text: did pirates carry drinking water?   yarrrrg!   i was told that back in those days folk did not drink much water. rather, they drank ale as it was cleaner (filtered and sterilized by the brew-making process) as well as more nutritious than water (not just the salt water whilst at sea, but even the town water supply). each man on board would've likely had a very specific ration of water (or other spirits) allotted to them.