12v watermaker for sailboat

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Test of Six 12-volt Watermakers

While at first blush all appear about the same size, we find important differences in output and current consumption. the spectra 180 is amazingly efficient but expensive. of the six, village marine tec's little wonder seems the most tried and true..

Last month we took an overview of the pros and cons of 12-volt watermakers. This month, we look at high-output machines from five manufacturers, ranging from systems from industry giants such as Village Marine to small shops such as SK Engineering. All of the watermakers we looked at were production models, although the Spectra 180 we tested had been re-configured to serve as a demonstration model.

As we began our market survey and field testing, we discovered that a number of other manufacturers are jumping into the fray, realizing that 12-volt watermakers constitute a small but growing segment of the market. Most notable among these new players is HRO-another industry giant-which has been promising a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled, self-contained 12-volt watermaker for more than a year. We saw the literature a year ago at the Miami Boat Show. We saw a non-operational mockup last fall at the Southampton, England boat show. We have yet to see a functional machine in the flesh.

With the assistance of Andy Cortvriend of Ocean Link, a knowledgable Portsmouth, Rhode Island, marine servicing company, we tested product output, water quality, and electrical consumption of all the watermakers. Electrical consumption was measured with a Cruising Equipment amp-hour meter, using gel cell batteries maintained at full capacity by a Heart inverter/charger between tests.

Saltwater was pulled from lower Narragansett Bay into a large storage tank maintained at a constant temperature during the tests. The waters at our Little Harbor test facility are not as clean as open ocean waters, but are closer to the reality of the watermaking most cruisers will experience. This was not a pure laboratory test with manufactured sea water of exactly the right total dissolved solids (TDS).

We then examined each machine carefully on the bench, looking for weak points, strong points, potential installation or maintenance hang-ups, and general quality of construction.

The quality of output water was tested with a TDS meter and all machines easily met standards for potability.

The real test of any watermaker is how it performs over time-not just months, but years. Because maintenance is a key factor in longevity and trouble-free operation, the owner/operator will bear a large portion of the responsibility for the long-term success of any watermaker installation.

Here are our findings.

Village Marine Little Wonder When Village Marine Tecs Little Wonder was introduced almost a decade ago, it was the first 12-volt watermaker that actually had the capacity to supply the water needs of a medium-sized cruising sailboat without almost continual running. More than 1,500 of these compact, well-made machines have been produced, and there have been virtually no changes to the design or components over the entire production run.

Both 12-volt and 24-volt models are available, with the higher voltage model producing slightly more product flow.

The standard model is totally self-contained in a well-designed package, with all components bolted to a heavy aluminum chassis, topped off with a removable aluminum cover. Mounting requires drilling through the chassis for suitable through-bolts.

The three plumbing connections-feed water, product water, and brine discharge-are pre-plumbed through one end of the case. The wiring junction box also contains connections for an optional feed water boost pump, and an internal 25-amp breaker to protect the electrics.

Although the package is tightly plumbed, there is reasonable space between components for service.

Power for the high-pressure pump is provided by a continuous-duty 1/4-hp. Pacific Scientific motor, rated at 21.5 amps at full power. The motor is connected to the high-pressure pump by a lightweight cogged belt.

The heart of the Little Wonder is its proprietary high-pressure pump, specially made by Village Marine for this machine. It features a titanium pump head with ceramic plunger-a combination which should be corrosion-proof for the life of the watermaker. All wetted parts in the pump are titanium, type 316 stainless steel, or ceramic. High-pressure plumbing and connectors are type 316 stainless.

Monitoring includes a high-pressure gauge and product flow gauge. System pressure can be adjusted if necessary using an open-end wrench, although the factory pre-set pressure of 800 psi should be correct for most watermaking situations. The pressure regulator is a high-quality regulator, rather than the more commonly seen needle-valve adjuster.

The fiberglass pressure vessel and the standard-sized 2521 membrane are both manufactured by Village Marine, although they are industry-standard in size.

In our tests, the Little Wonder produced a product flow of 5.8 gph at 13 volts, drawing 16.7 amps-about 37.4 watts per gallon. This does not include the 1-amp current draw of the small optional booster pump, which is required for above-the-waterline installations, long feed water runs, or installations containing multiple pre-filters.

The water produced by the machine we tested was very high quality. The noise level of 79 dB, with the cover removed, was louder than the two quietest machines tested, but was not loud enough to be objectionable.

The self-contained unit is 25.5″ long, 11″ wide, and 9.25″ high, and requires a slightly larger mounting space to accommodate plumbing connections and allow access for removal of fastenings holding the cover. For tight installations, a modular version is available, which does away with the mounting chassis and uses flexible high-pressure hoses rather than rigid stainless steel tubing. Obviously, installation of the modular unit requires slightly more time, but offers a lot of flexibility-very desirable in field installations aboard the typical cruising sailboat, in which locker or shelf space is at a premium.

Documentation is excellent, with a 35-page manual covering installation, operation and maintenance.

The warranty is somewhat complex. The membrane has a three year warranty, the pressure vessel a lifetime warranty, the high pressure pump a one-year warranty-although some of its internal components have only a 90-day warranty-and the electric motor 12 months. You need a flow chart to keep it straight.

The Little Wonder comes with pre-filter, three-way cleaning valve, basic plumbing connectors, and a membrane cleaning kit. You supply PVC hose, hose clamps, and the wiring connection. Options include the boost pump (standard with the modular version, $144 for the self-contained version), a three-way sampling valve ($38), a pre-plumbed fresh water flushing system ($150), hand-held salinity meter ($49), and spares kit for extended cruising ($199). For long-range cruising, all of these options are nearly essential for any properly installed watermaker.

