Published on ; last updated on by Carolyn Shearlock
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Why worry about boat water filtering? I’ll admit, the first several charters we did, and trips aboard friends’ boat, the topic of water filtration never crossed my mind. Now, after six years of full-time cruising, I think it’s something every boater should seriously consider. Actually, maybe a better way to state that is that I think it’s necessary and I hope you’ll consider adding one.
Why Filter Your Boat Water?
No matter what type of “cruising” you do, even just afternoon day sails, you’ll benefit from a water filter:
Good-tasting water. Even “pure” water will pick up a taste from the tank. Plastic tanks seem to have more problems than stainless ones, but it can be a problem in any tank.
Remove chlorine. Many cruisers use chlorine (straight bleach, not scented, 1/4 cup per 100 gallons) to keep “crud” from growing in their water tank and also to purify the water. Freshly chlorinated water tastes bad and can cause problems in cooking — it will kill yeast in bread-making and yogurt cultures, for example.
Remove bacteria and “crud.” If you don’t chlorinate the water in your tanks, all sorts of “crud” will grow in it, particularly if you’re in a warm climate.
Purify caught water. If you catch rainwater, it can collect all sorts of stuff as it makes its way through the atmosphere and across your deck or tarp and into your tank. Not just minute particles, but even leaves and other stuff.
Catch bugs that get into the tank. We discovered that bugs would sometimes get in the tank through the vent. You can’t close the vent, and even though we screened it off, some no-see-ums did make their way in. A filter will catch these before they show up in your iced tea.
With a water filter, you’ll actually drink the water from your tank. You won’t have to buy cases of little water bottles, resulting in less to carry, less to stow and less trash. And all your cooking will taste that much better — not to mention being healthier!
Three Filtering Options
There are three broad classes of filtering: after the tap or right at the tap (such as many of the Brita or Pur filters), a Seagull-type filter and a standard plumbing filter and housing. Before deciding between these, however, you need to think about the purpose of the filter. Simply stated, a filtering system that will work for occasional daysails or afternoons on the boat is not the same as what you’ll want if you’re heading to the tropics and plan to catch — and consume — rainwater.
Below, I’ll detail the pros and cons of each.
Filtering after/at the tap
Brita is probably the best-known maker of these systems, with Pur a close second. They fall into three general types: pitchers, where the water is filtered going into the pitcher; bottles, where the water is filtered as you drink from the bottle; and tap filters that screw onto an existing faucet. We used a PUR water filter/dispenser on our boat for several years and thought it was much better than Brita for removing bad taste.
More recently, ZeroWater has come out with a line of filter/dispensers and they get great reviews. I haven’t used one so can’t comment from personal experience.
These systems are best for:
occasional use
removing unpleasant taste or chlorine (it’s a charcoal filter)
those needing a quick and very simple “installation” — no need to cut into water hoses
available at virtually every grocery store, drug store, discount store and more in the US
But:
relatively short filter life (most are 20 to 40 gallons) can make them expensive in the long run (about $6 for a 40-gallon filter makes it about 15 cents a gallon).
have to remember to fill the pitcher if you opt for the pitcher instead of the tap model (not always available)
no protection against giardia, molds or other microorganisms in the water
pitchers are inconvenient on a boat and very prone to spilling in the refrigerator (have to transfer water to a traditional bottle)
filter units can be hard to find in remote places and virtually impossible outside the US
Seagull filters are truly the gold standard of filtering . . . and require a lot of gold both to buy initially and for the filters!
General Ecology, the company that makes the Seagull, states that “All Seagull IV purification systems are independently certified to meet EPA guide standard protocol for microbiological purifiers against bacteria, cysts and viruses. Plus, Seagull IV systems excel at removing chemical and aesthetic contaminants including herbicides, pesticides, chlorine and foul tastes, odors and colors.” The Seagull comes with a dedicated faucet.
General Ecology also makes the Nature Pure water filtering system. It’s the same quality filter, but is a replacable canister instead of a drop-in filter. Which one is best for you depends on where you’ll be installing it. Seagull systems are more expensive than Nature Pure initially but Nature Pure replacement filters cost more.
We had the Seagull on our first boat and the Nature Pure on this boat. Love them both!
Best for:
Top of the line purification. If you know you’re going to be taking on truly suspicious water, it will do a great job.
Size constraints. It’s about 5″ in diameter and 5″ long, smaller than a standard housing.
Full-time cruising. Good, tasty water is always available at the tap.
But beware:
The Seagull is expensive — over $500 initially (comes with one filter and the dedicated faucet) and nearly $100 for a filter good for 1000 gallons (we found it lasted us about a year). That’s about 10 cents a gallon, which is less than the Pur and it offers much better filtering.
Limited availability of filters. Unless you live in a city with a large specialty store, you’ll have to buy filters online. Forget buying them outside the US (I’ve been told they are NOT available in Canada, but that may have changed by now).
Some installation. This type of filter gets plumbed into the cold water hose and the housing has to be fairly near the faucet. They claim it’s a twenty-minute job, but if you’re working in the typical confines of the under-sink galley cabinet and contorting yourself in the 3-square feet of galley floor space, it’ll take longer. Changing filters can also be “interesting.”
Unlike the Pur filters and standard plumbing filters, the Seagull-type systems are sold in relatively few places. While they may be available in some chandleries in very large boating cities, they generally have to be ordered online.
There are all sorts of filter housings and connectors sold in hardware and home improvement stores. While our boat, Que Tal, came with a Seagull system, this is what I’d install if I were starting with nothing.
Advantages:
Variable filtering level. You get to choose what type of filter you use in the housing from just improving the taste to removing various substances. There are important differences in the filters — see my article on choosing the right filter for your application.
Easily obtainable. Go to any hardware or home improvement store and you’ll be able to walk out with what you need — even in most foreign countries (although perhaps not in tiny towns outside the US). We never had problems finding 10″ filters in Mexico and Central America, although sometimes we couldn’t get exactly our preferred filtering level (we used them in our watermaker and also as a prefilter for the deck fill at marinas). Reports from friends cruising in other areas say they’ve not had a problem.
Flexible installation. The filter housing can go anywhere, as in this photo graciously provided by Dawn of S/V Deep Playa. You get to decide if you want a dedicated faucet, want it on the hot or cold water, on a foot pump or pressure water — or any combination. And since you can buy all the parts in a local store, you can go, look, and figure out what’s best for your installation (some projects, such as this, Dave really likes to do hands-on planning). And better yet, you can place it where it’s convenient (OK, there are few truly convenient places on the boat — but some flexibility helps!).
Inexpensive. The housings are $20 to $30, and you’ll need a few connectors, short bits of hose and hose clamps. Filters vary in cost depending on the filtration level, but most are under $10 with a top-of-the-line filter available for $20 online and have a life of 10,000 to 12,000 gallons (although you’ll want to change them at least once a year). Unless you have a very unusual installation, you should be able to get everything you initially need for $75, definitely for $100.
