sailboat fresh water system

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• Systems & Propulsion

Keeping Water Clean and Fresh

Good old bleach is great, but treatment tabs have advantages..

In the first part of our three-part series covering onboard water quality, we discussed protecting the tank with basic filtration and securing the tank vent. Further action is required, however, as the tank and its contents will always be far from sterile.

Municipal water is filtered to remove turbidity, disinfected (typically with chlorine, ozone, or ultraviolet light), filtered once more (often very fine filtration to remove cryptosporidium cysts, which resist disinfection), and disinfected once more (with chlorine or chloramine) to protect the water while its in the distribution system. However, since we are storing the water on our boats, this process of secondary disinfection becomes our responsibility. So what are the options for treating water that is already in an onboard tank?

In the U.S., the chlorine residual from municipal waters secondary disinfection is usually enough to keep tank water clean. In most cases, a sufficient amount of chlorine-1 part per million (ppm)-from the municipal treatment process carries into the boats tank. You can easily check the amount of chlorine in your tank by using the test strips designed for aquariums. We like the Tetra EasyStrips (about 69 cents per test), which simultaneously test for nitrate, nitrite, hardness, chlorine, alkalinity, and pH.

Over-chlorinating, whether with bleach or commercial freshening chemicals, can shorten the life of elastomers in your plumbing. Chlorine is a leading cause of death for freshwater pump impellers. Excess chlorine also shortens the life of tap-water polishing filters (which we will discuss in the next installment of this series). Finally, excess chlorine has negative health effects and is limited to 4 ppm by U.S. drinking water standards (0.5-1 ppm is normal). If you find that your tank lacks any residual chlorine, there are a few treatment options:

Bleach: Household bleach (unscented) typically contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite, which breaks down in water into hypochlorous acid and several other useful sterilizing agents. Only a few parts per million are needed to effectively deactivate bacteria and viruses, typically within two to 30 minutes, depending on temperature and contaminant levels. However, there are a few caveats. The water must be reasonably free of physical dirt, since the bleach will expend itself oxidizing organic materials, and bacteria will hide within the dirt.

How much bleach should you use? More is not always better. The standard recommendation for emergency disinfection is 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons; this standard is frequently repeated in boating and camping texts. This allows for organic compounds chlorine demand and provides enough kick-20 ppm of free chlorine-to reach micro-organisms buried inside small dirt particles. This is appropriate for sanitizing and for dirty water, but it is overkill for routine treatment of good quality water, at least 10 times more than is typically used in tap water.

For treating water that is clear and chlorinated at the tap, 1 teaspoon of bleach per 50 gallons will provide a 2 ppm booster, the very most that should be needed. Chlorine aftertaste is the most common onboard water-quality complaint; however, chlorine at the tank can be efficiently removed with carbon filtration (covered in part three of this series). In fact, chlorination is vital to performance of downstream filtration, controlling growth within the filter.

Dichlorisocyanurinate: Common in swimming pool tablets, chlorine in this form has several advantages. Chlorine levels are stabilized by a chemical equilibrium, resulting in a more stable and more durable treatment, and reducing the amount required. Additionally, the released chlorine generates cyanuric acid, an effective corrosion inhibitor for aluminum, reducing aluminum corrosion by 10 to 40 times compared to bleach treatment. Both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) approve this method.

Hydrogen peroxide: Internet forums frequently suggest the use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as a bleach alternative, but because of the lack of regulatory guidance (neither the EPA nor WHO recommend it as a treatment solely on its own) and numerous well-known shortcomings, we cannot recommend it as a sterilizing agent.

Quaternary amines: Common in non-bleach, anti-bacterial surface cleaners and hand soaps, quaternary amines (e.g. benzalkonium chloride) are effective against bacteria, algae, and most viruses. However, they are typically very toxic to marine invertebrates (a few ppb is lethal), so use around the water should be limited. If you are sterilizing a tank with these, they should be flushed from the system before drinking.

Ultraviolet light (UV): Ultraviolet light, specifically those wavelengths between 250 and 300 nanometers, is a very effective sterilizing agent. UV is typically employed as a final sterilizing step, in the plumbing, and not in the tank. Weve tested two portable UV devices for personal water purification, the Steripen (see PS, April 2008 online) and the CamelBak All Clear (see Chandlery , PS, June 2013 online).

Desert island tip: Lets say youre down to your last bottle of water, and although you have fresh water available, you have no chemicals or filters to make it safe to drink. What to do? WHO has studied this problem, as it is not unusual in the wake of a hurricane or flood.

First, collect the best water you can find in clear water bottles, allow the water to settle, and filter it through cloth until it is reasonably clear. Fill the bottles about three-quarters full, shaking vigorously to oxygenate the water, and then, leave the water in full sun (placing the bottles on a reflective surface helps) for three to eight hours. The suns UV will deactivate over 99.9 percent of the pathogens in the bottle.

None of the above methods will remove microscopic parasites (giardia and cryptosporidium). These are shell-like organisms that resist chlorine treatment; water suspected of containing parasitic cysts must be filtered to 0.5 microns to provide physical removal. We will deal with physical filtering at the tap in the final segment of this series.

What We Tested

There are commercial products designed to accomplish the same water-purifying tasks as bleach, but they claim they do it better. For this report, we tested tank-cleaning products, sanitizing chemicals, and tank-freshening chemicals, as well as a dishwasher detergent.

Intended to cleanse funky tanks before sanitizing, tank-cleaning products contain non-bleach cleaners and sanitizing agents. While they should not be needed in a well-maintained system, they may be helpful if things have been let go.

Sanitizing chemicals are for used after cleaning; all are based on chlorine, but the chemistry varies. Tank-freshening chemicals provide disinfection for clean tanks, supplementing the chlorine in the tap water. These are handy when you don’t trust the tap water-perhaps the water has been sitting for a while and seems less than fresh.

How We Tested

We dosed each freshening product into reverse osmosis (RO) water as directed by the manufacturer, measuring free chlorine and observing odor. We then transferred the water into 1-gallon, disposable ice-tea jugs made of thick-walled polyethylene, which we felt presented a reasonable surrogate for a lightly contaminated polyethylene water tank. Although well-rinsed when emptied, they had a uniform level of taste and smell saturated into the plastic; we graded how well the chlorine residual endured after 24 hours, and how well residual odor and taste were removed.

We then repeated similar tests for tank cleaning-chemicals and tank-sanitizing chemicals. We also placed aluminum corrosion coupons (SAE 329) in the solutions and graded them after regular checks during a three-week period; chlorine-induced corrosion is a major concern for those with aluminum tanks. Note that all testing was with high-quality RO water; other water types may exhibit some chlorine demand (some bleach is neutralized by the water), and some will contain chlorine. The only way to be certain of dosage is to test with swimming pool strips or equivalent.

We tested tank-cleaning products by soaking contaminated beverage containers and soaking dishes uniformly soiled with dried-on salsa. Water and a bleach solution recommended for sanitizing by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) were controls.

We also used each of the freshening chemicals during a summer of cruising, dosed as recommended. Because the filling water was variable, we did not attempt any quantitative measurement in the actual onboard field trials. We simply evaluated taste.

Observations

Here is a rundown of some important observations that testers made during the evaluation.

Any additives should be used during the first one-third of the filling process. This allows a thorough mixing. All of the tablets dissolved before the tank was full. For aluminum tanks, dissolve the tablets in a bottle of water first.

Bleach is a handling problem. We settled on a sturdy pint sports drink bottle with a cap that held the required amount. We kept the bottle in a deck locker to avoid dribbling the bleach on clothing, upholstery, or carpet. For annual sanitizing we filled a water bottle with the required dose at home and took only that to the marina. Camco TastePure Freshener contains diluted bleach and is less of a bleaching hazard if spilled. All other products were non-bleaching; nevertheless we would still clean up all spills and keep them away from fabric.

While some of the products left a detectable chlorine smell in the tank, none were noticeable at the tap, even without carbon filtration.

We were concerned about pitting in aluminum tanks. The highest concentrations were in the tank cleaning and sanitation products. Since these are only used once a year for no more than 90 minutes while the tank is being cleaned and flushed, we limited the test coupon exposure to only 48 hours. None of the products caused significant pitting, but Puriclean (dichlorisocyanurinate) was clearly less corrosive to aluminum than other sanitizing treatments. When we tested freshening treatments and tap water, we found the same trend; AquaMega Tabs (also based on dichlorisocyanurinate) were far less damaging than other treatments, and less damaging than tap water alone.

While most disinfecting products are based around 2 to 3 ppm of free chlorine, 0.5 ppm residual chlorine is enough for safe water, and owners of aluminum tanks should buy test tapes and use only the minimum amount of disinfectant required.

We tested some non-chlorine treatments (ozone and hydrogen peroxide), but found these to be either corrosive to aluminum or ineffective. Carefully regulated chlorination is the most sensible treatment.

Tank cleaning chemicals function a little differently than bleach and detergent, dissolving more material without agitation, but not loosening heavier deposits as well as detergent with light agitation. They did perform better than plain water or the ANSI bleach sanitizing solution. All were non-corrosive to aluminum. The sanitizing effect of the quaternary amines and peroxides may be valuable, if the user does not intend to follow cleaning with a bleach sanitizing process.

Tank Cleaning Chemicals

Star brite tank cleaner.

Star brites Water Tank and System Flush, also labeled as Aqua Clean Water Tank Flush, is based on alcohol and alkylbenzly chloride, a quaternary amine commonly used in anti-bacterial handsoaps and surface cleaners. It is more potent than plain bleach sanitizing solutions. However, we cannot confirm the effectiveness of this chemistry.

We do not advise adding bleach to the product, as an undesirable reaction will occur. Any bleach sanitizing, if desired, must be a separate step.

Bottom line: Recommended with a bleach follow up if fail-safe sanitizing is required.

Camco Spring Fresh

Camcos Spring Fresh contains a food-grade surfactant and is a better cleaner than plain bleach sanitizing. As with the Star brite, we caution against adding bleach to the product as a bad reaction will occur. If you plan to do bleach sanitizing, do it in a separate step.

Bottom line: Recommended if fail-safe sanitizing is required. Follow up with bleach or Camco Dewinterizer.

Finish PowerBall Tabs

Our research into the chemistry behind tank-sterilizing tabs led us to regular dishwashing tablets. Finish Powerball Tabs were the ones we had on hand, so we included them in the test. They required slightly more agitation than the other test products, but they did a superior job when gentle swirling was added. Like all dishwasher detergents, Powerball Tabs contain a sterilizing agent (in this case, percarbonate, which releases hydrogen peroxide) to prevent the dishwasher from getting nasty. We used 1 tablet per 5 gallons of water, which we felt mimicked the solution used in a dishwasher.

Bottom line: This is the Budget Buy choice, if you have the time to take your boat for a rollicking sail to provide some agitation.

Tank Sanitizing Chemicals

These treatments are meant to be done once a season (often after winter storage) or when you suspect a contaminated tank.

Puriclean Clean Tabs

These tabs are based upon sodium dichlorisocyanurinate, and have the same basic chemistry as AquaMega Tabs (below), but are packaged in a tub suitable for tanks up to 60 gallons. To uses, you dissolve the tabs in about gallon of water, then mix it into the tank and allow it to sit for 1 to 2 hours. This concentration (about 20-30 ppm chlorine) sanitizes any pre-cleaned tank. Testers noted much lower aluminum corrosion rates than other sanitizing products; the aluminum is discolored by the formation of a dark passive layer, which stops further corrosion and pitting.

Bottom line: Recommended. The stable residual and low aluminum corrosion rates make Puriclean Clean Tabs the PS Best Choice among tank sanitizing chemicals.

Star brite Water Shock

A concentrated formula, Star brites Water Shock is intended to clear up any odors and tastes that tank cleaning leaves behind, and to sanitize the tank. It is also recommended for routine freshening at a lower dosage.

