Fresh water

Pack it in or go to shore and collect freshwater, then purify by either boiling or through a mechanical purifyer plus iodine tablets.
 
With the foot pump we find that the 20 gal in the tank lasts 2or3 days. We fill a bag shower with 4 or 5 gals for washing us.

We use a PUR water filter pitcher to filter our drinking water.

Note: We find that most city water system water has a little chlorine and this keeps any nasty growth from forming in our tank.

Fred, Pat, and Mr. Grey(the cat)
 
On our 25, we intend to put an auxiliary tank in the cut out at the entry to the V-berth. It looks like a fellow could get a 13 gallon tank in there easy enough. For now we just set the spare 6 gallon portable poly tank in the opening. We also carry the drinking / cooking water in jugs, not preferring to drink out of the main tank. This arrangement will last us 5 days easily.
Mike on Huda Thunkit
 
We carry an extra 6 gallons on the CD 22. That plus the built in tank lasts us for a week easily. We once did a Transpac race (2500 miles, 15 days with 10 men aboard) and had the minumum 50 gallons of water aboard---we arrived with some reserve. When you learn to conserve water, it is fairly easy. You can bath in salt or brackish water, you can brush your teath and cook in salt water. The fresh water is for drinking only if you want to stretch the reserve. About half a gallon of water a day per person is enough for survival. You can take liquids in other froms--sodas, beer, wine, punches etc. You can also carry bottled water, if you don't trust the domestic supplies.

We had water makers on some very long trips--but that was more for luxary than necessity. As above there are many ways to disenfect the water. After the hurricanes we boiled any drinking water for 6 weeks until we were sure that the water supply is safe.

When picking up water in questionable areas we tend to use a filter which will stop any cysts. Then add chlorox and let the water sit.
 
It's surprising how long you can make that tank last. We almost never turn on the water pump and leave it on - fill the lines, turn off the pump, put soap on your hands, open the faucet... enough water will come out to rinse, and you've used a couple ounces at most. To shower, you use just enough water to get wet, lather up (use less shampoo than you're used to), rinse; with a little practice you will find that you can shower in less than a gallon of water. Washing dishes seems to use the most, but we use the biggest dish/bowl that is dirty and clean the rest in that; rinse them one into another. We also carry a 5 gal solar shower, a 5 gal extra water container, and two 2.5 gal water containers. We only drink filtered or bottle water while traveling (even though we sanitize the tank several times a year). With this set up, we have gone for over a week while anchored out. When you need more, dinghy in with the extra water containers and top off. Conservation is the key... after a while, it becomes a competition to see who can use the least. :wink: (within reason, of course)
 
Hey Jim,
What is the process you use to sanitize the tank? Mine probably should be done a coupe of times during the summer.

I know some have claimed that Vodka is good for antifreeze and I thought sanitize could be wrong.
 
One wasteful element in your water system may be an electric water pump. A hand or foot operated pump can conserve water much better than an electric geyser courtesy of Drs. Edison and Westinghouse!

Waste good vodka on the water system? Why not drink it yourself and santize from the inside out?

Sanitization, sanity, or insanity? Only the vodka knows for sure!

Joe.
 
Jeff Brigner":2bfmfrdi said:
Hey Jim,
What is the process you use to sanitize the tank? Mine probably should be done a coupe of times during the summer.

I know some have claimed that Vodka is good for antifreeze and I thought sanitize could be wrong.
Click to expand...

Add a small amount (as in: a couple caps full) of bleach to a 20 gallon tank. Move the boat around enough that it mixes well. Run that out through any faucets/showerhead to make sure it gets through all the lines. You should be able to smell a slight bleach odor. Fill the tank again. If you don't smell any bleach, you are done. If you do smell/taste bleach (use less next time) add a bit of baking soda to the water, mix it up and flush again.

We have also put a couple drops of bleach in a one gallon jug when filling from a dock.

We've done this for years on RVs and boats. Still, we drink bottled or filtered (backpacking RVO pump) water (my preference... I think Joan pumps tank water into the bottles just to keep me happy :crook ). If you leave water in the tank unused for a long time, it's time to dump and start over.

