Drink from tanks on BVI charter boat??

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Teknav

As a general rule, water in the tank is NOT for drinking. One will never know what was "added" to it or what "growth" is in it. Use it only for washing/shower. It might help to empty a bottle of rum in the tank; still, not for drinking. Bottles of spring water are to be used for cooking and drinking. Bad water will spoil your vacation; don't risk it.

Best advice yet. Like reefing, if you think you should...

In this case, if there's any question at all, why bother?

Not like you don't have other choices, right?

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Outside the US, stick to bottled water!

Of course this drifts off the orginal intent and question of the thread...but it actually might be useful. The Mexicans we know that travel to the USA on Vacation also get sick from drinking our water. Same with our family form Italy when them come to visit. It's not that our water is bad it's just everyone's systems gets acustomed to their natrural and local "bugs". Frequent travelers know this even when traveling in the USA for business...AKA "Frequent Flier Shits"...

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

If you are worried put 1 ounce, thats 30 mils of bleach in each tank.

It doesnt need more.

Charter boats cycle through more water than any other boat on earth.

I wonder what did people do when bottle water was not invented then.

I guess I had a hard life. I always drink from the tap when crewing other people's boat even when the owner says I don't drink from tap.

I think the Charter boat's tank is much cleaner than most private boat. If in doubt, ask the charter to leave the tank unfilled. You can disinfect the tank yourself with bleach. Leave the bleach for 15 min and flush the tank. Done. You can go this when upload up the provision.

Ever since GPS was introduced, we've got so spoiled. :P

[HenryD]

We chartered in the BVI's and had no problem with drinking the water. We also have traveled to many islands and have drank water at all of them, including many trips to Mexico, Honduras, Belize.
The food is prepared with the local water at all restaurants. Who knows what is in the swimming pools, etc.
We have had friends traveling with us have GI tract issues. Almost all can be solved very quickly with Cipro or other anti-bacterial - ask your doctor what he recommends before you go. I do not leave home without my personal medication kit. Fortunately, in most of the countries, Cipro is available over the counter.

[zboss]

Its not the manufacturing of the water, its the pipes from the RO plant to the boat and that hot steamy hose that is left sitting on the dock for 5 years growing bacteria, mold, mildew, etc...

[bobconnie]

No one I know in So Louisiana drinks tap water !! So we drink bottled water everywhere!! Even on a cruise our kids sent us on LOL Why take a chance ? Nothing kills a great trip or vacation like the Trot's ! We keep gallon jugs to refill the smaller one's from ! On the boat, if theres room, theres 5 gal jugs of water a lot cheaper then buying any other size!

[zboss]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

No one I know in So Louisiana drinks tap water !! So we drink bottled water everywhere!! Even on a cruise our kids sent us on LOL Why take a chance ? Nothing kills a great trip or vacation like the Trot's ! We keep gallon jugs to refill the smaller one's from ! On the boat, if theres room, theres 5 gal jugs of water a lot cheaper then buying any other size!

I agree and there is plenty of room on most charter boats for bottled water.

[BandB]

Out of curiosity I just checked. We left Fort Lauderdale last Tuesday. When we left we had 20 cases of 24 bottles of bottled water and 24 one gallon jugs of water on board. Now do understand that is so high because my wife and I don't drink soft drinks, tea, coffee, or beer.

[Vasco]

Well if you're going to drink bottled water don't put any ice cubes in your drinks unless you make them yourself out of bottles water.

[Dulcesuenos]

Such a waste of plastics, and so much garbage to deal with. Add some bleach or gin, bring a water filter that clips onto the faucet you'll be fine. We use a seagull water filter and it tastes great. On regular travel We drank tap water and ice made from it all over the VI and in mexico and never had an issue. Now DR might be different story.

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by BandB

Out of curiosity I just checked. We left Fort Lauderdale last Tuesday. When we left we had 20 cases of 24 bottles of bottled water and 24 one gallon jugs of water on board.

Thats just rediculous!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Suz.

[poiu]

Cycled tanks filled with clean water like the BVI are likely to be fine. Maybe the boat was filled up partly somewhere else? Maybe it stood idle some weeks? Legionnaires disease is a risk especially at tropical temperatures from old water and you get that also from showering. Give the fresh water plumbing a work out first to reduce the risk from that. The bug can grow in shower heads.

[kcj]

We were in the VIs for a month last summer. There were RO dispensers that were like the old coke machines--put your money in and hold your gallon bottle underneath the dispensers. The prices were reasonable and you reused your bottles.we cooked and bathed with boat water, drank the RO. I know we used them in trellis bay, and road town. They are probably elsewhere. The one in TB was great, right between the bodega and the trash bin. One stop shopping. don't lose the bottle caps though..

[KNoel]

Nobody that I know drinks water from a charter boat's tanks. We don't even drink the water from our OWN boat's tanks; we bring a couple of gallons in reused milk containers. On charter, pick up the gallon size water jugs, allowing 1/2 gallon of water per day per person. We then just use the cups on the boat and water bottles when we're away from the boat.