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Fresh water storage onboard?

S

svShearwater

Shearwater & Spadefoot
What are people with small boats doing for water storage. It seems unlikely that anyone with a small boat has a well placed water tank, if they have a water tank at all. Ours is under the v-berth which seems like a horrible place. Is there any reason that 21 or 25 1-gallon water jugs or a mix of 1-gallon and 3-gallon jugs couldn't be strategically placed and well secured?
 
In addition to the built in tank, I added a bladder tank plumbed to the main system, and also carried two 5 gal water containers (light blue, the same shape as diesel jugs) lashed down, and then also bottles of e-water. A bit overkill probably.


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In my opinion, 1 (and 3) gallon jugs is the best way to carry and dispense water on a small boat. Pumps, hoses, plumbing, and tanks, as well as adding complexity and weight, is just asking for leaks.

It is often difficult, if not impossible, to get one's boat alongside a faucet or hose. Hanalei is a good example, as are most anchorages in Mexico, and the Pacific NW. With portable jugs, it is relatively easy to portage ashore, fill, and return to the boat. Fresh water floats, so portable jugs can even be towed behind a kayak or a swimmer.

I happily cruised my former 27 foot sloop for 33 years sans water tankage. Stowage was easy, and I had each 1 gallon jug numbered, so I knew exact consumption. Empty jugs I would toss up in the bow. If going this route, screw-on tops are the best.
 
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Thanks sled. Open and shut case as far as I can see. I actually have in mind to plug and seal the water tank under the v-berth so it becomes positive flotation.
 
pogen said:
In addition to the built in tank, I added a bladder tank plumbed to the main system, and also carried two 5 gal water containers (light blue, the same shape as diesel jugs) lashed down, and then also bottles of e-water. A bit overkill probably.


1914969.jpg
Click to expand...

We carried two of those blue jugs in addition to the main tank last year for Pac Cup. Something like that is necessary to meet the "not more than 1/2 the minimum requirement can be stored in one container" rule. That works fine on bigger boats. Much harder to find good places to store them on smaller boats and then you have to figure out how to move them on a boat that you might not be able to stand up in. Smaller containers seem better.
 
I have the 5 gal. blue jugs pictured above. They work but are a handful in a seaway. I wouldn't go larger than 3 gallons, plus small containers for drinking, etc.

I also froze a couple of 1 gallon jugs of water to keep stuff in the ice chest cold a bit longer.

If I install the clawfoot tub up forward I'll reconsider plumbing.
 
BobJ said:
I also froze a couple of 1 gallon jugs of water to keep stuff in the ice chest cold a bit longer.
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Ice chest? Good god, man, are you a Neanderthal? Just kidding. Sort of.

How long did you have cold stuff in the ice chest? Not that I care, I shower in Perrier on Shearwater, but I have a "friend" that is curious.
 
svShearwater said:
Ice chest? Good god, man, are you a Neanderthal? Just kidding. Sort of.

How long did you have cold stuff in the ice chest? Not that I care, I shower in Perrier on Shearwater, but I have a "friend" that is curious.
Click to expand...

You are SO going on the small boat. I need to e-mail Chris and point her to this thread.

The "real" food lasted 4-5 days in the chest. Tracy and I took dry ice last time (in pieces, not a block) and it didn't add much time vs. regular ice (including the frozen jugs).
 
I had one of those blue jerry cans (actually 7 gallons, not 5) on the SHTP in 2010, and it sprung a leak on the return trip. It was wedged under the table, not touching any sharp points that I could tell, but still moved around enough to develop a crack. Same thing happened with my other blue jerry can on the LongPac in '09 or '11. It's surprising how thin the plastic is, especially in the corners. Those Waterbricks look like a better idea.
 
Not exactly related to storage on board, but I always keep two 2 1/2 gal jugs of water backing up whatever I carry in the installed 16 gal tank amidships on Harrier.
I also have a 12 gal bladder under a bunk plumbed into the system...occasionally a 9 gal bladder under a opposite bunk. Most important tho, is my use of 2 1/2 gal jugs in lieu of larger. This takes advantage of the ease of carrying the small jugs to the dinghy when provisioning from shore...visualize Hanalei Bay. Two full 5 gal jugs are extremely difficult to carry for any distance, especially for those of us smaller types. No problem with the 2 1/2 gal size. Easier to lift from the dinghy to the deck over the lifelines, as well.
 
Water storage on TAZ!!, an Express 27: In 2012 I carried 13 gallons in a bladder and 13 gallons in 1 gallon jugs. I lost 8 gallons in a bladder leak and was glad to have the separate containers for the balance. Next time, no bladder. The 1 gallon containers made it easy to measure my planned 1 gal/day consumption. They provided a reasonable relief from a leak being catastrophic. They can be stored in many places. Empty containers weigh almost nothing (Arrowhead jugs are thinner than most). I lined my cubbies with indoor/outdoor carpet to minimize friction damage to the jugs. In an emergency (who knows what) they are buoyant. The 1 gallon jugs are easy to handle. Marking them with numbers makes inventory a breeze (you need to use them in numerical order). For variety, every once in a while I flavored them. I'm sticking with 1 gallon jugs.
 
I went with the Dromedary Bags from MSR (REI sells them). The black ones are plenty tough, because they are flexible they fit it odd and small places. I have a place on the fore bulkhead to hang one while i fill the day use bottles.
Downsides: Not cheap, and need to modify the spigot for higher flow.Screen Shot 2015-07-25 at 3.24.52 PM.png
 
And I see you can subsist on Pinto Beans, Rice and Dog Food stored in Water Bricks! Thanks for the link, good product. BTW, if you still have the ICOM SSB Dave, I found a microphone in my garage - happy to send it to you or the next owner.
 
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