List price of either the self-contained or modular 12-volt Little Wonder is $3,195. It is available at slight discounts through some mail-order catalogs, and there are periodic promotions at boat shows featuring special prices and thrown-in options.

Weight of the self-contained system is 63 lb. (The modular system weighs 48 lb.)

Village Marine will soon introduce a higher-output version of the Little Wonder, a 1/3-hp. watermaker in almost the same package size. Current draw, however, will be about 26 amps, requiring heavier wiring and perhaps a look at your battery capacity and charging capabilities.

Bottom Line: There are quieter 12-volt machines, more efficient ones, cheaper ones, and others that put out more water. The Little Wonder, however, has a combination of features-ease of installation, relatively low current draw, high quality components, and a 10-year track record-that is hard to beat. You can’t go wrong with this watermaker.

SK Engineering DC 150 SK Engineering is a small watermaker manufacturer based in Ft. Pierce, Florida. They do virtually no advertising, go to few boat shows, and have a very low-overhead operation geared to the Florida market. While most of their units are AC-powered, their DC 150 is a 12-volt model with a nominal output of 6 gallons per hour.

The DC 150 is powered by a 1/3-hp. continuous-duty Pacific Scientific motor rated at 26 amps. This is a larger version of the motor that powers the Village Marine Little Wonder.

The membrane is a standard 2521, and the pressure vessel appears identical to that used by Village Marine. All high-pressure fittings are type 316 stainless, as is the rigid high-pressure plumbing.

A Giant high-pressure pump provides pressure for the system. This is a standard industrial pump with a stainless steel pump head. A complete servicing manual for the pump is provided.

This is an open-frame system, with the components mounted on a heavy aluminum chassis. The footprint is 18.5″ x 12.5″, with a height of 8.5″. The pressure vessel is mounted on the outside of the chassis, increasing overall dimensions to about 25″ long outside the footprint of the mounting frame. Rubber vibration mounts are provided to isolate the chassis, reducing noise and vibration.

System pressure is user controllable via a knob-operated valve on the panel. Monitoring capabilities include system pressure and product water flow.

In operation, the DC 150 was one of the quietest machines tested, producing a maximum of 72 dB of noise. Product flow of the test machine was 6.5 gallons at 800 psi, with the motor drawing 21.3 amps at 13 volts. This translates into electrical consumption of 42.6 watts per gallon of water produced. As with other systems, adding a booster pump for above-waterline installations would add to total current draw. SK states that the system will operate without a booster pump in installations up to 2′ above the waterline.

One of the nicer features of this machine is the availability of a remote operating panel. This option allows routine operation of the system without direct access to the watermaker itself, which greatly increases installation flexibility.

The system is supplied with a pre-filter with a vacuum gauge, allowing you to monitor the condition of the filter without opening the housing. A freshwater flush kit-highly-desirable in any installation-is a $125 option. The 12-volt booster pump, drawing 1 amp, is a $120 option. An extensive cruising kit, including 12 pre-filters, rebuild parts for the high-pressure pump, cleaner, preservative, and other spares, costs $330.

SKs pricing is very competitive. The self-contained DC 150 has a list price of $2,740, but has a discount price-which we suspect would be available to most sailors who approach the manufacturer directly-of $2,350. The remote panel version has a discount price of $2,450, although the list price jumps to $3,140.

The system documentation is basic, but adequate. Total system weight is 74 lbs.

Being a small manufacturer, SK has a limited network of regular servicing dealers, but since all the system components are essentially off-the-shelf items, any good watermaker technician could repair the unit if necessary.

This is a quiet system with high-quality components and a great deal of installation flexibility when coupled with the optional 8″ x 8″ remote panel. Its open-frame design is easily serviced, although the package is not as neat as a totally enclosed package like the Little Wonder.

Bottom Line: With its 1/3-hp. motor, electrical installation will require careful thought, and you will need to look at your entire charging system and battery capacity a little more closely than you would with a 1/4-hp. machine.

The low price makes this system worth looking at. It is simple, soundly engineered, and utilizes good quality, standard components that are easily serviced. The only potential drawback is the small size of the manufacturer, which might limit long-term support.

PUR PowerSurvivor 160E The PowerSurvivor 160E is PURs entry into the high-output 12-volt watermaker market. It is the latest in a long line of machines that dates back to the PowerSurvivor 35, the first practical small 12-volt watermaking system.

The 160E uses a standard 2521 membrane in a proprietary housing. It is a dead-simple modular system, utilizing a Leeson 1/3-hp. motor directly coupled to a proprietary stainless steel high-pressure pump. Flexible high-pressure hose between the pump and the pressure vessel allows a great deal of mounting versatility, including bolting the entire system to a bulkhead. All high-pressure fittings are 316 stainless steel.

At 54 lbs. for the entire system, this is one of the lightest high-output watermakers we tested.

When we say dead-simple, we mean it. Other than the pressure bypass valve and the on-off switch-which you provide-there are no gauges to monitor, no product flow meter, and no means of adjusting system pressure, which is pre-set at the factory and is not intended to be user-adjusted. You would still, of course, install the product sampling valve, cleaning valve, and pre-filter, just as with all other units.

The 160E is a gravity feed system, and can only be installed below the waterline.

Our test machine produced 6.5 gallons of water per hour, drawing 17.3 amps at 13 volts-less than we would expect for a 1/3-hp. system. This yields an energy consumption of 34.6 watts per gallon of water-more efficient than average for the watermakers in our tests.

There are several drawbacks to the PowerSurvivor 160E. First, the system is the noisiest of any we tested, putting out 80 dB at our standard test distance of 1′. Furthermore, the reciprocating drive system of the high-pressure pump produces not a steady noise, but one punctuated by a loud popping sound at one stage of the piston stroke. We would recommend mounting this watermaker in a sound-insulated compartment if possible.

