MacGregorSailors.com

For a good while, my weekend sailing is going to be on fresh water lakes. My boat has a pressurized water system, but the tank is small - around 5 gallons.

I've thought about adding either a bladder tank and plumbing it in to supplement, or carrying some jugs and transfering to my small tank as needed. Lately I've had another thought - adding a 12v pump with a strainer and a carbon filter (RV type) - something like this -

http://www.amazon.com/Wayne-PC1-Portabl ... nsfer+pump

I wouldn't pump this into my potable water tank, but I could use it for wash-down and maybe fill a dish washing basin. Good idea, or bad?

We carry over 40 gallons with us ...



...in 4 and 7 gallon containers and transfer to the one...



...that is plumbed to the sink. Since we need the water to last as long as possible we don't use an electric pump...



...except to transfer. This has a lot of benefits for us. We can balance the boat out by using out of different tanks. The tanks are cheap. We can take them to shore with the dinghy for more water when needed. If one develops a leak or other problem we only lost 4-7 gallons of water. We can remove them once home and clean them easily. The info is here....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... index.html

I could see the pump as a wash down but unless I was in a pristine lake I don't think I'd want to use it for washing dishes. If we are careful we can go about 30 days with the water on board. I also can't see a big need for a wash down system for our boats but maybe it is something you feel you need.

Good luck,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

I was think along the lines of that too, but finding deep storage for those kind of jugs is a challenge in an M. In my under dinnette compartments, my dealer installed a batter charger and routed wiring in the other, so I'm reluctant to put water jugs in there.

wincrasher26 wrote:I was think along the lines of that too, but finding deep storage for those kind of jugs is a challenge in an M. In my under dinnette compartments, my dealer installed a batter charger and routed wiring in the other, so I'm reluctant to put water jugs in there.

I'm of course not familiar with storage possibilities on an M but those 4 gallon containers are not real high. Walmart carrys the 7 in some stores. We ordered the 4 on line. I'm getting to the point that trying to get 5-7 gallon containers on and off the boat is hard on me. The 4 are quite manageable. We do have the two 7 gallon ones but don't take them on and off while full,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

wincrasher26 wrote:I was think along the lines of that too, but finding deep storage for those kind of jugs is a challenge in an M. In my under dinnette compartments, my dealer installed a batter charger and routed wiring in the other, so I'm reluctant to put water jugs in there.

For our water needs, we have 2 5gallon blue jugs and store one on either side of the V berth compartments. It helps add more weight forward which the boat seems to need as we have a lot of weight in the cockpit (2 12gal gas, 70hp 4stroke motor).

Then I ran a piece of tube from the sink to the v-berth. I inserted a larger tube into each jug to reach the bottom. I may have drilled it out a bit for it to fit. I insert the thinner tube from the sink into the jug's larger tube. There's enough friction between the tubes to keep it sealed.
Works very well for us. When one jug is empty, we know we have used half our water. Just switch to the other jug.
One jug lasts us about a weekend. We alternate jugs each week and bring one home and refill it and bring it back the next week.

5 gallons is heavy, but manageable. We bring our own water every week so we know the source and it's chlorinated. Marina water is well water and may not stay as long.

I have a 30 gallon bladder under our rear berth 2005 M.. When I was first seeing the multiple container idea? I didn't like it.. Not Big Boat, Salty enough for this Captain Ahab If I had it to do all over again, and I might..$$$ I NOW think the multiple units is a good idea.
#1. Seldom do we need 30 gallons. It been nice for a couple trips 1 -6 week 1 -6 day.. yes we can afford to be wasteful on weekend trips.. Yes we have an electric pump and a hand pump back up.
#2. Hauling water when you need it, if you dont have water available at the dock, pier, anchor.... Now you need a couple of those 4 gallon containers anyway..
#3. Water gets old. How old of water do you want to drink? Yea yea yea you can add chlorine or even household bleach / chlorine but it will taste of it if its enough to " work".. If you think as I did that a deck fill , is the Cats Pajamas.. No problem installing that on the multiple containers as well.
I could go on and on but I think you are getting the idea..

