Free water

Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Hi all,

We just had three inches of rain this week in the Abaco’s and I decided we could use this free water. After catching a few buckets full I got an idea to catch more. The deck was clean so I opened the deck cap. This gotta work.

All U Get

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Likes: Simon Sexton
Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
Depends on what you use your water for, doesn't it? If it's only indirectly used for human consumption (boiling food, dishwashing, washing, etc.) then clean enough is good enough. You certainly aren't going to get enough heavy metals or bacteria from your decks that you aren't exposed to at the same level from the inside of the tank anyhow. Perhaps I'd throw a splash of chlorine bleach in the tank for safety, but then again, I never directly drink anything from a boat tank. Most of my boat fresh water runs out the bottom as grey water anyhow.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
...free water. After catching a few buckets full I got an idea to catch more. The deck was clean so I opened the deck cap. This gotta work.
Having the deck washed well before filling the water tank is the ocean-going way to renew your supply. There is also letting the rain run down the main sail and fill the jugs from a fold in the sail. IIRC there was an analysis of rainwater (or was it the yellow snow?), and they found MINUTE traces of desert sand and camel dung had been carried across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. .
 
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Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,746
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
have read about sailors using modeling clay to make dams to catch deck water.I
 

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Haa! I’ll just warn you yankee dandies that if you ever travel down island in the Carib and need water you have a better than even chance you will be shipping rain water that was collected from someone’s roof! Heck, most of the resorts use rainwater collection. Search the forum and you will find some posts detailing how to make water safe to drink in the third world, and potentially in your own backyard when your home water supply becomes contaminated.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
But into their potable water tanks?
Yes.

I know a restaurant (Carker Ps Bar and Grill) Located on Lubber Quarters off of Marsh Harbor Abaco that supplies all the water for their restaurant with a 40,000 gallon cistern that collects water off of the roof for the whole facility. He even has a12 volt backup water pump system so that the restaurant can stay open when the power from Abaco is out.
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
...you will be shipping rain water that was collected from someone’s roof!
That's usually been decanted in the cistern, allowing the grit and "camel dung" to drop to the bottom. :wink:
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Haa! I’ll just warn you yankee dandies that if you ever travel down island in the Carib and need water you have a better than even chance you will be shipping rain water that was collected from someone’s roof! Heck, most of the resorts use rainwater collection. Search the forum and you will find some posts detailing how to make water safe to drink in the third world, and potentially in your own backyard when your home water supply becomes contaminated.
That's my point. They DO take steps to make it safe. Not the same as opening a deck fill.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
If you want to drink it after deck collection, you could always run it through a Britta faucet filter.
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,399
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
That's my point. They DO take steps to make it safe. Not the same as opening a deck fill.
Really? I think it is less different than you think. Texas and Austrailia too. In fact, I would lay odds the deck is cleaner than the roof and the tanks is cleaned more often.

I've used rainwater off my hardtop continuously, as my sole source for long periods. I do filter 1 micron to keep the tank clean, and I chlorinate/dechlorinate. The resulting tap water has tested very well, better than muni. But in truth, my process is more for aesthetics than safety.
 
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Likes: jwing
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Really? I think it is less different than you think. Texas and Austrailia too. In fact, I would lay odds the deck is cleaner than the roof and the tanks is cleaned more often.

I've used rainwater off my hardtop continuously, as my sole source for long periods. I do filter 1 micron to keep the tank clean, and I chlorinate/dechlorinate. The resulting tap water has tested very well, better than muni. But in truth, my process is more for aesthetics than safety.
Very interesting, thanks. I was always taught not to contaminate potable water tanks in any way, but it might not be as important as I was let to beleve.
 
Mar 1, 2012
2,182
1961 Rhodes Meridian 25 Texas coast
Simply do not understand keeping water tanks aboard a boat, that you don't use for drinking. Keep the things clean!! I've used tank water in every cruising boat I have owned, and have live aboard several.. I also have awnings set with drains so water can be collected into jugs to put into the tanks. I do have a pretty effective inline filter on board, that all the water used as food stuff goes through an d change those filters regularly.