With the title of "specifying and sourcing marine equipment; the yacht designer's role", it saw distinguished designers such as Tony Castro and Bill Dixon alongside Japec Jakopin from the prolific Slovenian-based J&J Design.

Jakopin put up one point that hit home with many suppliers. A lot of the builders he worked with, he said, wanted to cut down on the number of suppliers they dealt with.

"They want the suppliers to combine to produce complete systems, " he told the audience.

Castro backed him up, warning that more pressure from builders will eventually force suppliers to respond.

The UK's pump and water systems companies seem to be in a very good position already, with most of them offering complete systems in a box.

Cleghorn Waring has been the UK distributor for the Jabsco product range since 1953 and the company celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

"The accent is on systems", confirms joint MD Charles Cleghorn. "The installer and user are working with a linked series of components that influence each other. Our experience is that joined-up thinking at the design stage is as important as ever."

Cleghorn Waring's pressurised water pumps suit vessels of all sizes, from dayboats to superyachts. The Jabsco ParMax 1 delivers pressurecontrolled water to a single outlet, while the larger Par-Max 2+ and 3 models can service multiple outlets.

The latest Par-Max 4 is a quiet and inexpensive unit that is, says Cleghorn, a best-seller that delivers in excess of 16 litres/minute.

For larger installations, the biggest of the company's Aqua Major pump range can supply a dozen or more outlets.

Jabsco's microchip-controlled Sensor-Max pump adjusts its speed and its output automatically, delivering anything from a trickle right up to 17 litres/minute, at constant pressure.

Unlike a conventional pump, which is either off or on, the company says the Sensor Max needs neither pressure switch nor accumulator tank, is not susceptible to on-off cycling, runs silently at low speeds, and adjusts itself automatically to a 12 or 24 volt power supply.

There are two sizes, delivering 14 litres/minute and 17 litres/minute.

To minimise installation costs, Cleghorn Waring offer a series of pre-mounted water pressure systems, comprising pump, accumulator tank, prefilter and fittings.

These Maxi-System compact base-mounted units need just four mounting screws, two electrical leads and two pipe connections.

The larger Twin-Max, with a pair of Par-Max 3 pumps, delivers up to 26 litres/minute, saving energy and wear and tear by running on a single pump when demand is low.

For hot water on board Cleghorn Waring offer choice and value with their own CWarm range of water heaters (calorifiers), alongside the USbuilt Seaward brand.

Both brands employ circulating coils to harness waste engine heat, with integral 1250/1500 watt AC immersion heaters.

C-Warm Compact calorifiers are, says Cleghorn, ideal for sailing boats, needing the engine to run only briefly to top up the hot water and supplying useful amounts within a few minutes.

The entire volume (in all three cylinder sizes of 18, 20 and 40 litres) can be fully heated in less than 25 minutes and kept usefully warm for more than 12 hours.

C-Warm Compact models are 3-bar pressure rated and compatible with most European pressure-controlled pumps. They are fabricated in copper and ready to fit, with mounting feet or stainless steel mounting brackets.

The Seaward Compact range, built in corrosionresistant aluminium and rated at 5-bar (73 psi), is suitable for virtually any pressurised water pump. Available in 23 and 42 litre sizes, Seaward Compact cylinders are smartly cased in white enamelled aluminium, with simple fixing plates, quick and easy connections and an integral 1.5kW 230V immersion heater.

Cleghorn Waring also offers its extensive and versatile CWarm Modular range in copper, with capacities from 18 to 141 litres and with cased, twin-coil, 110 volt and 3.5 bar options.

Safety is a top priority and the company's calorifiers are fitted with combined temperature-and-pressure relief valves, avoiding the risk of water boiling under pressure in the event of immersion heater thermostat failure.

Cleghorn Waring publish a free, comprehensive selection guide setting out in clear detail how to choose and fit a calorifier for a marine pressure system.

When fitting a calorifier in a pressure system without an accumulator tank, an expansion tank must be fitted to absorb the extra volume of heated water, and prevent the calorifier's safety valve from weeping during every heating cycle. The pressure settings of the calorifier and tank will also affect the system.

System accessories can be vital to the operation, control and service life of the system.

Cleghorn Waring supply a comprehensive range from stock, and can advise on the various choices including accumulator tanks, inlet strainers (also known as pre-filters), pressure-reducing valves, non-return valves, thermostatically controlled valves, blender valves and more. Cleghorn Waring's clearly written information leaflets, telephone and on-line help allow the retailer, installer and user to get selection and installation advice whenever needed.

