Fuel Right diesel additive

[slug zitski]

This is actually my plan and intention.

Even then you run into water issues ..

watermakers are fragile and need clean sea water…you anchor in a polluted harbour for a week or two and you will not be running your water maker

also consider tank or system failures…ive lost whole tanks of water at sea thru a slow leaking metal tank ..and have had salt water contamination by leaking vent or deck fils

when fitting out a boat it’s wise to devote space for plenty of water bottles …combination of big and small works best

 

[mckenzie.keith]

Even then you run into water issues ..

watermakers are fragile and need clean sea water…you anchor in a polluted harbour for a week or two and you will not be running your water maker

also consider tank or system failures…ive lost whole tanks of water at sea thru a slow leaking metal tank ..and have had salt water contamination by leaking vent or deck fils

when fitting out a boat it’s wise to devote space for plenty of water bottles …combination of big and small works best

I will make sure we have backup water so we don't die of thirst if the watermaker breaks.

 

[slug zitski]

I will make sure we have backup water so we don't die of thirst if the watermaker breaks.

Really it’s about storage …of everything ,great piles of stuff… not just some bottles of water

when you cross an ocean the boat rolls port ,starboard a million times

everything needs a home…that is a rather custom fit to limit the noise of stuff moving and clanging around

typically with a new project , immature boat , the first thing I purchase is a sheet of 12mm plywood…split it in half and trimed so it fits under bunk cushions

then for the next month that ply gets cut up for , floors , shelves , dividers and many storage issues

 

[The Q]

Got diesel bug some years ago,
Ever since added my own algae killer to the tank not trusting the boatyards assertion they've already put some in.
Built my own diesel polisher it's intake will reach the bottom of the tank. It uses cheap tractor filters not expensive racor.
Not fitted access panels it would be a major task removing the tank to do that. I use the polisher regularly , but it doesn't bring up much these days.
Water? I get it from the sailing clubs supply, which is a tap outside the kitchen. Exactly the same supply that feeds the water boiler they use for tea and coffee.
My water tanks get disinfectant every couple of years, then washed out with clean water.

 

[slug zitski]

Got diesel bug some years ago,
Ever since added my own algae killer to the tank not trusting the boatyards assertion they've already put some in.
Built my own diesel polisher it's intake will reach the bottom of the tank. It uses cheap tractor filters not expensive racor.
Not fitted access panels it would be a major task removing the tank to do that. I use the polisher regularly , but it doesn't bring up much these days.
Water? I get it from the sailing clubs supply, which is a tap outside the kitchen. Exactly the same supply that feeds the water boiler they use for tea and coffee.
My water tanks get disinfectant every couple of years, then washed out with clean water.

Water in your tank comes from a leaky deck fill or most commonly the tank vent line

inspect your tank fill..rubber O ring and design ..some are garbage

on custom builds the … vacuming in moisture thru the tank vent problem … is solved with two tank vents

one large diameter refueling vent, vented overboard , with a valve labeled ….CLOSED FOR SAILING
the second vent is quite small diameter, permanently open ..just enough ID to prevent a vacume from forming when motoring …and this vent is not vented outside the boat…always inside , typically up high in the engine room ventilation system or in a cockpit locker

these boats do not get water in thier fuel tanks

 

[MaxDog]

I've been living aboard full time with my wife for the past two years. So far we have cruised the eastern seaboard of the USA, the Bahamas, and the eastern Caribbean. In January we depart for the south Pacific.
My boat has three 50gal (200L) water tanks. I keep one tank full and unused as a reserve. We live off the other two tanks, filling them with a watermaker or from a trusted dock source. I have a charcoal filtered drinking water tap in the galley, but it isn't needed with the RO water. My SS tanks are clean and have no taste. I do also keep a jerry can of water lashed on deck for emergencies and potential abandon ship nightmares.
This setup has served us very well in our cruising thus far and I can't imagine a string of failures that leaves us with less than 50gal.(touching wood)
Contrary to Slug, I don't think of watermakers as fragile. In my view, they are simple and robust. I had many problems with my aging 20 year old Spectra, but these were leaks and other wear issues that, while annoying, never stopped production completely. I've since replaced that unit and had zero issues with the new one. The big thing is to keep a sizeable reserve, because your watermaker doesn't fail when the tanks are full, it fails when they are empty.

