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19-04-2019, 19:41
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#241
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Hailing Minny, MN
Boat: Vancouver 27
Posts: 1,090
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cthoops
We decided to hold off on a water maker until we had been out cruising for awhile (for now we are cruising the U.S. East Coast and the Bahamas). We definitely didn't need one going down the coast (and couldn't have used it in most places anyway), and water hasn't been difficult to buy in the Bahamas.
Our usage is similar to Mike's at a touch over 2 gallons/day so it's definitely hard to justify buying one. It would take years to amortize the cost, but it would be a wonderful convenience. The thing that keeps us from pulling the trigger (besides the cost) is the space it would take up on our 30' boat. Not that we haven't talked about it a few times over the past several months!
Bottom line, I'm glad we didn't buy one before we left, but that doesn't mean we won't purchase one at some point in the future.
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Definitely a choice with no right or wrong answer. We fit a modular unit like the Spectra into a 27' without too much fuss. It does take up a lot of space, but over the years whittling down the things we don't want/need onboard, the WM is one of the last things we would part with. That said, buddy boating with other small vessels over the years, we are the only sub 30' that has had one, and it's not like they are having any less of an experience.
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19-04-2019, 20:01
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#242
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 12,121
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cthoops
We decided to hold off on a water maker until we had been out cruising for awhile (for now we are cruising the U.S. East Coast and the Bahamas). We definitely didn't need one going down the coast (and couldn't have used it in most places anyway), and water hasn't been difficult to buy in the Bahamas.
Our usage is similar to Mike's at a touch over 2 gallons/day so it's definitely hard to justify buying one. It would take years to amortize the cost, but it would be a wonderful convenience. The thing that keeps us from pulling the trigger (besides the cost) is the space it would take up on our 30' boat. Not that we haven't talked about it a few times over the past several months!
Bottom line, I'm glad we didn't buy one before we left, but that doesn't mean we won't purchase one at some point in the future.
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no problem with my powersurvivor35 . I mounted in on the bulkhead in my head and repurposed my raw water intake when I converted to composting. .
This shot was in mid install before installing the prefilter .
I hadn't even removed the original head at that point .
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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19-04-2019, 20:04
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#243
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 12,121
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by laika
Definitely a choice with no right or wrong answer. We fit a modular unit like the Spectra into a 27' without too much fuss. It does take up a lot of space, but over the years whittling down the things we don't want/need onboard, the WM is one of the last things we would part with. That said, buddy boating with other small vessels over the years, we are the only sub 30' that has had one, and it's not like they are having any less of an experience.
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how many times have the buddy boats either gotten water from you or gone on a water run while you got to relax and enjoy a beer.
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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19-04-2019, 20:52
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#244
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Full time RV traveler presently (temporarily) in Mesa AZ
Boat: Cal 39
Posts: 277
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
To be able to trade a gallon of water for a 30 inch tuna is a nice win-win occasion. The guys in the panga in the Sea of Cortez needed water and we had it - often. And we wanted the tuna and they had plenty. They even enjoyed getting out of the sun for a while and attempting English to our attempt to speak Spanglish. Great fun for all.
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20-04-2019, 01:07
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#245
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 167
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by secrabtree
To be able to trade a gallon of water for a 30 inch tuna is a nice win-win occasion. The guys in the panga in the Sea of Cortez needed water and we had it - often. And we wanted the tuna and they had plenty. They even enjoyed getting out of the sun for a while and attempting English to our attempt to speak Spanglish. Great fun for all.
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Look at that , a watermaker ( WM) even enhances social interaction
So it's not only the Vet that gets them wet
We rarely use ours , but when we do , it's a feeling of satisfaction .
I've seen too many boaters doing one water run after the other in the dinghy to even get second thoughts about the necessity of our WM .
But it remains a mechanical/electrical piece of equipment that can break down , therefor I make sure to always still have enough water supply ( we have 3 tanks on board) when I start up the WM . Just in case .
Also great to do some laundry whilst ' on the road ' under engine . Although the generator is man enough to handle the WM and (small) laundry machine at the same time .
Lets be blunt , most of those who refuse to get a WM do it because of the financial implications . Very honorable and understandable , but criticizing a WM for the wrong reasons is questionable .
Regards
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20-04-2019, 08:42
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#246
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
There are only a few items that I have added that the family has decided were life changing events, and they weren’t the AIS, Radar, SSB etc.
They were the autopilot, the Watermaker and believe it or not but a cheap countertop ice maker.
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22-04-2019, 04:35
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#247
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Boat: Tartan 40
Posts: 2,460
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Are watermakers losing their relevance?
icemaker sounds interesting! We also have a nextgen (ours a 5.5) and while not full time cruisers, we have the habit of running it in later afternoon to charge batteries and cool off cabin. Could add icemaking to list of ways to use up excess energy.
What kind of icemaker, and how long does it take?
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22-04-2019, 13:11
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#248
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Bellingham
Boat: Outbound 44
Posts: 9,319
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
I've always gone under the definitions that it is a Yacht if it has an icemaker and Megayacht if it has a Pizza Oven.
__________________
Paul
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06-08-2019, 17:42
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#249
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Boat: Custom Build on Morgan West Indies 33 Hull
Posts: 94
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike OReilly
… except I still can't justify the ~$4K given our usage rates and current location. Any help with that?
