Replumbing an Albin 28TE

[hatchetjoe]

I’ve been having a series of leaking fittings mostly because the Whale quick connect pipe is breaking off in the fitting. We just replaced two T-fittings in that tight area under the helm and now I have another leak from another fitting further down and a leak from one of the fittings we just replaced.
Were most of the Albin 28’s in the early 2000’s plumbed with the Whale quick connect pipe and fittings? Is it common to have problems with the pipe breaking in the fittings and then leaking?
I’ve had almost constant problems with leaks over the past few months and that has led me to think about replumbing the entire boat. Any advice or suggestions? Thanks!

[Norseman]

. Were most of the Albin 28’s in the early 2000’s plumbed with the Whale quick connect pipe and fittings? Is it common to have problems with the pipe breaking in the fittings and then leaking?
I’ve had almost constant problems with leaks over the past few months and that has led me to think about replumbing the entire boat. Any advice or suggestions? Thanks!

Got the whale quick connects. Not sure how they work, never had them things before.
No problems so far, but bracing for problems, they looks flimsy to this here old sailor.

[Pitou]

Over 3 boats and 21 years of Whale fittings, I've had 3 leaks. Two fittings had worn and fittings replaced. This year recommissioning the hot water tank a short length of pipe needed replacing as the fittings had compressed too much of a ring over the years of in and out of it's fitting. No big deal a I keep short lengths of 15mm red and blue Pex tubing in my plumbing spare parts supply along with Pex tubing cutters in the boat tool box. I also have 90 degree and straight fittings in the spare plumbing parts box.
I find the Whale fittings & pex pipe to be a pretty good system and easily cut into in order to add additional needs. Just took delivery of a Whale carbon filter and two straight fittings to add a fresh water filter to the cold water side in the head.

[hatchetjoe]

Thank you for the replies!
After a lot more searching on the internet it looks like the PEX (polyethylene) tubing is the best tubing for marine applications unless you want all the fun of using copper. I couldn't find any information about whether PEX fatigues with age and becomes more brittle or not. My biggest problem is having a generator with sound enclosure sitting in the bilge beside the helm seat that makes it very difficult to reach all of the tubing connections that are in the wall in between the head and helm. Removing the sound cover doesn't reduce the size much and moving the generator is not a one man job. I'll see if there is any way to wiggle into that space to work on the fittings.