The only disadvantage that I know of is that you can’t get quite as good filtering as with the Seagull-type (I’ve never seen that “complete” a filter in a 10″ filter). But you can get very good filtering.
If you decide to go with a standard plumbing filter:
Get one that uses standard 10″ filters. They are by far the easiest to find and you’ll have the most choices of filtering levels.
I like a clear housing as you can see the state of the filter. However, they can be a little harder to find and a little more expensive.
A filter wrench is nice, but not strictly necessary. You can wrap a belt around the housing. (NOTE: depending on the installation, it can be impossible to use a filter wrench and you might be forced to just use a belt or a strap wrench).
Many housings now come with a shut-off valve in the top part. These tend to cost a little more. The valve is “nice” when changing filters, but not nearly as necessary as with a house system, since it’s easy to shut off your water pump. Without the valve, you’ll probably spill some water in the locker, but it’s very likely that you’ll spill some out of the lower compartment anyway. Our solution was just to put a rag below the housing before changing the filter and have a bowl or bucket nearby to dump it into.
Some housings have special quick connect fittings. Reports from friends say these are more prone to leaks and require proprietary fittings that can be hard, if not impossible, to find after the initial installation. If you use standard plumbing fittings, repairs requiring a replacement part will be much easier.
Whatever system you go with, enjoy drinking good-tasting water, coffee, tea, lemonade — as well as food that doesn’t taste like bad tank water!
Great timing as we are exploring our options for a “whole boat” filter to improve taste and insure healthy drinking water aboard Journey. Here I find you’ve done the research for me and now I can make the right choice. Thanks Carolyn!
We seriously underestimated how much we’d appreciate a water filter. QT came with one, but we hadn’t even considered it. Loved it, though — water always tasted great and we never had tummy troubles due to our onboard water. Hope you love yours just as much!
I don’t have any experience with them. Looks like a major purifying system. The only downside that I see is the size, but it looks like it removes pretty much everything (although not a watermaker designed to remove sea salt).
I’m quite familiar with the Seagull system and filter and PurestOne system and filter. I won’t go into detail but I might be able to provide you with some useful information for you to pass on to your readers.
Simply put, if you put a good quality .5 micron (nominal) carbon block filter in your “plumber’s” filter housing in my estimation, you’ll have the same quality water as a Seagull filter.
As far as I’ve been able to ascertain the General Ecology Seagull filter is not a purifier, never has been. It’s all about what I call weasel words.
I see that this article and the subsequent discussion threads are a couple years old. I’m hoping that the author is still active as I am struggling to find the right water filtration for two area of our boat. Currently we fill our tank in the US, primarily from a well water source. We live on board year round and the water is refreshed weekly. But I know there is crud in that tank and I get queasy thinking about bugs and other goobers. So I drink bottled water, but do cook with it without any problems. I do not use it for any appliances like coffee or tea. We also shower on board. So, here are my issue I hope to resolve with filtering.
1. At the galley tap…want the purest water possible with everything out. Cold water only and not for dishwater. If I installed a separate faucet…I’d probably have it under the counter. Not sure I have an option for countertop with Corean. And I don’t want to give up counter space.
2. It’s a hair thing. Tank water is killing my hair. We never put choline in. Tried it once and I hated it. Need so,e type of filter at the shower head for hot and cold water, or at least when they are mixed. Figure this will mount in the shower someplace, but not a lot of room. Also want everything filter out.
3. Next year we begin cruising full time so we will install a water maker. Still will want the galley water we consume to be filtered. Although I’ve been told that made water is pure enough, I’m thinking its the tank that puts stuff back in that I don’t want. Expect this may be true of the shower as well, but I don’t know.
Truth is, I don’t know what to do. I’ve been assigned this job on our boat and the more I read the more confused I get. I’m hoping this site is active or that someone who know and is interested,in helping me figure it out will contact me or respond here.
I’m not sure why you think the site isn’t active, as I write four new articles every week . . . and there is lots of activity on the Facebook page!
Here’s what I’d do:
Put a 10″ filter housing on each line exiting your water tank (clarification after a question: put it after the pump; some boats have more than one line & pump) and use a .5 micron carbon block filter in each one (read about the different types of filters here: https://theboatgalley.com/choosing-water-filter/ ) — this will give you the purest water possible and will also filter out any chlorine out. You can put these anywhere on the lines, wherever you have space as long as you can get to it to change the filter. If you also put a filter on the water line between the tank and the water heater, your hot water will be filtered, too (and you won’t have gunk settling in the water heater, either). This is the least expensive way to get good filtering that I know of (Sea Gull is good but very expensive and you need a separate faucet). This is option #3 on the article that you left your comment on: https://theboatgalley.com/water-filters/
Next, flush your tanks with a lot of water — it’s the best way to get whatever is is there out. Then start filtering the dock water that you put into the tank, also with a .5 micron carbon block filter. The housing will fit on the end of the hose, then you can put a short stubby piece of hose after the filter to go to the deck fill. This will ensure that the water going into the tank is clean, although it will slow down the fill.
Once all your water is filtered between the tank and the tap, you may want to start using chlorine again to make sure nothing grows in the tank (but only if the tank is stainless). We had a watermaker and still used chlorine. Just FYI, any type of carbon filter will take the chlorine out, so you don’t have to taste it or have it on your hair. If you were noticing the chlorine that much, I suspect that you were using too much.
Good site, thanks for the information! I’m looking to equip a new (to us) boat and it needs a water filter. On a previous boat we had a Seagull for drinking water and we were pleased with it, but on this boat I would like a whole-boat filter so we can brush our teeth in the head without worrying about water quality. I also don’t want to cut any new holes in the countertop for a separate faucet.
In your experience, can a 0.5 micron 10″ x 2.5″ filter be used for the whole boat, or only for the small drinking water faucets? The specs on some of the filter manufacturer’s sites indicate low flow rates of around 1 gpm for these fine filters. That sounds a lot lower than the 3 gpm range that our pump will be pumping.
You say “put a 10″ filter on each line exiting your water tank.” Do you mean on the inlet side of the water pump? I would think the filter would need to be on the outlet side of the pump.
We are going to be catching rainwater. Do you think there is any advantage in using a series of 10″ filters–like a 10 micron pre-filter then a 0.5 micron fine filter, or is that just too complicated or too much flow reduction?
Exactly how you do it depends a lot on the boat configuration, how long the hose runs are and how powerful your water pump(s) is (there does NOT seem to a standard way of plumbing a boat!), but you’re right that the filter will probably be better on the outlet side of the pump (although we had a filter before the low pressure pump on our watermaker and it worked fine). If the filter is after the pump, the pressure switch will simply cut the pump off periodically if the pump is putting out water faster than it is flowing through the filter, and of course the water at the tap won’t flow any faster than it goes through the filter.
Using a filter before the water heater (if you have one; we didn’t, just used a SunShower) will eliminate the gunk that collects in it and thus will lengthen the life of the water heater.
