Newbie.. where to refill water tanks when on mooring/anchor?

[zboss]

Sometimes you don't have to buy gas or fuel. If you just kindly ask the marina, they will often allow you to fill your tank. Many high end marinas are not equipped to charge for water so they don't even have a line item in the computer to do so. The point is to ask first, they may say no but they will most often say yes. I'll often buy a few gallons of fuel or a few sodas or something and if I do pull my boat up, I'll tip the dock staff a few bucks even if the water was free.

[CheapThrill]

Originally Posted by rwidman

It takes a lot of balls to pull into a marina fuel dock and fill your boat's water tanks and not buy fuel but I've seen it done. I've also seen people wait until the marina is close and staff has gone home to pull up and fill their boat's water tanks.


Actually, I've seen them do that, dump their garbage and plug in to run their air conditioning for the night. They leave before the staff gets there in the morning.


This is stealing of course and I wouldn't do it but I've seen it done.

I don't think anyone was recommended filling up with water without buying fuel, I guess I was more wondering if water was typically available at the fuel docks when fueling, my only experiences are with filling up with water at the slip before heading out. I normally fill up with fuel prior to hitting the water so I haven't spent much time at fuel docks.

[zeehag]

i learn who will allow me to steal their water and use them. i usually use a restaurant i frequent.
some places charge extravagant water rates-- i donot bother those folks. i go to the lesser priced locations. sometimes a restaurant, sometimes a marina sometimes a fuel dock. i never pass the opportunity to fill water at the fuel dock. many here charge 17 percent dock fees--i may as well use that to my advantage, when possible.
i jerry jug my water via walker bay 10 with oars as propulsion.

[barnakiel]

Yes.

No intention here to imply rainwater cannot be drunk. Just that it tastes like (....) before proper filtering.

If you filter yours, it is probably as good as gold and I would have zero reservations.

Anchored out, we collect rain when we can. At places our dinghy gives us up to 100 gallons overnight, and we have a wee dinghy.

Cheers,
b.

[JD-Odyssey]

Originally Posted by zboss

Sometimes you don't have to buy gas or fuel. If you just kindly ask the marina, they will often allow you to fill your tank. Many high end marinas are not equipped to charge for water so they don't even have a line item in the computer to do so. The point is to ask first, they may say no but they will most often say yes. I'll often buy a few gallons of fuel or a few sodas or something and if I do pull my boat up, I'll tip the dock staff a few bucks even if the water was free.

We cruise the same areas of the bay and I agree totally with zboss's response. I was living on the hook in Weem's Creek for a couple months schlepping 5 and 10 gals of water by dinghy. That wears thin real quick. The only other recommendation: I like to use my own water hose with an attached in-line filter when getting water. At the very least, I ask the marina if they have a line that's ONLY used for potable water. You don't want to use a hose on the pier that others may have used to wash out or flush their holding tank.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by CheapThrill

I don't think anyone was recommended filling up with water without buying fuel, I guess I was more wondering if water was typically available at the fuel docks when fueling, my only experiences are with filling up with water at the slip before heading out. I normally fill up with fuel prior to hitting the water so I haven't spent much time at fuel docks.

And I wasn't recommending that they do that and I hope you didn't think I was.

[CheapThrill]

Originally Posted by rwidman

And I wasn't recommending that they do that and I hope you didn't think I was.

Nope no worries, I just wasn't sure if you thought I was asking about just pulling up to the fuel Dock filling the water tank and then taking off.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Yes.

No intention here to imply rainwater cannot be drunk. Just that it tastes like (....) before proper filtering.

If you filter yours, it is probably as good as gold and I would have zero reservations.

Anchored out, we collect rain when we can. At places our dinghy gives us up to 100 gallons overnight, and we have a wee dinghy.

Cheers,
b.

The articles I referenced included testing of water at different stages for EPA contaminants of concern. Even before chlorination, the levels were very low.

The reasons? First, when a boat is actively cruised, birds stay away. Second, the white hard top is quite effective at self-sanitizing. Finally, chlorination and 0.5 micron carbon block filtration (same as Seagull filter) settles what is left.

There is a lot of government info on rainwater for drinking water, some of the best from Texas and Australia, where it is a reality of life in some areas. This is established practice for generations, not some new green idea. That said, newer filters make it much better. It's all in the details. Just let it go in a bucket, dirt an all... well, you'll probably be OK, but that is not what I'm taking about. I'm talking about installing a simple but robust treatment system.

[hamburking]

I plan on 2 litres per person per day, even in hot weather. If you are drinking beer or sodas most of the time, you can get by on much less. So for a couple, thats a 4 litre jug per day, so at least 14 jugs for 2 weeks. Thats a reasonable number of jugs to have aboard, stowed in low lockers and out of the way places. I always kept a few spares aboard, just in case.

Around here those jugs of water cost 99 cents, so not a big investment. And I re-use the jugs over and over again. Also, I would freeze 5 or 6 for the icebox, which would stay cold almost a week before adding ice purchased ashore.

To me, getting water, ice, fuel and food is the work of being a cruiser. I never thought of it as a chore, just what you do. Being on a sailboat is a wonderful reminder that electricity doesn't come from the wall, and water doesn't come from the tap. And garbage doesn't just disappear either! These were good lessons for my kids to learn and appreciate at a young age.

[mogulskibum]

We cruise the same area of the Chesapeake as the OP, and our plan is usually to bring enough gallon jugs of filtered water from the house for drinking (seriously, a lot of the potable water on around the bay tastes and smells absolutely terrible - of course we both grew up in the Rockies, so our standards for "good" drinking water are a little high...).

For non-drinking water (dishes, cleaning, etc) you can usually fill up your holding tank at any fuel dock or marina. If you're not buying fuel, and don't want to ask for free water without purchasing anything, just buy some ice, beer or soda - you'll use all three.

[a64pilot]

For me it's sort of a non issue, my waste tank fills faster than my water tank empties, so I'm looking for a pump out, I'm off to a marina anyway

[Mike Banks]

Either push filtered sea water through a water maker or transfer it in 20 litre containers, four at a time, from the nearest safe supply.

If in the wilds and a freshwater stream is available, I use the filled containers with a water purification tablet or two according to the directions in each of the containers, and let stand for an hour oe so before adding them to the tanks.

If you tun out of water purification tablets, Milton or some similar product will work.

I have seen people recommend a half-to i/4 of a tablet in one litre. That is WAY too strong. One tab in 20 litres and let stand for a hour should do it

I once put five tablets into my water tanks--120 lites in each. I could clearly taste the chlorine--so I think one tab to 20 litres will be about right. but it is important to let it stand for at least an hour. If you are thirsty--just boil some and make a pot of tea.
..

[Mike Banks]

One of my pals used to collect rauinwater from huis rain-catcher and put it straight into his tanks. he was always suffering from the effects of it. Seagulls crap dissolved in rainwater needs some sort of disinfection.

[Suijin]

Solomon's is a day sail from Annapolis and there are a ton of marinas there, and fuel docks. Up the Potomac...I don't know, have never headed up that way. If you carry limited water, you could map out your trip with Active Captain and plan out your water stops.

I carry 150 gals of water, but also keep a 5 gallon blue water jug as a backup and replace the water every few months.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

In emergency you can collect some rain water - not good for drinking but great for washing your hair!

Why is it "not good for drinking" ?