Introduction.

Freshwater is a key element for crew comfort aboard a sailboat. We use it in the galley sink, in the bathrooms (sink and shower), and, properly treated, also for drinking.

A freshwater system, if not well-designed, built with suitable materials, and regularly maintained, will cause more than a few headaches, making life on board more uncomfortable.

Furthermore, in the case of an ocean-going sailboat, we will need several tanks to store large quantities of freshwater (and/or a water treatment plant), and a robust, simple, and redundant system. We will also have the option of using seawater to conserve freshwater; for example, in the galley sink.

In this chapter, which I believe will be of interest to anyone who is going to carry out maintenance or modifications to the freshwater system, we will cover the following aspects:

– Freshwater tanks.

– Freshwater circuit with an electric pressure pump.

– Hot water on board.Drinking water on board.

– Freshwater circuit with hand/foot pump.

– Tank ventilation.

– Seawater circuit (in sink).