Why do you need a watermaker?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Wrong

The simple answer is most places cruisers frequent nowadays have potable water. And, where water quality is questionable, bottled water is available.

Unless away from places to replenish your water for lengthy periods, including exceptionally long passages (which are very rare)- you don't need a water maker. Period.

Great. When's the last time you humped 100 litres of bottled water 2 miles from the supermarket, into the dinghy and rowed out 1/2 mile to the anchorage !!!

Dave

[WebWench]

As you can see everyone has a different opinion...who is right? All of us...it all depends on what you want to spend, what conveniences are important to you, where you plan to cruise to, if you will be in marinas or at fuel docks often or not, if you are willing to haul water in, if you are willing to run your generator or not, etc.

Really there is no right answer on most things on boats....what is necessary to one family another does not feel the need for. So you just have to get all the opinions and then figure out what you want to do.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Great. When's the last time you humped 100 litres of bottled water 2 miles from the supermarket, into the dinghy and rowed out 1/2 mile to the anchorage !!!

Dave

Planning, planning, planning. Do you wait until you're down 100 litres or carry water in smaller quantities every time you go ashore? I save 2 and 3 litre juice bottles which are easily transported in my kayak. They're easily handled, lightweight when full and can be distributed about the boat.

I've never been faced with your scenario because I carry small quantities at a time, always maintaining a nearly full reserve of water.

And, yes - I have a Survivor 40E. Unused since 2009. Never needed it and should have saved my money.

[jeremiason]

It was mentioned earlier... Everyone has there comfort levels. Some can exist on less than 5 gallons of water a day and using a bucket for a head... We didn't want to live that way and never wanted for water... and more importantly NEVER had to haul water to the boat.

Some of my cruising buddies would spend a couple hours a day hauling water to their boats, which to them was better that the initial cost of a watermaker unit, but after a year or so doing that, some of them gave in a purchased one realizing the time spent hauling water was better spent exploring, swimming or just relaxing.

We have a Spectra 400, which uses about 2.5 ah per gallon of water. Most of this energy is recovered by the 780 watts of solar I have on the boat without having to run the generator... Figure in the cost of the watermaker and it is still expensive water, but it is clean and pretty much unlimited.

As for the OP original suggestion.... Running AC 6 hours a day, plumbing it to a separate holding tank, then using an R/O device to filter the condensation to make less than 10 gallons of water would probably cost more energy and money than it is worth in both diesel cost and electrical consumption.

Like I said before everyone has their own comfort levels and if it works for you good on you!

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Wrong

Unless away from places to replenish your water for lengthy periods, including exceptionally long passages (which are very rare)- you I don't need a water maker. Period.

I fixed that sentence for you.

The only thing one can state definitively when it comes to needing/wanting a water maker is one's own situation.

Mark

[WebWench]

I am assuming you plan to live aboard for a while before you start cruising. You can test out your water needs when you move on board. Fill your tank at the dock and then try to emulate what your daily usage both underway and at anchor will be. Once you see how much you need per day it will help you figure out what will work best for you and your family.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

I've only just installed a small ac on the boat. It takes shore power to run. Our water maker uses 4amps dc.
When out cruising we anchor, and don't want/need AC nor do we have the power to run it. I've only installed one for dockside use.
The watermaker is fed by the solar panels, not a generator.

I have solar panels and I'm getting prepared to install a water maker. What brand/model do you have?

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by jkindredpdx

I have solar panels and I'm getting prepared to install a water maker. What brand/model do you have?

Katadyne 40E. It's only 1.5 GPH, not for everyone.

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by jkindredpdx

I have solar panels and I'm getting prepared to install a water maker. What brand/model do you have?

This will be like asking what anchor is the best...

We have a SPECTRA Newport 400 II, which is more than you probably need. A Spectra 150 or if you need more a Spectra 300 is more than enough.

Spectra is very dependable, uses less electricity (amp hours per gallon produced) than other brands and you can find parts in most countries, as well as the factory ships direct to cruisers.

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

This will be like asking what anchor is the best...

We have a SPECTRA Newport 400 II, which is more than you probably need. A Spectra 150 or if you need more a Spectra 300 is more than enough.

Spectra is very dependable, uses less electricity (amp hours per gallon produced) than other brands and you can find parts in most countries, as well as the factory ships direct to cruisers.

Reminds me of 10 rules of fishing...
#3 ask locals for advice where to go and what flys are working.
#4 don't trust locals advice...

Thanks for your feedback. Anyone else with input, I'll appreciate learning from your experience or research.

[WebWench]

Ours is a little wonder and I think it draws 4 amps. It makes seven gallons of h2o per hour I believe.

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

Originally Posted by jkindredpdx

Thanks for your feedback. Anyone else with input, I'll appreciate learning from your experience or research.

We have had a Spectra Catalina (12 gph) for 10 years and feel it is one of the best devices on board for cruising. We don't trust the water from most islands where we spend most of our time so having a reliable source of drinking water is essential. We catch rain water for showers and rinsing snorkel equipment to reduce the amount of run time on our machine (currently about 1900 hours). We recently replaced the membrane to avoid unexpected failure but otherwise have had very few problems with the machine. It runs on 12 VDC so on sunny days, our 530 watts of solar carry it with no discharge to the battery. Otherwise we simply charge the batteries before and after running the WM and everything is fine.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by colemj

I fixed that sentence for you.

The only thing one can state definitively when it comes to needing/wanting a water maker is one's own situation.

Mark

I went away and just let your 'correction' stand. But, if you re-read my post you'll see I stated what in my view are situations where having a watermaker makes sense. Of course there are other possibilities like wanting to take long showers, running the clothes washer and other sorts of frivolties necessary to folks that may just as well stay home.

Only my opinion of course.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Great. When's the last time you humped 100 litres of bottled water 2 miles from the supermarket, into the dinghy and rowed out 1/2 mile to the anchorage !!!

Dave

Three or four times a season I hump 100+ gallons of water a few hundred yards from the standpipe to the beach, into the dink and out to the boat. I don't have to row though. It's good exercise. The hardest part is getting the jugs aboard.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by jkindredpdx

. Anyone else with input, I'll appreciate learning from your experience or research.

Spectra.