Water Makers?

Dave_E · Oct 24, 2020

Hi All,

After our first serious 10 days on the hook trip this year, we learned what our limitations might be. Our holding tank is too small and we came close to running out of water. There is only one way to solve the holding tank issue, but the water can be replenished at sea via a water maker. The good ship has 150 gallons of usable water. I shower every day (good Navy style boat shower) and then there's doing the dishes etc. How many of you with a 36' or so trawler have a water maker? Any DIY's? These things look expensive. Should I just plan my voyages to include a pump out/water fill stop at a marina?

Dave

Pau Hana · Oct 24, 2020

Dave_E said:
Hi All,

After our first serious 10 days on the hook trip this year, we learned what our limitations might be. Our holding tank is too small and we came close to running out of water. There is only one way to solve the holding tank issue, but the water can be replenished at sea via a water maker. The good ship has 150 gallons of usable water. I shower every day (good Navy style boat shower) and then there's doing the dishes etc. How many of you with a 36' or so trawler have a water maker? Any DIY's? These things look expensive. Should I just plan my voyages to include a pump out/water fill stop at a marina?

Dave

Watermakers can range from a DIY of maybe a grand to upward of $10k- it depends on if you want manual or automatic, AC or DC, how much production capacity, and more.

We finally put one in after 8 years on our boat, and wonder why we didn't do so 8 years ago. We don't scrimp on water usage, and I've plumbed our deck washdown system to freshwater.

One of the best things we've added to the boat.

Alaskan Sea-Duction · Oct 24, 2020

Hey Dave,

Do a search here on TF. Lots of threads.

We have the following 40GPH:

https://www.cruiserowaterandpower.com/

PPandE · Oct 24, 2020

We installed a DIY watermaker on our 41' boat. Single greatest boost to quality of life aboard of anything we ever installed.

AKDoug · Oct 24, 2020

If you don't use your boat very much, you would be ahead to refill in port stops. I have a Spectra 150, and it needs to be run every 7 days or so with the system I have. It works for me because I spend most of the five months of summer up here on board, but every once in a while I am in port longer than 7 days and have to make a trip to cycle a fresh water purge through the membrane.

I agree, for me at least, it's one of the best upgrades ever! I never realized how much I rationed my water until I didn't have to anymore...

Lepke · Oct 24, 2020

I liveaboard, my private dock doesn't have water, so have to make water. I've had a watermaker for a long time and I use water like I'm in a house. Wasteful showers, washer and dishwasher, fresh water wash downs, and so on.

My watermaker is home built, but if I ever need another, I'd buy CruiseRO's largest unit. In learning how to build a watermaker, I wasted about double the money to buy their unit.

mvweebles · Oct 24, 2020

Willard 36 with a sea recovery 170 GPD (around 7 gph). Planning to replace rowht. CruiseRO 40gph unit. I believe they are around $4500. Off the shelf parts and components so maintenance and repairs are cost effective.

Peter

Hippocampus · Oct 24, 2020

AK add a Z ion. Best thing since sliced bread. We might be in a harbor where we didn’t want to make water due to quality of the sea water. No sweat. The Z ion runs when you do your final back flush and then you’re good to go for weeks And you’re not using up tank water to back flush.

Water Makers?

Dave_E

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Pau Hana

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Alaskan Sea-Duction

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PPandE

Senior Member

AKDoug

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Lepke

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mvweebles

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Hippocampus

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