How much water - usage aboard

I think a water purifying system is something to look at if you plan to stay at sea for longer periods.

For now I need to plan the water reservoirs and amount of fresh water to take with.

I would rather overcompensate even with a watermaker aboard that could pack up. I'm sure you don't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere without the right kind of water.

 

Fanie,
20 litres in the Hot Water System, heated using a "calorifier" (hot coolant from your engine in a heat exchanger) and 20 litres more in a separate tank, set the desalinator/reverse osmosis "watermaker" to start when 5 litres are left and fill up both HWS & separate tank - as your holiday/voyage continues and the fuel is used you can then fill up some spare 20litre plastic drums to act as balast to replace the weight of the used fuel.... Does that make sense?

Wash off and use sea water in the kitchen sink & deckwash - fish scales/blood/gutz etc... remove salt from skin with a brief rinse before going to bed...

Anyone who uses excessive fresh water is thrown overboard attached to a rope (secured to the boat?) - to get the idea to use sea water where possible....

 

400 litres lasted 6 4 weeks

Gday

If you do lots of snorkelling you will want to rinse off, clothes still need washing and cooking requires water. We found that our family of four could go for a month on 400 litres.

Desal is nice but needs heaps of batteries, solar panels and a few thou on the watermaker, filters and the like. By the time you have the whole thing going you could spend almost ten grand on a solar panel outboard boat. Alternative view is to build a slightly bigger boat to take the load of a bigger tank. You still need good tankage in case the watermaker goes bung. You also can't use them al the time in murky water.

cheers

Phil

 

Hey Phil,

I thought desal had come on quite a bit, not by the sound of your comments.

 

It's better than he is prepared to admit but cannot afford? he he he eh?

 

I like the idea of secring the boat attached to someone that used the most water... Could do it every night.

The fresh water is sorted. Thank you every one for your contribution.

 

I'll start a new thread for head.

 

Desal

Hey Meanz and Mas

I stopped cruising in 2003 - would have loved a watermaker but didn't have the dough. I mean what I say about all the extras required for a watermaker. Take our fridge - I paid about $1000 for the compressor, motor and plate. I then had to upgrade the batteries because we needed more storage and then needed more juice for the batteries. About $400 for a good set of deep cycle 6 volters and almost a grand for the panels. About $2500 for a fridge.

I was a little over the top for the dollars on a small desal but if you go a big one you will need lots of charging and capacity. This is why I would seriously consider getting a small genset to make only 12 volts if I was to go cruising again. Cut the 240V gen off a cheap 4 stroke genset and replace with truck alternator. You get lots of amps very cheaply. Going green kills sometimes.

We sometimes had two weeks of little sun and the batteries would get very dim. I then had to do some serious miles and get our tow gen out. That was good value.

Just keep in mind the whole package when dealing with electrical appliances

cheers

Phil

 

catsketcher, I was only doing my usual thing - casting around with a few red herrings - I hope no offence was taken as none was meant.

Are you going to return to the cruising life? - maybe in something like a motor/sailor cat? or something like a fuel efficient displacement powercat by the likes of Kanga B., or Robin C., or John H., et al...

I have other commitments which preclude sailing (iron or dacron) for a while yet so I am sorting out in my mind such things as power needs and motive form etc... Shall we say due-diligence and number-crunching...

Best wishes
Brian

 

I saw a small manual unit once, no idea how much water you can get out it, survival only probably.

 

No offence taken

Hello Masalai

I am in work mode for the next few years. I am trying to get my little folding cat thing going while I am seeing the kids through high school. Am getting 38 footer ready for sale. Will go travelling in about 4-5 years. Maybe put folder on ship maybe backpack around for a while.

I love my 38 footer but it breaks my heart to see her on the mooring. She needs to be out on the ocean doing what she does best. She is a great simple and very dependable boat. I like simplicity - watermakers, toilets etc. Like Meanz I like the lavac dunny as it is brutally simple and my electrics are simple too. Rig simple no spreaders wishbone.

If you come down to Newcastle I could show you over the folder - its a fun little ship and less hassle to sail than the biggy - but the biggy is so nice off shore. Too many boats - no one boat for all uses. I now spend much more time building and maintaining than sailing - a bit of a bugger now.

cheers

Phil

 

Fanie, I used to live aboard a 10 meter cat, tankage was 180 liters plus a 20 liter plastic jerry can- mostly for galley use, with 2 on board that was plenty for a week, would go a week with 4 if carefull, my next boat is to have 600 liters plus an extra 2000 available if required. All the best from Jeff.

 

Ahhhhh found it... http://www.outbackmarine.com.au/MasterPages/TypeDetail/TypeDetail.asp?TypeID=131 this one is around 10/11k, look around and you will see the cheapest basic around 8 to 9k in Aussy $

 

Hi Phil,

A vertical wind power generator could make a substantial contribution to your power problem. I don't know what the wind situation is in .AU but here in SA down the coast is always lots of wind, ave 18km.hr

I like the vertical rotation jobbies, as soon as finances allow I'll make a few. One goes on my boat and with the solar they usually are easier to maintain battery power.

 

That's impressive... including the damn price! Reliable?