Most of us never wonder where the water in our houses or apartments comes from. Access to it in developed countries is obvious. However, living on our sailboat Malo 39, water becomes a limited resource. Even though there is plenty of it around!
In this post, we will describe how exactly water management works on our Malo 39 “Tranquility”. You will learn where we store fresh water, where we get it from, how we treat it and what our installation looks like. We will also describe how we save water, because it is very important when living on a sailboat. I think both sailors and landlubbers will find interesting information here!
water system on our Malo 39
Our yacht is equipped with two freshwater tanks with a total capacity of 400 liters. One of them is located at the stern, on the starboard side, and the other one is under the sofa. Is that a lot? Yes, for a yacht of this size. However, larger expedition yachts are equipped with much larger tanks. Of course, we would like to have a larger capacity, but this is what we have to live with.
To increase the amount of fresh water stored, we use six 10-liter foldable plastic tanks to fill with additional water. Thanks to them, we gain an additional 60 liters. They are small, easy to store and so far they serve well.
We never buy bottled water. We have no place to store it and no place to store empty bottles after emptying. And above all, we don’t want to carry them from the supermarket.
The entire installation is operated by an electric Shurflo Aqua King II water pump.
Where do we fill up our tanks with water?
The answer is very simple – on land. We usually fill tanks in ports and marinas. There are usually water and electricity posts on piers and quays, where we connect our hose and fill the tanks. Sometimes drinking water is delivered by a truck. Typically, the water fee is included in the marina price, but we often have to pay extra for it. The costs vary greatly – from 5 to 25€ per 1000 liters in the Med or more! It is important to check and ask whether the water in the marina is potable. It happens that the water from a public tap is slightly salty or contaminated and is only suitable for washing the deck. And we don’t want to put this type of water into our tanks.
Additionally, we have a testing device to check the water quality, which we always use before filling the tanks.
In extreme situations, we can bring water from the city in our foldable containters, but this is the least convenient way of delivering water to the yacht.
In some places we can stop in the marina or gas station just for water, without having to pay for a 24-hour stay.
Water treatment on our Malo 39
Although we try to fill our tanks only with drinking water, we have a multi-stage filtration system that is designed to remove possible contaminants, chlorine, unpleasant odors and bacteria.
The first stage of filtration takes place before the water enters the tank. We connect two filters to the refueling hose – a mechanical (10 μm) and a carbon one. Only then do we fill the tank.
The second system is under the sink system from the American company Acuva. Smaller devices from this manufacturer are intended for use in campers or yachts. The water purification system consists of a carbon pre-filter and a UV-LED filter. According to the manufacturer, it removes 99.999% of E. coli bacteria in drinking water. The carbon filter also removes 99% of chlorine and lead and reduces unpleasant odors.
Acuva offers four devices that will work well on a yacht – each with a different flow rate. We chose Arrow MAX 2.0, which provides a flow of 2 liters per minute. There is also a higher model available – 5 l/min, but in our opinion 2 liters per minute is quite sufficient for everyday use.
TIP – if you ever think about purchasing this system, save yourself time and do not contact its Polish representative. The customer service in this company is non-existent and the prices are very high. I highly recommend ordering Acuva from a representative from Germany, whose services we have used many times.
Along with the Acuva system, we purchased an additional tap that is only used for filtered water.
How do we save water on our Malo 39?
Saving water on a yacht is essential. In our sailing, we focus on living at anchor and visiting ports as rarely as possible. Thanks to low water consumption, we are able to significantly extend the time between necessary stops in marinas.
By using all the water saving methods that I will describe below, we are able to reduce water consumption to 20-22 liters per day for two people. This allows us to sail for about 3 weeks without having to refill the tanks.
Water saving methods on our yacht
- We always use only the minimum water flow;
- If the temperature allows, we take a shower at the stern. We bathe in salt water and we also wash our hair with salt water. It actually comes down to jumping into the sea 🙂 Only at the end do we rinse ourselves with a small stream of fresh water to wash away the salt. Of course, we do not do this in ports, marinas or in places where the water looks polluted.
I haven’t noticed any negative effects of using salt water on my skin or hair. Of course, provided they are rinsed with fresh water at the end.
- In the shower, instead of a regular shower head, we installed a bidet sprayer. It requires pressing to start the water flow, which significantly reduces water consumption when taking a shower compared to a showerhead that creates a continuous stream.
- We also use salt water to wash dishes. Our yacht, like many others, is equipped with a separate tap with a salt water foot pump. Finally, we rinse already cleaned dishes with fresh water. Thanks to this solution, we were able to reduce water consumption from 30 liters per day to approximately 20-22 liters. As with swimming in the sea, we use this method only in clean bays and anchorages.
Do we have hot water on our Malo 39?
Not always 🙂 On our Malo 39 we have a boiler with a capacity of 40 liters. It is heated in two ways. The boiler is an element of the engine cooling system, thanks to which the water is heated while the engine is running. Additionally, it has an electric heater powered by a 230 V – i.e. from the shore power or from the yacht’s installation via an inverter. The boiler is well insulated and the hot water remains hot for a long time after the engine is turned off. In the summer season, we never heat the water on purpose. However, when temperatures drop, we always have the comfort of a warm shower.
Water System servicing
Water tanks require cleaning at least once a year. This can be done mechanically or chemically using widely available solutions. In our case, mechanical cleaning is very difficult – access to the stern tank is almost impossible, even with high boat-joga skills. The second tank has much better access. Unfortunately, the inspection hole is only on one side, and the bulkheads of the tank block access to the rest of it. So we are only able to mechanically clean one small section of one tank.
Therefore, we use chemical cleaning with a solution based on citric acid (we use Pura Tank by Yachticon). Once a year, we fill the tanks with it for 24 hours and then rinse them many times.
Every few months, when refilling the tanks, we preventively pour a few drops of water conditioner into the tanks. We use one based on silver.
And above all, we try not to accidentally contaminate water tanks with water of unknown source.
Water System Upgrades – Future Plans
Many of you reading this article are probably wondering why we don’t have a watermaker. The answer is simple – among other works and upgrades over the last two seasons, there was no time to install it. There were more important tasks to complete. Watermaker, especially sailing in Europe, was not a priority. But there will be time for this at some point, the latest – when we leave Europe. However, having a watermaker will not change the need to save water on any yacht. The device may break down, it consumes electricity, requires filter replacement, and sensible water management will always ensure a good night’s sleep.
That’s all about freshwater on our Malo 39 “Tranquility” yacht. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us!
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