Drinking Water

"Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink." This old rhyme reminds us of the irony of being surrounded by water and still having to obtain and store our own fresh water.

This topic covers the equipment for obtaining and storing fresh water for drinking, bathing and washing..

The following checklists describe the equipment you'll need for the transport, filtering and storage of adequate water supplies aboard your boat. There are checklists for daysailing, coastal/overnight, ICW and Offshore/Crusing.

Daysailing

Daysailers are not burdened with water tanks or plumbing systems, but it is important to bring along sufficient drinking water to prevent dehydration. Plan on at least one quart per person for every two hours you'll be out on the water. A crew of three going out for a four-hour sail would require 6 quarts of water to stay hydrated.

You may also wish to bring along a solar-shower bag for rinsing off the salt after a dip in the ocean.

Coastal / Overnight

Once you're anchored out, you'll have a whole new appreciation for your city-water supply back home. You'll have to bring along all of the water you're going to use for cooking, drinking, dish washing, showering and general washing up. A good rule of thumb is to plan on 6 to 10 gallons per person per day. Check to see if your water tank is of sufficient size to allow you to stay anchored out for the desired duration. if not, you'll have to arrange for some way to transport water in your dinghy (e.g. 5 gallon jerry cans.)

Don't trust dock-side sources of water. Use an in-line filter on the hose you attach to fill up the jerry cans. An inexpensive and effective filter can be made by splicing a "whole house" filter (available at any Home Depot) into a 10' length of garden hose.

ICW Travel

Most snowbirds on the ICW will stop every two or three days for fuel and stay overnight in a marina, so obtaining water is generally not a problem. As with coastal travel, assume a usage of 6 to 10 gallons per person per day and plan your stops to fill your tank accordingly. Follow the same rules for filtering water as you use the hose at the dock.

Offshore / Cruising

When offshore, and hundreds of miles from the nearest water source, a reliable supply of drinking water is a survival issue. It's important to have back-up storage in case your main supply is contaminated or leaks.

You'll also find that the ability to move larger quantities of water is appreciated. A 40 gallon flexible tank fits nicely into most dinghys. Use your spare water pump and a length of hose to pump water from the dinghy up into the main tank.

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Daysailing - Water Supplies

þ	Item	Link to Detail
	Bottled water - at least 1 quart per person per four hours of planned sailing.
	Solar shower bag (optional)

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Coastal/Overnight Sailing - Water Supplies

þ	Item	Link to Detail
	Primary water tank(s) with capacity of at least 4 gallons per person per day
	5 gallon jerry can(s) for carrying water from the dock
	Household water filter fitted with 8" hose for filtering dock water
	Solar shower bag (optional)

ICW Travel- Water Supplies

þ	Item	Link to Detail
Drinking Water
	Primary water tank(s) with capacity of at least 4 gallons per person per day
	5 gallon jerry can(s) for carrying water from the dock
	Household water filter fitted with 8" hose for filtering dock water
	Solar shower bag (optional)

Offshore/Cruising - Drinking Water Supplies

þ	Item	Link to Detail
Obtain & Transport
	5 gallon jerry can(s) for carrying water from the dock
	Optional: 40 gallon bladder tank for transporting large quantities of water in the dinghy in one trip
	Household water filter fitted with 8" hose for filtering dock water into jerry cans
	Bimini or awning equipped with hose to capture rainwater
Filtering / Sanitizing
	Sediment filter mounted after pressure pump
	Sanitary filter mounted at faucet
	Household bleach for sanitizing (Don't use if you have aluminum tanks!)
Storage
	Primary water tank(s) with capacity of at least 3 gallons per person per day
	Secondary water tank - separate from primary tank
	Solar shower bag (optional)
Salt-Water Washing
	Optional: foot pump and salt-water spigot in galley for washing dishes. Use a fresh-water sprayer for the final rinse.

Links to Outside Resources

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