Water, Power and Wi-Fi on a Yacht

Fresh water lives in tanks below the berths or floor. A cruising monohull typically carries a few hundred litres, and catamarans usually carry more. That supply covers showers, the galley tap and washing up for everyone on board until the next refill. Some yachts also have a watermaker that turns seawater into fresh water, but many do not.

Hot water comes from a tank heated by the engine or by shore power, so it is hottest after a few hours of motoring or a night in a marina. When the fresh water runs out, the taps simply stop, often mid-shower.

A few habits make a tank last much longer:

• Take a sailor's shower: wet, tap off, soap, then a quick rinse.
• Rinse off salt after swimming with a quick spray on the swim platform.
• Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth or washing up.
• Wash dishes in a bowl and rinse them all at once.
• Use the marina showers whenever you are in port.

The skipper fills the tanks from a hose in marinas and at some town quays, sometimes for a fee. On smaller islands water can be scarce in summer, so refills there may be limited or costly.

The yacht's domestic batteries run the lights, fridge, water pump, instruments and any USB or 12V (car-style) sockets. They are recharged by the engine, by shore power in harbour, and on some yachts by solar panels.

The 230V mains sockets usually work only when the yacht is plugged into shore power in a marina or on a town quay with a power point, or through an inverter or generator. An inverter converts battery power to 230V, but it has a limited output and drains the batteries quickly. High-power items such as hair dryers, straighteners and travel kettles are often not allowed at all, or only on shore power. Ask your skipper before plugging anything large in.

Charging phones and small devices is rarely a problem if you come prepared:

• a 12V car adapter with USB ports
• a multi-port USB charger for when shore power is on
• a power bank, charged up in harbour
• a plug adapter if your chargers are not Type C or F
• a dry bag or waterproof pouch for days in the dinghy

Share the sockets, charge overnight when the yacht is plugged in, and unplug when you are done so others get a turn.

Croatian mobile networks cover most of the coast and the inhabited islands well. Signal drops in remote bays, behind high cliffs and further out to sea.

Croatia is in the EU, so SIM cards from other EU countries are generally covered by roam like at home rules, subject to your provider's fair use policy. Check your tariff before you travel. If your SIM is from outside the EU, charges depend entirely on your provider, and a local prepaid SIM or a travel eSIM is often cheaper. Phones occasionally connect to maritime or satellite networks, especially on ferries, and those are not covered by EU roaming rules.

If you need to work during the trip, plan on using your own data and accept that some bays will be offline. Download maps, music and films before you leave, and treat the gaps as part of the holiday.