Bottom line: We don’t believe this outperforms the ANSI bleach sanitizing procedure (below).

Camco Dewinterizer

Camcos Dewinterizer uses a somewhat lower chlorine content than recommended by ANSI. It is intended to clear-up odors and tastes that tank cleaning left behind, and to sanitize the tank.

Bottom line: We don’t believe this outperforms the ANSI bleach sanitizing procedure.

Tank Freshening, Disinfection Chemicals

These treatments are meant to be done on a routine basis, either to restore freshness to stale water or to maintain clean tanks.

Household Bleach

Unscented, 5.25-percent sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) is sold under countless brands. The baseline for comparison, WHO and the EPA has studied this ad nauseam. A solution of 1 teaspoon per 50 gallons gave us a 2 ppm residual; about right for most tap-water applications. Remember that bleach loses effectiveness after long storage and should not be kept more than six months after opening.

Bottom line: This is far and away the most affordable treatment, but you must measure it yourself-and don’t spill.

AquaMega Clean Tabs

Based on sodium dichlorisocyanurinate, the AquaMega tablets are available in amounts matched to tank sizes. We observed a more stable residual and much lower aluminum corrosion rates. There was a stable residual for weeks, versus only 48 hours with bleach products. Because of this stable residual, we suspect that the AquaMega tabs dose might be stronger than what most tanks will require for simple freshening.

If you are willing to test your water, you can tailor a smaller dose that more closely mimics the ANSI solution. If the 50-gallon size is more than you need, you can break tabs in half and wrap-up the remainder in the foil pouch for up to one month. Its also available in small pills (Aqua Minitabs) for individual treatments.

Bottom line: The convenient packaging, low corrosion rates, and stable residual made this our Best Choice among tank freshening and disinfection chemicals. It was also our favorite to use.

Star brite Freshener

The Star brite Water Freshener was the only solution in the test lacking the distinctive chlorine odor, but it did not change the odor of our chlorinated tap water. The manufacturer did not share the disinfectant chemistry, so we could not confirm its effectiveness.

Bottom line: While the lack of chlorine smell in the concentrate suggested better tasting water, we observed no difference on the boat.

TastePure Freshener

Based on pre-diluted bleach, TastePure Water Freshener performed much like bleach. The resulting water had a barely discernible chlorine smell, and the taste was fresh.

Bottom line: Recommended as an effective freshening product.

Conclusions

The United States has perhaps the highest quality water in world, regardless of what we read in the papers. Do we need to disinfect if the source water is chlorinated and of high quality? Perhaps not for safety alone, if the tank is cleaned and the water is turned over every few weeks, though often potability is improved. If traveling outside the U.S. or if cautious by nature, providing secondary disinfection is easy and safe.

We like bleach, particularly for annual sanitizing. Its cheap, its known to be effective, and any aftertaste is easily removed with carbon filtering. However, the two test products formulated with dichlorisocyanurinate-AquaMega Tabs for freshening and Puriclean Powder for sanitizing-lasted longer than bleach. We also like AquaMega tablets for convenience; they have a long shelf life and are simple in use, with nothing to measure, nothing to spill, and nothing to return to stowage after use. If your boats not in the water and you can’t agitate your tank, the cleaning chemicals seem to help loosen deposits better than bleach sanitizing solutions and dishwasher detergents. However, dishwasher detergent did very well when a little sloshing was provided.

Although we began this project expecting cheap and effective bleach would win out, the convenience of some of the commercial products won us over.

For sailors with aluminum tanks, we recommend AquaMega Tabs and Puriclean because of much lower corrosion rates-even lower than tap water. Additionally, we believe that the manufacturers recommended dose may be quite conservative; half this amount may be sufficient. We recommend that you buy test strips and use the smallest dose that is detectable or produces any chlorine smell in the tank. Aluminum corrosion will be reduced.

In our final clean-water installment, we will explore point-of-use filters, which will remove any last trace of odor, taste, or contaminating chemicals, leaving water as fresh, pure, and safe as bottled water. However, the steps we explored in this and the previous report (see PS, June 2015 online ) are just as critical. Protection against biological growth begins at the tank fill and the tank.

• Preventing and Treating the Tainted Tank

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

27 comments.

Excellent article(s), all 3 of them. I learned a lot. Biggest frustration is sourcing the Best Choice Aqua Mega Tabs. They are not available in the US. I can’t imagine why more marine supply stores don’t offer them.

Stephen, I purchased Aqua Mega Tabs from http://www.TheYachtRigger.com out of Florida.

I seem to be having trouble finding the Aqua Mega Tabs in the US and even in England it seems to be hard to come by and with shipping it will be too expensive. Is there any US source with stock of this product? I tried to leave a message on the www site for Aqua Mega and it did not seem to work. thanks Kent

Try Amazon or Hopkins-Carter (Aqua Mega Tabs).

My mother would like to keep her water clean and free from contamination, which is why she’s thinking of installing a system that will help keep it clean. Well, I also agree with you that it would be smarter to use chlorine too. Thank you for clarifying here as well the importance of sterilizing.

My marina on West River, in Maryland, uses well water. Assuming the well water passes the county or state requirements for potability, how, if at all, does this fact change your recommendation about the amount of bleach to use, i.e., 1 tsp per 50 gal water, where water is clear and chlorinated at tap?

I’m not far from the West River, just 10 miles down the Chesapeake Bay, in Deale, MD. My marina is also on well water, and I’m guessing the well water is similar. Often it goes a little skunky over time, as the sulfate in the well water is converted to sulfide by native bacteria.

The above advice on chlorination assumes potable quality water that is not chlorinated, and is based on EPA, WHO, and ANSI guidance, and on personal experience and testing. It should apply to your well water. For those that use chlorinated tap water, as long as you rinse the hose out well before use, chlorination of the boat’s tank is not required.

My Beneteau Oceanis (2002) manual section on the fresh water system recommends “When the system has not been used for a long period of time, the tanks and pipes should be cleansed with an acetic acid solution (white vinegar).” But I find no mention of acetic acid here. What are your thoughts about this? Thanks Arthur

Excellent question (cleaning plumbing with vinegar) and excellent topic. Unfortunately the manual gives no information beyond this: “When the system has not been used for a long period of time, the tanks and pipes should be cleansed with an acetic acid solution (white vinegar).” I will be digging into this more deeply.

First, avoid contamination of the lines by “pickling” them with polypropylene glycol winterizing chemical, even in warm climates. So long as the solution is greater than 25% glycol there will be no growth. If you skimp on the agent or there is water in the pipes when you start and you use the typical -40F burst point antifreeze, the bugs will use it as food and grow a nice thick film, which is not dangerous itself, but tastes nasty and makes it impossible for chlorine to work properly through the season. The hot water tank and freshwater tanks should be stored empty and dry.

Bleach is the standard and recognized method for sanitizing relatively clean systems. But if there is a substantial film, there can be advantages to soaking with an acid to eat away the film. Vinegar will work, but the literature and PS testing agree that citric acid (Amazon or the grocery store) is 3-5 times more effective both for removing the film and deactivating chlorine resistant bugs, such as gardia. For every descaling, cleaning, and sanitizing use, citric acid is the more effective, less expensive choice. Vinegar is suggested simply because everyone has it in the shelf.

We’re going to follow-up on this topic, since freshwater systems can get nasty.

Hi Drew I appreciate your quick and informative reply, and look forward to studying your follow-up on cleaning fresh water systems with acid.

Good article. We do something different. We have one tank with a 125gal capacity and we do fresh water cooling of both our refrigeration and freezer from this tank. We run the cooling return line through a canister filter using a charcoal filter. Yes that takes the chlorine out of the water. But we also use tank water through another charcoal filter to flush our water maker, so we don’t have to do the capture RO water and use that for flushing. When in the US we use dock water, but we always run the hose for a good bit to clear bacteria in the hose and I suspect the choline in the municipal water help keeps the tank good since we live aboard and fill about every two weeks.

We did a near circumnavigation of 10 years and 35K miles and when we take water off a third world dock we have a triple filter we use. The first filter is 20 micron, the second inline filter is 5 micron and the last inline filter is a half micro filter with a polarized agent that will remove viruses. We hook the hose up to one end of the filter and the other end of the series goes in the tank. Of course we test water before using it to find out the ppm of the ions. If it is over 750ppm we try to do something different.

While we have a water maker, there are some places where you are at a dock, but you would not dare pull the harbor water into your water maker, so the three stage filter works well. Otherwise it is time for day trip to find clean salt water and run the water maker.

Some watermakers use fresh water from the water tank to flush membranes. Did you find that these products damage watermaker membranes?

You do NOT want hypochorite- or chlorine-containing chemicals in the flush water tank. There is a carbon pre-filter to remove the chlorine, but I’d tend to play it safe. A common recommendation is to scrub the tank as practical, shock chlorinate (not a lot–generally a few tablespoons of bleach) the tank at the start of the season, then rinse vigorously and call it good for the year. You will still get a trace of chlorine with city water (about 1 ppm) but the filter can deal with that.

Some watermakers use fresh water from the water tank to flush membranes. Are these products safe for watermaker membranes?

Plain household bleach is becoming harder to discern. Between many options, scented, low foaming, disinfecting etc even just plain bleach is hard to identify on a store shelf with all the advertising hype.

I noticed that sodium dichloroisocyanurate found in Aqua Mega tabs was recommended, but are difficult to find in the US. I wanted to make you aware of a newly available product, Aquatabs-Marine, which uses the same disinfectant compound and is now widely available in the US at http://www.AquamarineWaterSolutions.com . One tablet treats 4 gallons at about 1.2 ppm, so it can be removed by the active carbon filter on the freshwater flush of most watermakers. This is a drinking water quality tablet that is EPA registered, NSF certified and recognized by the WHO as a routine household drinking water disinfectant. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

Thank you for this link. I’ve been adding sodium dichloroisocyanurate tablets to my water tank for years, but until now, only the small tabs sufficient to treat ~2 liters were available in the U.S. In the past I resorted to buying the larger tabs from “gray market” sources on ebay and amazon

Good series but mostly applicable to those without a water maker . While tank purification remained one of our concerns, we tap danced around the issue. We developed a simple plan which was to make all our drinking water directly into a couple of dedicated Jerry jugs. The rest of the water used for cooking and ablution was directed into the vessels tankage. For drinking water only, we kept a couple of one litre plastic jugs in the fridge topped up from the two dedicated Jerry jugs. Never had a water purification issue. Most of the time, our water maker product has was about 200 to 250 ppm. Hugh

This is the most thorough boat water treatise I’ve seen yet. Thanks all. Long shelf life bleach is less effective. Get it as fresh as possible. For clear water I use two drops chlorine per gallon, with a contact time of 48 hours before drinking. For immediate consumption I use eight drops per gallon (of un-chlorinated water), which will make me queasy. To get rid of chlorine taste, I use three cap fulls of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water, and that will kill the chlorine taste. It also de-activates the chlorine. So, for chlorinated water that tastes bad to me, I add hydrogen peroxide to my glass of water a couple minutes before drinking. Peroxide can be added to the tank with equal results, but the chlorine will be de-activated, thereby defeating its purpose. Hydrogen peroxide by itself is basically useless for sanitizing water.

Personally, I won’t drink anything from a tank until I treat it in my glass or bottle. We typically treat a few gallons at a time and put it in containers in the kitchen for people to drink from. Either that or load up with bottled water (wasteful). No one ever got queasy from this technique, and the peroxide imparts a pleasant sweet taste to the water. Maybe a chemist can explain why this does/doesn’t work. Notwithstanding, I’ve been doing water this way for thirty years and no two-step. Cheap and easy.

