# How do you conserve water aboard?



## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

I'm interested in learning what methods you employ on a passage or at anchor for days/weeks that conserve water (fresh)? 

With two kids we can blow through some water in the summer. For starters, I need to install a seawater pump for the galley and head. We have antiseptic wipes in the head & galley but that just creates more trash, fine for a weekend.


----------



## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

We shower off the transom. Jump in, soap up, jump in again. Rinse with fresh water. Of course this only works if you are stationary. Off-shore I plan to use bucket water and a rinse with fresh. I just ordered my 13' extension hose for the transom shower so ti can be used safely in the cockpit.

Our head is fresh water so that does not conserve much but I plan to install a salt water feed for off-shore work.

We store 175 gallons in 2 tanks. There are only 2 of us. Right now, even with the toilet use we can go 3 weeks before re-filling. But we also shower on shore most of the time. Off-shore Swap the toilet use for shower use and I think we will continue to get 3 weeks. We also have a 12 gpm watermaker.


----------



## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

We bath in salt water with "Joy" dishwashing liquid as it lathers well in salt water. We then rinse with salt water, followed by a conservative fresh water rinse. We can carry 200 gallons of fresh water and when we are conserving this can easily last the two of us one month. Take care and joy, Aythya crew


----------



## rockDAWG (Sep 6, 2006)

T37Chef said:


> I'm interested in learning what methods you employ on a passage or at anchor for days/weeks that conserve water (fresh)?
> 
> With two kids we can blow through some water in the summer. For starters, I need to install a seawater pump for the galley and head. We have antiseptic wipes in the head & galley but that just creates more trash, fine for a weekend.


If I have two young children on board, i would not introduce any bay water into the sinks especially in the congested urban water. I am OK if we are the ocean. Sailing in the bay, getting more water is never a problem. I don't not want to take a chance.

To conserve water during passage, I used sea water to clean dishes and rinse with tank water. For very greasy dished, assume water is not valuable than propane, I heat up water to do greasy dishes.

I take shower on the deck with seawater and then rinse below. I also do a lot sponge bath. I mix 20% Isoproply alcohol with water, wipe myself clean before I retire for the night. Use baby powder for the areas that is sticky and wet. If rash appears, zinc oxide ointment is good.

I use Clorox cleanup a lot (after the dishes done) to save water. I also save the water from ice box for dishes. Just make the water is not contaminated with raw meat.


----------



## Maine Sail (Jan 6, 2003)

I installed a whole house GE water filter and then on the galley faucet we use a Britta faucet mounted filter. When you run the Britta and the whole house filter the flow is minimized enough that you can do dishes and not chew through a lot of water. Turn off the Britta and you have plenty of pressure. As such we don't really need to "conserve" much or even think about it as we have plenty of water for multiple weekends or a week or more using this system plus we drink right out of the tanks and have no need for carrying extra drinking water.

Tanks are of course sanitized each spring and I turn the water over and re-fill every two to three weeks so it does not get stagnant..


----------



## aeventyr60 (Jun 29, 2011)

We use a hand pump in the galley for freshwater while cruising.
Salt water pump for dish clean up.
A small spray bottle with fresh water for rinsing dishes.
Also use handi wipes for a freshen up.
Salt water showers/ fresh water rinse. Also some of friends have those 2-3 gallon insecticide sprayers, they use these for showers. Also Sun Showers on deck for cooler climates/too hot here in the tropics for a Sun Shower.
Baby powder in the tropics a great way to beat the humidity.
Drink a lot of beer and wine...


----------



## SlowButSteady (Feb 17, 2010)

Shower with your wife or girlfriend. If you're really lucky, both of them may want to join you .


----------



## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Chef, if you have pressure water in the head or galley? Replace it with a foot pump. When you've got to go "squish, squish" to make the water run, it becomes simply impossible to "let it run" and go to waste.


----------



## Harborless (Nov 10, 2010)

I got a 15 gallon fresh tank and two 5 gallon porta tanks on deck for a grand total of 25 gallons of freshy for myself. I figure I could ration to 3/4 a gallon per day if I had too which should be enough time to make landfall in most places. Also, while I will not be purchasing a water maker, I have thought of getting a solar water maker if it can produce viable quantities for the price of the equipment. I figure I should be able to catch rainwater from weather systems too.


----------



## Tim R. (Mar 23, 2003)

My Pearson had a foot pump and I found that if I pushed all the way down and then let it spring back up, often times this was too much water. Once I got used to it, I found how far down I needed to pump to get half the water I needed as the upstroke provided the other half.