The reciprocating pump also produces pulsing in the systems hoses, which should be well-secured to prevent fatigue over time.

This is one of the more expensive watermakers we tested, with a list price of $4,440. Several discount marine catalogs sell the 160E for as low as $3,800. Options include a repair seal kit ($80), an extended cruise kit ($200), and an extensive preventative maintenance package ($420).

On the plus side, routine service of the system, including replacement of high-pressure pump seals-a requirement every 1,000 hours of operation-is simple and well-documented in the excellent instruction manual.

We also looked at two other units from PUR, the PowerSurvivor 80II modular and the newly-designed PowerSurvivor 40E. The 80II is very similar to the 160E, simply scaled down. We did not test it, but since all the other PUR machines met the manufacturers specifications, we expect this one to do the same. The smaller-diameter membrane of the 80II limits you to membranes from the machines manufacturer. It lists for $3,330, and is routinely discounted to about $2,950-about the same as the higher-output Little Wonder.

The PowerSurvivor 40E is the totally re-designed successor to the PowerSurvivor 35, the original high-output 12-volt watermaker. In our tests, its 1/18-hp. motor drew 4.8 amps, producing about 1.6 gallons per hour, consuming 39 watts per gallon of water. It is very compact, and like all PUR watermakers, easy to service and operate.

At 72 dB, its noise level was the equivalent of the quieter large 12-volt machines.

With its light weight (25 lbs.) and tiny footprint-about 15-1/2″ x 15″ x 6″ high-the 40E would be the most suitable watermaker for a single sailor or a couple cruising on a small or very light boat-a multihull, for example-with limited electrical generating capacities, perhaps just a few solar panels and small batteries.

In an emergency, the motor can be disconnected from the 40E, and it can be operated manually by a handle, just like its Survivor 35 predecessor. Because virtually all the parts of the 40E are proprietary, including the pressure vessel, membrane, and pump, you will only be able to service the units with parts from PUR.

List price of the 40E is $2,220/$1,900 discount, with options analogous to those available for larger PUR machines.

Bottom Line: All three of these smaller watermakers are actually the core business for PUR, and fill specific niches where there is no competition. Although the 160e is an easily serviced watermaker, and is more efficient than average, its high price and noisy operation are drawbacks. If the installation flexibility of the 160E is not essential to you, we think there are other 12-volt watermakers of similar capacity and quality of construction that offer better value.

Caribbean Technology The Caribbean Technology YM-200 DC 12 made by Great Water is the highest-capacity 12-volt watermaker we tested. Its rated output of 10.2 gph at 800 psi significantly exceeds that of most of the watermakers in our test.

In many ways, this modular system mimics both the output and sophistication levels of more mainstream engine-driven or 110-volt systems, including a direct drive high-pressure pump, high and low pressure automatic shutoff, and a sophisticated remote operating panel including power switch, pressure regulator, and gauges for system pressure, product water flow, and brine flow.

Power is provided by a 1/2-hp. continuous-duty motor directly coupled to a stainless steel Wanner Hydracell industrial pump. An instruction manual for the pump leads you through the periodic maintenance required. A new oil venting system in the pump claims to have eliminated an earlier tendency of Wanner pumps to weep oil.

A Codeline pressure vessel holds a standard 2521 membrane. Because this is a modular system, high-pressure plumbing includes flexible hose rather than rigid tubing. All fittings are 316 stainless steel.

A Flojet boost pump is standard, allowing the system to be mounted above the waterline. This pump-actually designed as a shower drain pump-adds 3.6 amps to the current draw of the system.

A product flow rate of 10.2 gph is pretty much the absolute capacity of a 2521 membrane, and our test system had no trouble achieving that rate of flow. The downside is that to achieve this flow, the electrical demands of the system are much higher than any other watermaker we tested: 38 amps at 13 volts, or 48.4 watts per gallon.

You would never run this system without running the engine at the same time. The current draw is high enough to drop system voltage down instantly. In all fairness, for maximum efficiency none of the systems drawing 15 amps or more should be operated without running the engine at the same time.

Because of the high current draw, your charging system should be equipped with a big alternator if you choose this watermaker. To take advantage of the big alternators capacity, youll want a big bank of batteries. The system will probably need a 50-amp circuit breaker separate from the main panel, as many main panels do not have service wiring that is really heavy enough for this type of load.

You will also need heavy wiring between the circuit breaker and the systems electrical relay box. The manufacturer recommends 4-gauge wiring, which is heavy and may in some cases be difficult to run.

Obviously, a great deal of planning and thought is required before installing a system of this capacity and with these electrical requirements.

On the plus side, the fully modular design allows the system to be mounted in a surprisingly small space, essentially little more space than is required by a modular 6-gph system.

Weight of the YM-200 is 83 lbs.

The manual includes excellent system schematics, and reasonably thorough instructions for installation, operation, and maintenance of the watermaker.

As you might expect, the size of the pumps and motors result in a fairly noisy system: 80 dB at a distance of 1′ from the high-pressure pump-the big noisemaker in any system. Due to its weight, electrical needs, and noise, the best location for this watermaker is a sound-insulated engine room or compartment, as close as possible to the ships electrical supply.

Bottom Line: The best application for this system is a larger boat with existing electrical capacity, and lacks a genset or a means of installing an engine-driven watermaker.

With a list price of $3,500-which is sometimes discounted through dealers-this is not an expensive system. In fact, on a dollar cost per gallon of water produced per hour basis, this is the cheapest system of the entire lot to purchase. It is not an electrically efficient system, but if the maximum output in the minimum time is your primary criterion in a 12-volt watermaker, the Caribbean Technology is definitely worth considering.