Hydrogen peroxide can certainly be used to dechlorinate water (it oxidizes the chlorine to chloride–about 0.4 pounds of H2O2 per pound of chlorine is required); this is a common commercial scale method. However, proper sanitation demands that a chlorine residual is maintained in the tank and throughout the plumbing, if only 1 ppm. Subsequent treatment with carbon is VERY effective at removing the chlorine residual. Carbon removes organic materials by adsorbing them on the surface of microscopic pores. It removes chlorine differently, by sacrificial oxidation of the carbon itself, and as a result it can remove a LOT more chlorine, far more efficiently, than removing odors and tastes without chlorination, by adsorption alone.

We do not recommend dechlorination in the tanks by any chemistry. You want a chlorine residual. Remove the chlorine with carbon. We like carbon block filters, because they also remove cysts, an economical and practical two-for-one.

Thank you Drew. I left out something important that we do with water. Sometimes we rent, sometimes we fly our own boat. Anymore, we carry two Steri-pens when we leave municipal water behind. You mention this product above. Ashore in foreign lands we never allow ice in a glass of water, and we don’t eat salads. Rent boat water tanks are sometimes pretty bad smelling, leaving me to wonder what’s in there. Here’s a link to Steri-pens: https://www.katadyngroup.com/us/en/ado-mp-efg-steripen-adventure-opti-uv-water-purifier~p6693 . They run about $70. Not cheap, but it beats the alternative. This was a great article and bears re-posting from time to time.

I just came across this article (March 2023). Unfortunately, like a few others have commented on since 2021, the items that were specifically recommended for aluminum tanks are not available in the US. The Aqua Mega Tabs are not available via Amazon or Hopkins-Carter, nor is the PuraClean for sanitization. There is a product called AquaTabs with same ingredient, but the pills only treat 4 gal vs. the 50 gal, and the price makes it much less cost-effective.

If PS is going to redistribute these articles year after year, it would be great to have them updated for us US subscribers.

Regarding Cleantabs / Aqua Mega Tabs products that are mentioned in this article, please stay tuned for some exciting news around their availability in the US and Canada. The tests are very relevant to US boaters and the availability issue is being addressed.

We are bringing Clean Tabs to North America – Aqua Mega Tabs, Aqua Midi Tabs, Puriclean etc. We hope to start shipping over the next 3-4 months. If you’d like to be kept informed of availability, please sign up for notifications at cleantabs.com

“In the first part of our three-part series covering onboard water quality, we discussed protecting the tank with basic filtration and securing the tank vent.”

Can you link the referenced first part? I can’t find it.

Thanks, -Bruce

https://www.practical-sailor.com/systems-propulsion/filters-for-water-tank-vents https://www.practical-sailor.com/waypoints-tips/onboard-water-treatment/decontaminating-a-tainted-tank

Thanks so much, @Drew. This is what I was looking for.

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How Do Sailboats Get Fresh Water? (4 EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS)

Sailors know that having access to fresh water is essential for a safe and comfortable journey out at sea. But how do they get this water? Fortunately, there are several ways for sailors to get fresh water while out at sea. In this article, well explore four effective solutions: watermakers, collecting rainwater, using jerry cans, and using a water filter. Well also discuss the benefits of having fresh water at sea and the safety precautions to take. So, if youre planning a sailing adventure, read on to find the best way to get fresh water for your trip!

Table of Contents

Short Answer

Most sailboats get their fresh water from onboard tanks that they fill up from dockside water sources.

They can also use desalination systems to take salt out of seawater and make it drinkable.

Boats that are moored in marinas may be able to get fresh water from the marina itself.

Some sailboats also have large water containers that they fill up from a hose or a freshwater source on shore.

What is a Watermaker

A watermaker is a device that is used to convert saltwater into freshwater, making it an essential tool for sailors who are out at sea for extended periods of time.

The device works by taking in saltwater, filtering it, and then using a process called reverse osmosis to extract the salt from the water.

The device then produces freshwater that is safe to drink and use for cooking.

This process helps ensure that sailors have access to freshwater even when they are far away from land.

Some watermakers are powered by a boats engine, while others are powered by an auxiliary electric motor.

In addition, many modern watermakers are equipped with advanced features such as automated operation, corrosion-resistant materials, and low-maintenance designs.

Collecting Rainwater

One of the most effective solutions for sailboats to get fresh water is by collecting rainwater.

Sailors can use a variety of methods to collect rainwater and store it on board.

These include using a tarp to collect rainwater, using a rainwater catchment system to collect and store large amounts of water, or using a container to collect smaller amounts.

Collecting rainwater is a great way to get fresh water without having to rely on a watermaker or other more expensive methods.

When collecting rainwater, it is important to make sure that the water is clean and free of contaminants.

Sailors can ensure this by covering the tarp or catchment area with a material such as a boat cover to keep out dirt and debris, or by using a filter to eliminate any larger particles from the collected water.

With the right setup, sailors can use rainwater to supply their fresh water needs while on board.

In addition to providing an easy and cost-effective way to get fresh water, collecting rainwater is also a great way to save on fuel costs.

Collecting rainwater requires no fuel, and can help sailors to conserve their fuel resources while at sea.

All in all, collecting rainwater is an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly way for sailboats to get fresh water.

With the right setup, sailors can easily collect and store large amounts of fresh water while on board.

Using Jerry Cans

Using jerry cans to transport water from land is a popular method for sailboats to get fresh water.

Jerry cans are large, airtight containers that are designed to withstand the harsh conditions of the sea.

They come in various sizes, and can hold up to 20 gallons of water.

This makes them ideal for sailboats, as they can be easily loaded onto the boat and transported to the open seas.

When using jerry cans, its important to ensure that the cans are properly sealed to prevent any saltwater from getting in.

Additionally, its important to check the cans regularly for signs of wear and tear.

If any cracks or holes are found, its best to replace the container as soon as possible to ensure safe and clean water.

Once the jerry cans are full of water, they can be easily loaded onto the sailboat.

This method of obtaining fresh water is great for sailors that are close to land and can easily access a source of freshwater.

Its also a great way to stock up on water for longer voyages, as the cans can be loaded up and stored on the boat until needed.

Overall, using jerry cans to transport water from land is a great way for sailboats to get fresh water.

Its a relatively simple process and can provide sailors with a reliable source of freshwater.

As long as the containers are properly sealed and checked regularly, they can provide sailors with all the fresh water they need for a successful voyage.

Using a Water Filter

Using a water filter is a great way for sailboats to get fresh water while they are out on the open sea.

A water filter is a device used to remove impurities from water, such as dirt, bacteria, and other contaminants.

Not only is this a cost-effective way to get fresh water, but it is also a safe and reliable option.

When using a water filter, you can either choose to attach the filter directly to the side of the boat, or you can use a portable filter.

The filter works by collecting water from a river, lake, or stream and filtering out any impurities.

The filtered water is then delivered to the boat and can be used for drinking, cooking, and other activities.

There are many different types of water filters available, depending on your needs.

Some filters are designed to remove bacteria and other contaminants, while others are designed to remove heavy metals and pesticides.

When choosing a filter, it is important to consider the type of water you will be filtering, the amount of water you will need, and the size of the filter.

One of the advantages of using a water filter is that you can filter water from any source, making it a great option for sailboats.

Additionally, water filters do not require a large amount of electricity, making them an ideal choice for sailboats.

Not only is it cost-effective, but it is also safe and reliable.

With a variety of filters available, you can be sure to find a filter that meets your needs.

Desalinators

When it comes to getting fresh water while sailing, desalinators are one of the most reliable and effective solutions.

A desalinator is a machine that converts seawater into fresh water.

It works by using a process called reverse osmosis, which filters out salt and other impurities from the seawater and produces freshwater as a result.

Desalinators can be powered by electricity, or they can be powered by the boats engine, making them flexible and convenient.

Desalinators are often used in boats that are sailing in areas with limited access to freshwater sources, such as the ocean.

They are also often used in emergency situations, as they can provide a reliable and safe supply of freshwater in the absence of other options.

Desalinators are also typically more efficient than other methods of obtaining freshwater.

They use a relatively small amount of energy to produce a large amount of freshwater, making them cost-effective and efficient.

Additionally, they require minimal maintenance, making them a great option for sailors who want a reliable source of freshwater while at sea.

The only downside to desalinators is that they can be expensive to purchase and install.

However, if you are a sailor who needs a reliable and consistent source of freshwater while sailing, a desalinator is likely your best bet.

Benefits of Fresh Water at Sea

Having access to fresh water while sailing at sea is essential for the safety and comfort of the crew aboard.

Not only does fresh water provide the essential hydration needed to sustain life, but it also helps to keep the boat and its occupants clean and healthy.

Fresh water can be used for cooking, washing dishes, showering, and laundry, and it can also be used to replenish drinking water supplies.

Having access to fresh water also helps to reduce the risk of dehydration and other health risks associated with drinking saltwater.

Finally, having access to fresh water can help to reduce the risk of running out of supplies while out at sea, as fresh water can be used to refill drinking water tanks and other vessels.

Safety Precautions

When it comes to getting fresh water for a sailboat, it is important to take safety precautions.

This is especially true when dealing with water from rivers, streams, or lakes, as these sources may contain harmful bacteria or other contaminants.

It is also important to practice safe water storage and transportation techniques when collecting water from jerry cans.

Boats should also be equipped with the necessary safety equipment, such as life rafts and life jackets, in case of emergencies.

Additionally, boat owners should make sure that their boat is properly equipped with all necessary navigation and communication equipment, as well as the necessary safety gear.

Finally, all crew members should be trained in how to properly handle and store the water they collect.

This will ensure that everyone is safe and that the water is handled with the utmost care.

Final Thoughts

Having access to fresh water while at sea is essential for a successful sailing journey.

All of the solutions discussed here have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to assess your situation and choose the best option for you.

Whether you choose to use a watermaker, collect rainwater, use jerry cans, use a water filter, or employ desalinators, you’ll be able to ensure that you have the fresh water you need to stay safe and comfortable while sailing.

James Frami

At the age of 15, he and four other friends from his neighborhood constructed their first boat. He has been sailing for almost 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he wants to share with others.

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The Care And Feeding Of Your Boat's Water Systems

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Boating is all about water, inside and outside your boat. Let's take a close look at important maintenance tasks to stay on top of all your water systems.

Illustration: Dick Everitt

• Anchor/foredeck washdown with pressure pump and foot switch
• Galley sink. Filter for cleaner cold water. Sink drains above waterline at max heel. All thru-hulls must comply with ABYC standards
• Condensation drip tray drains overboard above waterline at max heel per ABYC standards
• Icemaker door open when not used
• Bilge pump drain well above water line on max heel. Smooth inner lining to hose. Vented loop may be needed if drain is near or below water line at max heel
• Head sink with filter on cold water and drain above waterline at max heel
• Shower sump pumped overboard to discharge above water line at max heel. Shower drain hose goes to shower evacuation pump. Head intake hose has a strainer and thru-hull
• All thru-hulls equipped with seacocks. Note double hose clamps
• Holding tank vented with minimum bends for better airflow
• Head discharges to MSD Type 1 with Y-valve
• Holding tank has pumpout hose and gravity discharge overboard after treatment where it's legal
• Water heater has anti-backflow valve to prevent expanding hot water from entering cold water system (This tank is shown lying on its side, an installation seen on some boats. Normally, hot-water tanks are upright.)
• Anti-siphon loops and valves where appropriate
• Potable water tank with fill and vent
• Potable water tank has sediment filter prior to pressure pump
• Accumulation tank diminishes pulsation
• Scuppers drain cockpit. Some boats need scuppers with hose to discharge

Seawater Washing (1) — Seawater systems such as anchor washdown and dishwashing with a seawater foot pump (if you're in clean water and rinse well with potable water) can conserve water. Frequently bathing in saltwater causes skin problems in many people; a freshwater rinse helps. Washdown water pump should be a short distance from the thru-hull but above the waterline.

