How Much water do you sail with

[Buddy Gold]

As I become one with my new boat I am trying to start baselines for all systems and keep a log. My question is how much fresh water do you keep onboard and which tanks do you use.  Water is not a problem as it is slip side and I only day sail so far, so except for my head which I keep on the fresh water flush I use very little water.

I don't want water just sitting in my tanks going bad.  Can I have both tank valves open at the same time and use water out of both of them or for some reason  should I only draw out of one at a time.

Should one be filled (free surface effect) for ballast reason and a better ride and just bleach it and keep it filled.  I would really like to be out with the old and in with the new about every 2 months but it would take too long to empty and I am sure I would go thru a couple of pumps a year

[Ron Hill]

Buddy : Here is what I do from my 30 years experience.  Looks like you have the same tankage & plumbing, if not changed by a PO?  I'm not racing!

I keep the starboard tank full so there is no portside list.  I also try to leave the boat with the aft tank nearly or all the way full so if it rains the water will not collect near the companion way in the cockpit floor (it will flow back and out the scuppers).

I keep the aft tank turned off and use water from the starboard tank.  Then I refill the starboard tank (from the aft tank) by just turning on the aft tank for a couple of minutes (gravity feed).  So I only have to fill from the dock to the aft tank.

A few thoughts

[Stu Jackson]

Sometimes the pump can sputter if both valves are open at the same time.  Use one t a time.  And then, when one goes empty, you'll have a full backup and know to refill.  That won't happen if both valves are open, you'd be "open" to a surprise.   

If you are concerned about bad water, empty one tank and use the other.  Then, switch which tank you use regularly.  I haven't heard about water in tanks going bad.  Indeed, our 101 Topics has Peggie Hall's recipe for cleaning water systems and she notes that it is the hoses, rather than the tanks, that go bad.

[Oldlaxer1]

I keep the starboard tank full so there is no portside list.  I also try to leave the boat with the aft tank nearly or all the way full so if it rains the water will not collect near the companion way in the cockpit floor (it will flow back and out the scuppers).

I keep the aft tank turned off and use water from the starboard tank.  Then I refill the starboard tank (from the aft tank) by just turning on the aft tank for a couple of minutes (gravity feed).  So I only have to fill from the dock to the aft tank.

A few thoughts

Excellent advice. I was keeping just the aft tank full but the list is a little bit bothersome. Thanks!  I have an AC unit under the Vee berth so she sits slightly bow down in my opinion which is why I was using the aft tank.

[Noah]

As far as gravity feed goes, it would depend on how your tanks are plumbed. On my boat, at some point a PO installed a Y-valve that controls which tank water flows from. No way to gravity feed from one tank to the other or draw from both tanks at once. So, I would NOT assume anything is "standard" until you check your plumbing.  I keep both tanks as full as possible as the boat trims on it's lines and cockpit drains better.

[Geoffreykwright]

I've got hull 1494 (Year 2000).  I have a forward (25 US gal.) and aft tank (42 US gal.).  Both are on the centerline.  I keep the forward tank empty and only use the aft tank.  I don't keep the aft tank full (I fill it as I need to).  I find with the forward tank empty, the boat tends to handle better.

Hope this helps.

[Noah]

Also, there is difference in tank configurations over the years; early MK 1 vs later MK1 and MK2, so it is hard to cite a best practice on water tankage allocation across all C34s.

[glennd3]

I tend to keep my aft tank empty, do not want the extra weight when day sailing.

[Gary Brockman]

I keep the starboard tank about half full and the aft tank empty to reduce total weight as well as aft weight in order to reduce hobby horsing in chop.

[scgunner]

Water doesn't actually go bad, if it sits in the tanks for a long time sometimes it can get a little funky but you can always treat it. It's really not a big deal since nobody drinks from the tanks these days. I keep my tanks full, the boat just seems to be better balanced that way.

[KWKloeber]

Buddy the latest email from PS might interest you.
I haven't read this one, but I always pass PS articles through a BS filter before I buy into them.  Sometimes Darrell's statements defy reality and logic.
https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/decontaminating-a-tainted-water-tank

[Jim Hardesty]

It's really not a big deal since nobody drinks from the tanks these days.

I do.  And I believe most cruisers do.   I keep some bottled water on board for guests and outings but I treat the tank and use it.  I've found using the boat away from my home dock that it's tough enough to carry and store soft drinks and beer.  Also there's the waste from the used water bottles.  Water tastes good and has never been a problem.
FWIW.  I have 25 gal forward tank 42 gal aft.  I only use the aft tank except for extended trips.  Shamrock has a windless, claw anchor, 60 feet of chain and the air conditioner forward.  I think that's enough, but the filled forward tank doesn't seem to affect handling.  But then when when I do fill the forward tank also have loaded aft for the extended cruise.
Jim

[glennd3]

It's really not a big deal since nobody drinks from the tanks these days.

I do.  And I believe most cruisers do.   I keep some bottled water on board for guests and outings but I treat the tank and use it.  I've found using the boat away from my home dock that it's tough enough to carry and store soft drinks and beer.  Also there's the waste from the used water bottles.  Water tastes good and has never been a problem.
FWIW.  I have 25 gal forward tank 42 gal aft.  I only use the aft tank except for extended trips.  Shamrock has a windless, claw anchor, 60 feet of chain and the air conditioner forward.  I think that's enough, but the filled forward tank doesn't seem to affect handling.  But then when when I do fill the forward tank also have loaded aft for the extended cruise.
Jim

I do not drink from my tanks. I use bottled water and keep a couple of gallon jugs for coffee on a week long cruise.  the water from the heater has an odor if it sits for a couple of weeks. I put in a little bleach when I fill the tanks. I have an image of me out on the boat in the middle of the night at anchor and having an intestinal issue from the water, so i just don't take the chance. We use the tank water for the head, dishes and showers.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : I drink the water from the tanks, but my 1st Mate only drinks bottled water!  She exclaimed that if I could have Beer onboard that she could have bottled water!!  I've never found a good counter argument!?!   
 
A thought

[britinusa]

Our trips are always two days minimum, mostly 4days, many longer. We spent nearly a month cruising over to the Abacos (Bahamas) and back.

We carried full Midships and Aft tank plus 24gallons in external water containers (4x6 gallon blue water jugs)

We blew out a hose fitting when the water pump was on, that got rid of all the water in the remaining tank, we went through the 24gallons pretty quickly and topped up from a local, another 12gallons.  We were able to fill all tanks the night before we left the Bahamas headed back to Lake Worth (Anchor) and then Home. We got back to our dock with enough water for a few more days.

We refresh our water tanks every couple of weeks adding 1 cap full of chlorine to each of the boat tanks.

We also have 3 carbon filters in the fresh water system as well as UV lamp for the final preparation of water from the Drinking water faucet.

Just in case anything gets grotty, we carry water tank treatments and 2 sets of new filters.

Hope that helps.

Paul