Drinking Water ... quantities?

We have used a Brita Filter and will be taking one with us. They are excellent and have the advantage that the jug can stay in the fridge and therefore you have a supply of chilled water too!

I think between the huge tanks, the Brita filter, and bottled water we should be more than ok. 2 litres each in bottled water sounds good. Our current 'bottled water' tank holds 5 litres, as there will be 3 of us on the Atlantic leg we will aim to use 1 5 litre bottle per day (this giving just under 2 litres each) - it should therefore be easy to monitor useage too.

Thanks for all the replies.

Incidentally - I do appreciate that most tap water is fine to drink, however 3 people with iffy tummies at sea doesn't appeal! Also, as Jonic noted, if you loose a water tank you are seriously hindered. Our main 90 gallon tanks are split so we have 35 gallons in the tank which the pumps draw off, and 55 gallons in seperate tank which sits between the deck filler and the smaller tank - this works well as we can fill the tanks, then close the valve between the 35 and 55 gallon, knowing that when we use the first tank we can open the valve, refill the 35 gallon tank, and then repeat when we've emptied it a second time.

I'm probably therefore going well over the top on water - but it is very important, so 90 gallons of tank water plus 5 litres per day of bottled water (for 3 people) it is.

I'll look forward to the long shower when I get to the Caribbean!!

Jonny
 
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I agree that the individually marked 2 litre bottle is the best solution - for infection control and monitoring of rehydration.

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Yes, but you only need one per person and fill from the tap. So I don't understand why that makes a lot of waste.


Incidentally, I would treat the 'recommended' water intake with due skepticism. Given a normal diet plus a few hot drinks, 1L drinking water/person/day is reasonable. Unless you are working physically hard in hot conditions, which most cruising sailors are not.
 
Re: Interesting about leaks

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and to have it off when on passage and anchored.

It's quite a simple procedure, just needs self-discipline.


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Sounds like thats more important than a dripping tap...
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Re: Interesting about leaks

fwiw - we use a 'general ecology' seagull filter and its really cool. You cant taste the difference between that and bottled water. It claims to remove most bacteria etc although I take all that with a pinch of salt - which reminds me, always have a quick taste of the water before filling up as we filled all our tanks with 'partially' desalinated water in Mallorca once. right pain to empty them and start again. Even the slightest bit of salt tastes orrible!!

P
 
Re: Interesting about leaks

I agree with all the comments about making the main water tanks your key source of water for drinking etc, I am sure getting them right and keeping them right is far safer and cheaper. For reserve water rather than 1 or 2 litre bottle in most continental places 5 and 10 letre bottles are available much more reasonably priced than our designer stuff that costs more than decent beer, less packaging and less costly and easy to transfer to the main tanks.
 
Re: Interesting about leaks

The idea behind our manual tap was that it has a standard Asda 5 litre water bottle under it. Rather than top up from 1 or 2 litre bottles we hope to buy 5 litre bottles and simply swap them into the gap under the sink for drinking water.

We looked at the filters (Jabsco and Seagul) both look very impressive, but we found the Brita to be excellent, and as noted above good to put in the fridge.

I have no issues with drinking water from the tank - its just sometimes you won't be sure of quality (I'm thinking outside Europe here - Venezula etc) and as Jonic pointed out, if you loose a tank you would be in trouble. So bottled water has its place IMHO. I was just trying to work out how much!

Incidentally - Tesco Value water comes in 2 litres bottles for 17p each, and the 5 litre Asda 'Eden Spring' is only 54p.

Jonny
 
Re: Interesting about leaks

Just a few observations about water in general.

If you have the ability to make ice, freeze water in the half litre Coke bottles or similar - non liveaboards can do this at home, and then use these frozen water bottles to keep their ice-box cool.
Much easier than the hassle of getting blocks of ice, and having puddles of water in the bottom of the ice-box - and as the water melts, you have lots of nice cool water to drink.

The PET bottles that Coke and other fizzy drinks come in are very sturdy - I keep them, and then re-fill them with tap water, even the 0.5 litre size bottles. Being small, you can tuck them away in different places, and they can be regarded as your back up supply.

Re showers, especially in warmer waters, you can have a very effective shower using a bucket of sea water or 2 on deck - and shampoo works well in salt water. You can then 'rinse off' with a sponge and a pint of fresh water, and it feels like you have just had a fresh water shower.
 
Re: Interesting about leaks

DONT buy water /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

You dont need it.. you can carry bottles no worries, fill them up from LOCAL sources . 6 to 8 drops of 5% sodium hypochlorite solution bleach works well n ya cant taste it.. never though, in nearly 5 years have we EVER had to do this.
USE the system and it will be fine.. fit a simple filter - we are changing over to industry standard 10" filter housings.. all elements are available cheaper.. and.. it matches the watermaker filters.. only need to carry a few...

You are probably worrying about nowt' /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 
Didn\'t know

Tesco were in Venezuela.

When you get into 3rd world countries, where there is a water purity problem, you'll be likely to find difficulty in sourcing bottled water, and you'd do well to be wary of that you do buy it.

If you get that far - boil your drinking water, rather than using purchased bottled water, when your PET bottles really will come in useful for storage.

Most people, when they do get that far, rely upon reverse osmosis watermakers.
 
Re: Interesting about leaks

On long passages (longest has been 39 days), Re pressurised systems and risk of losing water through shower hoses etc: At outset calibrated the accumulator -ie switch off pressure pump and drain accum. through taps - measure quantity (say = 6 litres), . In normal use, pressure pump is left off until water stops then re-charged, and I record (on a card next to pump swtich) a tick day by day every time it is switched on/off to re-charge (never left on). Each day then say 3 ticks x 6litres (acc capacity) = 18 l used and logged, easy to monitor consumption relatively accurately. Obviously doesn't detect leaks on low pressure side (I have to check tank levels for that). It also keeps the crew constantly aware of water consumption.

I do carry bottled water (1. because some crew request it and 2. in case there is a problem with the main tanks.)

Have considered water maker, but rejected because (apart from more hi-tech and I've got enough of that already) one always needs to have enought water available in tankage to get to port should w'maker break down. Ok, can always call up a ship I guess but I prefer to have a fallback.

Myself, I usually drink the local water except where contra'd in pilot books.
 
Another point which has not been mentioned, which is always in the back of my mind. If I did have to take to the liferaft then having several 3 litre water bottles close to the life raft may be very useful.

We kept at least 5x3 litres in the same locker as the liferaft and had another 20litres close by. If we had time then we could get another 30-40ltrs from the bilges.
 
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