Experience With Cruise RO Watermaker

[Madehn]

i have been researching watermakers and have decided upon one of Rich Boren's - really liked their reputation for service and model lineup. I would like to hear from anyone that has used one of the optional panel like the automatic flush and the remote valve panel. i am leaning towards a 40 gph unit-- two of us aboard and Admiral is know for long showers. . i am aiming toward 2 hours of generator usage a week and thinking that might work. Comments and suggestions on both the optional features and my choice of size are welcome. Thanks in advance

[zboss]

We don't have a Cruise RO but we do have a Rainman 30 GPH which we have only had for about 6 months. In that time we have come to love having a watermaker and we love having a watermaker that can make 30 GPH. If we were to buy again we would buy a watermaker that can produce even more.

If you are going the route of such a large volume watermaker you might as well not hold back - you will need to run a generator or whatever anyhow and if you are running it you may as well produce the highest volume output you can. If I could get an affordable 100 GPH watermaker that would run on our honda I would. There is an unlimited number of reasons to use a lot of water and when you are able to produce such a high volume of water you find ways to use it. Washing down the deck every day for example. Running water and not turning it off. Showers that you don't have to turn off the water while taking. Filling friends tanks. Washing lots of clothing. Running fresh water through the dinghy... and so on.

If on the other hand you expect to be more reasonable with your water usage, you are better off going with a low amp hour consumer model, like a spectra.

[Hobiehobie]

We have a Cruise RO SM 30 with duel filter tubes. Did not go for the auto flushing version and frankly once you understand how the system works it is really very simple to use. Rich was great during the purchase process and particularly in helping us to install the device via SKYPE and photos exchanges. We love our water maker. There are two of us aboard and when in full cruise mode tend to run it for about 1-2 hours every couple of days powered by our Genset. We use as much water as we like, in fact we are currently installing a freshwater deck and anchor wash down option. The remote valve panel is easy to use. and the instructions you get with the kit are idiot proof! We selected the operation pages and laminated them to sit by the WM but honestly once you understand the operation it is really just common sense and the laminated sheets become unnecessary very quickly.

You will want to carefully plan out the installation so that the valves and filters are all easy to get at. Rich will help you with that. We installed our valve panel behind a locker door so its hidden away but easy to access just by opening the locker door under the forward bunk. The filters are all in a locker accessed under the aft end of the forward cabin bunk, but the valves associated with them can be accessed also by a locker door. For normal operation and flush you don't need to disturb the bedding. For pickling, the starboard mattress needs to be removed. But we only have to do that at the beginning and end of our sailing season.

PM me if you need more info...

Some pics of our final install enclosed.

[jkleins]

We have the auto flush and it allows us to go away from the boat without pickling (which is a bit of a pain on this Unit). It works fine. We shortened the interval to 3 days and that seems to work nicely. We don’t use it when we are on the boat as it is easier to just flush it manually.

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by zboss

If on the other hand you expect to be more reasonable with your water usage, you are better off going with a low amp hour consumer model, like a spectra.

I disagree.

The only reason IMO to go with a lower gph unit is for a very high energy efficiency, low AH/gal, for the purpose of making water off battery power, or using "excess" solar.

If you're burning dino juice then the higher gph the better, even if you don't see using it all, there may well come times when it'll be needed that you don't anticipate.

I've lived in houses with free unlimited spring water, and it's a great feeling!

[Lodesman]

I have the SM40 and have been very happy with it. Sorry don't have the options, but don't feel like I'm missing anything - operating it completely manually is not onerous at all. As with any WM, the actual rate of FW production is dependent on temperature, salinity, etc, so you're not guaranteed 40 gph. When we ran the genny to make water, we also ran the washing machine, A/C etc, to get the most bang for the buck. All to say, don't rely too much on a 2hr/wk run-time budget.

[rcmpegasus]

I have been using the 40 g CruiseRO for the last 4 years. Great system, highly reliable and easy to maintain. I run mine off a Victron inverter running with a Honda 2000 generator. Underway the alternator and Victron handle it. Support from the company is great if you have questions.

[Caliber40]

What is the minimum # of days Rich wants the maker to sit before making new water which "flushes" out the membrane?......If it's 3 as I thought it was then you'd size your maker to replace whatever water you use in 3 days. If I'm wrong and the interval is 5 days then size accordingly.

That being said I think the 20 is good for our use (2 people) but I would have rater have a 30.

I'd be careful getting too big a maker.

Having said all this I'd choose a RO again and again.....because of Rich Boren's willingness and availability to help.

