water maker or no water maker - SeaKnots2024-03-28T17:13:55Zhttps://seaknots.ning.com/forum/topics/water-maker-or-no-water-maker?groupUrl=zen&commentId=900123%3AComment%3A53683&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noA 300 gallon a day system act…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-17:900123:Comment:536832009-01-17T19:08:27.992ZVerandahttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/Veranda
A 300 gallon a day system actually makes great sense for a 40 footer. You make just over 20 gallons in 2 hours and only have to run the system every third day or so.<br />
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Biking water would be tough in a lot of places as the roads pretty much suck. You might be better off with a small cart with oversized wheels that you can pull along behind you. When carrying water for a distance I usually bring a walking stick and put it over my shoulders like a yoke with a jug on each end. I haven't had to walk…
A 300 gallon a day system actually makes great sense for a 40 footer. You make just over 20 gallons in 2 hours and only have to run the system every third day or so.<br />
<br />
Biking water would be tough in a lot of places as the roads pretty much suck. You might be better off with a small cart with oversized wheels that you can pull along behind you. When carrying water for a distance I usually bring a walking stick and put it over my shoulders like a yoke with a jug on each end. I haven't had to walk water more than a few hundred yards as of yet. Its definitely no fun carrying jugs.<br />
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A lot places, even in the Bahamas, water can be hard to come by. Last year running low on water drove us out of the Raggeds after only a month. God forbid something happened to the RO system in Georgetown, there would be a lot of people SOL.<br />
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Considering the initial cost and upkeep I wouldn't have a watermaker if we didn't live on the boat. Even while living aboard I wouldn't have one if we didn't leave the states.<br />
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Bill<br />
s/v Veranda I think that you also have to…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-17:900123:Comment:536342009-01-17T03:17:58.747ZDeborahhttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/DeborahSwanson
I think that you also have to consider the work and expense involved with the jerry jugs. They are difficult to store, often rot in the UV, leak and become contaminated with salt water, lose the tops etc. not to mention the hard labor of hoisting them onto the boat, and then siphon, or pour and lose a couple of gallons etc. I have experienced all of the above, and that drives the per gallon price down alot. Then again, a trip to the dock to get water can become a whole day affair, and a social…
I think that you also have to consider the work and expense involved with the jerry jugs. They are difficult to store, often rot in the UV, leak and become contaminated with salt water, lose the tops etc. not to mention the hard labor of hoisting them onto the boat, and then siphon, or pour and lose a couple of gallons etc. I have experienced all of the above, and that drives the per gallon price down alot. Then again, a trip to the dock to get water can become a whole day affair, and a social activity. always a trade off of what to do...<br />
capacity should be figured by how many gallons a day you expect to use. 300 gal a day system does not make sense for a 40' boat. I hear you. I haven't had to…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-17:900123:Comment:536302009-01-17T02:10:04.365ZDave Skolnickhttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/DaveSkolnick
I hear you. I haven't had to go more than 20 feet from the dinghy in the areas I have sailed in. I'm sure there are places yu have to go further ... certainly there are books, blogs, and articles that indicate such. I just haven't had to do it.
I hear you. I haven't had to go more than 20 feet from the dinghy in the areas I have sailed in. I'm sure there are places yu have to go further ... certainly there are books, blogs, and articles that indicate such. I just haven't had to do it. Dave,
The water in Jerrycan…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-17:900123:Comment:536242009-01-17T00:39:27.432Zhhttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/h
Dave,<br />
<br />
The water in Jerrycan in the dinghy is the easy part.<br />
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How about the land component? Imagine riding a bicycle carting a 20 or 40 liter of water. Making several trips to the water source that is not by the dinghy landing spot.<br />
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I think the bike need to be modified to suit the jerrycans, so one can be carried at each side.<br />
<br />
The tought make me look for a low cost watermaker solution.
Dave,<br />
<br />
The water in Jerrycan in the dinghy is the easy part.<br />
<br />
How about the land component? Imagine riding a bicycle carting a 20 or 40 liter of water. Making several trips to the water source that is not by the dinghy landing spot.<br />
<br />
I think the bike need to be modified to suit the jerrycans, so one can be carried at each side.<br />
<br />
The tought make me look for a low cost watermaker solution. I agree, and plowing through…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-16:900123:Comment:536062009-01-16T23:54:06.347ZDave Skolnickhttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/DaveSkolnick
I agree, and plowing through all the numbers makes me feel that carting water in the dinghy simply isn't that bad. I haven't done that in Asia so perhaps for some reason it is more work there. In the US, Bahamas, and Caribbean it is not so hard.