Divecoz wrote:I have a 30 gallon bladder under our rear berth 2005 M.

I really considered that solution. However, I have so much weight already back there I didn't want to add more. It is a great use for that normally wasted space though.

I also considered your reasons, "Not Big Boat, Salty enough". Portable Jugs seemed so "Camping".

As you pointed out, I can clean my portable tanks as often as I want, fill them with my tap water and it tastes like our home water.

It works well for us and was cheap. Did I ever mention I'm cheap?


--Russ

In A Single word ? YEP!

RussMT wrote:
As you pointed out, I can clean my portable tanks as often as I want, fill them with my tap water and it tastes like our home water.

It works well for us and was cheap.


--Russ

It sounds like small portables in the forward berth are the best bet for balance, cleanliness, and ease of filling? So I need some blue tanks.

This is what I use. 5 Gallons is manageable. I think a 7 gallon jug would be too heavy for me.
Got the hose at Ace hardware. Small investment.

The factory "bag" jug is a piece of junk for a boat. So thin that it gets punctured easily and what a pain to get it under the sink and connected. Then nothing else can go under the sink.
I ran the fresh water hose parallel to the drain hose. Simple and works. I did get fancy and install a pressure pump under the galley.

Speaking of the galley, I'm a horrible carpenter, but moving the water "tank" elsewhere allowed me to do this mod.
Took out the "pockets" and added doors. Also removed the glass sink for a cheap ($89 Lowes) bar sink and faucet.
12v Edgestar cooler next to the galley works great. No more soggy sandwiches and stuff is ice cold.

Another thing my dealer did I don't care for - a hard side 5 gallon tank and pump in the galley. He scoffed at the idea I'd need more than 5 gallons - even though I described to him how I wanted to use my boat. . So maybe I can put a Y in the supply line to the pump and rig up some jugs as described.

Russ - I see you have the same fridge as I do. What's you experience on the power draw? Seems like overkill for a weekend, for me. I have a smaller thermoelectric that I can use on my weekend trips (Kooltron) that is alot lighter, and I think, alot less juice.

wincrasher26 wrote:..Russ - I see you have the same fridge as I do. What's you experience on the power draw? Seems like overkill for a weekend, for me. I have a smaller thermoelectric that I can use on my weekend trips (Kooltron) that is alot lighter, and I think, alot less juice.

We also have...



.. the 63 quart EdgeStar and I think you will find it draws less than a thermoelectic and cools or freezes much better. Our experience is that once running the EdgeStar draws about 3 1/2 amps and in the heat in Florida uses about 35 amp/hrs a day. I have a thermoelectic in the teardrop and it only cools about 20 -30 deg or so under ambient and will run a battery down quickly. It is an older one so maybe they are better now. The Edgestar uses a true compressor and will cool or freeze to about any temp you want. We would not want to go back to ice.

The one I made for ....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... index.html

...the Endeavour is about 1/2 again as big with a small freezer department and runs about a third less than the Edgestar but that is because of all of the additional insulation. If the Edgestar quits I"ll make one for the Mac Also,

Sum

===================================
Our MacGregor 26-S

Our Endeavour 37

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

wincrasher26 wrote:Russ - I see you have the same fridge as I do. What's you experience on the power draw? Seems like overkill for a weekend, for me. I have a smaller thermoelectric that I can use on my weekend trips (Kooltron) that is alot lighter, and I think, alot less juice.

Overkill?
Ditto what Sumner said above.

The thermoelectric coolers are toys. I've used them in the past. They use lots and lots of power (never turn off) and really don't get stuff very cold. The Edgestar, although much bigger and heavier, has a real compressor and gets things ice cold and runs very little thereby using very little power.
We have an 80w solar panel that keeps it running all summer. That cooler is one of the best investments in the boat we've made.

--Russ

RussMT wrote:Did I ever mention I'm cheap?

A quality I've always admired in you.

Summer is like a master boat builder. You guys must be living on those boats for long periods. wow.