Spectra 180 The Spectra 180, and a few variations on its basic version, are the only watermakers produced by Edinger Marine Services. It is radically different from other 12-volt watermakers, extracting a lot of freshwater with astonishingly low power consumption.

When you first see the Spectra 180, your first impression is that one component-a big DC motor to power the high-pressure pump-has been left out. In fact, the entire system is powered by a small 12-volt pump and motor-about 1/8-hp.-no larger than the water pressure pump on a 35-footer. This is possible due to the unique design of the Clark pump, a remarkably energy-efficient pump created specifically to power this watermaker.

The Clark pump is totally unlike any other high-pressure pump used in watermakers. To oversimplify, the Clark uses two opposing pistons and cylinders with a single connecting rod. System pressure is created by the connecting rod driving the piston into the opposite cylinder. Without a detailed technical explanation of exactly how any why this works, it is fair to say that compared to other methods of creating adequate pressure for reverse osmosis, this is a remarkably energy-efficient system.

The Spectra 180 is also different from other watermakers in that it uses a standard full-size membrane whose pressure vessel is just over 44″ long-almost twice the length of the pressure vessel containing the 2521 membrane used by all the other high-capacity systems in out tests. Mounting this much longer pressure vessel may present problems in some boats. The Clark Pump housing itself is almost as long as the pressure vessel for a 2521 membrane.

According to the manufacturer, they have torn down Clark pumps after 3,000 hours of operation and found no significant wear. In any case, the pump is easy to overhaul in the field by a reasonably proficient owner. An overhaul manual for the pump is part of the system documentation, which is basic but adequate.

This is a modular system, with a remote control panel that can allow basic operation without direct access to the other system components. Total weight is about 51 lbs.

Our test system was a factory demonstrator, configured as a self-contained frame system with some performance compromises compared to the correct, conventional modular installation. Instead of a single large membrane, our test system utilized two 2521 membranes, similar in flux area to the larger membrane.

From a pure electrical efficiency perspective, the Spectra 180 was the most impressive watermaker we tested. With a current draw of 8.6 amps at 13 volts, our test unit pumped out fresh water at the rate of almost 9.5 gph–almost as much as the Great Water system, which draws almost five times as much power. Thats only 11.8 watts per gallon, by light years the most electrically efficient machine in our test.

In addition, at a noise level of 65 dB, this was the quietest system.

The Spectra 180 is not perfect, however. The system runs at low pressure compared to other systems-just 600 psi with our 70F water temperature-and the product water, although perfectly acceptable, had the highest total dissolved solids in our tests. Since product water quality can vary with different membranes, we are reluctant to attach much significance to this slightly lower water quality, which was still well within standards for drinking water.

We have some concerns about the relatively low feed water flow rate through the big membrane. The more water that passes over a membrane, the better it likes it, according to most manufacturers. The Spectras flow rate of about 90 gph is quite small for the large membrane, and we do not know how the longevity of the membrane might be impacted by this.

The ends of the main block of our systems Clark pump were machined from bronze, and showed some signs of surface oxidation at the interface to the Delrin main block. According to the manufacturer, future editions of the Spectra will have stainless steel components in place of bronze.

Likewise, the pressure relief needle valve on our test system dribbled when it was barely cracked open. We were told that this component has also been re-designed.

Our test system utilized brass high-pressure fittings, rather than the type 316 stainless used by every other manufacturer. Some manufacturers claim that the only reason to use brass is to save money, while others admitted to us, a bit reluctantly, that they had never seen a brass high-pressure fitting with significant corrosion, and stainless was generally used for appearance and galvanic compatibility as much as for longevity purposes.

Given the cost of the Spectra 180, we think you should get type 316 stainless fittings, and type 316 pump block components. The price of the Spectra 180 is $4,650, the highest of any machine we tested. You pay a significant premium for a major increase in electrical efficiency. Service, parts, and options prices are similar to those of other manufacturers: $350 for a long-term offshore service kit, for example. The price of the installation kit-$275-strikes us as a bit high for such parts as the three-way servicing and diverting valves that some other manufacturers include in the price of the basic system.

According to the manufacturer, although the system is fully functional and in production, they are still looking at further developments, including a composite Clark pump that would have no metal components. Relatively few of these machines are in use in the field at this time, as the product is quite new to the market.

Bottom Line: The most attractive feature of this system is its energy efficiency. We are less impressed by its price, and by the fact that it would appear to be a system with some room for refinement. However, if being able to run a watermaker without running the engine at the same time is important to you, and if price is less important than electrical efficiency, the Spectra 180 would be the choice among the systems we tested.

Conclusions/Recommendations Because virtually every cruising boat has different needs, priorities, and installation requirements, no single high-capacity 12-volt watermaker is going to fit the bill for every sailor. These are all well-designed, fully functional machines. Each has specific advantages and disadvantages, which we have described.

All meet their manufacturers performance specifications in terms of electrical consumption and product water output. Variances of +/- 10% to 15% from the manufacturers specifications for performance are normal.

The variations in product water quality we found are not significant. All the watermakers produce water that meets international standards for potability. The quality of the water will vary over time with any watermaker and with any membrane. A simple hand salinity tester-available from most watermaker manufacturers-is all that is required for routine checking of water quality. Most owners who use their watermakers daily don’t even bother testing salinity. They start the machine, let it run for a few minutes, taste the water, and if it tastes good, divert it to the tank.

All watermakers have similar maintenance requirements, and all we tested are reasonably easy to service. Your choice of a specific system will be largely the result of specific requirements for your boat and your cruising. The key questions are the amount and shape of space you have for the watermaker, the existing or planned electrical generating and battery storage capacity of your boat, and the amount of water you must make in a specific time frame.

