Deck scuppers for rainwater collection

[zboss]

They make silver impregnated clay pot filters that can take any water, like from a river in the Amazon, and make it potable. So catch the rainwater and transfer it into one of these pots for filtering drinking water.

[Oceanride007]

My boat was built with such a system. Scupper normally goes over the side, divert for collection after flushing. Now my memory has failed me a few times, this system has cost me more water than I have used, once I contaminated with detergent, other time, it just tasted suss.

Once it did save my bacon thou. Anyway I have 2 tanks, my system is elaborate enough that I could use 2nd quality water for most things, I can transfer any good water to a preferred tank. First quality, goes thru whale pump and filters, have separate lines, but I often use a water jug for that.

I have a preferred side, keeps it simple and less likely to contaminate. I always carry 2 water jugs as extra insurance.

[Simi 60]

We collect water from our top deck scuppers/drains whenever we can so as to stay away from docks. Last dockside tie up and fill was August. (Big tanks no desal)
For us its a simple plug hose into the PVC drain and run to the tank fill point.
Before it rains we'll run the deckwash and sweep/scrub deck so the first bit of rain only has to wash salt away.
At the end of the hose where it goes into the filler we wrap it in chux cloth as a filter.

I will take onboard the towel dam mentioned earlier and see how that goes.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Kinda odd to hear an Aussie with Mike's phobia towards collected rainwater for drinking. It's not just yotties who routinely drink the stuff, but thousands of rural Australians who rely upon roof-top collection for all their domestic water supplies.

Jim

I'll bet water in a large cistern settles out bird solids better than a boat tank being agitated most of the time.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I'll bet water in a large cistern settles out bird solids better than a boat tank being agitated most of the time.

Can't be to many full time cruisers with bird ***** on their decks.
In two years I can count on one hand the amount of times we have had birds land.
Cat onboard may have something to do with it but we never had a bird issue on the last boat either and no cat then.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

My rain collector is just a large through-hull fitting mounterd into a heavy plastic silver tarpaulin, tarpaulin which is strung between the rigging and bowsed down lightly with shock cord. To the hull fitting is mounted a non-toxic PVC hose which leads to the water tanks inlet deac fitting and is rolled up after use. I have used the shiock cord in case a gust of wind suddenly gets under it, and it will give rather than tear. It only takes about ten minutes or so to rig it, and it will completely fill the tanks in a heavy downpour in less than an hour. Hot showers for all.

[emoji106] I do the same with a large custom made Sunbrella tarp with 2 nozzles for filling both water fills.
Really only for emergencies these days, it is kept clean, bagged and ready for immediate water collection either at anchor or underway.

It doesn't make sense to have to clean your deck and any fittings that could collect bacteria first, before collecting clean water. Nonskid is really not that easy to get clean!

For most of us without cats, bird droppings are common.....if I had a cat, would wonder how much kitty litter had found itself blown on deck

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Kinda odd to hear an Aussie with Mike's phobia towards collected rainwater for drinking. It's not just yotties who routinely drink the stuff, but thousands of rural Australians who rely upon roof-top collection for all their domestic water supplies.

Jim

All you need to do is google Australia or Texas and there will be dozens of health department guides to drinking rainwater. Very common.

PS just reported on this: https://www.practical-sailor.com/iss...e_12319-1.html

They did specify a bit more filtration (1 micron) and chlorination, and they tested using a hard top. It also turns out that a white deck is more self-sterilizing (UV) than you would guess.

The bottom line is that it safer than surface waters in many areas. I did this for several years and my tanks stayed fresh. But attention to detail matters.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

[emoji106]

It doesn't make sense to have to clean your deck and any fittings that could collect bacteria first, before collecting clean water. Nonskid is really not that easy to get clean!

For most of us without cats, bird droppings are common.....if I had a cat, would wonder how much kitty litter had found itself blown on deck

Run hose, squirt some detergent around, scrub with stiff broom and hose clean.
No kitty litter left behind.
Cleaner than a lot of water supplies in the US I would think. :-)

[crazyoldboatguy]

I have installed such a valving system in my as yet completed Alden auxiliary ketch restoration. Doing such was easier than retro-fitting, I imagine.

I look forward to trying it out. I like the idea of washing down the deck in anticipation of an approaching storm. Sounds easy enough.

[roverhi]

We used the awning for collecting water at anchor. Took care of all our water needs for more than a year in French Polynesia, never had to schlep water to the boat. For collecting underway, a track along the boom would be my choice. Occasional doses of bleach worked for sanitation.

Half the Island of Hawaii depends on catchment water from their roofs in above ground tanks for domestic water. Almost no water born diseases which is surprising as many of these catchment systems get very little, if any maintenance and often catch more than just water. Bermuda is totally dependent on catchment usually in cisterns under the houses.

[roverhi]

We used the awning for collecting water at anchor. Took care of all our water needs for more than a year in French Polynesia, never had to schlep water to the boat. For collecting underway, a track along the boom would be my choice. Occasional doses of bleach worked for sanitation.

Half the Island of Hawaii depends on catchment water in from their roofs in above ground tanks for domestic water. Almost no water born diseases which is surprising as many of these catchment systems get very little, if any maintenance and often catch more than just water. Bermuda is totally dependent on catchment usually in cisterns under the houses.

In the tropics, we used very little water. Spent much of the day in the water so didn't need a shower. If we felt the need, would wash down with salt water and soap, rinse the soap out with salt water, then use quart or so of water to wash out the salt. We just got used to the salt so didn't do that often. Without much sacrifice you can cut your water usage way back and live with 20 gallons as a solo.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Can't be to many full time cruisers with bird ***** on their decks.
In two years I can count on one hand the amount of times we have had birds land.
Cat onboard may have something to do with it but we never had a bird issue on the last boat either and no cat then.

Give the cat a pet. It may be your cruising area. I've seen any no. of things used to discourage gulls from streamers, Flags, pin wheels and fake owls just off the top of my head. None to any avail. in a moorage as a child. Maybe I recall it because it was my job with a putty knife and brush to get rid of the droppings and the ruminants of mussels and clams they had dropped to fracture the shells. Count your blessings.

[belizesailor]

I used to use to block them on my previous mono. The decks woud fill w water and drain into the water tank fills. Filled fast!

[Little Whale]

Thanks for the quick responses. All good ideas, but I really wanted that one particular plumbing co. We have our scuppers Y'd off. It is just so hard as everything has to come out of tge lazarette to get to cut on valve. Crazy. Everything must the dry before going back it. Small and portable is what I'm looking for. Basically a pattern. We'll figure it out. We have tried different things. I haven't found that right choice yet! Thanks again.

[Almost-There]

I just used a tarp with a PVC shower drain I installed with 5200.I found a few fittings at Home depot marine that allowed me to connect my hose. It was held up with bungee cords that had the ends pinched closed over the grommet on one end and a clip on the other. It was simple, easily kept clean,could be thrown up in minutes a few different ways and so on and also doubled as a sunshade on the bow too.

I prefer the kiss method.