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19-02-2017, 14:53
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#46
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Australia, Hervey Bay QLD
Boat: Boden 36 Triple chine long keel steel, named Nekeyah
Posts: 909
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Hi Monika,
If you are having main tankage under the sole, then you will need to pump up to a header tank. Once the water is in the header, then it is easy to waste or over use.
May I suggest that you get one of those old fashioned brass lever pumps and mount it next to your sink. (I found ours in a scrap metal pile)
That way , everyone has to pump what they need and they will be more frugal. These pumps are hard to destroy and easy to repair, and you will have to have a pump anyway for the header.
Our system has such a pump at the sink, a foot pump in the head, and an electric for hot water and shower.
In thirty years the foot pump has been replaced once, as has the electric pump.
Regards,
Richard.
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19-02-2017, 16:50
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#47
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Southern Maine
Boat: Prairie 36 Coastal Cruiser
Posts: 3,081
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Good grief! Two pages on this???
It's a very simple mod, and IMHO moniia is WAY over-thinking this. Put a silly tank over the sink! Who cares why you want it?
One of those collapsible camping water jugs with a spigot would probably do the trick, but hey, if you want a custom-made, cutting-edge-material, built-in tank, go for it! You'll get hours of enjoyment underway, using it, admiring it, and thinking just how perfectly it suits your needs.
Does it matter that it seems a little silly to others? I'm quite sure I've made more than a few mods that I can't really justify, but they give me great satisfaction anyway.
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19-02-2017, 17:01
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#48
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Left coast.
Posts: 1,451
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
^^^ What he said!
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19-02-2017, 17:19
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#49
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Whoo! Finally made it back to Mexico!
Boat: Cheoy Lee Offshore 38
Posts: 1,458
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptTom
Good grief! Two pages on this???
It's a very simple mod, and IMHO moniia is WAY over-thinking this. Put a silly tank over the sink! Who cares why you want it?
One of those collapsible camping water jugs with a spigot would probably do the trick, but hey, if you want a custom-made, cutting-edge-material, built-in tank, go for it! You'll get hours of enjoyment underway, using it, admiring it, and thinking just how perfectly it suits your needs.
Does it matter that it seems a little silly to others? I'm quite sure I've made more than a few mods that I can't really justify, but they give me great satisfaction anyway.
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__________________
If toast always lands butter side down, and cats always land on their feet, what would happen if you strapped toast to a cat's back and dropped it? - Steven Wright
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19-02-2017, 18:49
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#50
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Little Compton, RI
Boat: Cape George 31
Posts: 2,962
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
To be fair to the post, the OP simply asked if others had done this, and was immediately attacked. Can't blame her for biting back a little, especially since the attacks were specious and ignorant. This is a valid topic of discussion (I have a similar setup, after all), and those arguing that it's gotten too long are only making it longer by posting that. Sure it's a simple thing she's asking, but why not leave the thread to those who have something relevant to add?
Ben
zartmancruising.com
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19-02-2017, 18:57
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#51
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Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 6,174
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Monika:
You'll have gathered that I'm generally in your camp, considering Willy Occam a desirable shipmate, and I agree that clearing, repairing or swopping out a galley pump while rolling about south of the Cape would be a PITA. I think, though, that supported by strong language I could, and would, swop out a properly mounted foot pump in, say, ten minutes if a brand spanking new one were immediately available. So I might consider the convenience of having a foot operated galley pump a benefit so great that I'd be prepared to accept the risk of failure.
But speaking of PITAs: Given your approach to galley pumps (which, as I say, I "sort of" share) I'm VERY curious to know what your SOPs will be, south of the Cape, in regard to calls of nature? Surely failure of the associated standard equipment would be a PITA of the royal kind :-)?
Cheers
TrentePieds.
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19-02-2017, 19:39
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#52
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Swansea, MA
Boat: CLC Skerry
Posts: 253
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
I like the idea of a gravity water tank. Unless you're sailing a micro-cruiser, five gallons of water above the sink won't affect stability any more than a few books on the shelves. Water could be pumped up for daily use from a larger bilge tank by a few strokes on a Whale pump. Also, much easier to track usage that way and self-regulate your water consumption. Leave just enough for a hot cuppa in the evening!
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19-02-2017, 21:46
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#53
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,002
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
With the emphasis on water conservation, the height is irrelevant (you aren't using it as a pressure washer). We have a couple of 2.5 gal jugs we use when the local water tastes bad. They sit on the counter with effectively no height when the jug gets close to empty but water still comes out.
