Dedicated drinking water tank

[KAM]

Was thinking of fitting a small water tank for just drinking water. Anyone done this. Needs to be plumbed into an existing foot pump but big lid for cleaning. Might be difficult to arrange a filler. Thinking of 20 litres and maybe just take the tank to the tap and maybe fit one of those French marina quick couplings. My wife keeps buying bottled water but I'd rather save the space for beer.

 

[Refueler]

Local Caravan Shop ......

 

[B27]

Back in the 80s, I recall small boats with a plastic jerry can for the water, screw on some sort of adaptor to connect to the pump.
Two jerry cans in a rack, swap when empty.

 

[Refueler]

The 38 I just bought .... under the sink is a 20ltr plastic water container with hand valve ..... obviously previous owner used that instead of the built in tank. Explains why he did not know yard had plumbed new tank wrongly !!

I'll be honest - I can think of better things to do than carry a 20ltr water container ....

My Snapdragon 23 and before that Alacrity 19 did not have built in tanks - so I had a folding plastic 15ltr water carrier - that served both boats until eventually the frequent folding caused a leak. It was good design - being completely equal sided cube and with large filler cap - which had a handy valve in its centre.

 

[lustyd]

You could make it larger, say 100l and then you could use it for other purposes like washing dishes and showering. It would be convenient to fill using a hose, as long as you were careful about getting dirt into the filler...

 

[Plum]

Was thinking of fitting a small water tank for just drinking water. Anyone done this. Needs to be plumbed into an existing foot pump but big lid for cleaning. Might be difficult to arrange a filler. Thinking of 20 litres and maybe just take the tank to the tap and maybe fit one of those French marina quick couplings. My wife keeps buying bottled water but I'd rather save the space for beer.

If you are using UK tap water why not just clean the main tank and pipework and then keep it dosed with Aua Sol. Always flush your hose through before filling. I have been doing this for over 10 years after first cleaning the tank and we always drink the water without any filtration and it tastes good.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[vyv_cox]

We bought our boat in 1994 and have drunk the water from the only tank, 160 litres, ever since. We have scrubbed out the tank twice and replaced the original charcoal filter with a General Ecology Seagull IV about 10 years ago.

Water from mainland Greece and larger islands' is perfectly potable, on smaller islands it can be brackish especially late in summer so we avoid filling there if possible.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I too use the built in tank. Drop an aqua tab in every year if I remember. Always let the hose run plenty through before filling. I do also carry a 25lt jerry with a tap. This is my emergency supply when I'm off shore but recently Ive not been more than 50nm from the nearest bar so no real need.

 

[chris-s]

What’s wrong with the current setup? Foul taste? Our last boat had a fibreglass water tank that blistered and made the water rank, we were able to recoat the interior with some potable water tank epoxy and replaced the pipework. The current boat, we either cleaned with long bottle brushes or replaced pipework and clean the poly tank as well as using some aqua tabs. We also fitted a carbon filter to help improve the taste tho I wouldn’t use that alone if the system was not already cleaned.

 

[geem]

Was thinking of fitting a small water tank for just drinking water. Anyone done this. Needs to be plumbed into an existing foot pump but big lid for cleaning. Might be difficult to arrange a filler. Thinking of 20 litres and maybe just take the tank to the tap and maybe fit one of those French marina quick couplings. My wife keeps buying bottled water but I'd rather save the space for beer.

What the difference between a drinking water tank and a normal tank?

 

[saxonpirate]

Was thinking of fitting a small water tank for just drinking water. Anyone done this. Needs to be plumbed into an existing foot pump but big lid for cleaning. Might be difficult to arrange a filler. Thinking of 20 litres and maybe just take the tank to the tap and maybe fit one of those French marina quick couplings. My wife keeps buying bottled water but I'd rather save the space for beer.

Why not play a fly one compromise.. let your wife continue buying bottled water and fill the 20 litre tank up with beer..