We had a Seagull ourselves, but I do know of at least three boats that did use a single 10″ filter for both the galley and head (one head, and no freshwater flushing). And as you alluded, the biggest problem with using just one filter for the whole boat is the flow rate — although this does help with water conservation! That’s one reason that I like have separate filters on the hot and cold lines.
Finally, on the rainwater catching . . . since that is just a gravity flow, I’d worry about not having enough pressure to push water through a fine filter and just backing up instead (in El Salvador, we would catch 20 to 50 gallons in 20 minutes or less at times). The head pressure is going to be so different on different boats and different catchment systems that I hate to make any blanket recommendations. With the premise that any filter is better than none, I’d probably go ahead and install the 10″ housing, then experiment with what filter is the finest that doesn’t restrict the flow too much (20 micron? 10 micron? you don’t need carbon as you’re not trying to get chlorine out at this point — more trying to catch sediment). While I know of several boats that talked about putting a filter on their rainwater catch, I don’t know of any that actually did (or if they did, I didn’t hear from them after they had installed it). If anyone else here has installed one, it would be great to know what worked for you — please leave a note in the replies.
Jimsays
Thanks for the reply. I wasn’t thinking of filtering the rainwater before it hit the tanks, only after it hits the boat’s freshwater system.
I think the inlet filters you had on your watermaker were fairly coarse. We had a boat with a watermaker that used 20 micron filters on the inlet and 5 micron filters on the fresh water flush (which was between fresh water pump outlet and the watermaker inlet).
Maybe the thing to do would be to put something like a 20 micron filter on the intake side of the fresh water pump to screen out any sediment from the tanks, and a 0.5 micron on the outlet side.
But it sounds from what you said like the water flow will drop so low through the 0.5 micron filter that there wouldn’t be enough flow to run the shower. Maybe a better way is to just filter cold water to the galley faucet. That wouldn’t require another hole in the counter top, but it would mean brushing our teeth in the galley instead of the head. Oh well.
Any comments from someone who has used a whole boat filter and who also uses their shower would be appreciated.
I guess I should make clear that I don’t KNOW that the pressure drop will be too low for an acceptable shower if you use a 0.5 micron on its line; it’s just what I would be concerned about. I’m going to post a note on The Boat Galley’s Facebook page and see if anyone has tried using a 0.5 micron filter as a whole boat or shower filter and what their result was. Hopefully we’ll get some answers!
If you want filtered water in the head sink, you could put a filter on that line in addition to the one in the galley. I don’t know your boat’s configuration, but our boat had a bunch of otherwise hard-to-access space under the head sink that could easily have been a home for a 10″ filter.
I know of several boats that used them with a hand or foot pump with no problem — and one that used a Seagull filter with a foot pump. We had a foot pump as a backup in our powered system and I had no problem using our Seagull with the foot pump, either.
I have a whole-boat filter. The element has both a mechanical filter and a carbon filter. It works great. Elements are a standard size but I haven’t found the combination units in the US, only in Europe.
I have used these filters in combination with 10 or 20 micron paper filters ahead of the carbonated filter to supply the hotel water demands. They work fine. I would however caution against use of carbon filters when filling the water tanks as it will also remove the bromine which helps keep the water stored in tanks from going sour quickly.
Just installed a Home Depot, GE 5 micron filter as a “whole system filter” on the intake side of the water pump on our Com Pac 25. It stopped the water flow to a trickle. I know it’s the filter because when I remove the element the water flow returns to the pre-filter rate. I installed an accumulator tank hoping that at least some of the water would make it into the 1 litre tank. No real improvement. I hate to give up …… any thoughts?
Thanks…
Chris.
Most filters are installed on the outlet side of the pump so that the pump can push water through it rather than have to pull water through it. I’d try moving it to the outlet side.
Belated thanks for your suggestion of moving the filter to the outlet side of the pump.
We have been on the boat continuously since mid-June and can share our findings about our “Home Depot” systems.
As mentioned previously, I moved the filter to the outlet side of the pump and then installed a 1 litre accumulator tank after the filter. The result is, no surprise, good flow from the accumulator tank but an immediate reduction of flow when the tank is emptied. The pump cannot push the water through the filter to provide a continuopus flow.
All in all, an adequate system for us marina based people who have showers available shore-side and enjoy fresh water sailing.
The water quality is excellent.
did you try installing the water filter after the accumulator tank? the pressure from the accumulator tank I would think would increase the force through the filter.
We use a PUR faucet mount that lasts 100 gallons , removes Giardia and Cryptospiridium, reduces chlorine and tastes good. Available on Amazon and any home improvement store.
Thanks for letting me know. I did some investigating and found that the company has recently changed hands and they are trying to re-do the website. Right now, you can contact them by email — click on the contact button on the website (I changed the link so that it goes to the “new” site).
Thank you for information on PurestOne filter/Seagull, I am thinking of installing one my boat inline on out let of my main water pump after the accumulator thank and exciting water faucet. any thoughts on this plan I will have to order from Canada on line and get ship to Canada
It has a fairly low flow rate, so if that line also goes to the shower, you may want to just have the filter on the line where the drinking/cooking water is. Other than that, sounds great!
The 10″ House filters also have a “Ceramic Bacteria” filter avail. for about $30-40. It can be cleaned w/ a steel wool (stainless) scrubber pad. It is very slow flow and really needs a Pleated or Carbon Block filter “prefilter” or it will plug fast.
You just scrub the sides of it lightly to make it like new.
We added a refrigerator type filter and a spigot on the counter above the refrigerator in our Tayana ’42. The line and the filter were in the refrigerator and we had cold tap water. We had installed a DC refrigerator system in the original frig.
Just sanitized & filled my tanks yesterday, as well as replacing the pressure pump. Thanks for this summary…I was thinking about putting in some type of filter!
We run the standard 10″ filter on our foot pump but I have found that the more aggressive filters esp charcoal ones are too restrictive and the foot pump has a hard time moving the water. I’ve tried putting the filter on either side of the whale foot pump to no avail. We are a family of 4 living full time aboard and we just use basic 5 micron filters and drink rain water. Our catcher dumps right into our tank. Tastes great
Also wondering about using a Lifestraw. Our boat is equipped with a “seawater” galley intake and since we are sailing on Lake Michigan would getting either their Lifestraw Go (water bottles with a filter built in), holding up a filter to the tap every time we wanted clean water or getting a family-sized filter unit that we would then use to fill up urns and jugs make more sense? This would be used primarily for the Mac Race, which we figure it should take about 3-4 days to complete. We would have an 8 person crew. We want to shed as much weight as possible so bringing on 65 kilos of water really isn’t option on our already heavy cruiser-racer.
I fitted my Hunter 34, Cygnus, sailing Lake Huron with the blue plastic cartridge RV style .5 micron charcoal filter (comes with garden hose connections) downstream of my stored water tanks pressure pump.They are only $20-30. and quick to change out once a season.