I agree, and plowing through all the numbers makes me feel that carting water in the dinghy simply isn't that bad. I haven't done that in Asia so perhaps for some reason it is more work there. In the US, Bahamas, and Caribbean it is not so hard. Dave,
I had a look at the Ru…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-16:900123:Comment:536042009-01-16T23:45:35.166Zhhttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/h
Dave,<br />
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I had a look at the Rutuonline.com website, and see something that is very complex for what it does. May cost more than the simple purchased version.<br />
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Defender has a Power Survivor 160E watermaker 7 USGal / hour 18 amps for US$ 3,700. This is probably a lot less complex than the one shown on the Rutu website. IE a lot less to go wrong.<br />
<br />
Your equation for cost per liter is very interesting, and tend to put things in perspective.<br />
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My plan is to go aroung Asia, where there are no marinas.…
Dave,<br />
<br />
I had a look at the Rutuonline.com website, and see something that is very complex for what it does. May cost more than the simple purchased version.<br />
<br />
Defender has a Power Survivor 160E watermaker 7 USGal / hour 18 amps for US$ 3,700. This is probably a lot less complex than the one shown on the Rutu website. IE a lot less to go wrong.<br />
<br />
Your equation for cost per liter is very interesting, and tend to put things in perspective.<br />
<br />
My plan is to go aroung Asia, where there are no marinas. Hence it have to be carting water or catching rain water. Or spend a lot and make water. The very high investment cost made me think long and hard over this question. mine isnt leaking yet--one of…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-16:900123:Comment:535332009-01-16T04:09:34.772Zzeehaghttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/zeehag
mine isnt leaking yet--one of the few things on board that doesnt at this point----but i donot trust anything when at sea---everything has potential to be disastrous and i choose to reduce the number of potential disasters possible/probable in any given boat......thankyou for the good idea for the tanks --lining--hadnt thought of that one yet--but i like it.....filters are excellent ideas......
mine isnt leaking yet--one of the few things on board that doesnt at this point----but i donot trust anything when at sea---everything has potential to be disastrous and i choose to reduce the number of potential disasters possible/probable in any given boat......thankyou for the good idea for the tanks --lining--hadnt thought of that one yet--but i like it.....filters are excellent ideas...... Zee,
Have you ever thought o…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-16:900123:Comment:534942009-01-16T00:05:56.981Zhhttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/h
Zee,<br />
<br />
Have you ever thought of lining your steel tank with the plastic liner. I think they can make it to match roughly your tank shape.<br />
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Then you will get back your full capacity, without spending too much.<br />
<br />
Not to mention utilising the space occupied by the steel tank.<br />
<br />
Is it a Stainless Steel tank that leaks?
Zee,<br />
<br />
Have you ever thought of lining your steel tank with the plastic liner. I think they can make it to match roughly your tank shape.<br />
<br />
Then you will get back your full capacity, without spending too much.<br />
<br />
Not to mention utilising the space occupied by the steel tank.<br />
<br />
Is it a Stainless Steel tank that leaks? Me Dave? Or some other Dave?…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-15:900123:Comment:533022009-01-15T13:58:52.843ZDave Skolnickhttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/DaveSkolnick
Me Dave? Or some other Dave?<br />
<br />
I thought I had posted here, but apparently not.<br />
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I do not have a watermaker. I have 120 gallons of water tankage. Crossing the Atlantic I also carried about 20 gallons in jugs just in case. On one leg we had a minor water discipline issue (four people, three weeks) and made port with about 10 gallons left in tanks and half the jug supply. Aside from that I have not ever felt short of water.<br />
<br />
If you are particularly handy you can save a lot of money by making your…
Me Dave? Or some other Dave?<br />
<br />
I thought I had posted here, but apparently not.<br />
<br />
I do not have a watermaker. I have 120 gallons of water tankage. Crossing the Atlantic I also carried about 20 gallons in jugs just in case. On one leg we had a minor water discipline issue (four people, three weeks) and made port with about 10 gallons left in tanks and half the jug supply. Aside from that I have not ever felt short of water.<br />
<br />
If you are particularly handy you can save a lot of money by making your own watermaker from parts. See <a href="http://rutuonline.com/">http://rutuonline.com/</a> for an example.<br />
<br />
I have looked at watermakers a number of times and can't convince myself that they make sense, at least for me.<br />
<br />
Lots of cruising friends have them and wouldn't be without them. There is much to be said for being able to take a freshwater shower whenever you like.<br />
<br />
Cost aside, the most important criteria is energy efficiency. Interestingly enough the small ones and big ones are both less efficient than medium-sized watermakers. Depending on manufacturer, there seems to be a sweet spot of 1.2 to 1.3 Ah/g at 300 to 400 gpd. Accounting for amortization, maintenance, and fuel (to either run the watermaker or recharge batteries) a watermaker is likely to cost you .60 to .70 USD per gallon. You can buy water just about anywhere cheaper than that.<br />
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I'm still trying to come up with a good way to display the data I've collected to provide a decision-making tool for people choosing a watermaker.<br />
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For myself, I have focused on water quality, including particulate and carbon filters. tanks can hole selves----then…tag:seaknots.ning.com,2009-01-14:900123:Comment:531492009-01-14T05:09:17.656Zzeehaghttps://seaknots.ning.com/profile/zeehag
tanks can hole selves----then what to do.....i have spozedly 160 gal capacity, but i have a leaky teaky with chinese steel..... a small capacity watermaker-- making enough for a day's consumption over an hour or two is a good problem solver in that event--do not need much and the smaller the output, the smaller the electricity consumption and price..and i would use it where ever i am--i donot use dockage--i prefer to be at anchor or moor....is difficult to carry jugs to boat when water is…
tanks can hole selves----then what to do.....i have spozedly 160 gal capacity, but i have a leaky teaky with chinese steel..... a small capacity watermaker-- making enough for a day's consumption over an hour or two is a good problem solver in that event--do not need much and the smaller the output, the smaller the electricity consumption and price..and i would use it where ever i am--i donot use dockage--i prefer to be at anchor or moor....is difficult to carry jugs to boat when water is needed or to get the boat going for a dock run for water.....using the watermaker keeps the membrane in usable condition--otherwise must be pickled or replaced--spensive.....