Q&A · 41:18-42:17

Fresh water as an age-of-sail endurance limit

Sailing warships devoted substantial hold space to water barrels and replenished them whenever possible to sustain the crews working the sails.

Question

How often did an age-of-sail ship replenish water, and how much did it carry?

Short answer

The amount depended on ship size, but large holds devoted major volume to water barrels that were cleaned and refreshed whenever possible.

Notes

The deep holds of preserved ships such as Victory and Constitution contained large spaces filled with fresh-water barrels. Crews renewed the water as often as circumstances allowed because sailors supplied the muscle that handled the sails. Wind was free, while the people converting it into movement required constant food and water.