Pipework completes the system. For nearly 20 years Cleghorn Waring have supplied Hepworth's versatile Hep 2Opush-fit polybutylene pipe system.

Hep 2O leads the domestic market, offering a remarkable 50-year guarantee. Impact-and frost-resistant polybutylene is flexible enough to be bent up to 1/3 tighter than other plastics, reducing pipe usage, requiring fewer fittings and saving installation time and cost.

Hep 2O can also be fitted directly on to water storage heaters without extra metal pipes or braided hoses.

The Turin-based AMFA Duowater pressure system was selected for installation in the Azimut 68, says parent company, Reya .AMFA worked closely with Azimut to design and manufacture a pump that would handle six guests (plus crew) and four heads (plus crew compartments).

The result was the Duo water pump. AMFA says there are two pumps in the system.

One is an AC 220v pump, which will, when there is AC power available (e. g. the generator is operating or the boat is connected to the dockside), automatically start working as soon as there is demand for water.

The second pump is a DC 24v pump, which works from the battery banks. When there is no AC power available, the system automatically chooses this pump.

When water demand is very high, the intelligent system operates both pumps at the same time.

A strong advantage of the Duo pump, says AMFA, is that in the unlikely event that one pump breaks down, there is a second pump, standing by, as a backup.

The pump comes in two different models, a 24vDC/ 220vAC-50Hz, suitable for the European market and a 24dVC/115-60Hz, suitable for the US market.

They say the AMFA Duo is compact and, as it is factory set, it is easy to install and is ideally suited to yachts of between 50ft - 70ft.

Reya products are distributed in the UK by Poole-based Merlin Equipment .

Aquafax says it is happy to supply pumps and water systems in kit form to OEMs and currently has two new products out.

Johnson Pump is introducing the new complete WPS units Aqua Jet Uno & Duo. Built on the whisper quiet and pulsation-free Aqua Jet series WPS, Aquafax says the new units combine all the elements needed for ease of installation as well as built-in prepressurised 2-litre accumulator tank and inline strainer.

The Aqua Jet Uno's new base design allows for installation in both vertical and horizontal position making the pump a true space saving unit especially suited for today's modern marine needs.

The Aqua Jet Duo is a high demand unit with two parallel connected Aqua Jet WPS capacity 38 Lpm fixed on a base with inline strainer and prepressured 2-litre accumulator tank.

Munster Simms Engineering in Bangor, N Ireland, agrees the industry is moving towards more automatic pumps, requiring less user input with the focus of quality and reliability to ensure a hasslefree experience for the marine consumer.

OEMs are seeking overall solutions to system needs, they say. This means that pumps themselves have become spare parts to some builders.

The company manufactures products as Whale Water Systems and offers a range of products for freshwater, bilge water, grey and black waste management, including various ranges of pumps and Quick Connect plumbing as well as ranges of faucets, showers, and accessories.

The end result is the company operates as a onestop supplier to OEMs.

Munster Simms claims to be the world leader in design and market share with its Whale and Henderson diaphragm bilge pumps, including manual diaphragm and electric impeller pumps, which they say are fitted by most large boatyards worldwide.

"This has been the cornerstone of our business for over 50 years, " said a company spokesperson.

The Whale Supersub is a low profile electric bilge pump with a horizontal inlet arrangement and is designed to be fitted under the engine or in shallow hull applications where height and space are at a premium.

The new Whale Pump Accumulator is designed to reduce pump cycling and give a smooth and even flow of water to all appliances. This product increases the life of the pump and its compact size ensures that it fits well into small installation areas.

The pump and tank are fitted together on a preformed base that can be installed with four screws and several plumbing fittings before being wired in.

This product eradicates the need to separately install a surge damper, they say, and radically speeds up the installation process for OEMs.

On freshwater systems, Whale Universal pressure pumps from 8 to 18 litres are suitable for up to six outlets on a boat, alternatively impeller pumps for simple systems on small boats.

The Universal pressure pump range is designed to be quiet running, low cost and retrofit to replace existing pump installations, with an internally housed microswitch for safety and durability.

The company says it also provides its patented, semirigid Quick Connect plumbing system for this part of the market.

They say this system provides a reliable, quick assembly, trouble-free solution not only for OEMs, but also for any owner who wants to upgrade their current plumbing system The grey waste Whale Gulper 220 shower waste pump is designed so it does not require a filter. The company says that means the owner doesn't have to carry out the unpleasant task of cleaning a filter filled with hair, soap, etc.

They say this pump can also be installed anywhere that is convenient as it is self-priming.