I also installed a 2nd lake water pump and faucet in the galley for hand and dish washing etc. which saves the stored drinking water. I guess it could be fitted with a similar cartridge if we wanted to make it potable as well.
FYI: We bought our Seagull 2 years ago, bought in Canada on line (we live in Toronto) and order our filters from same company out of Montreal.
Tina and Dan Heimann
Solitude (Catalina 400)
Filtration is very important. We have 3 stages. 1 as the local water is entering the boat. Sediment fibre filter. Then it has one of these filters for the general purpose taps in the galley and head, then we have one ceramic filter for dedicated drinking water tap. Clean safe water without lots of plastic bottles to dispose of.
On my boat I have a ten inch pleated filter ahead of the pump to remove sediment and a
3M RV/Marine WV-B2 Whole Vehicle Water Filtration System after the pump. The 3M filter removes sediment down to 0.2 microns and has charcoal as well. Flow rate to 2.5gpm. I took an old one apart and was impressed with the pleated filter inside and the amount of charcoal. The complete system is about $200 and replacement filters around $100. The B2 cartridge will filter 7500 gallons of water, probably more if you start with reasonably clean water.
A note of caution about chlorinating your tank water if you have a water maker that does a reverse flush with your tank water. You don’t want to run chlorine through your water maker as it is bad for the membranes. Always wait a few days before doing a reverse flush to let the chlorine dissipate.
I have seen many comments but they do not solve the real problem. Filters do not remove biofilm in your lines, the breeding ground for viruses, bacteria´s and legionella. Specially older ship in hotter climates could have a huge problem in their lines. Chlorinating is very bad for environment and your body. We think that treatment of your lines with stabilized hydrogen peroxide is the solution. Specially for people living on their ships. You may find more info on the webpage from freshwaterwizard based in Spain. (but a Dutch product)
Hello all – for years we had a sediment filter in the water line plus a Pur faucet mount unit in the galley of our sailboat, Mariah. We plan to do the same thing on our new boat. It’s a relatively simple & inexpensive solution if you have a pressurized water system. The water tastes great. The Pur filters are small & easy to stash in small spaces.
Best thing we ever did! I drink a lot of water and after hubby lugged around giant jugs of water a few times, we got an under sink filter for what used to be the salt water tap.
Totally agree. We filter first dockside then again at the galley sink with another Seagull water filter. We use Yeti mugs, Tervis tumblers and bike water bottles and refill as needed. We refuse to stow plastic water bottles. And of course, when underway or at anchor, there’s the watermaker.
I just read this to my husband- a master plumber. He said that the info in your article is absolutely spot on and presented in a way that’s easy for everyone to understand. I’ve been flirting with buying the Purest One, but I think we’ll start with the $100 solution and see how that goes. Right now we’re in the Pacific Northwest (US and British Columbia) so not too many worries. Next year we set off for Alaska and might have to think about another solution. By the way, our boat is ferro-cement with ferro cement integral water tanks and the taste is surprisingly good, we stuck a remote camera down there and we shocked to see clear water and no “crud”. But we carry 600 gallons and it starts to taste stale in a very short time.
Question about using your watermaker in Boot Key Harbor. Do you put bleach in your tanks? Or does the watermaker take care of the potential bacteria. I have heard the water quality is not good there. We will be there in October and want to use the watermaker, already have an under sink filter for chlorine and heavy metals but are concerned about bacteria.. Thanks for all the great articles, I have learned a LOT from you over the past few years.
We got a seagull, we no longer buy bottled water for drinking. 1000 gallons at .75 a gallon is $750. That’s how I justified it to myself and hubby. We drink a lot of water and have had everyone we know taste test. I’m a huge fan
I like my tasteless water, and having a tap with filtered drinking water is totally necessary! Also takes up less space than bottled, and filters are easier to carry!
Variation on a theme…we use one of the 3M under-sink full flow filters. Sits somewhere between the Seagull and whole house filter options. Filters are probably not as ubiquitous as the whole house (but can be found at most home improvement and big-box stores in the US). Filters last 6 months or more depending on installation. I’ve hooked one up to a separate faucet and would get longer use, but for those not wanting another faucet, you can also just hook it up to the cold water line of the sink (our current install). Does a great job with taste as well as filtration from our plastic fresh water tanks. Cartridge replacement is a snap…1/4 turn, no worry about turning off valves or dealing with wrenches. Mine sits in the cabinet under our galley sink in the space between the sink and the wall. At 1/10th the price of Seagull, it is something I would install on any future boat…or house.
Ahh, thanks for the link. That’s actually a bit different, but same type of thing. Looks like it might be a little easier install and take up less room under the counter.
Here is a picture of ours under the galley sink (where the water pump and accumulator also live on our Leopard). Installation is pretty easy and replacement cartridges are easy to replace with a 1/4 turn by hand…no tools required. It also lacks metal parts so corrosion isn’t an issue. It is just a variation of the other options, but I thought worth the mention due to these features I consider boat friendly.
We easily collect rain water.
Our filter system is simple & cheap. Just opposite my galley in my master cabin is a small basin, there we added an inline filtered foot pump. We pump a quart of water and refilter that through a Britta. Double filtered!
My galley sink already has a salt water pump, so didn’t want a 3rd faucet there.
Can no longer get SHURflo filters. We found Omnipure.
Between the two filters, most unwanted things are filtered out. Also our water tanks are stainless steel, which isn’t compatible to bleach.
Quite a number of us in Mexico (because info spread by word of mouth) use the SafH20 filtration system – excellent and economical. It has come out in the 7 years since you wrote this article. Check out their web site.
The fresh water tanks in my boat are fiberglass. I’m wondering if the fiberglass leaches anything into the water (i.e. toxic BPA, etc.), and if so, what filters might be effective at removing it before drinking?
We personally use a Berkey water filter. They are gravity water purification systems that are portable. You can take them anywhere. No electricity or water pressure needed. I would think the Travel or Big Berkey are the appropriate size in most cases.
We’ve had a Pur faucet mount filter in the galley for over 20 years. Works perfect. You can get them & the filters at Walmart or a hardware store. Filters are a bit pricey but they last quite a while. We a have a Brita filter pitcher as back up if the pressurized water system breaks (but that would never happen, right?). You do need sediment pre-filter on the line. I think ours is 20 microns. That probably wouldn’t matter if all you use is water from your RO system.
Thanks for a couple of informative articles on water filtering.
My wife and I have owned a 50s-era timber bridgedecker in New Zealand for several years now. The water tanks are fibreglass and black plastic (PE?) and the water has always had an unpleasant odour and taste, though we shower and brush teeth with it. Even a visiting dog turned up her nose in disgust. Basically, you wouldn’t want to drink it. We’ve used bottle or carton water for drinking, coffee, tea, cooking, etc.
Over the years I’ve tried various inline filters from marine brands, with no noticeable improvement. I found your articles on filters while searching for people’s experience of using home water filter systems on boats. It’s amazing how much parroted BS there is on the webs, with very few people actually providing advice based on experience.