Drinking Water Purity (2, 6) — When in question, can be improved by adding a small amount of bleach. Some authorities recommend adding approximately 1 teaspoon of household bleach with no perfumes, dyes, or other additives per 10 gallons of water. If possible, agitate the water after adding bleach and then let it sit for an hour. Chlorine odor will dissipate after a day. Bleach may initially make the water to which it's added unclear because it's killed the “bugs.” The water clears as these settle to the bottom. Ultimately they should be flushed out. It's preferable and safer to add product manufactured for the purpose; camping stores are good sources. If you have questionable water purity and no way to remedy it, boil water before drinking. Drinking-water filters such as GE's FXUVC under-the-sink cartridge remove many impurities and greatly improve taste. A water system UV light, such as those used in some reverse-osmosis systems, can kill viruses.

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (3) — Condensation drain trays should occasionally be inspected to clear any blockage in drain hoses, which should preferably drain overboard rather than into the bilge. If trays don't drain fully, they'll develop a musty odor that will be circulated by the air handler.

Icemakers (4) — Should be left open and off when not being used for a few days or longer to avoid odor and mold. Often the incoming water line is behind the unit in an area warmed by the unit. This facilitates stagnation and odor, particularly in the filter that may be in that area. When in use, the ice bin should be dumped at least every few days to keep water flowing. Good ventilation helps.

Bilge Water (5) — Oil-absorbent pads in bilges under the engine and whenever there's oil-spill potential are critical. They must not interfere with the operation of a bilge-pump float switch. Always clean loose fuel and oils out of the bilge with an oil-absorbent pad, and discard appropriately. Proper bilge-pump installation is critical and will vary with different boats. The hose interior should be smooth, the water column in the hose should be no more than needed, and great care must be taken to avoid backflooding from the sea. Visual and audible alarms at the helm are crucial.

Bilge pump hose should exit well above water line at maximum heel within the parameters of ABYC standards. Pumps should be in sections where water can pool more than minimally.

A basic bilge pump schematic.

Sumps (7) — Those used for showers should be cleaned and flushed through regularly, even if the shower isn't often used. Shower sumps should discharge well above the water line at maximum heel within the parameters of ABYC standards.

Thru-Hulls (8) — Should be checked for obstruction every time you haul the boat and/or dive the bottom. Inspect them with a strong light, such as Streamlight's Stylus Pro 360 , while hauled. While in the water, you may need to carefully (to avoid damaging hose and valve) work an old table knife or similar tool around inside the hole to clear it of barnacles and other obstructions. A carrot peeler makes a good tool for small holes. If the hole is covered by an external filter, this should be removed, when hauled, for painting inside, inspection, and cleaning.

Water Passages (8, 6) from thru-hull openings — Sinks, heads, engines, air conditioners, refrigeration, bilge pumps, and other components use thru-hull openings and hoses. Regularly inspect and operate all thru-hull valves . Some valves periodically require disassembly and lubrication or cleaning while the boat is hauled. You may need to close one quickly when a breach occurs in a water passage inside the boat.

Regularly inspect all hoses and connections . Old or suspect hoses will deteriorate over time and should be replaced. Eventually, wire inserts will rust and harm inner and/or outer hose walls. Preferred hose clamps are AWAB brand or similar. Double the clamps (unless doing so would cut into the hose, in which event a longer hose barb is indicated) and regularly inspect.

All components should be 316 grade stainless or better. Cheap hose clamps tend to rust and break. Use hose appropriate for the job, such as marine-sanitation hoses for heads. ABYC standards should be followed in these and all other aspects.

Holding Tank (9, 10, 11) — Some chemicals added to holding tanks can harm the environment if spilled, either from the boat or from pumpout-disposal systems and system failures. Various companies market what they claim to be environmentally friendly holding-tank additives with varying degrees of effectiveness. Some boaters install a Raritan ElectroScan MSD plumbed to treat and discharge overboard where it's legal, and treat and discharge into the holding tank at other times.

Head Water (10) — Regular addition of products such as Star brite Instant Fresh Toilet Treatment and Raritan CP help keep head water odorless and improve operation of the head . Petroleum-based products can harm valves, seals, and gaskets. Check manufacturer's recommendations. Regularly pouring white vinegar into the head and flushing will help diminish calcium buildup on inside walls of head plumbing. Raritan's CH is stated to be environmentally harmless and is specially formulated to remove heavy calcium buildup as well as prevent buildup if used regularly.

Head discharge hoses should be specified for MSD use. Other types of hoses are usually more likely to develop calcium buildup, deposits, blockages, and odor permeation. Plumbing the head to flush with fresh water can reduce odor. The head intake hose is positioned as it is in the illustration for clarity, but should be far enough from the head discharge to avoid sucking up waste.

Water Heater (12) — Should be standing upright with a backflow valve between the incoming cold water and the heater. Requires periodic flushing by squirting in clean dock water with a water hose under moderate pressure through a discharge port at top, squirting around inside as much as practical, and draining through open intake port at bottom. Some water heaters have an anode for cathodic protection that should be checked yearly.

Anti-Siphon Loops and Valves (13) — Are needed in some hoses that exit underwater to prevent water from siphoning into the boat. Whether anti-siphon valves and loops are used depends in part on the location of relevant components in the boat and whether they're below the waterline or could end up below the waterline. These components may include heads, sinks, and engines and their raw-water intake and exhaust systems. As a precaution, when you're away from your boat, close the underwater seacocks.

Potable Water Tank (14, 15, 16) — Should be treated periodically with a product such as Star brite AQUA Water Treatment & Freshener to remove odors, scale, and bad taste. Also, thoroughly flush tank with clean water and pressure nozzle. Drain from bottom if possible; if not, pump it out. Follow manufacturer directions when applying anything to drinking water.

Follow instructions and warnings for cleaning additives, particularly with aluminum tanks. New tanks, especially fiberglass or plastic, may smell of the material of which they're made. Often, adding baking soda to the water will help, as well as with other odors later. The amount depends on the severity of the problem and volume of the tank.

Clarity of water may vary with source, such as from wells, cisterns, public water works, and reverse osmosis. The latter source, if coupled with a UV light and maintained well, probably produces the best water.

Drains and Scuppers (17) — Cockpits, side decks, and other areas of a boat normally have drains to rid the boat of rain and boarding seas. Test these regularly with a hose to be sure they're draining adequately. Leaves, plant material, dirt, and other debris can quickly obstruct them. Boats can sink if drains aren't kept clear. Clear them with a high-pressure hose nozzle or plunger.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Water for sailing: We survey the ARC fleet to find popular options

• Toby Hodges
• June 24, 2021

How to stow, conserve or generate drinking water for sailing is key for any offshore sailor. Toby Hodges surveyed the 81 skippers of the ARC 2020 fleet for tips

Water is the source of all life. For any sailor considering extended cruising or an ocean crossing , the ability to carry or produce sufficient fresh water for sailing is a top priority.

But how do you decide how much water to ship or how best to generate your own? Our survey of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) fleet last year focused on water.

We asked the skippers how much water they carried for sailing, in what form, how it was used and, for the majority with watermakers, detailed questions about the generation of water and how the equipment performed at sea.

Since we last ran a survey on this topic in 2014 our collective attitude towards waste has arguably changed for the better. That fleet of 193 yachts carried over 28 tonnes of bottled water with them across to the Caribbean. All sailors today should consider how every consumable item they carry aboard will be disposed of when they reach their destination.

Pogo 12.50 Rush. Photo: James Mitchell

The main decision ocean sailors face with water stowage is whether to fit a watermaker, which is both a practical and a financial decision. Generating your own water is one of the best investments cruising sailors can make towards comfort and true independence.

ARC skippers over the past two decades have consistently described watermakers as one of their most vital pieces of equipment. “To us, a watermaker is the single best thing you can have for cruising by a fair margin and fully changes the game,” thinks Rush ’s Ian Baylis.

Three-quarters of the skippers who replied to our survey had watermakers aboard. The seven yachts listed as not carrying one were all smaller entries between 35ft and 45ft and typically over 20-year-old models. They carried extra water in bottles and jerrycans and used it sparingly.

Usage and conservation of water for sailing

Being frugal with water becomes second nature to most cruisers. The majority of respondents said their crew only showered every three days, 12 every two days and 13 daily.

One of the most common pieces of advice from skippers concerning water conservation is to fit a saltwater tap and to use seawater whenever you can. “Cook with salt water when possible,” advises the crew of Montana , a Swan 48 S&S from 1973. Yet over half of the respondents did not have a saltwater tap fitted in their galley, nor even a manual freshwater pump in the galley or the heads.

“The saltwater tap in the galley is essential,” thinks Tobias Gröpper on his Sunbeam 44 Pivot . “We still have 50% of our tank capacity on arrival although we took showers etc.”

Jorn Aalefjær, the Norwegian skipper of Ticora III , and Dane Martin Nielsen aboard his Jeanneau 53 also both stressed the benefit of fitting a saltwater tap.

Suffisant , one of the smallest entrants, a Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 331 from 1990, has only small tanks, but uses a Katadyn Power Survivor 40E watermaker. They used salt water to wash with and had manual taps fitted in the galley and heads.

Swiss skipper Marina Passet says: “Salt water is no use for washing clothes, but can be used for brushing teeth, washing dishes and vegetables.”

Article continues below…

Water on board: what should you carry? We ask ARC skippers for tips for an Atlantic crossing

Water is fundamental to every sailor’s survival at sea and one of our first priorities. To spend extended periods afloat,…

Catamaran sailing across the Atlantic: Why multihulls are taking over the ARC

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Seasoned cruising sailors the Blacks aboard Bowman 57 Emily Morgan , say they have used their set-up for 8,500 miles and would not do anything differently. They relied on their Spectra Ventura watermaker, but advise closely monitoring the tanks: “We graph tank levels daily,” says Anna Black. “If the level is below the line then no more fresh water showers until it returns. Allow 20% extra in case of problems.”

Many other crews, including on the Sunbeam 42.1 Ibex , were happy relying on desalinated water without needing large back-up quotas of water.

The Chung family aboard Kaizen use a four-filter system to purify their water and drink everything from the tank. They have an instant hotwater tap, and “we make our own sparkling water and have reuse cannisters for emergency”, says Kean Chung. Their Oyster 49 has 1,000lt tanks and a Sea Fresh H20 watermaker, so the crew were able to shower daily and there was no need for any bottled water.

Water stowage

There should be no need to rely on single-use plastic water bottles when cruising. Reusable bottles, flexible or collapsible bladders and jerrycans are a perfectly adequate solution for storing reserve water, particularly if you have a good filtration system.

Use salt water when possible, for washing clothes, dishes or taking showers. Photo: Thomas Horgen

Recycling plastic is not possible on many islands. While in recent years IGY Rodney Bay Marina has provided a plastic recycling service for visiting yachts, run in co-operation with a local community group, due to COVID restrictions the service was suspended in 2020.

So it was disheartening to find that nearly half the fleet still shipped over 100lt of bottled water each, while seven yachts carried over 250lt of bottled water, despite five of these having a watermaker.

Many skippers still like to carry bottled water as a contamination-proof back-up or for monitoring intake. Aboard Escapado for example, a Beneteau first 40.7 with no watermaker, they carried over 250lt of bottled water.

Skipper Sophie Iona O’Neill says: “One person kept a tally and did three fills of everyone’s water each day.” She says the total daily consumption amounted to: “two litres of drinking water per person, plus one litre of tea/coffee, giving a total of 3lt of fluid per person, per day,” – a useful statistic for those planning water consumption.

Water generation

If installed correctly and serviced properly, a watermaker should perform consistently well. The majority of 2020 ARC skippers rated their watermakers most highly, with 70% giving 5/5 for reliability.

Wash-up in seawater, then just rinse in fresh. Photo: Tor Johnson

Just eight skippers reported having any issues with their equipment. Any problems were either fixed with spares or the result of another issue, such as a power source problem ( Adagio had issues with their genset and, in the case of the Malo 43 Ydalir II , the fault was traced to a leak onto the inverter).

