Challenge: How Much Extra Fuel and Water Do You Carry on Deck, or Below Decks ?

[Ocean Roads]

With just under 14 months to go before departing on my 5-7 year world cruise, I am trying to think of everything I can.

While I have a smaller boat, she is built to go far, so I have large tankage. But an extra 5 gals of fuel is priceless when you need 5 more gals to get in.

I hold nearly 80 gals of water, and will have a water maker. But I will also be carrying at least 5-10 gal of water under the V-berth in 1 gal jugs, mainly used for emerginces, and I will change out the water every few months to keep it fresh. NOTE- Be sure to get the kind of 1 gal water jugs with the milk style screw on lids, not the pop off lids.

So I think I got water covered, but I will also carry two camping style folding clear 5 gal water jugs if I need to lug water from and island. $10 each from Wal-Mart, and take up almost no space.

I want to carry 5-10 gals of extra fuel incase I have a fuel tank or fuel line falure. Also in some islands it is easyer/cheaper to fuel up with the dingy and tranfer fuel.

So now that space is always a premium, where to put 5-10 gals of extra fuel jugs? I think I will make a mount in the lazzerate under my tiller. Out of sight, easy to get to, easy to secure. Diesel below decks has almost no issues compared to gas. And the laz is basically part of the engine room on a Westsail anyways.

But I want to hear from those of you true salty hard core cruisers who say extra fuel jugs on deck is a waste and not needed. Please, tell me why?

[tropicalescape]

Think about people that dont even have an engine...sailboat...rowing oars would better serve you from what I have been told...search google under Atom sailboat..he gives a good explanation as to why not needed..I too would rather have an engine and extra fuel....DVC

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Ocean Roads

So I think I got water covered, but I will also carry two camping style folding clear 5 gal water jugs if I need to lug water from and island. $10 each from Wal-Mart, and take up almost no space.

If you've ever lugged water you will know that these collapsible jugs are nearly useless. Very difficult to fill and hell on the hands if you have to carry them more than two yards. Get the hard blue jerry jugs. I know you're worried about space but they are light and you can leave them in your bunk if you have to. Might be real cozy. As for fuel jugs, can you keep them in the cockpit ?

[Charlie]

I lash my fuel jugs to the mast. There is a good place on my boat that is out of the way. If you had mounts made for them there it would be even better. I think it is great to have absolutely nothing on the deck but sometimes it is inevitable to have something on the deck. If your deck gets swept or your mast goes down that five or ten galons of fuel can mean alot.

[hpeer]

I would keep at least one 5 gallon jug ...... and enough fuel line to run into it, in the event you get contamination of your main supply. Enough to get through the reef and dock.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by hpeer

I would keep at least one 5 gallon jug ...... and enough fuel line to run into it, in the event you get contamination of your main supply. Enough to get through the reef and dock.

Don't forget the rubber bulb pump....
I generally strap them on deck if voyaging... sometimes fuel is dearer at the next destination so its nice to bulk buy when you can.
When I cruised the Med I carried 3 x 25 on each side...

[zeehag]

i have 4x6 on deck fuel, and 3x6 water. i lash them to rail and to mast base of main mast.

[Bash]

Although I carry 100 gallons of diesel in the normal tankage, I've got 4 jerry jugs that can be used for transfers from shore. If I need them for something like the Baja Bash, they get lashed to the windward rail.

I think they look cool, and they tend to be more useful than crew when it comes to keeping the boat flat.

[Jim Cate]

If one eschews the extra fuel, one tends to pay more attention to sailing in marginal conditions rather than lighting off the diesel. This leads to building sailing skills that will be of help when the donk quits for whatever reason. Not a popular idea, but one that has appealed to me for years.

And FWIW, our previous boat carried only around 200 L of fuel, and we managed some 86 K miles of cruising in her... all without carrying jerry jugs on passages. Insatiable II is blessed with some 600 L capacity, but we find that we still tend to sail in wind strengths where most of our fellows are motoring away.

Finally, we have used collapsible jugs for ferrying water for many years, and find them indispensable. We have about 6 on board (pretty well fills up the dinghy ) and use them when needed. They do tend to get pinhole leaks, but for this usage they are not a problem... just a nuisance!

And while Bash may think jugs look cool on deck, I think they look kinda junky. YMMV.

Cheers,

Jim