I’ve now installed a filter system and wanted to describe the setup and result for the benefit of other readers.
I didn’t want a separate tap at the sink, rather I wanted a ‘whole of house’ arrangement – we have three outlets: galley sink; heads basin; and shower.
Although our town supply water at the dock is excellent I can’t be sure what might be living in the tank – three do not have cleaning/inspection ports – I’ve been treating the water with a product used in rural rainwater tanks. So my preference was to filter with a half-micron carbon block.
I was concerned that we’d lose too much pressure in the system with the half-micron so considered stepping up the housings form 10” standard to 10” jumbo (4.5 diam). Lots of options so I emailed one of the stores for advice. They said that we should be fine with the half-micron given our pump specs, though they recommended a dual filter under-bench setup with a separate outlet which made me question the advice!
Our water system feeds from three tanks via separate valves to a Jabsco Par Max 3.5 13lpm / 3.5gpm pump (cut-in pressure 20psi, cut-out 40psi). Tank to pump about 1m. Pump to filter about 3m. Filter to galley sink about 2m. Filter to heads basin about 4m. Filter to shower about 4m.
So, I went with a 10” standard (2.5” diam) dual filter arrangement with 13mm / 0.5” inlets/outlets, with a poly spun combined sediment/GAC filter followed by a 0.5 micron carbon block. I figured I could either upsize the pump or increase the filter pore/filtration size (as I treat the water anyway and it’s mostly about the taste and smell).
There’s a drop in the flow, but it’s not a concern at either of the sinks or the shower.
The most noticeable change is the quality of the water. Seriously, no smell, no unpleasant taste. It’s just like drinking water from the tap at home.
In summary, 40psi / 3.5gpm pump, dual stage filter with 20 micron pre-filter and 0.5 micron carbon block, no problem.
Sounds good! Yes, we use 0.5 micron carbon block filters on the freshwater flush of our watermaker, which runs off our regular pressure water pump. Flow rate is still good! Thrilled that you got your water tasting good!
With the standard house filter, are they any concerns about water pressure? Right now, I’m using a Shurflo in line RV filter, but it’s expensive and the water flow is really hampered (using a 3.8 GPM FW pump from Shurflo).
Martha Warner says
Great timing as we are exploring our options for a “whole boat” filter to improve taste and insure healthy drinking water aboard Journey. Here I find you’ve done the research for me and now I can make the right choice. Thanks Carolyn!
Carolyn Shearlock says
We seriously underestimated how much we’d appreciate a water filter. QT came with one, but we hadn’t even considered it. Loved it, though — water always tasted great and we never had tummy troubles due to our onboard water. Hope you love yours just as much!
-C
Charlotte says
any experience with these filters?
afwfilters.com/store/ro—drinking-reverse-osmosis/6-stage-di-zoi-delta-pure-reverse-osmosis-system-11.html
They came with our boat and seem to work well
Thanks!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Hi Charlotte!
I don’t have any experience with them. Looks like a major purifying system. The only downside that I see is the size, but it looks like it removes pretty much everything (although not a watermaker designed to remove sea salt).
-Carolyn
Jed Guertin says
Carolyn,
I’m quite familiar with the Seagull system and filter and PurestOne system and filter. I won’t go into detail but I might be able to provide you with some useful information for you to pass on to your readers.
Simply put, if you put a good quality .5 micron (nominal) carbon block filter in your “plumber’s” filter housing in my estimation, you’ll have the same quality water as a Seagull filter.
As far as I’ve been able to ascertain the General Ecology Seagull filter is not a purifier, never has been. It’s all about what I call weasel words.
Fairwinds
Cheri says
I see that this article and the subsequent discussion threads are a couple years old. I’m hoping that the author is still active as I am struggling to find the right water filtration for two area of our boat. Currently we fill our tank in the US, primarily from a well water source. We live on board year round and the water is refreshed weekly. But I know there is crud in that tank and I get queasy thinking about bugs and other goobers. So I drink bottled water, but do cook with it without any problems. I do not use it for any appliances like coffee or tea. We also shower on board. So, here are my issue I hope to resolve with filtering.
1. At the galley tap…want the purest water possible with everything out. Cold water only and not for dishwater. If I installed a separate faucet…I’d probably have it under the counter. Not sure I have an option for countertop with Corean. And I don’t want to give up counter space.
2. It’s a hair thing. Tank water is killing my hair. We never put choline in. Tried it once and I hated it. Need so,e type of filter at the shower head for hot and cold water, or at least when they are mixed. Figure this will mount in the shower someplace, but not a lot of room. Also want everything filter out.
3. Next year we begin cruising full time so we will install a water maker. Still will want the galley water we consume to be filtered. Although I’ve been told that made water is pure enough, I’m thinking its the tank that puts stuff back in that I don’t want. Expect this may be true of the shower as well, but I don’t know.
Truth is, I don’t know what to do. I’ve been assigned this job on our boat and the more I read the more confused I get. I’m hoping this site is active or that someone who know and is interested,in helping me figure it out will contact me or respond here.
Thank you thank you thank you in advance.
Cheri
Carolyn Shearlock says
I’m not sure why you think the site isn’t active, as I write four new articles every week . . . and there is lots of activity on the Facebook page!
Here’s what I’d do:
Put a 10″ filter housing on each line exiting your water tank (clarification after a question: put it after the pump; some boats have more than one line & pump) and use a .5 micron carbon block filter in each one (read about the different types of filters here: https://theboatgalley.com/choosing-water-filter/ ) — this will give you the purest water possible and will also filter out any chlorine out. You can put these anywhere on the lines, wherever you have space as long as you can get to it to change the filter. If you also put a filter on the water line between the tank and the water heater, your hot water will be filtered, too (and you won’t have gunk settling in the water heater, either). This is the least expensive way to get good filtering that I know of (Sea Gull is good but very expensive and you need a separate faucet). This is option #3 on the article that you left your comment on: https://theboatgalley.com/water-filters/
Next, flush your tanks with a lot of water — it’s the best way to get whatever is is there out. Then start filtering the dock water that you put into the tank, also with a .5 micron carbon block filter. The housing will fit on the end of the hose, then you can put a short stubby piece of hose after the filter to go to the deck fill. This will ensure that the water going into the tank is clean, although it will slow down the fill.
Once all your water is filtered between the tank and the tap, you may want to start using chlorine again to make sure nothing grows in the tank (but only if the tank is stainless). We had a watermaker and still used chlorine. Just FYI, any type of carbon filter will take the chlorine out, so you don’t have to taste it or have it on your hair. If you were noticing the chlorine that much, I suspect that you were using too much.
Jim says
Good site, thanks for the information! I’m looking to equip a new (to us) boat and it needs a water filter. On a previous boat we had a Seagull for drinking water and we were pleased with it, but on this boat I would like a whole-boat filter so we can brush our teeth in the head without worrying about water quality. I also don’t want to cut any new holes in the countertop for a separate faucet.