 

[Grith]

Perhaps we are well over the top but we are very sensitive to drinking water quality.
We have plumbed pressure sea/lake water to the sink (and anchor chain wash tap and one of two stern showers/hoses) plastic fitted tanks water hot and cold taps to sink, internal and stern showers, hand basin and 15litres hand pumped food grade portable container overhanging the sink and spring water with tap on the other side of the sink.
As we have to collect fresh water from uncertain natural locations when very remote inshore cruising it made sense to separate water quality types.
We have 60 litres of those plastic carrying containers for collecting quality drinking water from distant locations by dingy.
140 litres of fitted freshwater tanks which may be filled by hose from waterfalls and the like and generally carry around 50litres of shop purchased spring water.
This is all on a 28 foot trailerable yacht fitted out for long expedition cruising to very remote locations.

 

[geem]

Perhaps we are well over the top but we are very sensitive to drinking water quality.
We have plumbed pressure sea/lake water to the sink (and anchor chain wash tap and one of two stern showers/hoses) plastic fitted tanks water hot and cold taps to sink, internal and stern showers, hand basin and 15litres hand pumped food grade portable container overhanging the sink and spring water with tap on the other side of the sink.
As we have to collect fresh water from uncertain natural locations when very remote inshore cruising it made sense to separate water quality types.
We have 60 litres of those plastic carrying containers for collecting quality drinking water from distant locations by dingy.
140 litres of fitted freshwater tanks which may be filled by hose from waterfalls and the like and generally carry around 50litres of shop purchased spring water.
This is all on a 28 foot trailerable yacht fitted out for long expedition cruising to very remote locations.

Wow! that's complicated. We just turn the watermaker on and put 200 litres/ hour into the tank. Tastes great.
Solar power is our friend

 

[Neeves]

The need of society to drink bottle water must be one of the most environmentally unfriendly moves we have made. Thames water is re-cycled many times, no-one dies. In Scotland we drank water straight from the local burn, no-one dies (even though a closer examination show a dead sheep, or 2, upstream). Every Australian school has 'bubblers', water fountain - plumbed into the mains, no-one dies. When I was a child we had a hot water tank heated by an anthracite stove, it was occasionally used for drinking water (instead of the dead sheep contaminated cold water). We lived in the house for 20 years - the copper hot water tank had no means to allow cleaning - no-one died.

Reports of yacht owners dying, or even being ill, from drinking contaminated water - just check this forum - are like hens teeth. Just keep the tanks clean.

Why do people waste money on bottled water, commonly its the self same water available from the local mains supplied tap.

The world went mad a few decades ago (before which no-one, but no-one would even consider buying a bottle of water - who bought bottled water in the 50s or 60s) - and it has become worse

Jonathan

 

[Grith]

Wow! that's complicated. We just turn the watermaker on and put 200 litres/ hour into the tank. Tastes great.
Solar power is our friend

I have been looking at RO watermakers but most are both very expensive, often too cumbersome/large/heavy for a tiny 28 foot trailer sailer and require moderately complicated cleaning and pickling processes when not used for weeks and sometimes months on end.
Recommendations welcome.
Regarding our limited use of bottled water for untreated or boiled water for direct drinking we only use large containers and have found storing our home supplied rainwater for months on end in plastic containers invariably grows green slime and taints despite my best efforts to delay this.
I would cope with no issues but ladies tummies can be more sensitive even if it might be psycho semantic as our home supply is rainwater.
Sometimes you do things for domestic harmony especially when living on top of one another in a tiny yacht for months at a time.

 

[Neeves]

I have been looking at RO watermakers but most are both very expensive, often too cumbersome/large/heavy for a tiny 28 foot trailer sailer and require moderately complicated cleaning and pickling processes when not used for weeks and sometimes months on end.
Recommendations welcome.
Regarding our limited use of bottled water for untreated or boiled water for direct drinking we only use large containers and have found storing our home supplied rainwater for months on end in plastic containers invariably grows green slime and taints despite my best efforts to delay this.
I would cope with no issues but ladies tummies can be more sensitive even if it might be psycho semantic as our home supply is rainwater.
Sometimes you do things for domestic harmony especially when living on top of one another in a tiny yacht for months at a time.