All watermakers are maintenance-intensive. To a large extent, the long-term, hassle-free operation of a watermaker is a function of where and how it is used, and how religiously routine maintenance is performed. None of these machines will stand abuse.

A freshwater flushing system is an important component of a watermaker installation. Of the machines tested, only Village Marine and SK Engineering offer a ready-made freshwater back flush system as an option. While it is an easy system to design and build for anyone capable of installing a watermaker, it should be offered and recommended as an option by other manufacturers as well.

None of these systems is beyond the installation capabilities of a reasonably handy boat owner. If space permits, a totally self-contained system such as Village Marines Little Wonder will be slightly easier to install, but the total difference in installation time between self-contained and modular systems should not be more than a few hours unless there are vexing component mounting problems to solve. Plumbing and wiring connections are essentially the same for modular and self-contained systems, although a modular system with a remote panel will certainly take the longest time to install because of the number of individual components that must be placed.

All installations require attention to detail, particularly when it comes to wiring. We would not recommend you install a watermaker as the first major project you undertake on your boat, since it will require putting in a through-hull, installing heavy-duty wiring, and completing some plumbing that may in some boats be more difficult than it may first appear.

While all watermakers are covered by manufacturers warranties, all specifically exclude damage due to abuse in operation, poor maintenance, or improper installation.

A watermaker is not a use-it-and-forget-it product. Its for those who live aboard. If you don’t use it regularly and maintain it properly, you are wasting your money, and you shouldnt own one. On the other hand, if you are willing to accept the responsibility of maintaining a fairly demanding piece of equipment, a 12-volt watermaker can give you-particularly if you are a cruising sailor who desires long-term independence from shore-a degree of freedom you may not otherwise find.

Contacts- Edinger Marine Service, Inc., 298 Harbor Dr., Sausalito, CA 94965; 415/332-3780, fax 415/332-8527. Great Water, Inc., 5148 Peach St. Erie, PA 16509; 814/838-0786, fax 814/838-8700. Ocean Link, 52 Maritime Dr., Portsmouth, RI 02871; 401/683-4434. PUR, Recovery Engineering, 9300 75th Ave. North, Minneapolis, MN 55428; 800/845-7873, fax 312/315-5505. SK Engineering, 4256 N. US 1, Suite 1, Ft. Pierce, FL 34946; 800/489-0852, fax 561/489-0808. Village Marine Tec., 2000 West 135th St., Gardena, CA 90249; 800/421-4503, fax 310/538-3048.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Excellent article, thank you for the research and detailed info.

Agree! Thank YOU

I really appreciated reading your recommendation, especially power consumption from one manufacturer to the other.

I am some how confused with Spectra manufacturing and Katadyn. I thought it was all Katadyn for some time now. When was this test done?.

Great review, except it would have been helpful to have specific TDS figures for the output in each case.

The contact information for SK engineering is wrong. Went to some health insurance company that sounded like a scam.

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5 Best Watermakers for Sailboats

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

June 15, 2022

With the right Watermaker, the ocean becomes an almost immeasurable supply of fresh and clean drinking water to keep you hydrated during your offshore sailing adventures.

Many sailors do spend a lot of their time and money on various parts of the sailboat including the sails, engine, electronics, and generators especially when preparing for long-distance voyages.

While there's absolutely nothing wrong with this, they often overlook one crucial part of general human survival: having an ample supply of fresh drinking water.

Whether you have freshwater drinking tanks on your sailboat or planning to cruise in areas where you can easily access clean drinking water, the hassle involved in having to come to the dock to fill the water tanks can be quite overwhelming.

This is exactly why you need to find the best watermakers for sailboats.

Like many other nautical technologies, watermakers have significantly advanced in the last few decades to become very efficient and more reliable. They're no longer a luxury on your sailboat but a necessity. Better still, watermakers have become relatively affordable and are meant to keep you hydrated as you explore areas that do not have clean and fresh drinking water.

In this article, we'll take a look at how watermaker systems work, highlight its benefits, and highlight the best sailboat watermakers on the market right now. At the end of this read, you should be able to choose the best watermaker for your sailboat.

Table of contents

Benefits of Having a Watermaker on Your Sailboat

The freedom and security that come with having full water tanks on your sailboat are of immense importance, especially if you're cruising in an area where fresh drinking water is hard to come by and quite expensive when you do. As such, having a watermaker aboard your sailboat is no longer a luxury like it used to be in the past. With a steady supply of fresh and clean water, your life on the sailboat will be a lot better. This is because you'll have enough clean water to drink, cook, wash, and shower, which is beneficial if you want to enjoy your sailing adventures.

Honestly speaking, many sailors do not actually need a watermaker. Well, if you're planning to sail just near the shores, then there's a chance that you can easily access fresh and clean water by the dock. But this can be limiting if you've been dreaming of going off the grid and sailing to some exotic and unknown places in the world.

With that in mind, a watermaker makes a lot of sense to most sailors. You won't have to worry about having to carry aboard gallons of fresh water for cooking and drinking during your voyage. You won't have to treat freshwater as a precious commodity that must last until you can refill at the next port. With a watermaker, you can simply go ocean crossing without worrying about running out of water.

A watermaker allows you to have a steady supply of fresh and clean water to keep everybody well-hydrated and healthy. You can clean the water anytime you feel like and all you have to do is replace the filter once in a while and you'll be good to go. In essence, a watermaker is probably one of the most important equipment to have aboard your sailboat, so installing it is of great importance if you're a serious sailor.