Oh yeah, the dog does the pre-rinse on the plates!


----------



## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Hand pump in galley for sure. Since moving to a boat with pressure water in the galley and h/c shower I am staggered by how much water we go through. 

I like the bathe in salt water thing provided weather is suitable and a fresh rinse after. Don't go the wipes cos they are just more waste but a rub down with a damp face cloth works when water is seriously in short supply. 

On the other hand, if you get good rainfall, a run off from an awning into tanks can give you good top up option. 

I don't like cooking in salt water (too salty) but instead of boiling vegetables, try steaming.


----------



## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

T37Chef said:


> I'm interested in learning what methods you employ on a passage or at anchor for days/weeks that conserve water (fresh)?


Shower with a "friend", 
Ladies, cross your legs allot and sit still? 
Don't open water bottles unless you plan to drink it all? 
use the pasta water to do the shrimp or broccoli. or save it for starching your Hawaiian shirt?
Don't sweat and if you do, wring your towels out in the sink.
Save rainwater by hanging buckets inside your boat even though it doesn't leak?
sail only on fresh water, 
partially fill the dinghy with salt water, put bucket in bottom, cover and put rock over bucket and call it a Dinghy solar still?


----------



## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

Wouldn't it always eventually lead to rationing water? Wouldn't your water last longer if you assigned an allotment of volume for uses earlier and not surpass this amount? We've never gone more than a month without replenishing with water, but if I was faced with a concern, it seems natural to measure and determine volumes used.


----------



## wescarroll (Jan 9, 2005)

Get a hand pump and shut down your pressure system, if you have a water heater turn it off(cold water goes much farther when showering than warm). Don't shower and drink only beer, that seemed to work best for me as now I am the only one aboard, and my tankage is plenty for one(who does'nt shower and drinks only beer).


----------



## "OO" (Jul 29, 2011)

It is all about education. Teach your kids not to brush their teeth with running water but to use a glass. Use a sponge for washing the body and rinse with a very quick shower. If ocean is warm enough to wash in dish-washing liquid works fine in salt then rinse with quick shower. Find a way to collect rainwater. etc etc..


----------



## vega1860 (Dec 18, 2006)

I drink my whiskey straight. Have never run out of water.


----------



## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Last holiday weekend in Sydney someone (duh !) forgot to fill the water tanks before we left. Weather that weekend was rubbish so I really didn't want to leave our nice little anchorage and head back to a marina to fill up. We had enough to get by but had to think about usage. Showers were the biggest problem but really anyone can shower in just a couple of litres, it is not such a big deal. 

Two pot cooking is obvious enough but if you steam veggies instead of boiling you can really cut down. We in fact will boil potato in the steamer water while it is steaming e.g carrots. Its amazing just how little water you need to cover a couple of tatties, they don't need to be swimming in it. 

OO mentions simple things like tooth brushing. I'd murder anyone who didn't use a glass for brushing no matter how much water we had but I guess kids or guests who have not been told cannot be expected to know about general water limitations. 

btw ... recently I was onboard a boat that had fresh water flush head. Unbelievable.


----------



## MikeWhy (Apr 22, 2011)

One of the most amazing inventions of this or the previous century: 600 GSM weight, shag microfiber towels. A 2 minute, 1 quart bird bath exfoliates and deep cleans as well or better than a salon facial and workup. Best of all, no soap. But you do have to wipe up the scum in the sink that didn't drain away; easiest while it's still wet, completely grotty after it dries a minute later.


----------



## bandaidmd (Jul 28, 2011)

treilley said:


> Oh yeah, the dog does the pre-rinse on the plates!


I could see letting fido pre clean the plate but pre rinse ..don't think so.

( just messin with ya I'm sure that's what you meant lol)


----------



## mdbee (May 2, 2007)

Use a Brita pitcher?


----------



## 24seven365 (Aug 13, 2011)

sponge bath


----------



## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

I have a steamer insert for pots with extended legs (a project in itself) and steam veges over pasta, rice, or couscous; this saves cooking AND cleaning water. There is some unintended mixing of flavors but hasn't really been an issue.

On delivery offshore I stock up on baby wipes and encourage their use on the boat. Wipe down before crawling into sheets every single time and you will be happier and reduce laundry requirements. Sufficiently offshore the baby wipes go over the side and don't have an impact on trash management.

Cruising Auspicious we tend to use washrags for sponge baths as noted above.

An accumulating flow meter (looks like an automobile odometer) is a great conservation tool. It is illuminating how much more water people use (including me) than they think.