In your experience, can a 0.5 micron 10″ x 2.5″ filter be used for the whole boat, or only for the small drinking water faucets? The specs on some of the filter manufacturer’s sites indicate low flow rates of around 1 gpm for these fine filters. That sounds a lot lower than the 3 gpm range that our pump will be pumping.
You say “put a 10″ filter on each line exiting your water tank.” Do you mean on the inlet side of the water pump? I would think the filter would need to be on the outlet side of the pump.
We are going to be catching rainwater. Do you think there is any advantage in using a series of 10″ filters–like a 10 micron pre-filter then a 0.5 micron fine filter, or is that just too complicated or too much flow reduction?
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Exactly how you do it depends a lot on the boat configuration, how long the hose runs are and how powerful your water pump(s) is (there does NOT seem to a standard way of plumbing a boat!), but you’re right that the filter will probably be better on the outlet side of the pump (although we had a filter before the low pressure pump on our watermaker and it worked fine). If the filter is after the pump, the pressure switch will simply cut the pump off periodically if the pump is putting out water faster than it is flowing through the filter, and of course the water at the tap won’t flow any faster than it goes through the filter.
Using a filter before the water heater (if you have one; we didn’t, just used a SunShower) will eliminate the gunk that collects in it and thus will lengthen the life of the water heater.
We had a Seagull ourselves, but I do know of at least three boats that did use a single 10″ filter for both the galley and head (one head, and no freshwater flushing). And as you alluded, the biggest problem with using just one filter for the whole boat is the flow rate — although this does help with water conservation! That’s one reason that I like have separate filters on the hot and cold lines.
Finally, on the rainwater catching . . . since that is just a gravity flow, I’d worry about not having enough pressure to push water through a fine filter and just backing up instead (in El Salvador, we would catch 20 to 50 gallons in 20 minutes or less at times). The head pressure is going to be so different on different boats and different catchment systems that I hate to make any blanket recommendations. With the premise that any filter is better than none, I’d probably go ahead and install the 10″ housing, then experiment with what filter is the finest that doesn’t restrict the flow too much (20 micron? 10 micron? you don’t need carbon as you’re not trying to get chlorine out at this point — more trying to catch sediment). While I know of several boats that talked about putting a filter on their rainwater catch, I don’t know of any that actually did (or if they did, I didn’t hear from them after they had installed it). If anyone else here has installed one, it would be great to know what worked for you — please leave a note in the replies.
Jim says
Thanks for the reply. I wasn’t thinking of filtering the rainwater before it hit the tanks, only after it hits the boat’s freshwater system.
I think the inlet filters you had on your watermaker were fairly coarse. We had a boat with a watermaker that used 20 micron filters on the inlet and 5 micron filters on the fresh water flush (which was between fresh water pump outlet and the watermaker inlet).
Maybe the thing to do would be to put something like a 20 micron filter on the intake side of the fresh water pump to screen out any sediment from the tanks, and a 0.5 micron on the outlet side.
But it sounds from what you said like the water flow will drop so low through the 0.5 micron filter that there wouldn’t be enough flow to run the shower. Maybe a better way is to just filter cold water to the galley faucet. That wouldn’t require another hole in the counter top, but it would mean brushing our teeth in the galley instead of the head. Oh well.
Any comments from someone who has used a whole boat filter and who also uses their shower would be appreciated.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Hi Jim!
I guess I should make clear that I don’t KNOW that the pressure drop will be too low for an acceptable shower if you use a 0.5 micron on its line; it’s just what I would be concerned about. I’m going to post a note on The Boat Galley’s Facebook page and see if anyone has tried using a 0.5 micron filter as a whole boat or shower filter and what their result was. Hopefully we’ll get some answers!
If you want filtered water in the head sink, you could put a filter on that line in addition to the one in the galley. I don’t know your boat’s configuration, but our boat had a bunch of otherwise hard-to-access space under the head sink that could easily have been a home for a 10″ filter.
Michael Littrell on Facebook says
Will the “standard” plumbing filter work with a simple hand pump or does it require the pressure created by a powered pump to operate efficiently?
The Boat Galley on Facebook says
I know of several boats that used them with a hand or foot pump with no problem — and one that used a Seagull filter with a foot pump. We had a foot pump as a backup in our powered system and I had no problem using our Seagull with the foot pump, either.
Dave Skolnick on Facebook says
I have a whole-boat filter. The element has both a mechanical filter and a carbon filter. It works great. Elements are a standard size but I haven’t found the combination units in the US, only in Europe.
Philip Johnson on Facebook says
I have used these filters in combination with 10 or 20 micron paper filters ahead of the carbonated filter to supply the hotel water demands. They work fine. I would however caution against use of carbon filters when filling the water tanks as it will also remove the bromine which helps keep the water stored in tanks from going sour quickly.
Chris van der Baars says
Just installed a Home Depot, GE 5 micron filter as a “whole system filter” on the intake side of the water pump on our Com Pac 25. It stopped the water flow to a trickle. I know it’s the filter because when I remove the element the water flow returns to the pre-filter rate. I installed an accumulator tank hoping that at least some of the water would make it into the 1 litre tank. No real improvement. I hate to give up …… any thoughts?
Thanks…
Chris.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Most filters are installed on the outlet side of the pump so that the pump can push water through it rather than have to pull water through it. I’d try moving it to the outlet side.
Chris says
Belated thanks for your suggestion of moving the filter to the outlet side of the pump.
We have been on the boat continuously since mid-June and can share our findings about our “Home Depot” systems.
As mentioned previously, I moved the filter to the outlet side of the pump and then installed a 1 litre accumulator tank after the filter. The result is, no surprise, good flow from the accumulator tank but an immediate reduction of flow when the tank is emptied. The pump cannot push the water through the filter to provide a continuopus flow.
All in all, an adequate system for us marina based people who have showers available shore-side and enjoy fresh water sailing.
The water quality is excellent.
doug says
did you try installing the water filter after the accumulator tank? the pressure from the accumulator tank I would think would increase the force through the filter.
Rick says
We use a PUR faucet mount that lasts 100 gallons , removes Giardia and Cryptospiridium, reduces chlorine and tastes good. Available on Amazon and any home improvement store.
Sally Conlee says
The Purest One website does not appear to be working. The phone numbers are disconnected.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Thanks for letting me know. I did some investigating and found that the company has recently changed hands and they are trying to re-do the website. Right now, you can contact them by email — click on the contact button on the website (I changed the link so that it goes to the “new” site).
Colin MacDonald says
Thank you for information on PurestOne filter/Seagull, I am thinking of installing one my boat inline on out let of my main water pump after the accumulator thank and exciting water faucet. any thoughts on this plan I will have to order from Canada on line and get ship to Canada
Carolyn Shearlock says
It has a fairly low flow rate, so if that line also goes to the shower, you may want to just have the filter on the line where the drinking/cooking water is. Other than that, sounds great!