The Basics of Modern Marine Watermakers

Modern marine watermakers essentially follow the principle of reverse-osmosis to produce pure, drinking water from seawater. During this process and through very high pressure, seawater is forced through a semipermeable membrane that only allows freshwater molecules to pass through it but not salt, bacteria, or any other organic material. The newly made pure, drinking water is then piped to the sailboat's water tanks while the leftover (brine) is discharged overboard.

Even though marine watermakers may differ in the type of pump that's employed and how it is driven, this is one of the most important features in every watermaker. In most cases, water can be electrically pumped or powered directly off the boat's engine. If you have an AC generator or alternator on your boat, it would make much sense to use the AC output to drive the watermaker directly. You can also choose the DC-powered models if you rely on renewable energy from solar or wind. Alternatively, you can still go for AC-powered watermakers but you'll have to buy an inverter.

All in all, DC-powered watermakers are more efficient since they integrate a power-saving energy recovery system (ERS). You must, however, keep in mind that your energy consumption levels might be quite high if you're sailing in colder and saltier areas. This is because the water purification process might be a bit slower in such areas. As such, you should consider investing in a more high-powered watermaker system if you will be sailing in colder and saltier areas than if you're planning to sail more in warm and less salty areas.

As far as an engine-driven watermaker is concerned, you should mount the high-pressure pump on the engine so that it can be belt-driven using an automatic clutch. An engine-driven watermaker should be your first option if you want large quantities of fresh drinking water. This is more productive than AC or DC-powered watermakers. Even with a relatively small engine, this setup has an automatic regulator that constantly pumps the water. With that in mind, engine-driven watermakers are ideal if you want to reduce your energy consumption. To put it into perspective, an engine-driven watermaker can lower energy consumption by an enormous 80%, especially when compared with conventional AC or DC-powered watermaker systems.

How to Choose the Best Watermaker for Your Sailboat

There are many factors to consider when looking for the best watermakers for your sailboat. Here are the most important things to consider.

Your Freshwater Needs

One of the most important things to consider before spending your money on a watermaker is your freshwater needs. What quantity would be enough to keep you going on your sailing adventure? While the quantity might differ from one sailor to the other or from one boat to the other, you should consider the number of gallons that a particular watermaker can produce per day. This will help you in choosing the ideal watermaker; a model that will ensure that you never run out of water. Do not underestimate your water needs, especially if you're planning to sail with your children or if you're planning to stay on the boat for an extended period of time.

Do you have enough space on your vessel to accommodate the type of watermaker you're looking to buy? While most watermakers are designed to fit in the smallest of space, you should consider the actual size of the watermaker and find out whether you have enough space on your vessel to fix it.

Watermakers can run on electricity, renewable energy such as wind and solar (if you have them on your vessel), or both. When looking for the perfect watermaker, you should consider how to power it and whether or not the watermaker has low-energy consumption, which is definitely a great feature. Again, there are also engine-driven watermakers, so it's important to know exactly what you're going for.

Maintenance

Watermakers have a reputation for being difficult to maintain. Fortunately, the equipment and components have improved in the last few years so you should go for a model that's easy to maintain. You should use the watermaker in water bodies that look good, You should avoid using the watermaker in dirty harbors as you may have to change the filters every so often or even damage your watermaker altogether.

Best Watermakers for Sailboats

Let's take a look at the best watermakers available on the market right now.

The Ultra Whisper

Engineered by limited electrical options that can run on either DC or AC, THE Ultra Whisper by Sea Recovery is one of the best watermakers currently available on the market. In addition to being very quiet, this watermaker features an automatic operation that requires very minimal operator adjustment.

This watermaker is ideal for small powerboats and sailboats since it can serve as an efficient water supply. This model boasts about a 75% reduction in power consumption, especially when compared to other models.

• ‍ Smooth and quiet water production
• Can produce up to 2,280 liters per day
• Ideal for small boats
• It is energy efficient
• ‍ It might not be perfect for large boats

Echotec Watermaker

If you want a watermaker model that can produce 60 liters per hour flawlessly and with no maintenance apart from changing the filters, look no further than the Echotec Watermaker. This model is designed for ultra-reliable performance and easy customer installation.

This watermaker is made from high-quality components that can withstand the continuous harsh marine environment, making it one of the most durable watermakers on the market. This is essentially a series of modular watermakers ranging from 12-volt to 24-volt DC-powered models. They bring forth energy efficiency, a computerized energy recovery system, and ultimate reliability to ensure that you never run out of fresh drinking water while out there on the sea.

• ‍ Energy efficient
• Cost-effective
• ‍ Comes with a very low speed
• Not ideal for large boats

Spectra Katadyn PowerSurvivor

As a compact and energy-efficient watermaker, the Spectra Katadyn PowerSurvivor is arguably the most affordable watermaker currently available on the market. We are talking about a model that only requires 4 amps to desalinate water for your sailboat. It can produce 1.5 gallons of fresh drinking water per hour, which is an excellent return for a watermaker of its size.

It is also one of the most portable watermakers around. You can choose to either install it permanently or temporarily in case you want to take it somewhere else. This portability is also essential if you're looking for a space-saving model that can fit in the smallest of compartments. Its simple but rugged design is essential in ensuring that it can perform at its best even in harsh marine conditions. In terms of its power capabilities, this is the only model on the market that will convert to a hand-operated system or manual power if there's a power shortage.

• ‍ Portable and lightweight
• Rugged design to withstand harsh marine environments
• Efficient and reliable
• Can revert to manual power if there's a power shortage
• Perfect for off-grid sailing
• ‍ Gasoline or diesel can easily damage the semi-permeable membrane

Village Marine - Little Wonder Series

Whether you're looking for a watermaker for your small sailboat or looking for a watermaker that can efficiently serve those huge yachts, the Village Marine Little Wonder Series provides everything. This model is meant for experienced sailors who are looking for various capacity options. This watermaker weighs just about 69 pounds but can produce nearly 180 gallons of fresh drinking water each day.

