Water maker or not?

[tuffr2]

60 gallons of water at 8.3lbs./gallon weighs 498lbs. 150 gallons of water weighs 1,245 lbs.

That is one tough dingy. I am surprised the dingy can handle that much weight. I am going to Google Rib Dingy's. They must be the way to go. I was thinking I could get by with a kayak until now.

If you use a kayak as a dingy I guess your a sunk...no pun intended.

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[a64pilot]

My 3.1 M Dinghy has an over 1,000 lb useful load, 500 lbs is three adults is all.
Sounds like a very good idea as long as the water is at the dock.

[PamlicoTraveler]

We have cruised for years with 200 gallon (750 litre) tank capacity. What seems to get ignored in the "free water" debate is that in general you are trading fuel for water. If a generator uses 1/2 gallon of fuel in an hour where the watermaker makes 6 gallons an hour you have traded 1 part fuel for 12 parts water.

For us, so far, the calculus has been we'll have to trade "looking for water" in a marina or dock more often for "looking for fuel" more often. I know solar panels or wind generators and big battery banks are all the talk, but I've never met a cruiser who was actually able to survive doing that.

[2hullvenus]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

We have cruised for years with 200 gallon (750 litre) tank capacity. What seems to get ignored in the "free water" debate is that in general you are trading fuel for water. If a generator uses 1/2 gallon of fuel in an hour where the watermaker makes 6 gallons an hour you have traded 1 part fuel for 12 parts water.

For us, so far, the calculus has been we'll have to trade "looking for water" in a marina or dock more often for "looking for fuel" more often. I know solar panels or wind generators and big battery banks are all the talk, but I've never met a cruiser who was actually able to survive doing that.

Was about to bring this up myself.

Very good point.

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

We have cruised for years with 200 gallon (750 litre) tank capacity. What seems to get ignored in the "free water" debate is that in general you are trading fuel for water. If a generator uses 1/2 gallon of fuel in an hour where the watermaker makes 6 gallons an hour you have traded 1 part fuel for 12 parts water.

For us, so far, the calculus has been we'll have to trade "looking for water" in a marina or dock more often for "looking for fuel" more often. I know solar panels or wind generators and big battery banks are all the talk, but I've never met a cruiser who was actually able to survive doing that.

Good point, but I think your math is a little off. A CruiseRO 30gph watermaker will make 150 gallons of water per gallon of gas. For those of us with bad backs and short hoses (don't say it) this translates to lugging 149 fewer jerry cans of water per jerry can of gas.

[Tayana42]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

We have cruised for years with 200 gallon (750 litre) tank capacity. What seems to get ignored in the "free water" debate is that in general you are trading fuel for water. If a generator uses 1/2 gallon of fuel in an hour where the watermaker makes 6 gallons an hour you have traded 1 part fuel for 12 parts water.

For us, so far, the calculus has been we'll have to trade "looking for water" in a marina or dock more often for "looking for fuel" more often. I know solar panels or wind generators and big battery banks are all the talk, but I've never met a cruiser who was actually able to survive doing that.

If my Honda generator uses about 1/5 gallon per hour under load and I can produce 30 gallons of water per hour with a CruiseRO unit then the calculus looks better.


S/V B'Shert

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

Good point, but I think your math is a little off. A CruiseRO 30gph watermaker will make 150 gallons of water per gallon of gas.

To further skew the answer, it's also charging your batteries while water is being made, which most are going to have to burn fuel anyway to charge batteries, so an argument could be made that fuel usage to make water is very little.
I figure 1 gl of Diesel will give me 120 gls of water, but it will also wash my clothes, charge my batteries and heat water too.

[2hullvenus]

I'm sorry.

Got no answers to my earlier post.

Might have not worded it correctly.

Can you run them in dirty harbors and rivers if you are willing to change pre filters?

[ColdEH]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

We have cruised for years with 200 gallon (750 litre) tank capacity. What seems to get ignored in the "free water" debate is that in general you are trading fuel for water. If a generator uses 1/2 gallon of fuel in an hour where the watermaker makes 6 gallons an hour you have traded 1 part fuel for 12 parts water.

For us, so far, the calculus has been we'll have to trade "looking for water" in a marina or dock more often for "looking for fuel" more often. I know solar panels or wind generators and big battery banks are all the talk, but I've never met a cruiser who was actually able to survive doing that.

I get 40 gallons of water and 220 / 12v amps in my batteries for 3/4 gallons of diesel and 1 hour run time . Put your water maker pressure pump on your generator or main engine .

Regards

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by 2hullvenus

I'm sorry.

Got no answers to my earlier post.

Might have not worded it correctly.

Can you run them in dirty harbors and rivers if you are willing to change pre filters?

That is my understanding, but I believe you may have to adjust pressure in Brackish water.
I don't have one myself, just have done a lot of reading, and you know that can often be wrong.

I believe one of the videos here is "where can I run a watermaker" and may answer your question
Watermaker How-To Videos | Cruise RO Water & Power

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

That is kinda what I need to know. I have stayed on my current boat several times at 7 - 10 days at a time but on fresh water lakes. It was easy to stay clean. So it is the same in salt water it sounds like...good.

Is it the same for clothing. Just rinse in the salt water?

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Very bad idea - the salt that will be on the cloth is hygroscopic. The towel will never dry out and become smelly.

[Dave22q]

Sometimes we get gross misinformation on the net including here

"Very bad idea - the salt that will be on the cloth is hygroscopic.
The towel will never dry out and become smelly"

Salt is indeed hydroscopic, it sucks the moisture out of its
surroundings. That is why it is good for preserving meat.
No; salt water will not make your towels hard to dry or smelly.
Here in Florida our hot sun drys and deodorizes almost everything.
To remove the dried salt you only need to shake them. If you
throw them below wet they may mildew and stink before they dry.

[tuffr2]

I am getting mixed messages.

I know that wet towels need to be dried in the wind/sun. Same for all other clothes.

So if I get a bucket of salt water and joy soap and wash clothes in the bucket then rinse in salt water will they dry if in the wind and sun. Will they be clean if I shake them for a few seconds?

Or is this why there are marina's full of boats tied to electric and water?

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[chuckr]

Originally Posted by 2hullvenus

I'm sorry.

Got no answers to my earlier post.

Might have not worded it correctly.

Can you run them in dirty harbors and rivers if you are willing to change pre filters?

We have a Katadyn and while we have run it in ports just before pickling or when there was not a reliable water supply and also run it in some very non clear water - you really have to watch the filter as it can get dirty very quickly and I mean black. They will work but we try not to.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

My 3.1 M Dinghy has an over 1,000 lb useful load, 500 lbs is three adults is all.
Sounds like a very good idea as long as the water is at the dock.

Everywhere we have been, which isn't many places I admit, water has been near a dock or across the street. Nothing a long hose couldn't take care of. I know when you get to some far off places it's less common.

I suppose you could lug water from further away and then pour it into the bag, going back and forth until the bag was full then pump it into the boat. It would certainly lessen the work of putting full jugs from dock to dinghy and dinghy to boat.

The bag is also useful for catching rainwater. You can plump a tent to run to the bag instead of directly into your tanks, treat it there and then filter it before pumping it into your tanks.

However, we are definitely going to get a watermaker. There were times in the Bahamas where our only limitation to staying in some quiet anchorage, far from town, was access to water.

What is the furthest distance you have had to walk to get water in the Bahamas and the Caribbean?