Using Sea Water in the Galley

[Ofer]

Is there use for sea water in the galley?

I want to conserve on fresh water.

I imagine its OK to use for steaming maybe boil potatoes...what else?

[jackdale]

Doing dishes. (Joy will suds)

Mix it with fresh water for cooking vegetables and pasta.

General cleaning.

[Sea Yawl Later]

This is not for the galley but an old salty dog in the Bahamas told me to use sea water with downey and it worked. We washed our hair, etc. We did not have a fresh water maker and we had 4 adults and 6 kids on a Seawind 1000 for 3 1/2 weeks, 450 miles in the Bahamas. Three of the six kids were teenage girls. Were we crazy or what! Great memories! However, it was way too many people. We now own a Seawind 1000 and I would never take that many people onboard for any extended time!

[BeenThereAteIt]

Hi Ofer:

There is a place for boiled sea water in the galley.
Bring the sea water to a rolling boil then continue
boiling for one minute.

Respectfully,
Paul

[Zanshin]

I made the mistake of using pure seawater for boiling potatoes once, and once only; as jackdale has already stated you need to dilute it. I use seawater to clean the dishes and then do the final rinse with freshwater.

[forsailbyowner]

We use it for dishes and have a spray bottle with light bleach solution to sanitize before air dry. I plumbed saltwater to galley and head pressurised. Head hose also reaches to bow for cleaning ground tackle when over mud.

[SurferShane]

Apparently in extreme cases seawater can even be used to dilute freshwater to bulk-up drinking water. From what I have read the trick is not too add any more than 1 portion seawater to 2 of fresh. In effect, this keeps the salt content of water below that of human blood making it drinkable in the diluted form. This technique was used in Thor Heyerdahl’s Ra II expedition after the crew were forced to jettison heavy articles such as water tanks when the raft started too sink. (see K Kamler “Surviving the Extremes” Hodder 2001 @ p 108). Not saying I would recommend this technique unless it was a real survival situation. Nevertheless, it does show that it is fine to consume controlled amounts of ocean seawater even for drinking.

As a trick to conserve water I actually place a container or small bucket inside my sink that catches all the water before it even gets a chance to go down the plug hole. This 2 step process means I have more control over wastage and can make use of excess fresh water that might be inadvertently pumped from the tanks.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by BeenThereAteIt

Hi Ofer:

There is a place for boiled sea water in the galley.

Why boiled? Haven´t heard of that before. I´ve been using it for 3 years now, offshore only or maybe a clean anchorage. Though limited for any cooking uses, pasta with seawater? Yeauch! But for washing dishes and veg it´s great. Also for rinsing rice before cooking, rinse it as much as you want Washing offshore is a bucket or 2 of seawater over the head couple of times a day.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by conachair

Why boiled? Haven´t heard of that before. I´ve been using it for 3 years now, offshore only or maybe a clean anchorage.

Maybe the practice of boiling salt water before use is inspired by some of the diseases fresh and maybe even brackish water can carry? For instance, a good way to contract Hep A is to eat uncooked food on a Nile River cruise where the fruit/salad has been washed in the untreated river water? Ice is a similar hazard.

Likewise, the water around many harbours and river mouths is likely to contain raw sewerage (and in some cases even corpses!), which carry disease?

[jackdale]

I would only use sea water in the galley offshore. As an aside, I would only use a water maker offshore. Way too many contaminants, especially diesel.

[cburger]

Typically watermakers are R.O. reverse osmosis and the membranes remove disease pathogens.

[Zanshin]

I think jackdale wasn't referring to bacteria/virus or other natural contamination of water for watermaker use, but that such things as diesel, oil, chlorine and a list of other chemicals will destroy the expensive RO element (at $300-$600 replacement cost). As you stated, biological contamination is almost completely removed as part of the RO filtration.

[cburger]

Near shore or inshore prefiltration will handle hydocarbon issues.

[S/V_Surya]

I have used to cook pasta while under way. Works great, boil to kill critters. When making pasta one usually adds salt anyway.

[gettinthere]

what about the damage of salt water on the sinks, pot & pans, etc? No corrosion issues to worry about?