Greg

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by rcmpegasus

I have been using the 40 g CruiseRO for the last 4 years. Great system, highly reliable and easy to maintain. I run mine off a Victron inverter running with a Honda 2000 generator. Underway the alternator and Victron handle it. Support from the company is great if you have questions.

Good to know, as that is the setup I have: four big solar panels, a Honda 2000, and a Victron hooked to a comparatively large house bank (1185 Ah). We are considering a Mark Grasser high-output alternator to supply amps while motoring...while making water, given that if it's calm enough to motor, I tend to stay motoring for a few hours at a time. We will probably just have 80 gallons of water capacity and a fairly conservative usage pattern of perhaps twice a week refillings.

[jonathan48]

Everything said about RO Cruise Watermaker system and Rich Boren is accurate. I purchased the 40 GPH in 2015 when we headed south and have no regrets. The fact that we have plenty of water makes our sailing life much easier. We are two people onboard and feel much more comfortable knowing there is plenty of water and we do not have to be such misers.

When I purchased this system I was actually a little surprised that when I called I actually reached Rich and he took the time to walk me through the initial startup and helped with trouble shooting a couple of issues I had. We have used this since October 2015 and have no issues. I have had a few questions and Rich has always taken the time to provide the technical, at times, information needed. This system was one of my best decisions per my wife. We have 3 tanks onboard and in 3 to 5 days (different size tanks) we make water. We do not have the auto flush and find the system is easy enough that the extra expense just is not necessary.

Since my original installation I have learned there were some components that would be easier to access in different locations so have moved them. Careful planning is important prior to installing.

[Henk Koornstra]

You made a good choice. I became aware of CruiseRO when in Haiti. A fellow boater shared his water supply. He had a SM40. Worked excellent. When I visited Puerto Rico I ordered the SM30. I changed the priming Pump from a 12V to a 110V, which Rich also supplies. The reason is that I ran the generator anyway, therefore I did not see a reason to use 12V and pull that power off the battery.

Over time, Rich has been excellent with his service as I kept on asking questions when I needed some clarification. I have had no problems with the unit and it gives me 30 gallons per hour in the Caribbean.

Good luck. It will be easy to install following the instructions.

[Franziska]

Question on the Cruise RO Simple water maker models (=without remote panel) where the controls are mounted on the RO pressure vessel.

Can the RO pressure vessel be mounted vertically into a cabinet?

If this is possible one could just install the pressure vessel in a cabinet and cut a fitting hole for accessing the gauge and valve, no?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by john61ct

I disagree.

The only reason IMO to go with a lower gph unit is for a very high energy efficiency, low AH/gal, for the purpose of making water off battery power, or using "excess" solar.

If you're burning dino juice then the higher gph the better, even if you don't see using it all, there may well come times when it'll be needed that you don't anticipate.

I've lived in houses with free unlimited spring water, and it's a great feeling!

Big if there. Many of us work hard to reduce the amount of fossil fuels we use, especially on the boat. Personally I hate throwing that extra heat into the boat while in the tropics or listen to genset noise, and see no reason to waste water like I live in a house unlimited water.

[Panacea2183]

Originally Posted by Madehn

i have been researching watermakers and have decided upon one of Rich Boren's - really liked their reputation for service and model lineup. I would like to hear from anyone that has used one of the optional panel like the automatic flush and the remote valve panel. i am leaning towards a 40 gph unit-- two of us aboard and Admiral is know for long showers. . i am aiming toward 2 hours of generator usage a week and thinking that might work. Comments and suggestions on both the optional features and my choice of size are welcome. Thanks in advance

Excellent unit fantastic customer service
Originally went with the 20gph then added membrane to up output to 30gph
Would buy 40gph next time
Have the remote panel well worth it (not remote or auto flush)
Usually run gen 1 hr per day and make water at the same time so I don’t fresh water flush every time. Hot showers daily, wash machine, rinse boat and tender after every run. Etc etc. I don’t waste water but it’s nice to know ill always have enough.
I do try and keep my tanks full in case of failure, but have neve had an issue. In service 4 years now cruising 6 months per year.

[contrail]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Big if there. Many of us work hard to reduce the amount of fossil fuels we use, especially on the boat. Personally I hate throwing that extra heat into the boat while in the tropics or listen to genset noise, and see no reason to waste water like I live in a house unlimited water.

Besides which, a watermaker likes to be run, so running it longer or more often actually is an advantage. A 12 volt system like a spectra catalina or newport can also be run off numerous power sources rather than just a generator.