The few who experienced any faults with their watermaker’s performance were typically those who had only installed it that season. The overriding advice is to make sure you have tested your system thoroughly at sea before embarking on an ocean passage.

With prices typically ranging from £4,000 to five figures, it is worthwhile making sure a watermaker is working smoothly and knowing how to service it properly in advance.

Have the power

The ability to harness power naturally and to store it efficiently is changing the watermaker world. “If you don’t want to use diesel to make water you need a lot of power generation,” warns Lucky Girl ’s Charlie Pank, who has a Schenker Modular 30. However, only five skippers say they increased their battery capacity when their watermaker was fitted.

Paul Lemmens was very happy with his Rainman AC 120lt per hour unit aboard his Hanse 455 Veni Vidi Vix , but advises: “You need good batteries/large inverter to function.” He fitted an extra 400Ah of lithium batteries when the watermaker was installed.

The advent of high DC power has had a marked effect on watermakers, says Mactra Marine’s Jim MacDonald, who, COVID restrictions apart, usually attends the ARC start for any last-minute watermaker problems or services. “Go for a low-energy system that will run off the batteries,” he advises. A good bank of solar panels or a hydrogenerator can really help – nearly half the fleet used solar to help charge their batteries.

Many of the crews in the ARC still carry significant amounts of bottled water.

“As lithium has become more prevalent, DC systems with energy recovery are coming into their own,” MacDonald continues. “This means that whatever your means of power generation, you can always use your watermaker – whereas with the old-fashioned AC/high-pressure pumps you had to run the genset to make it work.” He has also seen the reliability of modern watermakers improving as they increasingly use electronics where possible.

Despite its modest output of 20lt per hour, the Blacks on Emily Morgan rate their Spectra Ventura very highly. They installed it themselves in 2017 and describe it as “invaluable in the Pacific – simple and reliable”.

The German Schaals aboard their Bavaria Cruiser 42 Nikajuma say they wouldn’t change their set-up and that the Echo Tec DML260 always worked – but noting “that the test tap is very important”.

Filtering water

Whether storing water in tanks or making desalinated water from the sea, filtering out any impurities makes sense. “We added 5ml of chlorine in the tank to kill bacteria and used LaVie water purifiers to get the chlorine smell out of the tap water we drank,” says Patrice Charbon, who was sailing the new Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42 Eden Blue for LP4Y with four friends.

Bottled water is still popular on board, despite the potential environmental impact. Photo: James Mitchell

They were trialling a new form of UVA water filtration technology on their desalinated water. Charbon, an associate of the inventors Solable, explains: “The strong LED light beam generates UVAs which break the chlorine molecules. As a side effect, an advanced oxidation process flushes the water eliminating all molecules of pesticides, medicine or hormones that one can find in tap water.

“A 30-minute purification would bring fresh, pure water to our table every day,” concludes Charbon, calculating that the watermaker and filters helped them save “over 200 plastic water bottles for our crossing and over 12kg of PET since our departure”.

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Home » Blog » Gear » Watermakers: a guide to marine desalinators and making water on a boat

Watermakers: a guide to marine desalinators and making water on a boat

By Author Fiona McGlynn

Posted on Last updated: March 23, 2022

There’s something magical about a watermaker—at least that’s how I felt after we installed one on our boat. That may sound overblown, but think about it: watermakers transform salt water into fresh water, providing a near-endless supply of potable water for drinking, bathing, and cleaning! THAT my friends is an amazing piece of technology!

(If you don’t share my enthusiasm, try going without a shower for a few days and you’ll begin to see my point).

Having experienced living on a boat and cruising, both with and without a marine desalinator, I can attest that it’s a game-changing piece of gear. However, you definitely don’t need one to go cruising. There are plenty of low-tech ways to collect and make water on a boat.

Marine desalinators do offer some major benefits: there’s more water for showers, it’s easier to travel farther afield, you can spend more time in a remote location. However, these benefits have to be weighed against the drawbacks: namely a hefty price tag and ongoing maintenance.

Deciding whether a watermaker is right for you will come down to the type of cruising you’re doing, how much water you need, and your budget. Read on to learn about the pros and cons, costs, and key features of marine watermakers.

Table of contents

• 1 How does a watermaker work?
• 2.1 Benefits
• 2.2 Drawbacks
• 3.1 Powered or handpump
• 3.2 Electric or engine drive
• 3.3 Energy recovery watermaker
• 3.4 Modular, self-contained, and portable watermakers
• 3.5 Automatic flushing systems
• 3.6 Automatic Pressure Regulation and adjustable pump speed
• 3.7 Remote control panels
• 4 Top watermaker brands

How does a watermaker work?

A watermaker on a yacht converts seawater into fresh water through a process known as reverse osmosis (RO). A high-pressure pump pushes seawater through a semi-permeable membrane that filters out salt, organics, and bacteria. The fresh water is pumped into your water tanks while the remaining brine bi-product is discharged over the side of the boat, back into the ocean.

Marine watermakers: the benefits and drawbacks

Less water rationing.

When we started our 13,000 mile trip across the Pacific, we didn’t have a watermaker. We were on a tight budget and decided to prioritize other pieces of equipment like a life raft and wind vane.

As a result, we became experts in conserving water on a boat . We would carefully ration out water for washing dishes, taking showers, and even brushing our teeth!

After getting a watermaker we became far less meiserly because we knew we could always make more water if we needed to. It was a relief to not be constantly thinking about how much water we were using over the course of a day.

That being said, we couldn’t relax completely. We had to keep our tanks topped up, so as not to run the pump dry. We also always carried potable water in reserve, in case our watermaker broke in the middle of a long passage.

More luxuries

Can’t live without a proper shower? A boat water maker can make water-intensive luxuries like freshwater deck washdown, freshwater flushing heads, laundry, daily showers, and even baths, a possibility.

As great as this sounds in theory, we were surprised to find that we didn’t indulge in more showers after we got the watermaker.

We continued to use a hand pump pesticide sprayer to shower on deck despite having a watermaker and shower below. While some of this came down to habit, we also disliked running our engine (and consuming diesel) just to run the watermaker.

No hauling water

For us, this was by far the greatest benefit of having a watermaker!

While cruising in the US and Canada, we could refill our water tanks at a dock or marina. This was a minor hassle because it involved pulling up the anchor and docking the boat.

In Mexico, it was more challenging to get water. We would fill 5-gallon jugs at the local water purification plant in town and wheel them back to our boat on a collapsible dolly.

It often took a couple of trips with the dolly and dinghy to fill our water tanks. Oh, and we broke our dolly, twice!

We realized that if we wanted to spend more time exploring, and less time hauling water, we would have to invest in a watermaker. When we reached La Paz, Mexico we bought a refurbished watermaker, and we were so glad we did!

Our sailboat water maker gave us the gift of time, especially in places like Mexico and the South Pacific, where there were limited opportunities to fill water tanks up at the docks. It also saved us paying docking and water fees.

We estimate that our boat water maker saved us anywhere from four to six hours every week, time that we could spend exploring the wonderful places we were visiting.

A clean, safe water source

In places where the drinking water may be suspect, a boat water maker can be a reliable source of safe drinking water (assuming it’s in good working condition!).

More time in remote locations

A watermaker is a great tool if you’re drawn to remote locations where you might be the only boat in the anchorage.

It wasn’t until we reached Los Frailes, a secluded village on the Baja, that we really began to think about buying a watermaker.

There we were in an idyllic anchorage, surrounded by spectacular hiking and fishing. There was only one problem—every two days we had to walk 10 miles into town with our water jugs and hope that some kind samaritan would give us a lift back to our boat.

Before having a watermaker, we’d often leave a place we loved just because we needed to fill up our tanks. With a watermaker, we were more self-sufficient and could stay an extra few days, or as long as we wanted!

The number one drawback is the cost. We were able to find a refurbished water desalinator for $3,000, which was a great deal but also a considerable slice out of our cruising kitty.

How much does a watermaker cost?

Powered desalination systems for your average recreational cruising boat range from around 3,500 USD to 11,000 USD, with the more expensive options offering higher production (gallons of fresh water per hour).

Ongoing maintenance

Watermakers are yet another piece of boat equipment that needs to be maintained.

The majority of watermaker problems are caused by not using it enough or not using it properly.

If a watermaker is not used for a few weeks, the planktonic organisms in the seawater will die, rot, and clog the membrane and filters. This can eventually damage the reverse osmosis membrane in the watermaker.

For this reason, boat water makers should be used frequently and regularly flushed with fresh water.

Watermaker flushing

Check your manufacturer’s instructions on how to flush.

Rainman recommends flushing the seawater out of the system with fresh water if you are not using the system for more than a day or two. After another week, you need to freshwater flush the system again or pickle it for long-term storage.

Of course, it’s easy to forget, so we made it a rule to freshwater flush our watermaker after every use.

This is one good reason to choose a watermaker with an output that will meet your water consumption needs but not exceed them. If you’re using it every second day, you won’t have to try and remember whether you’ve flushed it or not.

Flushing a watermaker is relatively simple but it does involve a bit of work. We used a system with buckets of fresh water to flush our system and it generally took about 5 minutes.

You can also buy systems that automatically flush your watermaker at pre-determined times—even when you’re away from the boat (more on autoflush systems below).

Whatever you do, don’t use chlorinated water to flush as it will destroy reverse osmosis membranes. It’s possible to buy a carbon filter to remove chlorine from water sources at the dock.

Pickling a watermaker

If you don’t plan on using your watermaker for a while it needs to be “pickled” with a special biocide to prevent growth and buildup which could render your reverse osmosis membrane totally useless.

A watermaker should also be pickled every so often to chemically cleanse the membrane.

In addition to flushing and pickling, you will also need to clean out and replace the raw water pre-filters.

Operating costs

When properly cared for, a membrane should last five to ten years. If you don’t properly flush or pickle your watermaker, it can be a lot sooner and membranes aren’t cheap, generally costing in the range of 200-700 USD.

You’ll also need to purchase pre-filters and pickling solution, which are generally quite affordable. It’s also a good idea to carry spare parts

Power consumption

Watermakers can be real power hogs. When Practical Sailor tested a dozen DC watermakers they found they could draw anywhere from 12 to 48 watts per gallon, a huge range in efficiency!

According to Practical Sailor, “for maximum efficiency none of the systems drawing 15 amps or more should be operated without running the engine at the same time.”

We had to run our engine for hours to fill our tanks, which was annoying (and loud) when we were hanging out at anchor and also used up another finite resource—diesel fuel.

In our view, this was the single largest drawback to having a watermaker aboard.

Keep in mind that your power supply will determine what type of watermaker you buy. You may need to upgrade your electrical panels, get a generator or high-powered alternator, add solar panels, or increase battery capacity to supply the demand.

You can’t make water everywhere

While watermakers offer great flexibility and freedom, you can’t just make water in any old spot. If you make water in a polluted marina or anchorage, you’ll risk clogging up your filter. Most cruisers will head out to open water to ensure the saltwater they’re using is as clean as possible.

Key features to look for

Powered or handpump, handpump watermakers.

Handpump watermakers tend to be small and portable, the perfect thing to keep in your ditch bag in the event of an emergency. They’re less expensive than powered watermakers and produce far less water, usually around one gallon per hour.

Though I do know cruisers who have used a handpump watermaker for everyday use, they typically tend to be kept aboard for survival situations.

Powered watermakers

Powered watermakers run off your electrical supply or engine and can produce tens of gallons of water per hour. They tend to be a lot more expensive, but they’re productive enough to replenish your tanks.

Electric or engine drive

Powered watermakers can be electrically driven, by AC or DC, or run off the boat engine.

AC watermakers

AC models can produce in the range of 20-60 gph and are ideal for cruisers with an AC generator or alternator on board. They can also be used on boats with ample solar or wind sources and an inverter.

