Water Catcher: Waitin' for rain! :(

[MarkJ]

Todays VHF Radio net said there was a Tropical Wave heading our way and sundry Chris' Geoffs' Herbs' and Noahs say is gunna piss down raining.
That was the only motivation for me to have another go at the seemingly simple device of a rain water catcher.

The Beneteau decks are just not designed for it. Water runs off the deck. Who would have designed that? Old boats the water hangs onto the deck pouring down the back afty bit to some scupper that a bit of towel could dam into the damn tank filler hole.

Mine goes through the toerail holes amidships like a cartoon character shot full of lead. The bloody bum of the boat is higher than the gizzards.

So I have chopped a huge bit of ex-genoa and whacked a million eye holes, lanyards and nautically bits and made like a hammock suspended off the deck a few cms (inches to pagans) starting near the shrouds and gently sloping down to yonder 'ole, aft. (One shouldn’t say "aft 'ole" in polite company).

I have plundered the plumbing shops of Grenada and found a suitable fitting sawn off filts the 'old admirably.

Now all I need is RAIN!




Tears shed at some of my jokes produce more than this Wave.

So I had a choice: Watch my dry rain catcher, do the dishes or come write about it.


Mark

[sailorboy1]

you probably had been wondering for months why you had been hang on to that old POS genny

[MarkJ]

I knew I was hanging onto it for a reason... just didnt know the reason

New Genny (OK, new second hand one) is doing great!!!

[Teknav]

Not raining in Grenada? Harvest a few coconuts to quench your thirst! Do I have to teach you how to live like a native? Mauritz

[barnakiel]

Nothing but showers this time. What looks like a potential is mid-Atlantic right now. Wait and see, you might be able to test you rig, or your legs.

Cheers,
b.

[mikepmtl]

Hey Mark. I have these plastic caps that I push into the holes of the rail.
The PO found them somewhere in China or something and ordered a bunch of them.

The main reason is to have all the water sent off the back, preventing those nasty grey marks down the hull every few inches.

I have no idea where he got them from, but I'm sure they were not expensive.

[MarkJ]

Great idea!

Thanks.

Just in case my superior rig doesn't do what I hope. If it does work I may market it...

[Randyonr3]

Last time out mark, I ran à length of duct tape down the inside of the rail.. after the rain i piller it off..

[mbianka]

Hope you get some free water soon. Spent yesterday wrestling a large piece of Lexan sheet in 20 knot plus winds onto my solar bimini frame. Eventually it will also function as a rain catcher also. Until then I take a little comfort where I can that the boat is still in the boatyard: THE BIANKA LOG BLOG: COOL WATER

[model 10]

When this all comes together, how long do you think it will take for fresh water to flow? Those old decks you admire seem to take forever to run clean for the first day or so.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Guy

When this all comes together, how long do you think it will take for fresh water to flow? Those old decks you admire seem to take forever to run clean for the first day or so.

Thats why its on sailcloth and not the deck. But I guess a few miinutes. (About the length of a tropical shower!)
By (ingenious) design the water can pool before it goes into the tank so I can check for sediment. Theres quite an amount of Sahara dust heading our way in the Caribbean (SAL its called) and that can make the water quite muddy. Most importantly is the long term impact of dusty water going into a water tank thats impossible to clean.

If it looks like its just going to sludge up the water tank I will revert to heading into the fuel dock and paying for water.

Well, thats the plan. Now I just have to wait......

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by mbianka

Eventually it will also function as a rain catcher also.

A hard water catcher will probably be better than mine in that when the wind blows the cather flaps... prolly gunna flap the water out

[Bash]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

A hard water catcher will probably be better than mine in that when the wind blows the cather flaps... prolly gunna flap the water out

Purely for entertainment value, I think you owe us a photo of this contraption.

[capngeo]

Mark..... I have a shade tarp rigged over the bow of my boat. It is triangular, and attaches at the pulpit and the two forward most shrouds. In the center is a large grommet like what is used in a clew. Through this I put the spare forward halyard to raise the center to provide clearance and shed rain when not needed.

When I want to fill the tanks, I slack the halyard, which inverts the "pyramid", then install a nylon through-hull (with hose) in the grommet, and route the hose to the tank. I find the water to be much cleaner than what comes off the deck.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by capngeo

Mark..... I have a shade tarp rigged over the bow of my boat. It is triangular, and attaches at the pulpit and the two forward most shrouds. In the center is a large grommet like what is used in a clew. Through this I put the spare forward halyard to raise the center to provide clearance and shed rain when not needed.

When I want to fill the tanks, I slack the halyard, which inverts the "pyramid", then install a nylon through-hull (with hose) in the grommet, and route the hose to the tank. I find the water to be much cleaner than what comes off the deck.

It's seriously time for photos.