 |
|
01-07-2018, 02:04 PM
|
#1
|
|
Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 27,700
|
Fresh Water in the Florida Keys
Those that have spent a lot of time in the Keys and primarily anchored out.....
Where did you top off your fresh water supply?
So many marinas are too shallow or full...what was your approach?
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 02:12 PM
|
#2
|
|
Scraping Paint
City: CT
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 963
|
Watermakers are an ideal solution
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 02:25 PM
|
#3
|
|
Technical Guru
City: Wilmington, NC
Vessel Name: Louisa
Vessel Model: Custom Built 38
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,194
|
Where are you in the Keys?
I've got a smallish FW tank and what I would do is go to a fuel dock and buy like 20gal of fuel, and GF would fill the FW tank. And yep, I would tip the dockhands!!
Can do this in KW Bight for sure, Garrison Bight (I think) and Marathon for sure. From Marathon up to the upper keys, not sure as that is not my stomping grounds.
Marathon has a town dock that services the mooring field. Might call them up and see if you can get water if you buy a night on a ball.
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 03:02 PM
|
#4
|
|
Guru
City: Narragansett Bay
Vessel Model: Grand Banks 36
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,814
|
“I've got a smallish FW tank and what I would do is go to a fuel dock and buy like 20gal of fuel, and GF would fill the FW tank. And yep, I would tip the dockhands!!”
Of course if you had already tipped the dock hands you wouldn’t have to buy the 20 gallons of fuel. Just sayin 
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 03:05 PM
|
#5
|
|
Valued Technical Contributor
City: Litchfield, Ct
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,693
|
The Marathon City Marina has a free water filing station with a side tie up that is just inside their piers on the west side. Call on your VHF to let them know you are coming in for water as it sometimes is busy. They won't know (and may not care) whether you are on a mooring or not.
The water does run slow and it will take quite a while to fill 100 gallons.
For commercial marinas I would do as Ski suggests above.
David
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 03:14 PM
|
#6
|
|
Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 27,700
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by john61ct
Watermakers are an ideal solution
|
and if I had one...maybe I wouldn't have asked the question...
plus I have done the math of purchase/ maintenance costs and the cost of water here and in the Bahamas for my exoected durations....
so NO, a water maker is nothing to me but convenience at a huge price....and maintenance drag 11 months of the year.
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 03:18 PM
|
#7
|
|
Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 27,700
|
Thanks guys, especially the water filling station at Marathon.
Just found out there are free pumpot boats that roam the Keys too.
My backup plan also included trying a USCG station if the marinas didnt work out.
Figure the Govt owes me some water now they are charging me for health care that was supoosed to be free.... 
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 03:32 PM
|
#8
|
|
Guru
City: Toms River
Vessel Name: V E N T U R E
Vessel Model: 1996 36' Island Gypsy Classic
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,344
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
Thanks guys, especially the water filling station at Marathon.
Just found out there are free pumpot boats that roam the Keys too.
My backup plan also included trying a USCG station if the marinas didnt work out.
Figure the Govt owes me some water now they are charging me for health care that was supoosed to be free.... |
Stayed on mooring in Boot Key Harbor Marathon last Winter for a Month. Awesome place very reasonable and well run. Small charge for water if you brought the boat to the dock, but filling jugs on your daily dinghy runs kept tanks topped for free. Wish I were there right Now. NJ was near 0 this morning!
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 03:51 PM
|
#9
|
|
Guru
City: Carrabelle, FL
Vessel Name: Morgan
Vessel Model: '05 Mainship 40T
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,118
|
Thread creep. But PS, I'm considering one of the Rainman portable watermakers, for the same reasons as you, Ive also done the math. A good bit less $, no install to worry about, and bring it home when you don't need it. Just a thought.
https://www.rainmandesal.com/
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 05:05 PM
|
#10
|
|
Guru
City: North Carolina for now
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,348
|
We spent several months over the course of a few years in the Keys exclusively on a mooring or at anchor and finding a place to get water was never an issue. Sometimes the fuel and water ploy described above, sometimes at Marathon (there was a small fee back then). Never could make the $$ payback for a water maker pencil out, even in the islands, and certainly never in the Keys. Having a 350 gallon tank and a Watercounter helped a lot, admittedly.
