| Of course you want to be safe on your boat, so | | | | iodine tablets, which can leave the water with a |
| you've got rope, life vests, emergency flares, a GPS. | | | | funny taste. But they are cheap and lightweight. |
| But did you think about a water purifier? Humans get | | | | There are improvements to the standard tablet |
| dehydrated in a matter of hours. Dehydration can | | | | which can improve the flavor. There are also chlorine |
| cause weakness, dizziness and disorientation. In a | | | | tablets. Water purifying tablets usually take half an |
| boating emergency these symptoms can be | | | | hour to four hours to kill the bacteria, but no special |
| dangerous. Of course, severe dehydration can be life | | | | equipment is needed. |
| threatening by itself. A person will die in three days, | | | | A new, high-tech solution for water purification is an |
| on average, without water. | | | | ultra violet (UV) penlight. This battery operated gizmo |
| If you are planning a long boat voyage, you may | | | | uses UV light to kill microbes in about two minutes |
| want a water purifier so that you don't have to | | | | per liter. Patents are pending, but the UV penlight is |
| carry as much drinkable water. This is especially true | | | | getting good reviews. It is expensive, but cheaper |
| if you are traveling with a large party. | | | | than a filter system, and take into consideration that |
| If you are boating in fresh water, the water most | | | | the batteries must be recharged periodically. |
| probably contains the pathogens Giardia and | | | | Salt Water Desalination |
| Cryptosporidium, which can cause severe | | | | Salt water is not drinkable, and if you try drinking sea |
| gastro-intestinal illness. If you are an ocean boater, | | | | water in an emergency you will get very sick. |
| sea water must have the salt removed before it is | | | | Desalination means taking the salt out and leaving |
| safe to drink. | | | | just the water, which you can drink. A portable |
| Purifying Fresh Water | | | | desalination system is quite expensive, with the |
| Water purifiers for fresh water can be found in | | | | smaller units costing more. There are small |
| camping stores, sporting goods shops, and boating | | | | desalination plants that can be installed on your boat |
| supply stores. They are lightweight and relatively | | | | if it is large enough. |
| inexpensive. | | | | A reverse osmosis pump is the best choice for |
| A portable, pump filtration system will remove | | | | emergency salt water purification. The water must |
| bacteria from your drinking water. There are pump | | | | be forced through the filter, which requires you to |
| filters that can be used for fresh, brackish, or salt | | | | provide some force for pumping. There are battery |
| water. Most water filters use a ceramic or polymer | | | | operated units and hand operated units. The hand |
| filter, along with a charcoal filter and sometimes a | | | | pumped reverse osmosis filters require about an hour |
| reverse osmosis filter, to remove the microscopic | | | | of pumping to provide a gallon of drinkable water, |
| bacteria from water. These systems can be pricey, | | | | but they are lighter weight and no consideration |
| and it is worthwhile to get the most expensive one | | | | needs to be given to batteries or electrical sources. |
| you can afford, because it is likely to work better | | | | If you have a way to boil water, you can buy or |
| and have more features. | | | | make a desalinating still. Fill a kettle that has a tight lid |
| Boiling is the best method of cleaning your drinking | | | | with sea water. Connect a coiled copper tube to the |
| water. Boiling will kill all the pathogens in water, | | | | lid, and boil the seawater. The steam (condensation) |
| provided you boil the water at 212 degrees F for at | | | | will drip out of the copper tube as clean water to be |
| least thirty minutes. The downside of boiling water is | | | | collected in another container. |
| that many pleasure boats don't have a heat source | | | | You should add one of these methods of water |
| or the large kettle necessary for this purification | | | | purification to your emergency gear for any boating |
| technique. | | | | trip. Water purifiers are light and affordable. It's |
| The old standby for making emergency drinking | | | | better to have it and not need it than to need it and |
| water is water purification tablets. These are usually | | | | not have it. |