Designed with a low RPM high-pressure pump, this model remains one of the most efficient and economical watermakers on the market. That's not all; this watermaker is designed with corrosion-resistant features and is one of the most serviceable watermakers in the game. It is reliable, quiet, and portable; all factors that make a watermaker great.

• ‍ Easy to operate
• Corrosion-resistant
• Easy to maintain
• Quiet and versatile
• ‍ It doesn't have automatic adjustment controls

Ventura 150 Watermaker

This is one of the most versatile watermakers on the market. It can use both electricity and renewable energy. This model is engineered to be lightweight and energy-efficient and its compact and modular design makes it a great option if you're looking for a watermaker that's easy to use and install in confined spaces.

The Ventura 150 watermaker is highly efficient as it can produce over 6 gallons of water an hour, which makes it quite perfect for small vessels. This sailboat watermaker features a controller that allows you to operate and monitor the device remotely. It also has the auto store button that will automatically flash the system after every five days.

This watermaker is quiet and surprisingly compact despite its ability to produce about 150 gallons of water per day. It also gives you the option of going for the automated manual or manual model.

• ‍ Very versatile
• Can use both electricity and renewable energy power
• It is smooth and quiet
• It is compact and lightweight
• ‍ The manual model has analog controls

To this end, it's easy to see that having an ideal watermaker aboard your vessel is one of the first crucial steps towards being self-sufficient and sustainable. With a watermaker, you'll be able to access fresh drinking water at all times when sailing even in far-flung places. Most of these models are well-constructed and incorporate some of the best technologies that make them efficient, reliable, and easy to install, use, and maintain.

So when it comes to choosing the best watermaker for your sailboat, it may all come down to what is ideal for you in terms of energy consumption, efficiency, the quantity of water produced, among many other things. With an ideal watermaker, you can remain off the grid for as long as you want without ever worrying about running out of water and this is of great importance in enjoying your sailing adventures.

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Rainman 12 Volt DC Water Maker

The 12VDC system is the Rainman watermaker that consumes the least power.

It’s a very simple and highly reliable system that can make up to 34 litres (9 gallons) of fresh potable water per hour.

Options exist for this system to be run completely portable without any plumbing or fully plumbed in with a minimum footprint installation.

Our 12VDC system is a great option if you don’t have AC power available to you but want to avoid the complexities and maintenance requirements of more efficient energy recovery systems.

Two Components – One Watermaker

The system is made up of a pressure supply unit (PSU) and a reverse osmosis unit (RO). Both parts are required to make a complete watermaker.

The PSU lifts the seawater, filters out the sediment and puts the system under high pressure, while the RO unit extracts fresh water from the stream of pressurised seawater. Most of the water goes out to waste as brine output, while about 20% of the volume is extracted as fresh potable water for your tanks.

Unlike the AC (electric) or petrol (gasoline) powered Rainman Watermaker, the 12VDC is compatible only with the single 40″ RO membrane.

• Comparison: 12 volt vs petrol watermaker »
• Comparison: 12 volt vs AC (electric) watermaker »

With recent advancements batteries, solar, and wind power, it is easier than ever to have sufficient useable amp-hours available for running your appliances.

Our 12VDC system requires 410 watts, or about 30 amps, to operate.

Installed or Portable

Our traditional system in the blue case can be used as either portable or installed. If you wish to install it, it becomes a two box installation. Various approaches that can be utilised include:

• Keep it portable, pulling it out and setting it up each time you wish to use it.
• Leave the unit in a locker, but pull out the hoses and throw overboard to make water, avoiding the need to move the system around on your deck.
• Keep the system portable, but use a cam-lock fitting to temporarily plumb the system into a teed deck wash fitting. This gives the benefits of an installed system while using your portable unit while underway.
• Fully plumb the system in, including the autoflush system.

It is worth noting that due to the lower output and shorter power cord of our 12VDC, most customers with this system will choose to fully install the watermaker.

Reverse Osmosis Unit

Due to the lower flow rate of the 12VDC PSU, only the single 40″ membrane configuration of the Economy RO unit is supported. This can either be in the traditional blue case or Naked in the easy mounting bracket.

This system will make 26-34 litres per hour (7-9gph).

More information about reverse osmosis »

Case or Naked

The system can be purchased either as the traditional blue case version or in the Naked configuration. The pricing, performance and power consumption are identical between the two options, so your specific requirements control which is best suited for your application. The table summarises the differences between the two options.

The optional control panel provides a remote management capability for your installed Rainman watermaker. It’s a highly presentable and functional add-on component that will enhance your Rainman user experience. 

It is an injection moulded ASA acrylic panel that remains true to Rainman’s reputation of elegant simplicity. 

• Integration with the Rainman autoflush system, triggers flush cycle after powering the watermaker off.
• Built in tri-colour LED salinity sensor indicates when water is good to route to your tank.
• Can be installed flush mounted, standalone with the included enclosure box, or even externally with the optional hatch.
• Simple installation with no high pressure fittings or high voltage wiring.
• Backwards compatible if you already have an installed electric naked or cased Rainman.

More information about the Rainman control panel »

Your Rainman watermaker is a very robust piece of equipment, but caring for certain aspects will prolong its life. Regularly flushing your Rainman with fresh water will maximise the life of your watermaker membranes.

The optional autoflush system incorporates a solid state programmable timer that will flush your Rainman watermaker after each use and every seven days thereafter. It incorporates built in protection if your boat loses power during or between flush cycles.