Go with your strengths. For example, I cook with less water and end up with fewer dishes to clean, so I do the bulk of the cooking. Janet uses much less water cleaning up than I so she does that work.

We carry 120 gallons in tanks and about a dozen gallons more in 'emergency' fresh water. No plastic bottles of drinking water; we use Nalgene containers for each person which cuts down completely on the problem of unfinished water bottles - a waste of water and a trash problem with all the plastic.

Our fresh water toilet can be switched to salt water offshore and while cruising in relatively clean waters. I'm glad to have the fresh water flush option - head odor is never a problem with it and we flush with fresh water anywhere we can resupply even if it means more trips with jugs of water. Accordingly we rarely make a trip ashore without a 5 gal water jug or two to fill.

On extended trips we do laundry in a five gallon bucket of fresh water and ammonia. No soap, no rinse. The clothes get clean and the ammonia fully dissipates while the clothes are drying. Most laundry gets done in laundromats. *grin* Research and personal experience indicate that unless you have skin of iron doing laundry in salt water uses more fresh water to get the salt out than is saved even compared to a conventional soapy wash and clean rinse; the ammonia wash is a real saver.

We have pressure water in the head and galley plus fresh and salt foot pumps in the galley. Offshore and cruising we keep the pressure water switched off. The extra step of flipping the switch to use pressure water is a built-in reminder to be cautious. This is particularly helpful with guests who can use all the reminders civility allows.

When guests are aboard I have laminated instructions/reminders to tape up in the galley (don't leave the water running, how the foot pumps work, which is which), the nav station (which switch for pressure water, anchor and deck lights), and the head (how the electric toilet works, reminder to turn the pressure water on and off if using the sink, where the baby wipes and clean wash rags are).

Finally we try to do boat chores in the coolest parts of the day, reducing sweat as much as possible -- in addition to comfort it reduces water consumption for cleaning oneself and laundry.


----------



## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

I really like these ideas from Auspicious. Especially the ammonia laundry and keeping the pressure water switch off as a reminder of conservation when used. I might agree with the baby wipe discard, but I would need to read the composition information. If the remaining "cloth" is just a cellulose matrix; then, I'm all for tossing it in the sea! If not, the used wipes can be stowed with no more use of space than their original packaging. Take care and joy, Aythya crew


----------



## T37Chef (Oct 9, 2006)

Auspicious, great post! Thank you, thats the kind of info and ideas I was looking for.


----------



## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

CaptainForce said:


> I might agree with the baby wipe discard, but I would need to read the composition information. If the remaining "cloth" is just a cellulose matrix; then, I'm all for tossing it in the sea! If not, the used wipes can be stowed with no more use of space than their original packaging.


Definitely valid. One thing I really emphasize with crew is that if we have room to stow it we have room to carry it home. It's the smelly bits that don't quite work out as planned. *grin*

Another thing that I do is to either dip pasta out of the pot or drain into another pot (the former when I can - one less pot to clean) and use the water to make hard-cooked eggs. We go through a lot of eggs aboard because I really like deviled eggs and because peeling the eggs keeps the watch entertained on passage. Oranges and similar fruits have a similar entertainment value and provide some hydration.


----------



## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Shower and shampoo only with J. R. Ligett's detergent free soap. I use it at home too.

The beauty of this soap is that being detergent free it rinses in a fraction of the time that normal commercial soaps take to rinse. Your hair stay cleaner, longer. I'm not kidding. And you conserve water.

It's made in New Hampshire by a sailor.
Google J.R. Liggett ltd.


----------



## wingNwing (Apr 28, 2008)

Auspicious pretty much nailed it; great ideas. We use a small "spray doc" - pump up container for pesticides, get it at a hardware store - that has never been used for pesticides (of course). Fill it up, pump it up, and its the equivalent of powerwashing your dishes, you'll be amazed at how little water you use. Fill it and leave it topside to warm up then use for showers instead of SunShower. The two of us can make 110 gal of fresh water last >1 month, and we never use saltwater for laundry or dishes - I just don't want to deal with the potential corrosion on pots and pans and sink fittings. We use Auspicious' washcloth idea also - soak the washcloth and put it in a ziploc bag and leave it in the sun to warm up before using.


----------



## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

wingNwing said:


> we never use saltwater for laundry or dishes - I just don't want to deal with the potential corrosion on pots and pans and sink fittings.


Good point. I use salt water for glassware and dishes but only fresh for cookware. I do the salt first so washing the cookware helps clean out the sink. No corrosion issues so far in five years.


