Water storage

[hoddinr]

I'm wondering what SunCat owners do for water storage aboard?  I have a three one gallon containers that stow under the deck in my SeaPearl. 
What do you use and where do you store it aboard your SunCat? 

I'd like it to be easily accessible but secured for sailing.

Thanks!

Ron

[capt_nemo]

hoddinr,

I use a few 1½-2 gal water containers with spigots and the simplicity of gravity flow. No pumps, no plumbing, no electricity needed - the ultimate employment of the KISS Principle. They are stored in my custom Starboard Storage Module and in the forward locker.

Here are photos of them in use.

capt_nemo

[hoddinr]

That's perfect, but I don't have your custom make cabinetry, at least not the part where you store your water.  What did you do before you had the cabinet?

Thanks,
Ron

[Ferd Johns]

Ron

I keep gallon jugs in the storage areas under the bunks. And a 2.5 gallon jug in each cockpit locker.

Ferd

[kahpho]

I haven't used it on the boat yet, but for general camping/traveling situations I've been using gallon jugs in milk crates. I like them 'cause there easy to handle and with four gallons in a crate they're pretty stable. I bought some dairy crates from The Container Store (they're the real thing) and use them for other storage as well. I'm thinkin' they'll work just as well on the boat too.

[hoddinr]

Thanks guys!

I guess there's really plenty of under bunk and out in the cockpit storage for gallon or 2.5 gallon jugs.  I usually need at least 2.5 gallons on a three day cruise for cooking, drinking and washing up.

I pick up my SunCat tomorrow, and will be headed to the 10,000 Islands with her on Jan 8th.

Ron

[reedtg3]

Hi Ron-
I keep 4 one-gallon Arizona Ice Tea jugs full of water in the forward compartment where you would expect to find the battery in a Sun Cat with an electrical system.  I have a short (3") plywood box on either side of the mast to keep the jugs (2 in each box) from moving about.  Having the weight forward helps keep Cattail on her lines when I'm in the cockpit.  I also store extra water for drinking in the compartments under the berths. 
Tom
Lake Harris, FL 

[hoddinr]

Thanks Tom!

We'll have to get together at Lake Harris some day!!

Ron

[reedtg3]

Photos of my water storage boxes.

[reedtg3]

Shot of empty box screwed down.

[Tom L.]

Hi Tom, thanks for that water storage idea. I have a battery on one side but the other is open and seems like a good place  to store a couple gallons of water. The area is rather damp from the anchor rode storage and not particularly good for storing much else, but water jugs make sense.

Tom L.

[hoddinr]

Excellent ideas for water storage!  Thanks very much.

I'm taking two 1 gallon jugs in a milk crate on the port cockpit locker and a gallon jug in the anchor locker forward.

Ronn

[ontarioSuncat]

Two of use spent 4-5 weeks on our Sun Cat each summer in the North Channel, we anchored each night and only went to port once every 7-10 days to get fresh food and water. We found that two 5 gallon jugs lasted the 7-10 days, with a case of 24 water bottles. Here is how we did it. Since we had a boom tent we cooked and ate in the cockpit. I kept a blue hard plastic 5 gallon jug with a "tap" on the floor of the cockpit while sailing and moved it to the rear seat by the tiller at anchor. I carried a spare collapsible water bag in the port locker. I have a knock down crate in there that will hold the water jug and more gear. This I slide to the rear and put the case of bottled water on end in the centre of the locker with easy access. we take out tow or three each morning to have for the day. When the blue jug is getting low I fill it from the soft bag. Thus all water is in the rear of the boat and the 10 gallons does for all cooking and washing, Tea, coffee etc.
While on the storage issue, we keep the 12 litre fuel tank on the port side of the fuel locker and there is room to slide two 5 liter jugs down the side one in front of the other. There is then room for oil, sea foam, bilge pump handle, rags etc. in front of the fuel. I put a access port, above the fuel tank filler, in the seat to allow access to the tank vent. That way I don't have to slide out the tank each night and close the vent. 
All cooking gear, backpacker type stuff goes under the step. We use a butane stove for cooking. Food goes in rubber made containers under the berths. Two on each side. Two more can be slide under the cockpit floor from the locker.
Port side locker has the two crates, water, and water toys(goggles, masks, fishing rod, water bag) the other has the shore lines (2X100') fenders, dock lines, spare prop, etc) The starboard side has the battery box, cleaning supplies in a bucket, bag of tools, garbage bags as we fill them, life jackets, boom tent zip out panels, etc. spare anchor Bruce 11# with rode in a bag.

I keep my anchor on the bow roller( Rocna 13#) with the chain and line in bag that is strapped to the mast base. Bitter end comes out the base of the bag and wraps around the mooring bit. I do not have a chain locker. I did not want to have wet rode in the boat. The forward locker is for cloths, books, rain gear (dry), games etc.
Hope that gives you some more ideas
John

[hoddinr]

Yes it does give me a LOT more ideas!  Thanks John!!

Ron

[reedtg3]

Good morning, John-
Do you have a marine head with holding tank or some other arrangement on your Suncat?
Cattail Tom