DC watermakers

DC watermaker systems typically produce in the range of 10-30 gph and are ideal for boats with solar power or 12V battery power.

Engine-driven watermakers

On an engine-driven watermaker, the high-pressure pump is belt-driven. These can produce a considerable amount of water, even on small engines. For instance, engine-driven units produce between 20-60gph, twice what a DC unit can produce.

Energy recovery watermaker

DC watermakers have become more efficient in recent years thanks to energy recovery systems (ERS). When the water leaves the watermaker it is still under pressure. ERS uses a set of valves to make use of this excess pressure to help drive the pump, which can reduce energy consumption by as much as 80 percent.

Modular, self-contained, and portable watermakers

Watermakers can be bought as modular, self-contained, and portable units. Choosing the right one may depend on your boat size and layout and whether you’re comfortable installing the watermaker yourself.

Modular units

Modular units come as several separate components that you can mount and connect yourself. This obviously offers a lot more flexibility and is particularly useful on smaller vessels where you may not have a lot of space. The downside is that these systems will take longer to install.

Self-contained units

Self-contained units arrive pre-assembled. While easier to install, they’re often bulkier and best suited to a bigger cruising sailboat with a large engine room.

Portable watermakers

Portable watermaker systems, like the Rainman watermakers, are entirely self-contained. Their compact design makes them easy to move and stow and you can completely avoid a permanent installation.

Simply put the intake and brine discharge hoses overboard, the freshwater hose in your water tank and you’ll be making water in no time.

If you race, have multiple boats, or plan on selling your boat, a portable watermaker is a great option because it can be easily moved from boat to boat.

If we were to buy another watermaker, we would probably opt for a portable one.

Automatic flushing systems

Automatic flushing systems use your boat’s freshwater supply to flush the watermaker for several minutes every few days. These systems require additional components (e.g., a timer, carbon filters, and a motorized valve) and installation but they take a lot of the maintenance out of having a watermaker onboard.

Automatic Pressure Regulation and adjustable pump speed

Your watermaker’s efficiency will be affected by the temperature and salinity of the water you’re cruising in. Cold and highly saline waters (e.g., in the high latitudes) will be more work for your watermaker, so it will take longer to purify.

Some units feature Automatic Pressure Regulation (APR) and adjustable pump speed which can help compensate for fluctuations in water temperature and salinity.

Remote control panels

Some watermakers have the option of a control panel which allows for easier access and remote control. Control panels tend to have a fairly simple interface with just a few gauges but may include a salinity sensor—so you can keep tabs on water quality—and auto-flush integration—so you can flush your watermaker with the flip of a switch.

Top watermaker brands

If you’re considering buying a watermaker for a boat, here are some of the top brands to consider.

• Cruise RO Watermaker
• Echotec watermakers
• Horizon Reverse Osmosis (HRO)
• Sea Recovery watermakers
• Schenker watermakers
• Spectra watermakers

Fiona McGlynn is an award-winning boating writer who created Waterborne as a place to learn about living aboard and traveling the world by sailboat. She has written for boating magazines including BoatUS, SAIL, Cruising World, and Good Old Boat. She’s also a contributing editor at Good Old Boat and BoatUS Magazine. In 2017, Fiona and her husband completed a 3-year, 13,000-mile voyage from Vancouver to Mexico to Australia on their 35-foot sailboat.

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Marine Water and Waste Systems

by Harbor Sailboats | May 9, 2022 | Blog | 0 comments

It goes without saying, boats are not connected to the sewer or water system like we experience at home. Instead, boats store, collect, and take in water for important onboard amenities. Boats have three types or “water systems”, fresh water, grey water, and black water. Let’s discuss how all three systems work.

Fresh Water- Fresh water is stored in plastic tanks built into the boat, commonly these tanks are under a bed or settee and can be anywhere from 10-100 gallons. On a modern sailboat, tanks are +/- 50 gallons and boats above 40’ have two or sometimes three tanks. Since the water tanks are at or below sea level, a 12 volt freshwater pump is used to pressurize the system and deliver water to the faucets as needed. This pump will come on when it feels the pressure drop below a certain level and turn off once the appropriate pressure is achieved. Without an onboard water maker or access to dock city water, these tanks are the only source of freshwater for extended trip.

Grey Water- Grey water refers to water after it has been used. The most common grey waters are from the sink and shower but any water source that is used in some fashion onboard is now considered grey water. For now, grey water is allowed to be drained directly overboard via the boats plumbing. As an example, sink water drains through a P trap and then exists via a thru-hull located below the drain. Sometimes two drains, like the sink and refrigerator, lead to a single thru-hull for reduced build cost and ongoing maintenance.

The other example of common grey water comes from the shower, but this water typically takes a slightly different path. Considering most shower drains are at or below sea level, it would be impossible for the water to use gravity to exit the thru-hull like the example above. Instead, most boats will have a dedicated shower pump the turns on and evacuates the water collecting at the bottom of the shower. Some boats will have an automatic pump with a sensor while others may have a manual switch.

It’s good to keep in mind that everything you put down the drain leads directly to the ocean.

Black Water- Black water comes from the head and simply put… is sewage. Unlike grey water, black water can only be discharged from the boat in certain situations. When the head is flushed, it goes through a hose and eventually makes its way to the black water tank or holding tank. Traditionally, the waste would first pass through a Y-value or diverter value that would send the waste to the holding tank or to the direct overboard thru-hull. That said, it’s common to now see gravity holding tanks that do not require a Y-valve. Explanation of both coming below.

In the US, it is legal to flush black water into the sea given you are more than three miles from any point of land. In this case, one could simple direct the Y-valve to the overboard position, open the head overboard thru-hull, and use the head. If your boat has a gravity holding tank, you simple open the tank outlet thru-hull and the waste will go from the head, straight thru the holding tank and overboard.

Since you are allowed to pump directly overboard while three miles offshore, you are also allowed to empty your holding tank of all waste. If equipped with a gravity tank, you simple open the valve at the bottom of the tank and gravity will take the waste and empty it overboard. If you are equipped with a traditional Y-valve and macerator, it works a little different. In this set up, the holding tank will have a hose that leads to a macerator pump and then to an overboard thru-hull. One would open the overboard thru-hull and engage the macerator pump to empty the tank.

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Best Water Filter for Sailboats: Marine Systems

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

Modern developments have made marine water filters cheaper and more efficient than ever.

In this article, we'll cover five of the best water filtration systems for boats. We'll also explain the difference between the most common types of marine water filters and analyze the pros and cons of each to help you make the right choice.

The best reverse osmosis water filter systems for saltwater are the Seawater Pro Watermaker, the SeaXchange filter system, and the Pelikan 2-Stage RO water purification system. The best freshwater filters are the Aquasana 3-Stage Filter, the West Marine HighFlo filter, and the AquaBrick system for small boats.

Information in this article comes from marine filtration system manufacturers, owners of these filters, and the advice of marine filtration system installers.

Table of contents

Saltwater vs. Freshwater Filtration Systems

The type of filter you need depends a lot on the type of water you need to filter. For freshwater filtering (such as from a lake or onboard freshwater tank), a standalone inline filter will suffice. Special filters should be used if you intend to drink lake water, and some people recommend reverse osmosis for all water sources.

Reverse osmosis filter systems are required for filtering salt water into drinkable water. The process itself is called desalination, and reverse osmosis systems can do it effectively. Another way to convert saltwater into drinkable freshwater is through distillation, but this process only works efficiently at scale, and it's impractical for personal sailboats.

What is Reverse Osmosis?

Reverse osmosis is the most effective small marine water filtration system available today. Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are compact and energy-efficient, and they have become quite affordable.

Reverse osmosis is essentially a pressurized filtration system with an extremely fine filter. The process forces dirty water to pass through a membrane which traps all particles (including salt) that aren't pure water. These systems are just as effective with saltwater as they are with fresh water, though they'll need to be cleaned more often when used in the ocean.

Should I Buy a Reverse Osmosis Filter for my Freshwater Boat?

You don't need a reverse osmosis system to make freshwater drinkable. Charcoal filters will usually do the trick, and many people are satisfied with them. Freshwater filters don't always require electricity, whereas reverse osmosis systems always require some source of power to produce the necessary pressure.

That said, reverse osmosis systems can produce large volumes of highly purified water, and they do a better job when combined with charcoal filters than charcoal systems alone. Additionally, reverse osmosis filters are the only kind of marine filters that can desalinate water on a small scale.

Best Reverse Osmosis Boat Water Filters

Reverse osmosis filters are the best water purifiers available for boats. These systems purify freshwater and desalinate saltwater, making them ideal for all environments. Here are three of the highest-rated RO filter systems on the market.

1. Seawater Pro Reverse Osmosis Desalinator and Watermaker

The best modular water filtration unit available for boats is the Seawater Pro three-membrane system . This all-in-one marine water purification machine is designed for medium-sized sailboats and powerboats.

This Seawater Pro system is a professional-level filtration plant that produces up to 50 gallons of clean drinkable water per hour directly from the ocean. It's designed to be installed in-line with existing plumbing, and it requires electricity to run.

Seawater Pro watermaker and desalination systems are available in 110v AC or 12v DC configurations, which means any boat with sufficient power can utilize one of these systems. Seawater Pro systems come in different sizes and configurations, and many can run off a standard 1600-watt electric generator.

If you're looking for a long-term watermarking solution for your boat, you can't go wrong with Seawater Pro. The system is compact and reliable, and owners are highly satisfied with the quality of water they're getting.

Key Features

• 50 gallons per hour
• 80 gallon-per-hour systems available
• 110v AC or 12v DC models available
• Stainless steel pressure regulators
• Food-grade pressure vessel
• Many parts are Made in the USA with a lifetime warranty

2. SeaXchange Watermaker XTC Series

SeaXchange produces one of the best self-contained marine water filtration systems on the market today. The SeaXchange III XTC series  is their flagship watermaker and filter for boats, and it's available in multiple sizes.

For smaller boats, the SeaXchange XTC600 is ideal. It has a single membrane that can purify up to 25 gallons of water per hour. Larger boats can utilize the XTC200, which has an hourly purification capacity of 92 gallons.

The SeaXchange XTC is a reverse osmosis watermaker that functions much like the Seawater Pro unit. This system purifies water and desalinates saltwater using pressure and an ultrafine membrane.

The SeaXchange XTC series is modular, which means it includes all of the specialized components you need to convert seawater into drinkable fresh water; though professional installation is recommended, the modular design of this unit means you can get it up and running quickly without ordering any additional proprietary parts.

• Units available that produce between 25 and 92 gallons of fresh water per hour
• It's the only marine reverse osmosis system with mechanical redundancy
• 70 electronic control display
• Smartphone-compatible controls
• One-touch operation and automated controls

3. Pentair Pelican Six-Stage Filtration System

The Pentair Pelican is the most compact reverse-osmosis water filtration system on our list. And while it might not be the best option for desalination, it can easily purify freshwater from your tanks for drinking.

The Pelican six-stage water filter system  is designed for as-needed water consumption, and it hooks up directly to a faucet. This unit uses a six-stage process to remove dissolved substances, sediment, foul tastes, and toxic chemicals. It also removes harmful contaminants such as parasites.

The process starts with reverse osmosis, which does the majority of the actual purifying. Next, water passes through a pre-filter, then to the specialized filter itself. After, water makes its way through an additional membrane to remove any remaining contaminants. The final steps in the process are polishing and mineral re-introduction for improved taste and health benefits.

The unit itself is designed for home use, but it can work just as well in the galley of a sailboat provided the pressure and power requirements are met. The Pelican Six-Stage reverse osmosis system is the most affordable of its kind on our list.