----------



## DavidB.UK (Sep 11, 2011)

some interesting idea in this thread for certain.

If in the warmer locations, I would imagine laundry to consist of little more than trunks and bikinis though right?

These may also be a useful tool for some...


----------



## bvander66 (Sep 30, 2007)

We use seawater to rinse off dishes and if in a clean water area/harbour will was dishes in it and fresh rinse. Wash in the ocean or with deck was and then fresh water rinse, use a product called "Savon De Mer" which lathers nice in salt and smells nicer than Joy dishwashing liquid and is environmentaly friendly.
To fill tanks when on anchorage I use a 20 gal bladder in the bottom of the dingy with a small 12 V transfer pump. Lot easier than lugging 5 Gal water cans.


----------



## Yofy (Aug 15, 2007)

> To fill tanks when on anchorage I use a 20 gal bladder in the bottom of the dingy with a small 12 V transfer pump. Lot easier than lugging 5 Gal water cans.


 Nice idea!

A lot of really good ideas have been posted already.

We currently sail the Red Sea and water is a real issue here... especially GOOD water. We have 300 liters in 3 different tanks and no watermaker. We can go 2 weeks on anchor without a refill. We also carry emergency jerry jugs on deck. When Manny built our forward water tank he made two separate tanks with hoses that lead to two taps in a locker. These hoses lead to one main hose which leads to a junction with tank # 3 and the water pump. This allows us to closely monitor our water when we are not at dock. We open one tap and when that tank runs dry we know we have used 1/3 of our water supply, next tap means ½ and we open the tap to our 3rd and last tank. At that point we know we need to refill soon. This method keeps everybody onboard aware of water usage.

Two things will use up your fresh water more than anything else. Doing dishes and taking showers. (Of course, any heads that run on fresh water must have the option to switch to salt water when underway.)

Our galley has a foot pump. Our head does not, because it wasn't feasible to install one. Underway we close the electric pumps and only use the galley foot pump. We have a salt water tap, wash dishes with salt water and give a short rinse with fresh water at the end. We have tested this system against using only fresh water and the electric pump. We found we use 1/3 the water.

One excellent tip I got a few years back is to dilute your dish washing soap with water. Most detergents are very dense and require a lot of rinsing to get the soap off. Diluted dish soap cleans just as well and requires a lot less rinsing. (You also save on the detergent ) We avoid cooking pasta underway because we haven't found a way to cook it without using tons of water. Maybe you can come up with an inventive piece of advice there . We agree with twd and steam veggies, although most of our offshore cooking is of the one pot type. We wash fresh produce and and rinse grains in salt water.

Over here we are fortunate and can jump in the water for cruiser showers any time of the year. We soap up and give a QUICK rinse with our cockpit shower. When we were cruising in northern latitudes I would boil water in the kettle and wet a washcloth. That was enough to wash my face in the morning. Using a wash cloth, I can sponge bath in a cup of water. Honestly, not being stingy, but I prefer this to handi wipes.

In the Bahamas I was the rain (wo)man. My favourite job was catching rain water. We often topped up our tanks in a squall. And if it really rained hard, our dingy would fill up and then we had a party. I'd climb in the dinghy with the laundry and soap and we'd all get clean. I miss rain!!!!

Robyn


----------



## DavidB.UK (Sep 11, 2011)

Yofy said:


> Nice idea!
> 
> A lot of really good ideas have been posted already.


Agreed, lots of brilliant ideas in this thread, particularly like the idea os separate taps on the water tank, same principal as the 'reserve' switch on the fuel tank of a motorbike.



Yofy said:


> We avoid cooking pasta underway because we haven't found a way to cook it without using tons of water. Maybe you can come up with an inventive piece of advice there . We agree with twd and steam veggies, although most of our offshore cooking is of the one pot type.


I was a chef for over 15years before I retired from the trade.
Would there be much interest in a cook book designed for cruisers and liveaboards?

here are a couple of pics to whet your appetites:


----------



## wingNwing (Apr 28, 2008)

When you do have the luxury of an onboard shower, to adjust the temperature: instead of adding hot water if it's too cold, or cold water if its too hot ... train yourself to turn DOWN whichever tap you have too much of. You don't notice the decreased pressure, but over time this really adds up.

DavidB.UK - you might get in touch with T37Chef; I think he was looking at the idea of a training class on cooking for boaters also.


----------



## RichH (Jul 10, 2000)

On passage or when on long distance travel, we turn off the 12 vdc water pump and only use the foot pumps. .... and we have a 'watermaker'.


----------

