Water Management
Water management on cruising boats has gotten complicated with all the watermaker options, filtration systems, and tank sizing debates flying around. As someone who has run dry at anchor, dealt with contaminated tanks, and eventually dialed in a water system that works for extended cruising, I learned everything there is to know about managing this critical resource aboard. Today, I will share it all with you.
Water is one of those things you take for granted until you don’t have it. On land, you turn the tap and it flows. On a boat, every gallon was either carried aboard, made by your watermaker, or caught off the awning in a rain squall. That changes your relationship with water completely. I went from careless 10-minute showers to Navy showers in about a week on my first extended cruise. It’s a mindset shift, and honestly, it’s one of the things I appreciate most about the cruising life — it teaches you what actually matters.
Getting Your Water System Right
Probably should have led with this section, honestly. Prepare your vessel by knowing your actual daily water consumption — track it for a week before you go cruising. Develop your understanding of watermaker maintenance, because these units need regular use and proper pickling for storage to avoid expensive membrane replacements. Plan conservatively on tank capacity, because weather delays, broken watermakers, and unplanned stays mean you should always have more water than you think you need. That’s what makes water management endearing to us passagemakers — it’s one of the fundamental skills that separates comfortable, confident cruising from constantly worrying about running out of a resource you literally cannot live without.