We don't, quite, have Geem's generously large capacity to 'make' water and 'on cruise' are parsimonious, only 2 showers a day. We run our Spectra unit whenever we start the engines or have excess power from solar/wind. Back at home we supplement the RO water with mains water and I have not cleaned the tanks for years, 3 or 4. We have 2 x 200l tanks with big spin off 'hatches' easy to check and easy to clean. The fact your water goes green suggests contamination - we don't add anything to our water.

Geem lives, on board, we have a terrestrial home and managing the RO unit when at home is, at best, a pain. We use our cat a lot, even when based on land, and did try running the RO unit every other day - just to flush it through. In the end gave that up, pickled the unit, and only use it when on cruise. We top up the tanks 'otherwise' with 20l water containers from the mains and haul them out in the dinghy.

Have a look at Rainman RO units - they make RO units for a whole variety of 'applications' - you might find one that meets your needs.

Rainman Watermakers & Saltwater Desalinators. Portable or Installed.

I was given a run through of their early petrol unit and later their extended range and was impressed. They operate from an industrial unit just down the road from where we live so know them well.

Alternatively I think Geem built his own RO unit

None of this impacts the need for 'space' - that takes patience, a kayak, a hill to climb, a fish to catch or a cray pot to lay. We actually find that in daylight hours we are always busy,

Jonathan

 

[Grith]

We don't, quite, have Geem's generously large capacity to 'make' water and 'on cruise' are parsimonious, only 2 showers a day. We run our Spectra unit whenever we start the engines or have excess power from solar/wind. Back at home we supplement the RO water with mains water and I have not cleaned the tanks for years, 3 or 4. We have 2 x 200l tanks with big spin off 'hatches' easy to check and easy to clean. The fact your water goes green suggests contamination - we don't add anything to our water.

Geem lives, on board, we have a terrestrial home and managing the RO unit when at home is, at best, a pain. We use our cat a lot, even when based on land, and did try running the RO unit every other day - just to flush it through. In the end gave that up, pickled the unit, and only use it when on cruise. We top up the tanks 'otherwise' with 20l water containers from the mains and haul them out in the dinghy.

Have a look at Rainman RO units - they make RO units for a whole variety of 'applications' - you might find one that meets your needs.

Rainman Watermakers & Saltwater Desalinators. Portable or Installed.

I was given a run through of their early petrol unit and later their extended range and was impressed. They operate from an industrial unit just down the road from where we live so know them well.

Alternatively I think Geem built his own RO unit

None of this impacts the need for 'space' - that takes patience, a kayak, a hill to climb, a fish to catch or a cray pot to lay. We actually find that in daylight hours we are always busy,

Jonathan

Hi Johnathan Yes I have looked at the rainman units and given our planned next major expedition to The Kimberley’s for 3/4 months mid next year is our only likely need for a RO watermaker it is just very hard to justify the about A$7000 expense.
This is further complicated by the intermittent use required ( and possible availability of wild water land based refills ) and need to pickle the RO watermaker when not using for any period beyond a few days/week.
Currently our onboard potable water supply could perhaps be stretched as far as about 6/8 weeks sacrificing some of the niceties of more normal living! (like washing off and washing hair with freshwater after showering with saltwater)
Currently not being quite so careful we have managed 4 weeks with still a small supply left before we need to return to a marina to refill.
This 3 month trip in The Whitsundays is as well as our first really longer term attempt at living on the yacht also in part a systems and supply’s trial run for next years longer and more challenging expedition.

 

[Neeves]

Glad it all went well.

The Whitsundays are a real delight - spoilt by superb marketing - the islands, or the anchorages are so crowded.

