Now that you have found somewhere to boondock (see last weeks entry) and are ready to settle down for a while you will need to concentrate on making your potable water last during your boondock stay. Obviously the length of your stay and fresh water capacity are important variables in boondocking. In time you will learn how many days you can stay out in the boondocks based on your daily usage.
Let’s look at some methods you can use to maximize your precious water supply in the boondocks.
– If you shower daily, this will be your biggest challenge. Seasoned RVers know a sailor’s shower is the most efficient use of water. A sailor’s shower is very simple:
- Wet yourself down
- Turn the water off using the button on your RV’s shower head
- Soap, scrub and shampoo
- Turn the water back on and rinse
– Do not let the water run when you brush your teeth, wash your face, etc.
– Use paper plates, plastic bowls and plastic silverware in place of your regular tableware that needs washing. Clean up after a meal is a snap!
– Cook meals ahead of time and freeze them before heading to the boondocks. This saves the dishwater that you would normally use to clean the pots and pans.
– When you need hot water, use the tap closest to the water heater. This will save you from running the faucet waiting for hot water to arrive at the tap. Better yet, heat it on the stove and conserve even more.
– Add several gallons of water to your black holding tank before arriving in the boondock so you won’t need to run as much water when flushing the toilet. A pool of water in the base of your black tank allows your holding tank chemical to do its job and also keeps the dreaded pyramid of doom from forming at the bottom of your black tank.
– Arrive in the boondocks with everything clean. This means yourself, dishes, laundry, etc.
Next week we will look at conserving and recharging your batteries in the boondocks.
Get out there and enjoy a boondocking adventure today!
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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