__________________
George
"There's the Right Way, the Wrong Way, and what some guy says he's gotten away with"
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 05:35 PM
|
#11
|
|
Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 27,700
|
Yep, even a $1000 watermaker for a couple hundred gallons here and there over the years doesnt make sense.
I was not getting warm and fuzzies about a lot of marinas and their hospitality based on reviews. Especially this year as everyone keeps saying dockage is a premium from the hurricane.
Thanks again...I will notcsweat it, but will try to get some long before I get short.
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 06:47 PM
|
#12
|
|
Guru
City: Miami River
Vessel Name: Gotcha
Vessel Model: Grand Banks. Heritage. 54
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,984
|
But Scott, having a watermaker in the Bahamas out islands is fun when you wash down your boat and the blowboaters are looking.
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 06:54 PM
|
#13
|
|
Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 27,700
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigsfish
But Scott, having a watermaker in the Bahamas out islands is fun when you wash down your boat and the blowboaters are looking.
|
Irv, with grreat guys like you around...
I would just pop over to your boat and replenish my fresh water and rum tanks... 
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 07:16 PM
|
#14
|
|
Guru
City: Miami River
Vessel Name: Gotcha
Vessel Model: Grand Banks. Heritage. 54
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,984
|
Scott your welcome anytime. If I still had my place in the keys I would let you tie up and have the use of electric and water but now I just have the Miami River house.
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 07:28 PM
|
#15
|
|
Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 27,700
|
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 08:53 PM
|
#16
|
|
Guru
City: Boston Area
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 2,584
|
would it be worth trying to collect rainwater ?
|
|
|
|
|
01-07-2018, 09:16 PM
|
#17
|
|
Guru
City: Miami River
Vessel Name: Gotcha
Vessel Model: Grand Banks. Heritage. 54
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,984
|
Scott. Me? No way, Watfa told me to say that. LOL
|
|
|
|
|
01-08-2018, 03:20 AM
|
#18
|
|
Veteran Member
City: Seabrook TX
Vessel Name: Osprey
Vessel Model: Marine Trader
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 41
|
Garrison bight in Key West has free water at the dinghy dock. In Boot Key harbor it is 5 cents per gallon at the side tie dock by the harbor office for your boat fill up. There is also water along the wall by the dinghy dock for free to fill smaller containers. You don't have to be on a ball. If you're on a ball there is a service that will come to your boat and fill your tank for 25 dollars if you don't want to move. We were there prior to the storm but I imagine it's still the same.
|
|
|
|
|
01-08-2018, 03:40 AM
|
#19
|
|
Master and Commander
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,558
|
In the early decades of the 20th century, a railroad brought tank-car loads of fresh water to the Keys. Unfortunately, a strong hurricane wiped out many of the railroad's bridges connecting the islands.
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
|
|
|
|
|
01-08-2018, 06:30 AM
|
#20
|
|
Guru
City: South Florida
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,074
|
You are talking about the Hurricane of 1935. 408 known deaths, destroyed enough railroad bridges the entire route was turned into US1 for cars. At the same time an 18" water pipe was installed to supply the Keys w water. When the new highway was constructed in the 1980's a 36" pipe was installed. There is also a desal plant on the Navy base in Key West
There is a monument for those lost in 1935 on Islamorada
Quote:
Originally Posted by markpierce
In the early decades of the 20th century, a railroad brought tank-car loads of fresh water to the Keys. Unfortunately, a strong hurricane wiped out many of the railroad's bridges connecting the islands.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
| Display Modes |
 Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Trawler Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