Ken Arnold says
The 10″ House filters also have a “Ceramic Bacteria” filter avail. for about $30-40. It can be cleaned w/ a steel wool (stainless) scrubber pad. It is very slow flow and really needs a Pleated or Carbon Block filter “prefilter” or it will plug fast.
You just scrub the sides of it lightly to make it like new.
Nancy Wargo Kahlden says
We added a refrigerator type filter and a spigot on the counter above the refrigerator in our Tayana ’42. The line and the filter were in the refrigerator and we had cold tap water. We had installed a DC refrigerator system in the original frig.
Lupari Sue says
Just writing about our water today. We have particle for all water and ceramic for drinking water.
Rusty Barnett says
Just sanitized & filled my tanks yesterday, as well as replacing the pressure pump. Thanks for this summary…I was thinking about putting in some type of filter!
The Boat Galley says
Nancy, I know another boat that did that. Great way to get cold water if the layout works!
CherylAnn Falconer says
We have a filter tap on our Liberty 458 ! It’s brilliant
Dawn Wheeler says
I bought a filter system from the purest one based on your recommendation and we love it!
The Sea and Sailors says
I always do! Okey, almost…
Ted Reshetiloff says
We run the standard 10″ filter on our foot pump but I have found that the more aggressive filters esp charcoal ones are too restrictive and the foot pump has a hard time moving the water. I’ve tried putting the filter on either side of the whale foot pump to no avail. We are a family of 4 living full time aboard and we just use basic 5 micron filters and drink rain water. Our catcher dumps right into our tank. Tastes great
Where The Coconuts Grow says
Great post. Our boat also came equipped with a Seagull filter. I’ll definitely check into the Purest One replacement filters for next time!
Randy Donkel says
4 Tlbs. Of Clorox to my 40 gal. Tank kill bacteria,germs and bad taste.
Eva Persson says
Thanks for an interesting post!
Has anyone tried LifeStraw? I think it sounds interesting and would like to hear from people about it!
Eva
Noah Barton says
Also wondering about using a Lifestraw. Our boat is equipped with a “seawater” galley intake and since we are sailing on Lake Michigan would getting either their Lifestraw Go (water bottles with a filter built in), holding up a filter to the tap every time we wanted clean water or getting a family-sized filter unit that we would then use to fill up urns and jugs make more sense? This would be used primarily for the Mac Race, which we figure it should take about 3-4 days to complete. We would have an 8 person crew. We want to shed as much weight as possible so bringing on 65 kilos of water really isn’t option on our already heavy cruiser-racer.
Don Rushton says
I fitted my Hunter 34, Cygnus, sailing Lake Huron with the blue plastic cartridge RV style .5 micron charcoal filter (comes with garden hose connections) downstream of my stored water tanks pressure pump.They are only $20-30. and quick to change out once a season.
I also installed a 2nd lake water pump and faucet in the galley for hand and dish washing etc. which saves the stored drinking water. I guess it could be fitted with a similar cartridge if we wanted to make it potable as well.
Tina Heimann says
FYI: We bought our Seagull 2 years ago, bought in Canada on line (we live in Toronto) and order our filters from same company out of Montreal.
Tina and Dan Heimann
Solitude (Catalina 400)
Lupari Sue says
Filtration is very important. We have 3 stages. 1 as the local water is entering the boat. Sediment fibre filter. Then it has one of these filters for the general purpose taps in the galley and head, then we have one ceramic filter for dedicated drinking water tap. Clean safe water without lots of plastic bottles to dispose of.
Gordon Wedman says
On my boat I have a ten inch pleated filter ahead of the pump to remove sediment and a
3M RV/Marine WV-B2 Whole Vehicle Water Filtration System after the pump. The 3M filter removes sediment down to 0.2 microns and has charcoal as well. Flow rate to 2.5gpm. I took an old one apart and was impressed with the pleated filter inside and the amount of charcoal. The complete system is about $200 and replacement filters around $100. The B2 cartridge will filter 7500 gallons of water, probably more if you start with reasonably clean water.
A note of caution about chlorinating your tank water if you have a water maker that does a reverse flush with your tank water. You don’t want to run chlorine through your water maker as it is bad for the membranes. Always wait a few days before doing a reverse flush to let the chlorine dissipate.
Willem Jobse says
I have seen many comments but they do not solve the real problem. Filters do not remove biofilm in your lines, the breeding ground for viruses, bacteria´s and legionella. Specially older ship in hotter climates could have a huge problem in their lines. Chlorinating is very bad for environment and your body. We think that treatment of your lines with stabilized hydrogen peroxide is the solution. Specially for people living on their ships. You may find more info on the webpage from freshwaterwizard based in Spain. (but a Dutch product)
Molly says
Hello all – for years we had a sediment filter in the water line plus a Pur faucet mount unit in the galley of our sailboat, Mariah. We plan to do the same thing on our new boat. It’s a relatively simple & inexpensive solution if you have a pressurized water system. The water tastes great. The Pur filters are small & easy to stash in small spaces.
SV Pearl Lee says
We use dual stage filtration and UV. ~ Tom
Good Ship Monster says
Great idea! Just say no to bottled water.
Susan Kam says
Best thing we ever did! I drink a lot of water and after hubby lugged around giant jugs of water a few times, we got an under sink filter for what used to be the salt water tap.
Tom Vetter says
We prefilter at the hose and use a Berkey purifier for drinking and cooking.
They’re extremely effective.
http://berkeywaterkb.com/black-berkey-purification-elements-test-results/
Bob Lorraine Morecraft says
Totally agree. We filter first dockside then again at the galley sink with another Seagull water filter. We use Yeti mugs, Tervis tumblers and bike water bottles and refill as needed. We refuse to stow plastic water bottles. And of course, when underway or at anchor, there’s the watermaker.
Les says
A quick question on filter installation. Is it better to install the filter before or after the water pump?
Carolyn Shearlock says
Between the pump and the faucet (that is, AFTER the pump).
Erin Gray says
New filter it’s !
Patty Makowski says
I just read this to my husband- a master plumber. He said that the info in your article is absolutely spot on and presented in a way that’s easy for everyone to understand. I’ve been flirting with buying the Purest One, but I think we’ll start with the $100 solution and see how that goes. Right now we’re in the Pacific Northwest (US and British Columbia) so not too many worries. Next year we set off for Alaska and might have to think about another solution. By the way, our boat is ferro-cement with ferro cement integral water tanks and the taste is surprisingly good, we stuck a remote camera down there and we shocked to see clear water and no “crud”. But we carry 600 gallons and it starts to taste stale in a very short time.
As always, thanks again for your great articles!
Carolyn Shearlock says
Thank you!
Cherie Burch says
Question about using your watermaker in Boot Key Harbor. Do you put bleach in your tanks? Or does the watermaker take care of the potential bacteria. I have heard the water quality is not good there. We will be there in October and want to use the watermaker, already have an under sink filter for chlorine and heavy metals but are concerned about bacteria.. Thanks for all the great articles, I have learned a LOT from you over the past few years.