Munster Simms says shower waste systems that include electric impeller pumps can become easily damaged by hair around the impeller, pointing out their Whale Gulper 220 has non-blockable valves.

On black waste, the technology of the Gulper 220 has been extended to the Gulper toilet pump with all the same characteristics.

Against macerator pumps that are not self-priming, can neither pump solid particles nor run dry, the company says its Gulper toilet pump pumps unmacerated waste through a patented non-clogging valve design.

Manual pumps for black waste include the Mk5 Sanitation pump and the Whale Gulper toilet electric diaphragm pump.

The company also offers quick connect plumbing in its Whale Quick Connect plumbing system which, they say, is unique in that it is extremely easy and fast in installation as well as, obviously, being extremely secure.

The system was developed specifically for the marine market and encompasses products that are specific to the marine industry.

Norma Products says it has 50 years experience in the field of connecting technology. The company develops, designs and manufactures pipes and plug-in connections under the brand name Normaflex Fluid Systems.

The systems consist of a combination of Normaflex pipes and Normaquick plastic plug-in connectors. Both smooth and corrugated pipes can, they say, be used in combination with any suitable Normaquick plug-in connector.

The company say its systems allow the integration of any desired functional devices such as, switches, pumps, nozzles - in fact any fluid or gas transfer system both high and low pressure.

Applications include systems for; engine air breathing, tank ventilation, fuel and oil transfer, hydraulic clutch tube, air conditioning and cooling.

In addition to their technical features, Normaflex Fluid Systems benefit from a noticeable weight reduction compared to other connecting systems. Moreover, they can be assembled and disassembled quickly and easily.

As part of expertise in clamping and connecting products - Norma also offers one of the widest ranges of clips, clamps and connectors for hose, tubing and pipe.

Plastimo has manufactured what it says is a "very clever valve" that prevents backflow of bilge water when pumping out.

Mounted as close as possible to the strainer, the non-return valve locks the water in the hose.

The bellows-type gasket will allow debris past, such as seaweed or small bits of cloth.

The bellows gasket can be replaced easily with a flat gasket if necessary.

The standard product comes with O 25/32 mm straight outlet, which can be replaced by an elbow. And if the boat's hose is, say O 25 or 38 mm, simply sawing off the O 25 outlet converts the valve in a O 38 mm fitting - and there's a pre-moulded groove to indicate where to cut.

Moulded in polyamide with a nitrile gasket, the unit is fuel resistant.

Roxtec , a pioneer of multidiameter cable and pipe penetration sealing, has launched a new bulkhead and deck seal system.

The company says RSX and RX kits can be installed in minutes: they require no hot work and installation takes around ten minutes, they say, compared with several hours for a conventional multi-stage welding process.

In what they claim is a major improvement over bolted methods, the new system needs only one large diameter hole in the bulkhead - saving time and safeguarding structural integrity by avoiding potential points for crack proliferation.

The entire installation process can take place from one side of the bulkhead and installing RSX and RX kits is usually a one-man job.

The Roxtec seals fit directly into the prepared opening. A sealing ring in the outer sleeve expands under compression to grip the bulkhead or deck and seals the frame to the aperture.

The inner core is made up from concentric layers that are easy to peel away to fit cables or pipes of varying size.

When this is inserted and subject to compression, it expands to grip both the cable or pipe and housing to provide a perfect seal.

Fittings are available for both single and multiple cable or pipe penetrations. They can be installed in barriers from three to ten millimetres thick, including A60 barriers.

Systems are type tested to 4bar pressure for both water and gas. Certificates of conformance from DNV are available from Roxtec Ltd.

ASAP Supplies says Racor is well known as a company selling products for the removal of water and dirt particles from fuel systems.

So they say it may not come as a surprise to learn the company has used the same technology on the WFA12 Series marine drinking water filter.

Now available as a sediment - odour filter capable of handling a flow of 12 Lpm and pressures of up to 125 PSI, the unit will filter particles down to 5 microns, removing rust, algae, sand and suspended solids.

The 3/4" NPTF female ports allow many options of pipe connections. The unit has a tough tight sealed see-through bowl. Complete units retail at £78.44 and replacement cartridges £9.72 retail.

The ASAP Hotpot range of marine water heaters (calorifiers) has, says the company, established a reputation for a cost effective range of copper cylinders available in single, twin and even triple coil units in vertical and horizontal forms.

All units are pre-lagged and are supplied with pressure relief valves as standard. All units are tested to 75 psi.

ASAP says the Hotpot range offers one of the widest selections of sizes available and units can be tailored to suit the customers own requirements.

Immersion heaters and fitting connections are optional extras.