Frozen in water

[KezzerN]

I was thinking about times when the weather goes pear shaped and I get frozen in and then run out of water.  With that in mind, has anyone tried one of these so that they always had access to some form of clean water to be used for washing pots/body - I usually keep extra cans of drinking water.

 

.

 

 

[5239]

I see people with these:

 

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8665382?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=c290d9a9-b5d6-423c-841d-2a559621874c&istItemId=ixititmat&istBid=t&utm_custom6=PLA&gclsrc=aw.ds&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157|acid:629-618-1342|cid:20368875273|agid:|tid:|crid:|nw:x|rnd:8252829651321591174|dvc:m|adp:|mt:|loc:9046887&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20368875273&utm_term=8665382&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=&utm_custom2=629-618-1342&GPDP=true&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD9II9lCa2AyV6z-62-UJUeit3Oq0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkN--BhDkARIsAD_mnIrgjVMsaaLiQrDt_z1Sff0fLR6Vi0cnRL1qHv6W-uDbiCKr2oPvFfsaAkaSEALw_wcB

 

I got a big water tank on boat and I dont worry too much about it,

 

 

[KezzerN]

19 minutes ago, 5239 said:

I see people with these:

 

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8665382?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=c290d9a9-b5d6-423c-841d-2a559621874c&istItemId=ixititmat&istBid=t&utm_custom6=PLA&gclsrc=aw.ds&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157|acid:629-618-1342|cid:20368875273|agid:|tid:|crid:|nw:x|rnd:8252829651321591174|dvc:m|adp:|mt:|loc:9046887&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20368875273&utm_term=8665382&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=&utm_custom2=629-618-1342&GPDP=true&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD9II9lCa2AyV6z-62-UJUeit3Oq0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkN--BhDkARIsAD_mnIrgjVMsaaLiQrDt_z1Sff0fLR6Vi0cnRL1qHv6W-uDbiCKr2oPvFfsaAkaSEALw_wcB

 

I got a big water tank on boat and I dont worry too much about it,

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your input Glen.  The problem with that option is that it banks on the fact that you are near to a water point where you can drag it to obtain water.  I was thinking more in terms of times when I am not near a water point.

 

 

[dmr]

You learn to keep a close eye on the weather forecast and get the water tank full when a freeze is on its way, then go easy on the water. We spend winters in the Yorkshire hills and have not needed to carry water to the boat.  I do keep a 25litre container (a cheaper version of your link) in the bow locker just in case something goes wrong. Our first year of CC'ing was the big freeze (2010?) and we werre frozen in for 7 and half weeks on the K&A, thats the only time we have carried water to the boat, otherwise its rare to be frozen in for more than a week or so..

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Water points freeze up too, towpath side, or even if you have a marina mooring. Especially water points on jetties and pontoons, where the pipes are exposed. Keeping an eye on the forecast and making sure you have the tank filled up just before the temperature drops is what people do. The extended freezes that we last saw in 2010 are becoming rarer with climate change, but can still happen. Leisure centre showers etc and launderettes reduce your water consumption till the thaw.

[Torblimey]

Not to hijack the thread and on the interests of this topic, I have a 500l water tank and generally I can make it last between 4 weeks to 3 months if I'm frugal with the showers.

I can make a cassette in the loo last a month.......😱

The washing machine only uses around 40l and I have enough spare clothes to use it once every few weeks.

What size of tank and how long does it last for you?

🤔

[5239]

1 minute ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Keeping an eye on the forecast and making sure you have the tank filled up just before the temperature drops is what people do.

exactly that, 

I follow the  14 day weather forecasts,

and when I suspect cold weather I’ll make sure I fill up,

and in general I will winter close enough to services (moving to different services I’ll add, not staying at the same one),

we seem to just have cold snaps now,

the canal freezing over for a few days and rarely very thick,

or maybe I’ve simply been lucky in where I go

 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 minute ago, NarrowboatTor said:

can make a cassette in the loo last a month.....

During big freezes, don't store full toilet cassettes outside while waiting till you can get to an elsan.The contents freeze, expand and crack the cassette. You won't find out this has happened till the thaw...

😱

[Torblimey]

Just now, Jen-in-Wellies said:

During big freezes, don't store full toilet cassettes outside while waiting till you can get to an elsan.The contents freeze, expand and crack the cassette. You won't find out this has happened till the thaw...

😱

Ewwwwww

[magnetman]

The filtering Gerry can is interesting. Never used one and I don't know how many litres it can do but there will presumably be consumables needed. 

 

Its probably designed for life support ie drinking water rather than large volumes. 

 

People do quite often have multiple stage filters and reverse osmosis RO units which can in some cases make the water cleaner than ordinary tap water. 

 

There is a hazard associated with routinely drinking RO treated water which is that the process removes the minerals and it is possible to get elf problems drinking demineralised water. 

 

I can do months on a tank of water because I discovered that after a certain amount of time not washing one becomes 'self cleaning' and I buy new socks and charity shop clothes from time to time. 

 

Water use goes down a lot. 

 

 

[GUMPY]

Got iced in for 5 weeks down the Aylesbury arm one winter, 97 I think.  Used a 25 liter plastic container to get water from the pub on my way home. It meant I had to go to the pub every night🤔 never bothered with filters to much agg

 

[Torblimey]

Wow £300 for a jerry can with an activated charcoal filter in the neck.