 

[slug zitski]

I've been living aboard full time with my wife for the past two years. So far we have cruised the eastern seaboard of the USA, the Bahamas, and the eastern Caribbean. In January we depart for the south Pacific.
My boat has three 50gal (200L) water tanks. I keep one tank full and unused as a reserve. We live off the other two tanks, filling them with a watermaker or from a trusted dock source. I have a charcoal filtered drinking water tap in the galley, but it isn't needed with the RO water. My SS tanks are clean and have no taste. I do also keep a jerry can of water lashed on deck for emergencies and potential abandon ship nightmares.
This setup has served us very well in our cruising thus far and I can't imagine a string of failures that leaves us with less than 50gal.(touching wood)
Contrary to Slug, I don't think of watermakers as fragile. In my view, they are simple and robust. I had many problems with my aging 20 year old Spectra, but these were leaks and other wear issues that, while annoying, never stopped production completely. I've since replaced that unit and had zero issues with the new one. The big thing is to keep a sizeable reserve, because your watermaker doesn't fail when the tanks are full, it fails when they are empty.

I’ve been using watermakers for years …plenty of maintenance

big box of spares..pre filters, sand filter , cleaning solution , pickling solution , salinity sensor , UV sterilizer, sea water feed pump rebuild , fuses , high pressure valve seals , , plastic plumbing pieces …

and be careful with water

I’ve had a few crew get sick …one year in Caribbean had a crew get sick , then sicker , then sicker …got him to a hospital in Martinique.…Meningitis, lucky he survived. Doctor said water

also had a crew get Cholera in northern Turkey , again, doc said water

not possible to know what water spread the illness…only that it was water

 

[MaxDog]

I agree, you must be careful. But, you can be pretty sure the culprit wasn't water from the watermaker. Making your own RO water is one of the ways to avoid waterborne illness.

 

[slug zitski]

I agree, you must be careful. But, you can be pretty sure the culprit wasn't water from the watermaker. Making your own RO water is one of the ways to avoid waterborne illness.

Assuming your tanks are clean

they tell me that if you tested the water in your garden hose you may be surprised

I don’t know what causes the various food, water , illness on boats

after while I get set in my ways and things like ice cubes ashore are a no go ..leaf lettuce , some vegetables and fruits , ice cream from vendors ….be alert

good idea to add those water purification tables to your tanks every now and again

 

[mckenzie.keith]

Water in your tank comes from a leaky deck fill or most commonly the tank vent line

inspect your tank fill..rubber O ring and design ..some are garbage

on custom builds the … vacuming in moisture thru the tank vent problem … is solved with two tank vents

one large diameter refueling vent, vented overboard , with a valve labeled ….CLOSED FOR SAILING
the second vent is quite small diameter, permanently open ..just enough ID to prevent a vacume from forming when motoring …and this vent is not vented outside the boat…always inside , typically up high in the engine room ventilation system or in a cockpit locker

these boats do not get water in thier fuel tanks

That is a great idea for diesel tanks. As far as you know, this does not create problems with regulatory agencies? Would the ABYC approve, for example?

 

[slug zitski]

That is a great idea for diesel tanks. As far as you know, this does not create problems with regulatory agencies? Would the ABYC approve, for example?

Don’t know

America has crazy fuel tank rules

just look at an American jerry jug ! Yikes…… what a crazy contraption , unusable

 

[mckenzie.keith]

Don’t know

America has crazy fuel tank rules

just look at an American jerry jug ! Yikes…… what crazy contraption , unusable

You are right about the fuel cans. But since we are well on our way here in California to banning all small engines it won't matter for too much longer.

 

[jmh2002]

Assuming your tanks are clean

they tell me that if you tested the water in your garden hose you may be surprised

...

good idea to add those water purification tables to your tanks every now and again

This what I was trying to suggest earlier.

Water tanks should really be thought about in a similar way to fuel tanks.

They should be cleaned, and treated. Filling water should be filtered (and even tested if possible / in doubt).