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...even at $8k+ all in for a Spectra, if you have the cash, why not? We have lately been more and more of the mind that useful things are better to have than cash, and better to spend the cash while it is still worth something...
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06-08-2019, 17:53
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#250
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Queensland
Boat: Lidgard yacht 32ft
Posts: 276
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
So true. This is our first season out cruising with a watermaker. Spent many an hour debating the cost. Now we are using it, what a huge difference it has made. No more worrying about having to leave this beautiful isolated anchorage because we need water. No more booking a Marina berth for a night just to get water. No more lugging jerry cans from the beach.
Quote:
Originally Posted by polaris2.11
...even at $8k+ all in for a Spectra, if you have the cash, why not? We have lately been more and more of the mind that useful things are better to have than cash, and better to spend the cash while it is still worth something...
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07-08-2019, 06:01
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#251
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Good question
Boat: Rafiki 37
Posts: 14,144
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by polaris2.11
...even at $8k+ all in for a Spectra, if you have the cash, why not? We have lately been more and more of the mind that useful things are better to have than cash, and better to spend the cash while it is still worth something...
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Like I said, if I could I would. But I ain’t got an easy $8k. And I have never yet had to chase water given our large tankage and conservative needs.
I’d gladly take one if someone wants to buy it for me though .
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07-08-2019, 06:20
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#252
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Boat: 1990 Oyster 55
Posts: 468
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoudMusic
After experiencing a significant water leak on my own boat while on a short passage, it's good to hear there are friendly people out there
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I passed 55 gallons to a much larger vessel mid ocean coming from midway island to Los Angeles. This was October 2001 on my prior vessel, a cruising CAL 35. The other was a large wooden sailboat “Lord Jim”. I sailed far further north than planned (they were heading to San Francisco if I remember correctly) and transferred 55 gallons of water using a bladder tank and a towed line due to a significant swell making getting close rather dangerous. Took us about 6 hours to transfer the water.
They had a fitting break between the storage tank and the day tank resulting in their remaining fresh water being dumped into the bulge and pumped overboard before they realized it was happening.
They made contact via the pacific seafarers net (ham hf) and spent 5 days converging our courses to meet about 800 miles off the US west coast.
While I only had a PuR 40E (1.5 gal/hr) I kept both 55 gallon tanks full. Power was from a wind generator. I would turn it on in the morning and when the tank was full stop each day. (I had the water tank vents into the galley sink, so easy to know when full each day).
I was very happy to have a small watermaker allowing me to give that much water without worrying about running out.
I also like remote areas and value my back too much to be lugging water around.
I suspect that many watermakers are moved to the next boat as the cost to repurchase is far more than a new owner will increase offering price. Definitely was my case.
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07-08-2019, 07:13
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#253
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike OReilly
Like I said, if I could I would. But I ain’t got an easy $8k. And I have never yet had to chase water given our large tankage and conservative needs.
I’d gladly take one if someone wants to buy it for me though .
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It’s location specific, in the US getting water isn’t hard and it’s always free and good quality.
In the Bahamas it can very often mean 5 gls at a time, can often be very bad water and your paying for it sometimes too, as much as .50c a gallon. As much water as we use that would be about $ 75 a week.
I think free good water is often what makes places cruising destinations in the Bahamas.
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07-08-2019, 07:20
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#254
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: puget sound washington
Boat: 1968 Islander bahama 24 hull 182, 1963 columbia 29 defender. hull # 60
Posts: 12,121
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike OReilly
Like I said, if I could I would. But I ain’t got an easy $8k. And I have never yet had to chase water given our large tankage and conservative needs.
I’d gladly take one if someone wants to buy it for me though .
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said it before say it again like your on the wrong coast.
The old powersurvivor35' s pop up on craigslist here a couple times a year for under a grand . I picked up a spare with a new membrane for 500 a while back .
I can keep an eye out for ya .
__________________
Non illigitamus carborundum
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07-08-2019, 08:12
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#255
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2015
Boat: R&C Leopard 40
Posts: 864
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Re: Are watermakers losing their relevance?
We have a Echotec 50 liters/hr and uses 40 amps (12vdc) while doing it.
I desire a smaller more efficient model, but my search has turned up nothing smaller than the Powersurvivor 40e. The 40e is about 25% more efficient than what we currently have, but not as efficient as the larger Spectra units.
40e: 150 liters per day using 96 amp hours.
260-DML-1: 150 liters in 3 hours using 120 amp hours.
Ventura 150: 150 liters in 6 hours using 54 amp hours.
My 'dream' is to have a small efficient water maker that I can start and leave on while we are on the boat. If the tanks fill, we could give it away or just overflow back to the ocean.
Please someone build a small super efficient model that can be started and left running for weeks/months on end, that doesn't use so much power that it would deplete the house bank overnight.
2-3 amps draw would be perfect. I want a smaller version of something like the Ventura 150. Spread that 54 amp hours over a 24 hour day would be less than 2.5 amps continuous.
I would still keep the my current unit, possibly even using the same prefilters and plumbing. I like the idea of having two watermakers on board when we really want to 'get away'.
__________________
-Chris
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