Distilling on board?

[FrankF]

Hello friends!

Ive been pouring over posts and the internet trying to get some insight on legal hurdles of having a still on board a circumnavigating boat? One YouTube channel flaunts their boat-made hooch from a small electric still made by Still Spirits based out of New Zealand. These units cost around $150-$200 USD...and they work wonderfully! They are advertised as meant for hooch, essential oils, water, etc. I have one at home and plan to bring it with me when we leave for our circ in a couple months. They are very simple, and make great product from plain table sugar, water, and yeast...dirt cheap.

I know most countries restrict the actual act of distilling alcohol, but what about even owing a still? The distillation can occur while underway outside country borders. They are very inconspicuous looking, kinda like a coffee pot. Think my beloved still going to be confiscated by some immigration/customs officer?

Thanks for any and all help!

[Jim Cate]

If it has a legitimate usage making drinking water, I doubt if any non-corrupt official will hassle you about it. Most would not recognize it in the first place.

But keeping a low profile about its other uses would be prudent, as always.

Jim

[a64pilot]

Confiscation is the least of your worries.
I would use it to make distilled water for the batteries.

[nhschneider]

When we were in Tin Can Bay on the Queensland coast, we met an Aussie couple who had a still on board their boat. It cost them about AU$5 to make one liter. The booze wasn’t bad, either. They gave us a bottle of the rum they had made and a friend of mine and I were thoroughly impressed but I can’t remember too well.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[RaymondR]

If you use the simple multi-pass technique you can use your pressure cooker and a piece of heat resistant hose such as the stuff they use on the hot tap on a washing machine.

You leave the pressure relief valve weight off and install the hose on the relief valve spigot then put the end into a metal container which is placed in water in the sink. The vapor will condense in the metal container and you change the water it's immersed in when it gets warm.

A pressure cooker and a piece of hose is an entirely innocent matter.

[valhalla360]

Odds are if you keep a low profile no one will ever ask about it.

If you do get caught, lots of countries take it very serious, particularly if you have an official who wants to stick it to you for some reason.

Honestly, probably not worth the hassle as hooch can be bought in many areas pretty cheap and you can plan for expensive areas by bring a small stock with you.

[Wotname]

Seems to be more than one thread...
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rd-212655.html

[Paul L]

Thats a pretty slick looking machine. What's its power requirement?

[stevenhigbee]

It's serious fire danger from the vapors. But making a distillation setup is incredibly easy. I made one out of an igloo 5-gallon drink cooler with an immersion heater. I might consider fermenting on board whatever fruit that one comes across, but I would want firm ground to do the actual distillation.

[a64pilot]

Trust me, you cannot use hose, you’ll taste the hose and it tastes terrible.
You need metal tubing, glass is fragile