Catching Water

Figuring out ways to augment your fresh water from rain showers
Most serious ocean voyagers have concocted some method or another to catch rainwater to top off their freshwater tanks. During a rain shower at sea, with the mainsail raised, you can catch water in buckets placed beneath the boom gooseneck. It’s better if the boom is lifted slightly by the topping lift. A surprising amount of water comes off the sail that way, but wait a few minutes until the salt and grime has washed off the sail before you start collecting.On some boats with deep toe-rails or bulwarks, it’s possible to stop the scuppers with rags, and siphon water from the lowest point of the side decks into containers in the cockpit. Some cockpit awnings can be adjusted so they hang downward in a deep V, from the middle of which rainwater is led to containers by a hose attached to a plastic through-hull fitting that pierces the awning.The cockpit will gather many gallons of water in a heavy rainstorm, so you need good plugs to stop up the drains temporarily. A dinghy left upright on the deck makes a good collector too.If you find yourself in a dead calm at sea with heavy rain beating the sea flat, you can scoop many gallons of near-fresh water off the surface of the sea because the fresh water floats on top. Don’t dip deeper than an inch or so. It won’t be entirely fresh, but it will keep you alive and it’s much safer than drinking seawater.See also Watermakers.