• 17.9 Gallons per day
• 40 to 80 PSI operating pressure
• Designed for use with a single faucet
• Reverse osmosis and filter combination
• Made in the USA
• 6 to 18-month filter life

Best Standard Filtration Systems for Boats

Now, let's move on to standard filtration systems. Standard filters don't desalinate, but they're much simpler and more affordable than reverse-osmosis systems.

Most marine water filters utilize activated charcoal as the primary purification medium. Activated charcoal removes chemical contaminants, foul smells, bad tastes, and most pathogens. This method of filtration is usually backed up by additional filters which remove larger particles such as tank sediment, plant matter, and dirt.

Many of these marine filtration systems are passive and use existing water pressure to operate. That means that they don't require any additional power, assuming the water is either pre-pressurized or drawn up from the tank with a hand-pumped spigot.

1. Aquasana Three-Stage Water Filter

The Aquasana Three-Stage water filtration system  purifies freshwater using a unique combination of large particle and charcoal filters. The company claims that this compact filter system "reduces 15X more contaminants than the leading pitcher filter..." Also, the Aquasana system is passive and requires no additional power.

Aquasana's three-stage Claryum system relies on three separate inline filter canisters, which are easy to replace. Simply twist off the canisters, remove the cylindrical filters, and replace them. The filters have a combined service life of 600 gallons, though the company recommends replacing them every six months.

The first stage in the process is a large particle pre-filter. This filter removes dirt, rust, and other sediments that would cause your water to look murky. The second and third filters contain various kinds of charcoal, which are responsible for most of the true purification. A combination of activated charcoal, catalytic carbon, and ion-exchange material remove 99% of lead, 96% of PFOS/PFOA, pathogens, and 75 more harmful substances.

This filter has a relatively low 5 gallon per minute flow rate, though it's sufficient for most galley faucets. The kit comes complete with a faucet as well, which is available in three colors.

• Passive three-stage freshwater filter
• Meets NSF/ANSI standards 42, 53, and 401
• Six-month/600-gallon filter life
• 40-80 PSI operating range

2. West Marine HighFlo KDF Water Filter

West Marine offers an excellent water filter that's designed specifically for boats. The West Marine HighFlo filtration system  is a compact single-canister freshwater filter designed to be an inline addition to your existing plumbing.

Over time, freshwater tanks on boats accumulate grime and sediment. Worse yet, boat tanks can harbor pathogens and leach toxic chemicals into your drinking water. Not to mention the fact that, more often than not, marina water isn't the cleanest or best-tasting either.

The West Marine HighFlo KDF filter mitigates these issues without any additional electricity. This-filter has a capacity of five gallons 5 gallons per minute, which is about twice the flow rate of many similar products. The filter contains activated charcoal, which traps bacteria, dirt, and toxins such as lead and chromium.

The filter itself is easy to install and maintain, as filter replacements should only occur seasonally. The filter itself also removes chlorine, which could be leftover from tank cleaning. This filter is highly affordable, and replacement filters are readily available through West Marine,

• 2.5 to 5 GPM flow rate
• The charcoal filter removes particles 5 microns and larger
• One-season filter lifespan
• Non-electric
• Inline installation

3. Aquabrick Portable Water Filtration System

The Aquabrick water filtration system  is an excellent option for small boats based on freshwater. This system is designed for survival use, but it can also serve as a water storage and purification system for your boat. It’s compact and pressurized, allowing you to enjoy strong water flow. With a bit of engineering, you can connect it directly to a faucet in your boat.

The Aquabrick consists of a tank, a hand pump, a filter, and a spigot attached to a line. By pressurizing the tank with the hand pump, you force water through the DuraFlow filter and into the spigot on the end of the line. The tank itself stores three gallons of water, and the filter is good for up to 700 gallons overall.

According to the manufacturer, the Aquabrick DuraFlow filter “removes 99.99999% of all bacteria…” along with 99.99% of viruses. Additionally, the filter removes chemicals such as chlorine and heavy metals such as lead and chromium. That means that virtually any lake or river water will be safe to drink and cook with after passing through the filter.

• Portable charcoal filter system
• 3 gallon tank
• Hand-pressurized
• 700-gallon filter life
• Purifies any freshwater source of chemicals and pathogens

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Watermaker: DC 24 Volt 900 Watts, 40 GPH Dual Membrane

SeaWater Pro Micro Water Maker®

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Swp modular & portable watermakers.

Welcome to SeaWater Pro, the premier provider of high-quality watermakers for boats and portable watermakers for all your marine adventures. Our cutting-edge technology and reliable products will ensure that you have access to clean, purified seawater wherever you go. With our easy-to-use and reliable watermakers, you can say goodbye to bulky storage tanks or worry about running out of fresh water. Our compact and efficient systems are designed specifically for marine use, making them perfect for boats of all sizes. Whether you're cruising the open seas or anchored in a secluded cove, our watermakers will provide you with a steady supply of fresh, drinkable water. At SeaWater Pro, we understand the importance of safe and clean drinking water while at sea. That's why our portable watermakers are equipped with advanced filtration systems that remove harmful contaminants and bacteria. Look no further than SeaWater Pro for your next, most reliable boating adventure investment!

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Charting your course: your first steps into the exciting world of the sea industry, perks of staying hydrated with a portable watermaker while camping, prepping your boat for hurricane season with seawater pro, how do i know which seawater pro watermaker i'll need for my boat.

• Identifying which power source you'd like to run the system. AC or DC power?
• Determine how many gallons per hour will you need to maintain your lifestyle, 17 or 40 GPH.

How much does each SeaWater Pro System weigh?

Every modular watermaker ships in 2 boxes: The first Box is 48 x 12 x 12, 60 lbs. and the second is 24 x 12 x 12, 37 lbs.

Can I install a SeaWater Pro system myself?

Yes! We have videos and instructions for our customers on the resources page .

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Do I need a control panel? Click to watch video

How do I rinse my system after I use it?

Rinse Timer Setup Guide Click to learn more about using your system's rinse timer!

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How to pickle my SeaWater Pro system! Click to watch our short video guide.

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Maintaining Your Marine Water Tank System

• By Steve D'Antonio
• Updated: January 9, 2014

Water Filter

Clean water is not an onboard luxury: It’s a necessity. Drinking, bathing, cooking and cleaning all demand a high degree of purity in your potable water system. Begin the analysis of your system with your marine water tank. What is it made from? Has it ever been opened and inspected? Ideal potable water tank materials include 316L stainless steel; fiberglass that is coated with FDA-approved gelcoat; or epoxy and virgin linear polyethylene. Because of its susceptibility to both galvanic and poultice corrosion, aluminum, while used occasionally for water tanks (as well as integrally aboard aluminum vessels), is less than desirable in potable water applications.

Like all onboard tankage, water tanks should be equipped with inspection or cleaning ports. If your tank is so equipped and you’ve never peeked inside, now’s the time to determine if detritus has accumulated. Don a sanitary rubber glove and swab your finger across the inside of the tank. If it feels slimy or emits an odor, the tank’s interior needs to be scrubbed with detergent, rinsed and sanitized.

| |The bottom right hose in this image relies on steel wire reinforcement, which unfortunately is rusting. Seek other alternatives.|

Next, inspect your plumbing. All hoses , tubing and pipes should be rated for potable water use. If they’re not, there’s no telling what sorts of particles or compounds may be sloughing or leaching into your water supply. Hose, plastic tubing and plastic pipe (including fill and vent hoses) should all be emblazoned with at least one of the following designations: NSF61, FDA Approved or Potable Water Approved. Despite its widespread use, clear hose should be avoided due to its propensity to support algal growth. Conversely, opaque polyethylene, copper and PVC plumbing are well suited to potable water applications.

Anyone installing or working on potable water systems must strive to be as careful and hygienic as possible. Tank openings and plumbing ends must remain closed, taped over or otherwise covered unless they are actually being worked on at the time.

Filters can present a first, second and even third line of defense against potable water contamination. When filling tanks, running dockside water through a high-volume inline filter will ensure clean water is brought aboard. (Note: Dockside hoses are notorious for lacking a potable water approval rating.) However, filters containing activated charcoal should not be used for this purpose, as they will neutralize the chlorine contained in municipal water supplies, which will likely allow biological growth within the tank and plumbing. Also, liveaboard sailors who plan on leaving filters on the dock should make sure they have opaque canisters, as clear canisters are ideal breeding grounds for algae.

| |Proprietary potable-water plumbing systems like this one are not only reliable and compact, they are also specifically designed and suited for fresh drinking water.|

Onboard filters that service the entire boat can be installed immediately downstream of the vessel’s water supply pump, and in this case activated charcoal, along with a particulate filter, are an excellent option. These need not be specialized “marine” filters; household units work very well, and replacement elements are both readily available and inexpensive. Alternatively, you can opt to filter only the water that you intend to drink, cook or wash utensils with, using a “point of use” or under-counter unit. These low-volume specialized filters usually incorporate a carbon component and typically rely on a compact filter and dedicated countertop spigot.

Steve D’Antonio offers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting ( www.stevedmarineconsulting.com ).

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Fresh water flush system

• Thread starter marathonguy
• Start date Feb 17, 2016
• Catalina Owner Forums
• Ask A Catalina Owner

marathonguy

I own a 2001Catalina 28 MKII. It is equipped with a 26 hp Universal diesel with a fresh water flush for the raw water cooling system. The hose connection is on port side in the cockpit just below the propane storage locker. The boat is also equipped with a fresh water closed cooling system. Can someone tell me the proper procedure to use the fresh water flush and what the benefits are to using it. I have never owned a sailboat or a diesel engine. Thanks in advance.  

I am not sure what you are referring to when you say "flush system". There is the raw water system and there is the fresh cooling water system. You can flush the fresh water cooling system. It contains the antifreeze. This water circuit may run through the hot water tank - if yours is equipped with one. You need to flush this periodically - I am not sure how often, may be 5 years. You drain the coolant that has antifreeze in it. I am not sure where the drain plug is - usually on the lower side of the engine. This is a good time to replace the water hoses. Then fill with distilled water and run the engine. Drain again then fill with 50/50 water and antifreeze. You may need to burp the circuit - as in removing all the air that may be trapped in the engine. Take the old antifreeze to a recycling center. There is no flushing for the raw water circuit. You may clean the dirt in the filter.  

Thanks for your reply Joe. I am a new sailor and may not be describing this correctly but I can attach a hose to a connection in the cockpit of my boat. When I tried this I did remove the hose to my raw water strainer and the fresh water did come out of this hose so if I leave the hose attached the fresh water will make it to the impeller which leads me to believe I need to keep the engine running to use this features. I assume it simply flushes the salt water out of the system. Since my owners manual doesn't mention this I have not tried it until I know what I'm doing and why? Again thanks for your response.  

Oldish thread but.... Some boats are setup with a fresh water flush system where there is a hose connection to the raw water system before the sea strainer. The idea is that you connect a fresh water hose to the hose connection, turn on the fresh water and close the raw water seacock and run the engine. This flushes the salt water out of the heat exchanger. Run the engine for 10 minutes. I don't know the actual procedure and it likely varies with how the boat is setup.  

Stu Jackson

Gentlemen, you are perhaps misunderstanding how to flush (and/or winterize) a FRESHWATER cooled engine. NEVER connect a hose directly to the raw water pump and system. Never. Winterizing an Engine on the Hard (Thanks to Maine Sail) - NEVER connect a hose to your raw water pump inlet - NEVER!!! http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=873073&highlight=winterizing  

Hi Stu, I don't believe he was referring to winterizing a boat since he is in Florida however my assumptions are notoriously wrong. He also didn't mention that his boat was on the hard (maybe it is?). There are some boats that are setup to do a freshwater flush of their raw water system, much like outboards are flushed. The benefits of this are that you then have fresh water, not salt or brackish water, sitting in the heat exchanger. Not common on sailboats and I don't think Catalina ever did this. BTW, your point about not connecting a hose with pressurized water is a good one. I don't have a system to fresh water flush my raw water system.  

that connection in the cockpit sounds more like a fresh water supply the the plumbing system for sink,shower,and head sink water ...trace the line and see where it goes ...it may be tied the the fresh water supply instead of the engine ..make double sure ...a pick would help for sure  

Guys, As Stu mentioned NEVER EVER, EVER connect a garden hose directly to your vessels raw water system. You can destroy your engine at the worst, and hydrolock it in the least. The Raw water pump is designed to pump water in-concert with engine RPM at a designed flow rate . The garden hose will pump water faster than the boat can eject it from the exhaust and when the exhaust gets full it sucks water into a cylinder. Next the piston tries to compress that water....D'oh.... Bye, bye connecting rod, crank etc.... Beyond that there is no need to fresh water flush the raw water system on these boats. They are designed to handle salt water for years and years and years... Change and/or flush teh coolant every 1-3 years and beyond that don't over-think the raw water side...  