We gave up the tropical island view for the harsher view of Tasmania as Bass Strait provides an impenetrable barrier to most and you can have gorgeous anchorages - all to yourself.

For any location you need to make enormous sacrifices by carrying copious numbers of 20l water containers .... or ..... bite the bullet and either make or buy a desal unit (and have the means to power it). Rainman offer lots of options on powering - but at a cost. In Tasmania the option of falling back on a marina is not the panacea found in the Whitsundays - mains tapped water is the same as roads, supermarkets and mobile phone coverage - think hens teeth. But that's part of the charm - and it keeps the tourists at bay.

To us an absence of on tap fresh water would spoil the experience, its the 21st Century - if you can have an iPad, or a MacBook Pro, freshly caught crayfish and shucked oysters (the latter 2 for free) - why not fresh water (and fresh water, crays and oysters engenders harmony).

Jonathan

 

[Grith]

Glad it all went well.

The Whitsundays are a real delight - spoilt by superb marketing - the islands, or the anchorages are so crowded.

We gave up the tropical island view for the harsher view of Tasmania as Bass Strait provides an impenetrable barrier to most and you can have gorgeous anchorages - all to yourself.

For any location you need to make enormous sacrifices by carrying copious numbers of 20l water containers .... or ..... bite the bullet and either make or buy a desal unit (and have the means to power it). Rainman offer lots of options on powering - but at a cost. In Tasmania the option of falling back on a marina is not the panacea found in the Whitsundays - mains tapped water is the same as roads, supermarkets and mobile phone coverage - think hens teeth. But that's part of the charm - and it keeps the tourists at bay.

To us an absence of on tap fresh water would spoil the experience, its the 21st Century - if you can have an iPad, or a MacBook Pro, freshly caught crayfish and shucked oysters (the latter 2 for free) - why not fresh water (and fresh water, crays and oysters engenders harmony).

Jonathan

Fortunately only drawing 1 foot with everything fully retracted means even in the overhyped but very beautiful Whitsundays we have still been able to find total solitude at times.
We moved from expensive NSW to a very cheap waterfront home with jetty SA on the Murray for similar reasons to your Tassie move but have retained easy access to the whole mainland with our slide on camper on AWD truck towing 28 foot cruising oriented big Trailer Sailer.
We are coming over next Jan to Tassie for a couple of months but transport for the yacht on trailer was really prohibitive so just bringing the slide on which was outstandingly cheap due to the equalisation scheme.
We have a plan to sail to Tassie in an appropriate weather window in a couple of years. Maybe we will catch you there?

 

[Neeves]

Fortunately only drawing 1 foot with everything fully retracted means even in the overhyped but very beautiful Whitsundays we have still been able to find total solitude at times.
We moved from expensive NSW to a very cheap waterfront home with jetty SA on the Murray for similar reasons to your Tassie move but have retained easy access to the whole mainland with our slide on camper on AWD truck towing 28 foot cruising oriented big Trailer Sailer.
We are coming over next Jan to Tassie for a couple of months but transport for the yacht on trailer was really prohibitive so just bringing the slide on which was outstandingly cheap due to the equalisation scheme.
We have a plan to sail to Tassie in an appropriate weather window in a couple of years. Maybe we will catch you there? View attachment 162353

I had a quick look at Tasmania crossing prices.

With your truck and slider you will not get much change out of $2,000 return, unless I've missed something, and if you stay in Tasmania for a month it will cost you about $1,000 for caravan parks.

If you sail from Australia's south coast, Eden, Lakes Entrance you can cross via the Kent Group to 3 Hummock and it will cost nothing and the almost compete absence of marinas means you will anchor for free. You might need to juggle what to do with the truck, slider and trailer (take them home and bus back to the yacht....?). Don't be discouraged by the horror stories of Bass Strait - you just need patience and careful assessment of the plentiful forecasts.

I think you over emphasise the difficulty of pickling a RO unit. Your $7,000 for the RO unit looks good to me.

Jonathan