Carolyn Shearlock says
We do not use bleach in our tanks. Bacteria are too small to go through a watermaker membrane. It also removes dirt, viruses, etc.
Cherie Burch says
Thanks so much for responding. Takes a load off my mind!
Rosalind Franks says
We got a seagull, we no longer buy bottled water for drinking. 1000 gallons at .75 a gallon is $750. That’s how I justified it to myself and hubby. We drink a lot of water and have had everyone we know taste test. I’m a huge fan
The Boat Galley says
Yep, I love the Seagull!
Susan Kam says
I like my tasteless water, and having a tap with filtered drinking water is totally necessary! Also takes up less space than bottled, and filters are easier to carry!
Mike Boyd says
Variation on a theme…we use one of the 3M under-sink full flow filters. Sits somewhere between the Seagull and whole house filter options. Filters are probably not as ubiquitous as the whole house (but can be found at most home improvement and big-box stores in the US). Filters last 6 months or more depending on installation. I’ve hooked one up to a separate faucet and would get longer use, but for those not wanting another faucet, you can also just hook it up to the cold water line of the sink (our current install). Does a great job with taste as well as filtration from our plastic fresh water tanks. Cartridge replacement is a snap…1/4 turn, no worry about turning off valves or dealing with wrenches. Mine sits in the cabinet under our galley sink in the space between the sink and the wall. At 1/10th the price of Seagull, it is something I would install on any future boat…or house.
The Boat Galley says
Yes, that’s one of the options I mention in the post. Many people use the 10″ filters. Generally costs about $100 to install.
Mike Boyd says
Sorry, didn’t see it specifically mentioned. They are about $50 if you install it yourself. I just like how easy it is to change the filter and how long they last. Here’s an example of one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Filtrete-Under-Sink-Advanced-Water-Filtration-System-3US-PS01/203582800
The Boat Galley says
Ahh, thanks for the link. That’s actually a bit different, but same type of thing. Looks like it might be a little easier install and take up less room under the counter.
Mike Boyd says
Here is a picture of ours under the galley sink (where the water pump and accumulator also live on our Leopard). Installation is pretty easy and replacement cartridges are easy to replace with a 1/4 turn by hand…no tools required. It also lacks metal parts so corrosion isn’t an issue. It is just a variation of the other options, but I thought worth the mention due to these features I consider boat friendly.
Nicki Pendergast says
We easily collect rain water.
Our filter system is simple & cheap. Just opposite my galley in my master cabin is a small basin, there we added an inline filtered foot pump. We pump a quart of water and refilter that through a Britta. Double filtered!
My galley sink already has a salt water pump, so didn’t want a 3rd faucet there.
Nicki Pendergast says
Can no longer get SHURflo filters. We found Omnipure.
Between the two filters, most unwanted things are filtered out. Also our water tanks are stainless steel, which isn’t compatible to bleach.
Diane Grieman says
Quite a number of us in Mexico (because info spread by word of mouth) use the SafH20 filtration system – excellent and economical. It has come out in the 7 years since you wrote this article. Check out their web site.
Chuck B says
The fresh water tanks in my boat are fiberglass. I’m wondering if the fiberglass leaches anything into the water (i.e. toxic BPA, etc.), and if so, what filters might be effective at removing it before drinking?
Chuck
Jeff says
We personally use a Berkey water filter. They are gravity water purification systems that are portable. You can take them anywhere. No electricity or water pressure needed. I would think the Travel or Big Berkey are the appropriate size in most cases.
https://www.berkeycleanwater.com/
Molly s/v Sabai says
We’ve had a Pur faucet mount filter in the galley for over 20 years. Works perfect. You can get them & the filters at Walmart or a hardware store. Filters are a bit pricey but they last quite a while. We a have a Brita filter pitcher as back up if the pressurized water system breaks (but that would never happen, right?). You do need sediment pre-filter on the line. I think ours is 20 microns. That probably wouldn’t matter if all you use is water from your RO system.
David Roberts says
Hi Carolyn
Thanks for a couple of informative articles on water filtering.
My wife and I have owned a 50s-era timber bridgedecker in New Zealand for several years now. The water tanks are fibreglass and black plastic (PE?) and the water has always had an unpleasant odour and taste, though we shower and brush teeth with it. Even a visiting dog turned up her nose in disgust. Basically, you wouldn’t want to drink it. We’ve used bottle or carton water for drinking, coffee, tea, cooking, etc.
Over the years I’ve tried various inline filters from marine brands, with no noticeable improvement. I found your articles on filters while searching for people’s experience of using home water filter systems on boats. It’s amazing how much parroted BS there is on the webs, with very few people actually providing advice based on experience.
I’ve now installed a filter system and wanted to describe the setup and result for the benefit of other readers.
I didn’t want a separate tap at the sink, rather I wanted a ‘whole of house’ arrangement – we have three outlets: galley sink; heads basin; and shower.
Although our town supply water at the dock is excellent I can’t be sure what might be living in the tank – three do not have cleaning/inspection ports – I’ve been treating the water with a product used in rural rainwater tanks. So my preference was to filter with a half-micron carbon block.
I was concerned that we’d lose too much pressure in the system with the half-micron so considered stepping up the housings form 10” standard to 10” jumbo (4.5 diam). Lots of options so I emailed one of the stores for advice. They said that we should be fine with the half-micron given our pump specs, though they recommended a dual filter under-bench setup with a separate outlet which made me question the advice!
Our water system feeds from three tanks via separate valves to a Jabsco Par Max 3.5 13lpm / 3.5gpm pump (cut-in pressure 20psi, cut-out 40psi). Tank to pump about 1m. Pump to filter about 3m. Filter to galley sink about 2m. Filter to heads basin about 4m. Filter to shower about 4m.
So, I went with a 10” standard (2.5” diam) dual filter arrangement with 13mm / 0.5” inlets/outlets, with a poly spun combined sediment/GAC filter followed by a 0.5 micron carbon block. I figured I could either upsize the pump or increase the filter pore/filtration size (as I treat the water anyway and it’s mostly about the taste and smell).
There’s a drop in the flow, but it’s not a concern at either of the sinks or the shower.
The most noticeable change is the quality of the water. Seriously, no smell, no unpleasant taste. It’s just like drinking water from the tap at home.
In summary, 40psi / 3.5gpm pump, dual stage filter with 20 micron pre-filter and 0.5 micron carbon block, no problem.
Carolyn Shearlock says
Sounds good! Yes, we use 0.5 micron carbon block filters on the freshwater flush of our watermaker, which runs off our regular pressure water pump. Flow rate is still good! Thrilled that you got your water tasting good!
Max says
With the standard house filter, are they any concerns about water pressure? Right now, I’m using a Shurflo in line RV filter, but it’s expensive and the water flow is really hampered (using a 3.8 GPM FW pump from Shurflo).
Carolyn Shearlock says
I haven’t heard of anyone complaining unless the filter gets clogged to the point where it restricts water flow.