And stored water should be further treated and filtered.

There are various systems and methods to do this.

It's even a requirement on larger coded commercial vessels.

Obviously it may not be practical on the smaller boats, but it's worthwhile thinking about for bigger boats with the space and budget to do so.

 

[slug zitski]

This what I was trying to suggest earlier.

Water tanks should really be thought about in a similar way to fuel tanks.

They should be cleaned, and treated. Filling water should be filtered (and even tested if possible / in doubt).

And stored water should be further treated and filtered.

There are various systems and methods to do this.

It's even a requirement on larger coded commercial vessels.

Obviously it may not be practical on the smaller boats, but it's worthwhile thinking about for bigger boats with the space and budget to do so.

You try to be careful, but you never know

many times you are taking on water from plastic cubes in the back of a truck , delivered by a local farmer

farmer says its ok …you never know

 

[mckenzie.keith]

This what I was trying to suggest earlier.

Water tanks should really be thought about in a similar way to fuel tanks.

They should be cleaned, and treated. Filling water should be filtered (and even tested if possible / in doubt).

And stored water should be further treated and filtered.

There are various systems and methods to do this.

It's even a requirement on larger coded commercial vessels.

Obviously it may not be practical on the smaller boats, but it's worthwhile thinking about for bigger boats with the space and budget to do so.

For cruisers, if you don't have a watermaker, the easiest thing is to just put a little bit of bleach in the tank every time you fill it and use a carbon filter to remove the bleach taste for drinking water. That is what I did back in the day. Bleach will not kill all pathogens, but it will kill many/most pathogens. Iodine would kill all pathogens but a carbon filter will not remove the iodine taste.

I guess if you have a watermaker, it is probably a bad idea to put bleach in the tank.

 

[slug zitski]

For cruisers, if you don't have a watermaker, the easiest thing is to just put a little bit of bleach in the tank every time you fill it and use a carbon filter to remove the bleach taste for drinking water. That is what I did back in the day. Bleach will not kill all pathogens, but it will kill many/most pathogens. Iodine would kill all pathogens but a carbon filter will not remove the iodine taste.

I guess if you have a watermaker, it is probably a bad idea to put bleach in the tank.

They say that to stay away from bleach and use the proprietary purification tablets …no taste and bleach does something to rubber seals or something

I don’t know what the magic ingredient in the tables is

 

[slug zitski]

They say that to stay away from bleach and use the proprietary purification tablets …no taste and bleach does something to rubber seals or something

I don’t know what the magic ingredient in the tables is

Also I think chlorides are bad for stainless…might not be high enough concentration to cause damage

for some reason it’s …purification tablets

 

[jmh2002]

You try to be careful, but you never know

That's my point. You mentioned the hose, for example. The water might be from a trusted first world source (and even then...) but who knows the condition of the plumbing or hoses at the dock.

So you need to take care of everything onboard yourself, filter, clean, treat, etc, regardless of the source.

The boat in your photos, I guess the same one with the hydraulic furlers and boom furling that you discuss in other threads, definitely seems like a suitable candidate to have all the gear including both a UV steriliser and a Silver Ion system.

For example if I remember correctly Silver Ion systems became an MCA requirement many years ago already (although to be fair I don't remember for exactly what class of yachts, but under 500grt was included, so not just the big boys).

Tablets come in various types. You can also get 'silver tablets' and 'silver liquid' which I used on a smaller boat as part of following a 'best practice' routine.

And as mentioned, some people just use bleach. And in many cases bleach is what is used in homes that rely on roof top rainwater collection and tank storage.

But as you said, some care about the dose ratios is needed when using bleach, for many different reasons.

 

[slug zitski]

I have no idea what is in them

these seem to be common choice

Aquatabs | Products

The world's leading water purification technology

www.aquatabs.com

 

[mckenzie.keith]

Also I think chlorides are bad for stainless…might not be high enough concentration to cause damage

for some reason it’s …purification tablets

We added bleach in very low concentration (I researched it at the time). Chloride ions are no good for any type of steel, that is for sure. But our water tank was monel back then. I am heeding what you say about purification tablets. I still have some research to do going forward.