How do Yachts Get Fresh Water?

Danny Herbert
2 min readJul 14, 2023

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Photo by Ties Rademacher on Unsplash

A yacht may need freshwater for various reasons. Firstly, freshwater is essential for the crew and passengers on board to meet their daily drinking and sanitation needs. It is also necessary for cooking, cleaning, and personal hygiene. Additionally, freshwater is required for various yacht systems such as cooling, air conditioning, and washing down decks and equipment. Some yachts also have freshwater-based recreational facilities like swimming pools or water toys that require a constant supply of freshwater. Given the limited availability of freshwater sources at sea, yachts often rely on onboard watermakers or desalination systems to convert seawater into freshwater, ensuring a sufficient and sustainable water supply during their journeys.

So, how do yachts get fresh water? There are many ways that yachts get fresh water, with the most popular listed below:

Shore Connection: When a yacht is docked in a marina or port, it can connect to a shore water supply. This allows the yacht to directly access a freshwater source available on land, typically through a water hose connected to the yacht’s water inlet.

  1. Onboard Water Tanks: Yachts have onboard water storage tanks that can be filled with fresh water. These tanks are typically filled when the yacht has access to a freshwater source, such as a marina, a water delivery service, or by transporting water in containers.
  2. Watermakers: Many yachts are equipped with watermaker systems, also known as desalination systems. Watermakers use technologies like reverse osmosis or distillation to convert seawater or brackish water into freshwater. This allows yachts to generate their own freshwater supply while at sea.
  3. Water Delivery Services: In some cases, yachts may rely on water delivery services that transport freshwater to the yacht when it is not near a freshwater source. These services can deliver water to the yacht’s location using dedicated water tankers or other methods.

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