That said, I think the reliability concerns expressed are outdated, particularly if you are doing a refit and everything will be in good working order and maintained properly.
While by itself, putting one heavy item up high won't be a major issue, the underlying question is if this is one of several items moved up?
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19-02-2017, 22:23
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#54
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: all over the place. Now Newhaven, East Sussex, UK
Boat: Tiki 38
Posts: 83
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Quote:
Originally Posted by TrentePieds
(...).
But speaking of PITAs: Given your approach to galley pumps (which, as I say, I "sort of" share) I'm VERY curious to know what your SOPs will be, south of the Cape, in regard to calls of nature? Surely failure of the associated standard equipment would be a PITA of the royal kind :-)?
(...).
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it won't happen ok, just kidding.
Sea Witch has at the moment just a chemical toilet (so it is essentially an over engineered bucket.... ). I plan on putting back typical sea toilet but the current one stays onboard just in case
Third line of defence is... I think I still have a few buckets onboard And I have a bowsprit
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19-02-2017, 22:30
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#55
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: all over the place. Now Newhaven, East Sussex, UK
Boat: Tiki 38
Posts: 83
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Quote:
Originally Posted by valhalla360
(...).
While by itself, putting one heavy item up high won't be a major issue, the underlying question is if this is one of several items moved up?
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No, in this case several items will move downwards. Including 100l of diesel - it is why I'm getting the space for lockers (and gravity tank) in first place.
My two fuel tanks live very high now, just under cockpit sides. Not sole, not even seats - sides. I'll move them good 3ft downwards and probably replace with PE ones (now I have steel ones). In total it will get probably more weight off the boat (not mentioning remainder staying much lower) than the whole gravity tank will weight when full.
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19-02-2017, 22:30
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#56
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: all over the place. Now Newhaven, East Sussex, UK
Boat: Tiki 38
Posts: 83
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Benz
To be fair to the post, the OP simply asked if others had done this, and was immediately attacked. Can't blame her for biting back a little (..)
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Thanks, Ben.
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19-02-2017, 23:36
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#57
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Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 6,174
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Quote: "And I have a bowsprit"
Ahhh - a woman arter me own 'eart :-) You seem like the sort of woman that don't need to hear the old admonitions - again :-)!
TrentePieds
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19-02-2017, 23:46
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#58
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 831
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
moniia if this is mainly for convenience when anchored then run your 5 gallon tank up your mast on a lanyard and have beautiful water pressure. I did this with a daysailor I owned back in high school (although it wasn't 5 gallons, maybe only 2 if I remember) and it was great for showers.
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19-02-2017, 23:48
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#59
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: all over the place. Now Newhaven, East Sussex, UK
Boat: Tiki 38
Posts: 83
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Quote:
Originally Posted by makobuilders
moniia if this is mainly for convenience when anchored then run your 5 gallon tank up your mast on a lanyard and have beautiful water pressure. I did this with a daysailor I owned back in high school (although it wasn't 5 gallons, maybe only 2 if I remember) and it was great for showers.
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That would be great for a shower at the anchor
But the tank is planned for convenience while at sea.
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20-02-2017, 01:35
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#60
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Gravity tank for fresh water - any experience?
Quote:
Originally Posted by noelex 77
Perhaps I am missing something, but you will still need to move the water from the main tank to the gravity tank.
You could manually scoop it out, but this will be difficult when the main tank is low and it will be hard to reliably seal the main tank and still maintain easy access. So you will most likely pump it out. Using a manual pump would work fine, but I don't see the advantage over using a foot pump to deliver the water directly from the main tank to a spout in the galley.
Precisely controlling the water delivery with a foot pump, leaving both hands free, is one of the advantages of the conventional manual system of pumping water directly from the main tank. This is better than a tap if you trying to conserve water, especially in rough conditions. You would lose this with a gravity tank.
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Indeed.
This is an overreaction, in my opinion, to a perceived problem.
Here is a more reasonable and extremely reliable approach with two backup plans:
Plan A -- spare pump in spares, and reliable electrical system
Plan B -- foot pump
Plan C -- hand pump or loosen a connection at the bottom of the tank
A "day tank" is the tail wagging the dog here. Foot pump is far cheaper and better backup, also won't put 25kg plus weight of the tank high above the waterline.
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