Water Treatment For Tanks On Yachts And Boats In General.

[Lighthouse]

Effective water treatment for tanks in yachts, boats, RV's, etc. Disinfects, sanitizes and remains effective for 12 months. Unlike chlorine and bleach products, it is gentle on plumbing.

This is a simple ionisation of the water held in the tanks or drums - adds some minerals for better health.

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[manor]

From: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health...w/en/index.html

Nutrients in drinking-water

The World Health Organization assembled a diverse group of nutrition, medical and scientific experts in Rome in November 2003, at the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, to address a number of questions relating to the nutrient composition of drinking water and the possibility that drinking water could in some circumstances contribute to total dietary nutrition.

The task was to examine the potential health consequences of longterm consumption of water that had been "manufactured" or "modified" to add or delete minerals. In particular, the meeting originated from the question of the consequences of the long-term consumption of waters that had been produced from demineralization processes like desalination of seawater and brackish water as well as possibly some membrane treated fresh waters, and their optimal reconstitution from the health perspective.

This is a very real problem with water on voyaging yachts.

It seems that we must just drink beer.

[Auzzee]

It seems as though distillation is the safest means of producing potable water, as this most closely resembles the natural process by which fresh water is produced from seawater. It follows that there will be significant health benefits from producing a distillate which can then be supplemented through the addition of grains and sucrose, providing one with supplemental proteins and carbohydrates.

For emergencies, this can safely be stored away from normal drinking water for long periods at a time with no discernable reduction in, and indeed perhaps a significant increase in palatability. There has been some evidence of success with storing water through the above process, but with the addition of a mild yeast culture. While this has been shown to produce water with a brownish hue, the parallel production of carbon dioxide (unless vented) causes the liquid to effervesce with a harmless white foam. Neither event should cause the consumer any concern as the process is, in itself, naturally anitseptic and the taint to the supply is not unpleasant in flavour.

There is some historical evidence to suggest that storing water in this manner is compliant with German purity laws (Messers Becks et al. 1836). It is however noted that the US legislated against the storage of water in this manner during the 1920's. Contra-indications: There appears to be a measure of nitrous oxide (N20) which can cause the consumer to laugh following only slight stimulation; increased floridity of the cheeks and a general feeling of well-being may be noticed and there has been some anecdotal evidence to suggest it contributes to sleep apnoea and flatulence. Reports of increased libido appear to be formed on a psychological, rather than physiological basis.

To add a further measure of survivability to this supply, strips of dried beef treated with salt and a little chilli can be reconstituted by natural salivatic action to produce a perfectly satisfactory emergency ration.

David.

[sirlespat]

There is a bar in Fremantle where cruising yachties hang out. Every Friday night the crews of an Australian and German yacht would drink together. However as the beer flowed, the conversation would get around to the subject of which country made the best beer. The aussies would argue that there beer was manufactured by the finest industrial chemists in the world and that there was no more scientifically perfect beer in the world. Every ingredient in the beer was carefully manufactured and refined in some of the most advanced factories in the world. The germans would talk about the purity of their beer, how only 4 ingredients were used to make beer and the lack of dry horrors and hangovers after a big night.

It was always a loud and enthusiastic arguement. After three weeks, the bar owner met them at the door and told them that they were making other patrons uncomfortable. He told them that by next week the arguement must be resolved or they could find a new bar.

So that night in the spirit of cooperative research they got together and decided that getting a sample of each beer analysed would be the best way of resolving the issue. The next morning a sample of each beer was given to the local chemist for testing. They returned a few days later and asked the chemist for the results. The chemist looked a little sad and serious and answered: "I am so sorry, but I have to advise you that both your horses have sugar diabeties!

Great Icon too Aussie!

Regards Sirlespat

[SeaOtter1]

Good story about the beer. But seriously, there are a lot of cleaning products on the market for potable water tanks, but none are as efficient and pure as lemon juice.

We got problems from one marina (before we knew about the tripple filter unit) and ended up with rust and dark soil loking sediment on the bottom on our tanks (250 litres each) of about 5 cm thickness. We started to flush the tanks but the rust and soil matter stuck to the tank sides. One day an old fisherman came along and wonderred what we were doing. We told him about the problem and he told us what they used to do in the old days. It was simple, use lemon juice. He told us to buy 6 little plastic bottles (the ones that look like a lemon) that contains consenstrated lemon juice and empty three in each tank, then leave it for about two hours and flush it out. It went like a dream, the tanks were immaculate inside, we have white interior of our tanks so we could see that they were totally clean. I promise you, it is well worth trying!

P.S. tripple filter unit consists of two water filters of resp. 5 micron and 1 micron and the last one is a carbon filter. When we started using this we never had any problems with water from marina taps. The filters are the same size as the ones we use in water makers as primary filters.

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by SeaOtter1

Good story about the beer. But seriously, there are a lot of cleaning products on the market for potable water tanks, but none are as efficient and pure as lemon juice.

I take it the tanks were "white" ....plastic?

The lemon juice is a mild acid--works the same as any other mild acid would. Depending on tank material, probably harmless. If one has a Monel, copper, brass, or bronze alloy tank, an effective acid washing like that can damage the tank.

