World Water Day is celebrated every year on the 22nd March – to accelerate change and find solutions to the global water and sanitation crisis. We can all make a difference by changing the way we use, consume and manage water in our lives, something every boat owner knows all about with the limitations for storing water on board. Finding safe drinking water in many developing parts of the world, or indeed any fresh water, can be a challenge when exploring beyond your home mport. Even when water is available, it may be rationed for locals, or not that easy to get hold of. Regardless of whether you have the luxury of a watermaker on board, every sailor should understand the principles of how to harvest rainwater on board to take advantage of what Mother Nature can provide and to supplement their supply. If anything, collecting water is a great way to spend the day when stormbound! Here are some quick links to useful systems, tried and tested options and how to establish a harvesting system on board:

• The wonderful Pardeys report on catching rain for Good Old Boat magazine, including their “Unpatented Nearly Perfect Passagemaking Rain-catcher.”
• Thoughts from a Caribbean perspective and how to purify water from All at Sea Magazine.
• A full year cruising the Chesapeake Bay area supported almost entirely with rainwater – Practical Sailor reports on the process and the findings.
• SV Violet Hour report on their rainwater catchment system in the Pacific Northwest.
• Some great ideas and detail on this topic from eOceanic.
• Richard Chesher, author of the Rocket Guides for New Caledonia and Vanuatu, explains his “ultimate yacht awning and rain catcher.”