I have used vodka to sanitize a glass: add ice, tomato juice, tobasco and salt to taste... haven't tried that in the tank, yet. :wink:

Best wishes,
Jim
 
We carry our own spring water water with us (5 to 7 gallons). If we are gone for a substantial amount of time, so that we need additional water, we will conserve as much of our 7-gallons of water for drinking, cooking and brushing out teeth and use marina, dock, park, or whatever other water we can find (even if it means bottled water) for bathing, dishes or other uses. If it is going into our mouth, we use only our own spring water. For an absolutely emergency we have a Pur water filter with us. If all else fails, I guess we could always fall back on the Vodka treatment.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
Thanks everyone for the help. This sight alone is worth buying a c dory. You guys are great.

Being retired Navy I fully understand about drinking the ships water and then tie up somewhere and getting really bad cases of turkey trots because of the pier water.

Patrick
 
Jeff, you are using your boat enough to keep the lines sanatized. Take your chlorine test kit from your pool with you to the dock next trip. Wash your boat, as to allow the lines to clear any water in them from lack of use, then, after the boat wash...check the amount of chlorine in the water. More than likely much higher than the chlorine level in your pool, as most city waters systems have, in order to provide trustworthy potable water to our homes. This might not be the case with ALL marinas...I am not saying that. But, Jeff, I know your marina...and feel sure you are getting city water at the dock, and not water from the basin/lake.....but, Russel does like making money...and it is worth checking.

I'd flush my entire system about once a month....generally when I'd stay at the dock long enough to wash the boat....rather than just tossing the ropes and heading out. :mrgreen:
 
Well, Aquafina (PepsiCo) has (finally)admitted it: the source of their bottled water (you know, the bottle that shows a beautiful mountain, implying pure spring water from some sylvan glen -- the source of their water is TAP WATER! Sure they then take out the minerals, and add minerals and charge the gullible public a mint -- for altered tap water!! In order to meet federal requirements, they must reveal that their water is tap water -- so they do -- they now label bottles "p.w.s." What does that mean? Well, it means public water supply -- sorta hidden under the p.w.s. label -- good grief!! Now they must say, public water supply ... and, by the way, this is an $11 billion dollar business.

Oh, and the purity of bottled water is rarely tested by any authority, whereas public water from the tap is constantly monitored for purity.

So, if you want a good fresh water supply for your boat, find a public water supply.

If you want good fresh air in your boat, El and I have bottled air (with a picture of an ocean beach) and you just uncork the bottle -- only $5.98/bottle. Oh, and its labelled, b.y.a. (back yard air) per gov't regulation.
 
Well, Bill, to continue your story:

A couple of years ago, the bottled water folks got the federal folks to decree that the bottled water industry only had to meet federal water standards, NOT state standards. Why? The Federal standards are not as strict as state standards, California being an example. So, tap water is probably better for you than bottled water. At least it's no worse.

Surprising what you can do with an $11 X 10^9 industry.

The southern Boris
 
I carry bottled spring water with me. It comes from my tap and originates at the top of a hill above my house and is the best water I have ever tasted. I try not to drink other water (bottled or tap).

I have had neighbors bottle my water for their drinking water and coffee.
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Dave dlt.gif
 
What is the best way to drain the water tank? When rinsing the tank it seems like using the foot pump to purge 20 gallons doesn't make sense. I figured there is a better way, I just don't know the way.

Also, what does everyone use to protect from freezing during winter months.
Thanks
 
R&R-

Rogerbum had the answer to that question on a recent thread.

" To get the water out more quickly/easily get a long piece of tygon tubing and attach it to the faucet. With the boat on the trailer, put the hose out the side window and use it to siphon out the tank. I couldn't find tygon tubing that was an exact fit so I built up the faucet diameter with a bit of electrical tape first."
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Roger on the SeaDNA

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Use the foot pump to start the siphon.

This will also work on the water, just get the end of the siphon tube at least slightly below the water level outside. It will drain the tank down just to the outer water level. It will be a little slow as it gets down to where the water levels are equal.

I don't know exactly how the bottom level of the water tank compares with the outside water level. If the bottom of the tank is above the outside level, the tank will be drained completely.

Joe.
 
Thanks, I missed the last discussion string on the topic of purging the tank. The July 8th string was what I was looking for.

Do most folks just drain the water tank for winter to prevent damage or do they put some form of anti-freeze in the tank?
 
My 22 had a "T" in the hose, as it crossed from the tank across the back of the boat--we just opened the cap on the "T" and let the water out--didn't take long, if the boat's bow was up, we let it drain into the cockpit and out the transomm plug...
 
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