I agree that it's likely a winterization connection. Mine has this, but it's in the engine bay, and merely a T fitting with a brass screw cap. Don't use it anymore, because I left the freezer for SoCal. :-D Connect a garden hose to the fitting, and drop the other end into a bucket containing your non-tox antifreeze. Close the raw water seacock, and on your boat any other valves required, and start the motor. When bucket is near empty, shut motor and stow your gear. Done. Leave seacock closed. This can be done on the hard or water. There are more winterization needs and details IE quantity and type of antifreeze, other boat systems, and some etceteras, but you probably won't need it anyway and that's a separate thread. Might be in Florida, but parts of Florida can freeze too. Also the boat may have originated elsewhere.  

Skipper said: I agree that it's likely a winterization connection. Mine has this, but it's in the engine bay, and merely a T fitting with a brass screw cap. Don't use it anymore, because I left the freezer for SoCal. :-D Connect a garden hose to the fitting, and drop the other end into a bucket containing your non-tox antifreeze. Close the raw water seacock, and on your boat any other valves required, and start the motor. When bucket is near empty, shut motor and stow your gear. Done. Leave seacock closed. This can be done on the hard or water. There are more winterization needs and details IE quantity and type of antifreeze, other boat systems, and some etceteras, but you probably won't need it anyway and that's a separate thread. Might be in Florida, but parts of Florida can freeze too. Also the boat may have originated elsewhere. Click to expand

Thanks for all the responses. I think dhays was correct. I believe this is a fresh water flush of my raw water system. This is not a winterazation issue and the boat is not on the hard. I think it is similar to how outboard's are flushed of salt water. The system is connected to my raw water system. I did trace the water to raw water strainer. But I don't want to run pressurized water through the system. Kinda why I asked the question. I think I am just going to forget about trying to use this fresh water flush. Again thanks for the responses.  

marathonguy said: Thanks for all the responses. I think dhays was correct. I believe this is a fresh water flush of my raw water system. This is not a winterazation issue and the boat is not on the hard. I think it is similar to how outboard's are flushed of salt water. The system is connected to my raw water system. I did trace the water to raw water strainer. But I don't want to run pressurized water through the system. Kinda why I asked the question. I think I am just going to forget about trying to use this fresh water flush. Again thanks for the responses. Click to expand

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Top Ways To Get Fresh Water On A Sailboat

Getting fresh water on a sailboat is pretty important. You’re surrounded by seawater, which is incredible to look at and swim in, but not so great to drink! It’s so frustrating that it’s right there, and yet pretty useless at keeping us alive.

Luckily there are now numerous ways to get fresh water on a sailboat, and if you live onboard you’ll want to know all the tricks of the trade. Having fresh water to drink is obviously vital, but having fresh water to wash in, wash up in and cook in is also such a treat. It’s amazing how much you take water for granted when you live on dry land!

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Some boats these days even have washing machines and dishwashers – just imagine! Being able to wash your clothes in your home instead of dragging bags and bags of laundry to the laundrette is certainly a huge life upgrade for anyone living on a boat full time.

But how do you get fresh water on a sailboat, and how easy is it? Let’s find out!

Watermakers for a sailboat

Water tanks for storing fresh water on a sailboat

Collecting rainwater

Storing fresh water in jerry cans

Watermakers For Making Fresh Water On A Sailboat

By far the best solution to fulfilling all your freshwater needs on a sailboat is to install a sailboat watermaker . But these things don’t come cheap! Watermakers are a gift sent from heaven for full-time liveaboards like us wanting a little comfort in their lives.

After spending three years scouring maps for possible town quays and filling up jerry cans from beach showers after dark, we bit the bullet and splashed out on a Rainman watermake r and our lives (and odors) have improved exponentially.

Watermakers take seawater and turn it into freshwater through a desalination process, so as long as you have enough power you can make enough freshwater to last forever! The only hitch is, as I just said, you need the power. You can read all about how much power you’ll need in our full review write-up .

We run the watermaker every few days for a few hours at a time in the summer and have no problems at all with power. Where we do struggle is through the shoulder season when the days are often cloudy. We’re looking into investing in a wind generator so we don’t have to rely on fossil fuels to meet our energy needs!

The other thing to consider before splashing out on a watermaker is maintenance. This is one of the main reasons we opted for the Rainman watermaker because they use generic parts that you should be able to source from most places in the world. Other watermakers have proprietary parts that are hard to get hold of in certain places. Make sure you bear that in mind before you purchase!

One downside to watermakers is that you can’t run them safely in marinas, where there’s more likely to be a higher concentration of spilled fuel and oil. But if you’re tied up to a dock then chances are you have access to freshwater anyway, so this isn’t usually a problem!

Water Tanks For Storing Fresh Water On A Sailboat

Whether you have a watermaker or not you’re going to want at least one water tank onboard to store the water you find or make. There are lots of different types of water tank, some better than others!

Our boat came with a metal one that corroded, so we replaced it with the cheaper plastic, flexible water tanks . We used several different connected ones to act as a sort of baffle and it does pretty well. The big benefit of these kinds of tanks is that they’re cheaper and easier to install.

The downside is that they can leave behind a plastic taste, and are obviously prone to puncturing if you don’t position them carefully.

You don’t need to do much to maintain your water tanks, just a good rinse out with some diluted bleach when you come back to your boat after the winter months should do the trick!

Most boats will have water fill up points on the deck so that you can fill your tank with a hose from the shore. If you don’t want to invest in a watermaker then having several big water tanks should last a good while after filling. We can carry 500 litres and could make the water last over a month between the two of us, though fresh water showers were a rarity and we washed out dishes in salt water with just a quick fresh water rinse.

Collecting Rainwater For Your Sailboat

If you’re sailing in the tropics then collecting rainwater is a great way to stock up on your fresh water supplies. You can configure your awnings, bimini or solar panels to catch rainwater and funnel it into a container or straight into your deck tank fill. The bigger the surface area, the more rainwater you’re likely to catch!

For this to be effective you need to be somewhere it actually rains frequently. During the summer months we probably see rain once, if we’re lucky, while sailing here in Greece. If it does rain then it tends to be because of a huge thunderstorm, and we normally have other worries at that point rather than catching water!

When we do catch rainwater we tend to collect it in separate containers and use it for washing decks rather than washing ourselves, as we’re never sure how polluted it is.

Fill Jerry Cans With Fresh Water For Your Sailboat

One of the easiest ways to store fresh water on your sailboat is using jerry cans. This will only really work if you’re using your boat for shorter trips, as the inconvenience of having to fill up every day or every few days would quickly become tiresome if you’re living aboard.

The great thing about using jerry cans to fill up your fresh water supply is that you don’t need to rely on tying to shore. You can fill up jerry cans from the dinghy and stay out at anchor for as long as you like! We speak from experience after a summer of doing exactly this. It was time consuming and not much fun, but it was possible!

We always carry several jerry cans like this that we can use to store extra drinking water just in case one of our tanks fail. This is also an important thing to do for offshore sailing, as if your tanks burst or spring a leak, you’ll have no back up supply.

These collapsible water containers are great if you’re short on storage and don’t plan on using them constantly. They’re not as hard-wearing but they fold down pretty much flat. If you’ll be using them for longer periods then go for a proper water jerry can (or three!)

If you’re looking to move onto a sailboat then hopefully all your water related questions have now been answered! If not, ask away in the comments section below and we’ll be happy to help.

If you’re starting to plan a life at sea then check out our comprehensive guide , which details everything you need to know and do before, during and after moving onto a sailboat. We really hope it helps you get this journey started – you won’t regret it!

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• Troubleshooting Your Boat’s Fresh Water System

by Zisser Marine | Nov 3, 2022 | How To | 0 comments

Since man first strayed far enough from the land to require liquid hydration, freshwater systems have been present on boats and a requirement to work correctly.

These systems might be as basic as a bucket or barrel with a stringed cup and issues with Fresh Water systems can be a major headache or danger. If your boat was built today with cruising or entertainment in mind, it likely has at least a minimal manual or electric water system on board.

When troubleshooting, remember there are many levels of complexity in systems with water heaters, accumulator tanks, and sophisticated filters. Keep in mind that simpler systems are also going to be simpler to fix and maintain. Onboard freshwater is necessary for the ice machine to keep cocktails chilled in the sanitation systems and cleaning your dishes.

How to Troubleshoot Fresh Water Pump on Boat

If you board your ship and discover that none of the taps or showers is producing freshwater, always make sure the pump is switched on as a first check.

For your helm station or DC, go to your main electrical panel. A freshwater system or water pump can be found there. Verify that this is on and that some of the onboard DC systems are powered.

Are There any Strange Sounds in Fresh Water System?

The next step is to check the freshwater tank if this turns on and you hear a pump operating.

Some boats feature a place where they can monitor the water level, but most don’t. In this situation, we advise only filling out the tank. Take a home, fill the tank with at least 20 to 50 gallons, and then retest the system. If you have water, you may have a problem with the pump or clogged filters, but the system is still making noise and not operating. Check to see if any filter elements need to be examined or cleaned near the water pump.

If you get onboard your vessel and find that you are unable to get any freshwater coming out of any faucets or showers then here are a few means to amend the issue.

Freshwater onboard is important for cleaning up, using the sanitation systems and for that ice maker to keep those cocktails cold. Use the following steps to diagnose, troubleshoot and fix your boat’s water systems.

Steps for Troubleshooting Boat Fresh Water System

• First check I always do is make sure the pump is turned on. Go to your main electrical panel for your DC (direct current, or battery driven systems) or your helm station. Here you will find a freshwater system or water pump. Make sure this is on and that some of the DC systems onboard have power (either inspect the battery voltage monitor or make sure lights onboard are working).
• If this turns on and you can hear a pump running then the next step is to check your freshwater tank. Some vessels have a spot to check this water level but more often than not they don’t. In this case we recommend simply topping off the tank. Take a house and fill up at least 20-50 gallons into the tank and retest the system. 
• If you have water and the system is still making noise and not working then you may have an issue with the pump itself or clogged filters. Inspect the water pump and see if there are any filter elements around it to be checked or cleaned. 
• If the pump is not making any noise, it is simply recommended to check the power lines feeding the pump. Simply cut these two wires and test with a multimeter. If power is good then it is recommended to replace the freshwater pump and this should correct your issue.

What About Foot Pumps for Potable Water?

The troubleshooting process for a foot pump that pumps water through a sink fixture is similar to that for a hand pump.

Inspect the fixture for obstructions. Inspect the supply pipe to the fixture for kinks, breaks, and clogs.

After that, disconnect the hose from the pump’s supply line and test the water flow by sucking on it or by transferring the hose end to a lower area of the boat. It may need to be rebuilt if there is a decent water supply to the foot pump, but you still have difficulties getting water to shoot from it.

As previously mentioned, the parts may be obtained, and you can repair the pump in a single day.

Searching for a professional marine electrician in San Diego ? We got you covered! Contact Zisser Marine Service now. We’ll be quick to examine an issue with your boat and address it!

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