Regards

[SeaOtter1]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

I take it the tanks were "white" ....plastic?

The lemon juice is a mild acid--works the same as any other mild acid would. Depending on tank material, probably harmless. If one has a Monel, copper, brass, or bronze alloy tank, an effective acid washing like that can damage the tank.

Regards

Hi,

Yes, my tanks are integral GRP tanks at the bottom of the hull with white epoxy-lining inside, so no harm can be done there. Thanks for the advise anyway, one never knows, next could be a thin alloy tank.

Chris

[Eleua]

I have no idea what is used for potable water storage on yachts. It would seem that a copper tank would be the best, as the anti-microbial properties are permanent.

I realize the cost is fairly high.

What are most yachts using for water storage?

Plastic?

Stainless?

Copper?

Also, how practical is it to swap-out old tanks for newer ones? IOW, if I had plastic tanks in my cat, could I remove them and have copper tanks installed?

I'm a systems geek and would love to find a stripped out cat hull and rewire/plumb the entire beast to my specs. I have been flying multi-engine airplanes for years and would essentially bring that concept to the marine environment.

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by Eleua

Also, how practical is it to swap-out old tanks for newer ones? IOW, if I had plastic tanks in my cat, could I remove them and have copper tanks installed?

Hello Eleua,

Several assumptions here :- A catamaran ; existing tanks made Glass Reinforced Plastic (fibre glass embedded in iso or ortho thalic resin); each tank's bulkheads form part of the stiffening construction; these bulkheads may also continue with openings to the bridgedeck. therefore, although it is possible to remove the floor (hull soles) and cut the tops off the FRP tanks and insert copper tanks to hold potable water, the loss of structural strength would be be hard to replace.

FRP/GRP tanks for potable water can be treated and filtered without too much expense.

However, if one was starting from scratch, copper tanks could be designed into the hulls without compromising structural strength.

Richard

[Eleua]

I was under the impression that these yachts would have the ability to remove/replace damaged tanks without destroying the yacht.

I'd hate to plunk down half a million for a boat that is only as good as its plastic water tank.

I would like to have copper tanks that had the ability to be removed/replaced as well as having the ability to modify the components of the water system.

IIRC, the Lagoon 500 (and possibly 440) have three tanks just forward of the main mast.

[MMNETSEA]

Eleua,

"these yachts would have the ability to remove/replace damaged tanks without destroying the yacht. " Which Yachts ?

"I would like to have copper tanks that had the ability to be removed/replaced as well as having the ability to modify the components of the water system."

Best to contact the Builder for this facility.

"IIRC, the Lagoon 500 (and possibly 440) have three tanks just forward of the main mast."

Not sure what IIRC stands for. Are the Lagoon's tanks an integral part of the hulls - another question for the builders?

How many masts do the Lagoon catamarans have ?

[gslabbert5119]

Originally Posted by MMNETSEA

Eleua,

How many masts do the Lagoon catamarans have ?

MMNETSEA you are too funny ... hmmm the answer really depends on how much I have had to drink ....LOL

[JeanneP]

I think you will find that there are few boats where tankage, whether fuel or water, is easily removed. Here's our experience with our friend's Fontaine Pajot 36' catamaran.

The water tank had a capacity of more than 100 gallons, in one tank just forward of the mast, and completely inaccessible except for the fill pipe. It developed a leak near the top of the tank. No water leaked into the lockers provided the tanks were no more than about half full, but if it was accidentally filled too much, all the settee lockers (the primary provisions storage area) were filled with water.

The owner finally decided that it was terribly inconvenient to live with the leak and decided to replace the large aluminum water tank with two plastic tanks. In order to accomlish this, the yard had to cut out the interior bulkhead in the saloon to remove the old tank and install the new tank, then fiberglass back in the (curved) bulkhead. The work was neatly done but no effort was made to make the cut and repair blend into the original gelcoat.

The following year while the boat was on the hard in Norfolk, VA and during the hurricane that hit Annapolis, MD, the aluminum fuel tank developed a leak, and all the diesel leaked out. Peter and I were there to take the boat up to Annapolis the following day, which had to be delayed until the fuel tank was repaired. This time the deck had to be cut to lift out the tank, have it welded and replaced, and then have the deck reglassed.

We have a PDQ MV34 power catamaran. Our boat, also, has its tanks installed and then the rest of the deck and bulkheads glassed in. Our boat, also, would have to be cut and sutured if any of the tankage needed repair or replacement. I worry about the aluminum tanks because they are so vulnerable to galvanic corrosion, the cause of the leaks in our friend's Fontaine Pajot.

The galvanic corrosion in the fuel tank of the Fontaine Pajot was probably due to a very poor design feature. The boat had the galley "up", or straddling the two hulls and along the bulkhead between the saloon and the cockpit. The cockpit deck was a false deck with the fuel tank below it. There was a trash disposal hole in the counter into which a trash bag was attached. The problem was that trash spilled out of the bag into the space where the fuel tank was, and debris collected UNDER the fuel tank, though this was not apparent until the bulkhead was cut and the tank removed. Soft drinks spilled, bits of wire and pop-top rings collected under there, and galvanic corrosion evidently ate little pinholes into the bottom of the aluminum fuel tank.