open valve feeds the foot pump.   When I do winterization, I just pump from the  tank I'm working on until I see antifreeze coming out of the galley spout.

Note that Spada's layout has the engine under the forward-facing galley sink, and the forward-facing nav station.   

Regards,

Joe

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[Joseph Ruzzi]

Bud, 

After I hit "send", I realized that the old J/40 Owner's Manual might be helpful to the discussion.   Check out Figure 11 on page 37 (pdf page 41 of 86) of the attachment.   It shows the arrangement and location of the "Cold Water Tank Selection Manifold."

For those who may not be aware, there's a ton of J/40 information still available on the J/40 Sailors Wordpress site, including a "Specs and Manuals" page which was the source of the Owner's Manual.  Here's the link:  https://j40sailors.wordpress.com/

Joe

Joe

On Sat, Feb 7, 2026 at 9:34 AM Bud Cary <afca...@gmail.com> wrote:

[afca...@gmail.com]

Joe

 

Thanks for that … I’ll have to look again as my recollection is that I don’t remember seeing a 4th available gate on my manifold

 

Also, thanks for the links to the manual and wordpress site

 

Bud

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[Walter Caldwell]

Same on #7 except only three gate valves since we have only have two water tanks. 

[Joseph Ruzzi]

Spada came from TPI with the optional freshwater tank on the port side.  With four 6v golf cart batteries in the lazarette for the house bank, also on the port side, filling that tank induces a list to port.  So, it's kept empty and would probably only be filled for a long passage.  With the starboard and aft tanks fully, I would have 77 gallons of fresh water.  That's more than enough for most coastal cruising.  

Joe

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[Todd Stevens]

That’s interesting. Wild came with a three-port Bosworth valve to select between its two freshwater tanks, located in the bilge below the galley.  The foot pump tee’s off downstream of that, between a small strainer and the electric pump.  

Unfortunately, that Bosworth valve perpetually leaks.  I’ve taken it apart, refreshed the o-rings, but it eventually starts dripping again when I’m weeks from any source of parts.  Since it’s at the very bottom of the system, gravity-wise, the whole volume of both tanks has to dump into the bilge to service it.  

Well, in fact I had the same problem with the foot pump when it needed a rebuild. Quite likely the pump referenced in the OP was disconnected because it was leaking. Better order in a rebuild kit (and spare) before proceeding.  

Re: salt water intake, there isn’t any convenient through-hull to accomplish that under Wild’s galley. But I wouldn’t use it that way anyhow. The foot-pump is a vital back-up to the electric pump.  I’ve had the pressure-switch on the electric fail twice and had to use the foot pump to get any water out of the tanks for a week or two.  

Water system upgrades to date: Replaced electric pump with more modern one. Rebuilt foot pump. Installed water maker. Replaced “Centroid” resistive water tank level sensors with conventional float sensors (Manufacturer claims they’re in good form but “don’t work with RO water.") Relocated water gauges from inside wall of liquor cabinet to visible location at nav station. Replaced water gauges with modern ones compatible with new sensors (*sigh*). Replaced tank diverter valve with stainless full-port ball valve.  Connected tank sensors to Cerbo GX so tank levels can be displayed on the instrument network and I didn’t need to relocate the gauges after all. D’Oh!

I’d kind of like to relocate that tank-selector valve to a more accessible location that doesn’t require delving into the bilge when the water runs out in the middle of cooking dinner. But I wonder if that would make priming the pumps a more difficult issue. 

Oh, and one more thing to tag on to this lengthy post: I’ve been sorting out and cleaning up the electrical systems and there are FOUR wires scabbed on to the fresh water pump breaker. One powers the pump, one powers the gauges. Any idea what the other two do? They all disappear into a big wire harness type plug that makes it difficult to trace individual wires.  

Todd

s/v Wild J/42

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[Joseph Ruzzi]

Not to get too far from the original discussion, but, on Spada the tank selector manifold was obviously made up in-house with gate valves and copper plumbing fittings.   I'm sure it took a while for someone to solder all the connections required for 4 valves.  I assume TPI went with a single Bosworth valve as a cost saving measure to save that effort.

Having the Bosworth valve located in the bilge seems like a real PITA!  Spada's manifold is just inside the nav station door on the forward wall that creates the settee area.  That location makes switching tanks a breeze.

Joe

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[Tom]

I have the same layout as you do. My galley pump is a fresh water pump connected between the tank selector valve (if there is one) and the pressure pump. I installed a charcoal filter just before the foot pump. 

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[afca...@gmail.com]

I checked and my manifold has three inputs used for the port, starboard and aft water tanks and 1 output leading to the pressure pump so nothing for a foot pump but maybe the boat started with two water tanks the foot pump was disconnected from the manifold to provide an input for the aft tank if it was added later?

 

So unless I can find a manifold with an additional output I can install a “T” on the line leading to the pump, as Tom suggested, which looks to be pretty straightforward as everything is located at an access in the cabin sole just forward of the sink.

 

Thanks Tom for the note about the charcoal filter

 

Also found a separate hose in the same area tucked away and sort of hiding that ended with a plastic turn valve. I followed it to where it ran under the fridge box (there’s a separate hose leading out from there that is the drain for the fridge) but it disappeared after that. I opened the valve and about a cup of water came out but empty after that. Would anybody have a clue as to what that might be for as it seems to be connected to some water source?

 

 

 

 

From: j4x-owne...@googlegroups.com <j4x-owne...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Tom <tnico...@gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026 at 1:11 PM
To: j4x-owne...@googlegroups.com <j4x-owne...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [J/4X-owners] Galley Foot Pump

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[Todd Stevens]

That’s the drain from the refrigerator/icebox.  Normally kept closed to prevent cold air from draining out, opened to discharge condensate or water from washing down the ice box.  

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[Todd Stevens]

Oops. Read that too fast. Didn’t see that there is another fridge drain, but that’s what it is on my boat.  

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[afca...@gmail.com]

Yes ..

 

I installed a pump (that the previous owner had taken out) that drains the fridge so I know the line with the plastic valve is for something else but haven’t been able to figure out what

 

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