What would result if the sailors attempted to alleviate their dehydration by

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The osmolarity of sea water is higher than that of the kidney medulla, thus the osmotic gradient that normally allows net reabsorption of water does not exist. Sea water osmolarity is largely a result of permeant ions such as sodium and chloride, so ingested sea water raises plasma osmolarity when it is absorbed. When the kidneys form a filtrate of this high-osmolarity solution, the descending limb fails to reabsorb water because the kidney medulla has a lower osmolarity than the filtrate (opposite of normal), along its entire length, and in fact the medulla would lose water as it moved into the descending limb. While ions would be reabsorbed by the ascending limb as usual, it is not enough to drive sufficient water reabsorption. Reflexes such as secretion of water-preserving hormones are ineffective because, ultimately, water reabsorption depends only on osmosis, and the normal osmotic gradient has been disrupted.