Water storage for the ARC

[LoonLodge]

Hei, I am pretty new to offshore cruising and need to figure out how to store water for 6 people for an atlantic crossing. Does anybody have some advice about how much water (plan on 21 days, be prepared for 35?, 3 liters per person?) and how to store it ? Is there a cheap place to buy 5-10 liter bladders? Thanks in advance for help and advice.
Sandy

[pcmm]

3 liters per person per day is abare minimum. most plan for 4liters perperson per day. alot depends on drinking, cooking and water usage habits.

I'd say you probably need 700liters to be safe, and keep a large portion of it in seperate containers like 20litre jerry jugs so you can have options

How are your water tanks setup? do they feed from the bottom of the tank or the top with dip tubes? do your tanks have inspection plates that are accesible?

[skipmac]

I would also suggest 4 L per day per person. Not sure how the ARC breaks up the crossing but I would estimate 100 nm per day and allow 25-30% more to allow for breakdowns, delays, no wind, etc.

Bladders are OK. 20-25 Liter plastic jugs are also good. You can store some of these on deck. I would also store plenty of 1 L and 4 L bottles and jugs in any extra space available. In the bilge, under seats, bottom of lockers and any other space that isn't dedicated to other storage.

By the way, are you planning to do the crossing with six people on a Banner 28? Hopefully in a different boat. Six on a boat that size could get a bit crowded.

[LoonLodge]

Hi, thanks for the advice - 700 liters it is. I believe that the boat, a 45 ft Cigale, has one or two water tanks with a total volume of 500 liters. For some reason, the skipper wanted to reserve this water for cooking and bring all drinking water in bottles, bladders og jerry cans. No plans to sail the ARC in a Banner 28! We stay inside the barrier islands here on the west coast of norway with her. Thanks again, this forum is a very friendly and useful place - any advice on making a log book, including water, fuel and provisions for an atlantic transit?

[El Pinguino]

I've done 42 days with 3 on 400 litres and a warm water 38 with two on quite a bit less.

Turn off the pressure pump

Do as much as you can with sea water

Drink beer

Don't wash too often ...remember 'nobody smells on a submarine' ... and then only wash the bits that need washing.. in seawater with a fresh water rinse

Get the wimmin folk to cut their hair short

Buy your extra water in 5 or 6 litre bidones...

... thats not the #1 seagoing head btw... just wwg and bidone stowage....

re the other ... make your own spreadsheets on 'openoffice'....

[El Pinguino]

And also... re bladders...

That would involve local tap water.... I refilled some 5 litre bidones with tap water in Tonga last year... stowed below... was looking a bit greenish within a month......

OK so my main tanks are full of tap water but I can't see what colour that is

[atoll]

the supermarket in las palmas (hiperdino?) sells the 6liter mineral water jugs,but buy them when you find them as they do run out with so many boats provisioning at the same time.

we also carried 200l in 25liter containers in the cockpit for showers and refilling the main tanks with the dinghy when on anchor from shore.

the cockpit is also set up with a permernantly rigged rain catcher making it just a case of putting a hose in an empty container during squalls.

turning off the pressurised system is a must,i once on a delivery where a hose came off and emptied the main tank into the bilge overnight!,the automatic bilge pump dumped all 1000 liters overboard without us noticing!

ideally salt water showers on deck,with a cup full of fresh to rinse off keeps the crew happy.

a salt water foot pump at the galley makes short work of the dishes.
a hand pump for fresh water for cooking and boiling the kettle will ensure water usage is minimised.

wet wipes are great for freshening up if the weather is rough.

also if you like wine which is expensive in the carib you can buy the 1liter bricks of table wine in las palmas for about 80 cents a liter,worth stocking up!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Sandy.

[olianta]

Hi, do you mean 4 litres per day per person for drinking or for all needs like washing and cooking. Notwithstanding the heat I don't think I would be able,to drink 4 litres per fortnight.
Rumen


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