Looks like I missed a money making scheme there, mind you it does up to 20k litres of water. 😵‍💫

[KezzerN]

Thanks everyone for your input.  I appreciate that it might not be needed, if you are properly organised, but having lived rural for most of my adult life I know that things can happen that can be a complete and utter pain if you aren't prepared for the emergencies.  I will get organised in advance if I can but as a solo boater there are always those times when you get flu, or some other thing, and aren't well, so don't get to the water when you need to in order to ensure you have plenty.  I was just looking at cheap alternatives to installing a 12v water purifying system, something that hopefully I wouldn't need but would be there if things went pear shaped.

[magnetman]

1 hour ago, NarrowboatTor said:

Wow £300 for a jerry can with an activated charcoal filter in the neck.

Looks like I missed a money making scheme there, mind you it does up to 20k litres of water. 😵‍💫

20 tonnes of water sounds pretty good. 

 

 

[LadyG]

Just buy bottled water every week, you'll soon build up plenty, keep the empties. Don't pass a waterpoint without good reason, and if you are going to be iced in make sure you are outside a pub as you can also get online deliveries, including bottled water.

I only had a 5l container, and that was just enough per person per day. I used kitchen towel to wipe the dishes, then rinse off.

 

Edited March 17 by LadyG

[David Mack]

Why do you need a jerry can that treats the water? What are you going to use as your source of water? If a waterpoint, then it won't need treating. If the canal is so frozen your boat can't move then you won't be able to use canal water as the source anyway.

Just get an ordinary portable water container if you feel the need to have a backup to keeping the boat's main tank full ahead of freezing weather.

[MtB]

1 hour ago, KezzerN said:

I was just looking at cheap alternatives to installing a 12v water purifying system, something that hopefully I wouldn't need but would be there if things went pear shaped.

 

This is faintly worrying. What water were you thinking of purifying, should you decide to install one? And what system were you wondering about fitting?

 

I hear of people with expensive systems that supposedly turn canal water into drinking water but I think this is inviting trouble, when you think of all the industrial chemicals that will have found their way into the canals over the centuries. 

 

 

[KezzerN]

Thanks everyone for your further input.  As I mentioned, it wouldn't be for drinking as I keep jerry cans of water specifically for that reason, it would be so that I had pot/bathing water.  Regarding contents of water, I think you will find that the river/reservoir water that is used for drinking water is not that clean before purification.  

[David Mack]

6 minutes ago, KezzerN said:

Regarding contents of water, I think you will find that the river/reservoir water that is used for drinking water is not that clean before purification.  

But it gets far more treatment than that Jerry can or the sort of system you might install on a boat would provide.

[Jerra]

1 minute ago, David Mack said:

But it gets far more treatment than that Jerry can or the sort of system you might install on a boat would provide.

And on the whole is free from historic industrial contaminants.

[ditchcrawler]

5 minutes ago, KezzerN said:

Thanks everyone for your further input.  As I mentioned, it wouldn't be for drinking as I keep jerry cans of water specifically for that reason, it would be so that I had pot/bathing water.  Regarding contents of water, I think you will find that the river/reservoir water that is used for drinking water is not that clean before purification.  

I think they maybe  possible do a few more checks as it leaves the waterworks than the average boater does. In the winter I keep the diesel tank as full as possible, I can last 25 days in the winter between fill ups if required and the toilet tank empty. Its unusual to get hard frost without warning and that's the time to make sure you sort these things out. I don't know how long a tank of water would last if necessary but longer than 20 lts in a drum just used for drinking 

[magnetman]

6 minutes ago, David Mack said:

But it gets far more treatment than that Jerry can or the sort of system you might install on a boat would provide.

i know someone with a proper filtration system and he had his water tested by the bored. 

 

Not that water! 

 

Anyway the results came back and proved that the output was of higher purity than the ordinary household taps in the area. 

 

He is an unusual person in that he has since grown an extra thumb on his right hand which came out of the side of the original but the water is very clean. 

 

Maybe its true what they say about a peck of dirt. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beer kegs are good for extra clean water storage. High grade stainless steel. 60 litres in a standard keg.

 

I did find a full one just floating in the River but I took the view that as it was Fullers it was for the ducks. 

 

They went quackers for it. 

 

Still have the keg. 

[LadyG]

1 hour ago, KezzerN said:

Thanks everyone for your further input.  As I mentioned, it wouldn't be for drinking as I keep jerry cans of water specifically for that reason, it would be so that I had pot/bathing water.  Regarding contents of water, I think you will find that the river/reservoir water that is used for drinking water is not that clean before purification.  

Really?

I think you will find that reservoirs and other primary sources of tap water are not contaminated with industrial run off or untreated sewage.

Drinking water is processed as necessary to ensure it is potable.

 

Edited March 17 by LadyG

[alias]

2 hours ago, magnetman said:

20 tonnes of water sounds pretty good. 

 

 

I suspect that depends on the water being reasonably clear of coarse particles like suspended mud, algae and so on.  If putting cloudy canal water through it the filter seems likely to be physically blocked long before 20 tonnes have been filtered.

Edited March 17 by alias

[KezzerN]

9 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Really?

I think you will find that reservoirs and other primary sources of tap water are not contaminated with industrial run off or untreated sewage.

Drinking water is processed as necessary to ensure it is potable.

 

 

 

70% of London's tap water comes from reservoirs supplied by the River Thames.  Ever had a look at what goes into the River Thames?