More information about the Rainman autoflush system »

Optional Accessories

While the base system will be sufficient for many customers, a number of options are available to get more out of your Rainman watermaker.

• The plumbing installation kit is included with the Naked Rainman systems, but can also be a very useful option if you plan to install your Cased Rainman units.
• A hydrotester will give you indication of the total dissolved solids (TDS) so you can know how your membranes are ageing.

Rainman desalinator optional accessories »

Spares and Consumables

Your new Rainman system will arrive with enough spares and consumables to keep you going for a while, so most customers do not need to order more with initial purchase. There are a variety of items you will need over time to keep your system running for many years.

Rainman Watermaker spare parts and consumables »

12VDC System Options Gallery

Cased Economy RO

1 x 40″ Membrane

Naked Economy RO

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Everything you need to know about watermakers

• February 24, 2023

An onboard watermaker will free you from ever worrying again about where your next freshwater stop will be. Andy Pag looks at the latest models available for your yacht

The feeling of autonomy that a watermaker gives a yacht is unique. It transforms that weekend-only cruiser into a go-anywhere, life-on-the-hook, adventure craft, breaking the tether to marinas.

Filling your water tanks at the fuel jetty will always be a cheaper alternative to the eye-watering cost of buying and installing a watermaker, but there will be times when your plans are limited by having no access to a tap or if the only source available doesn’t look particularly appetising. And in the event of a burst pipe or accidentally draining your tank mid-passage, it means you’ll be able to keep sailing at the flick of a switch, rather than having to reroute to refill.

Watermaker desalination process

Watermakers – technically known as desalination units – use a process called reverse osmosis (RO) to make drinking water. By forcing salty water at a high pressure against one side of an RO membrane, fresh water will slowly seep through, leaving the salt and bacteria behind. The output is notably devoid of minerals, but the taste can be a little strange at first. Think of the membrane as a filter so fine that even bacteria and salt molecules can’t get through it.

But as well as the pressure, a membrane also needs to have the water flowing over it to flush away all the stuff that didn’t pass through as it would otherwise block the membrane’s pores. In this way it’s different to a filter because a membrane has a salty inlet, a freshwater output, and a saltier discharge outlet.

Much of the cooking done onboard needs fresh water. Photo: Tor Johnson

High pressure pumps

Creating high-pressure water, which is also flowing at speed, takes a lot of energy, and there are two methods watermakers use to achieve this. One is simple: a high-pressure pump. This can draw a lot of current but it creates the speed of flow needed, and the forceful pressure too. The saltwater is directed to the membranes and the pressure is created by closing down a tap, called a needle valve, at the discharge to build up pressure on the membrane while still allowing water to flow out through the needle valve at the required speed.

High-pressure pump watermakers are fast, but they aren’t the most energy- efficient way of creating clean water. They are usually tuned to produce 60 litres per hour or more but can draw upwards of 500W and while there are 12V versions, they typically use mains voltage pumps and are better suited to being run from a generator than a battery bank.

They’re designed to fill your tanks quickly so you don’t have to run the generator for long. Mechanically, they’re simple, and apart from the high-pressure pump there are no moving parts to go wrong.

A watermaker and its many parts.

Energy recovery

The alternative method is a Clark pump watermaker, also known as an energy recovery device (ERD). This uses a fast-running but much lower-pressure pump which needs less power. To obtain the high pressure required, the pressure in the discharge water is harnessed by a couple of reciprocating pistons and used to boost the inlet pressure. It takes a few minutes to build up pressure and during that time the output is slow and not very clean.

Watermaker running costs

An ERD unit will typically produce 20-60 litres per hour. The lower demand on the pump means it can be reasonably powered by 12V with as little as 9A, and can produce a litre of water with just 4-5Wh of energy. High-pressure units need between two and three times that energy per litre. If you run your boat from solar panels or don’t have a generator, this is the type of watermaker to go for.

Devoid of minerals, the taste can be a little strange at first

In fact, your boat’s power source is the first thing to look at when considering which type of watermaker to get. But it’s also worth remembering that the extra complexity of ERD units make them expensive to buy and more prone to breakdowns.

When choosing an ERD watermaker it’s therefore really important to consider the availability and costs of spare parts because sooner or later they will need servicing.

Most manufacturers have a dealer network that can provide advice, but don’t count on them stocking parts or offering servicing. These machines are notoriously fiddly to repair, and one dealer told me discreetly it’s not financially viable for him to offer a repair service as the time it takes can spiral into hours. That leaves you with the option to send the machine back to the manufacturer at great expense, or do it yourself.

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After-sales service

Spectra has one of the best reputations for after-sales service. In most places you’re more likely to find Spectra and Schenker dealers, but that doesn’t guarantee they’ll have parts in stock, and all manufacturers will ship parts to you. Spectra also offers rebuild kits which come with step-by-step instructions and special tools to get to those hard-to-reach O-rings. They feel like a lot of money for a bag of O-rings, but are a cheaper option than sending the unit back to the factory.

If you’re buying new, a warranty is highly valuable but once it runs out you’ll find out how pricey the parts really are. Some manufacturers give longer warranties if a certified technician installs the system.

Most ERD units are made out of engineering plastics such as Delrin which can split around fittings if over-tightened or if warm water is used during cleaning.

One leading UK dealer who sells all brands told me that since Spectra changed the type of plastic used a few years ago he’s had no returns, unlike rival brands. Spectra were tight-lipped on the material they use when Yachting Monthly asked them for details.

An average-sized watermaker will easily squeeze into the space under a bunk

Watermaker instillation tips

A bad installation can render a good machine useless, so there are a few key points to know. Use dedicated through-hulls for the saltwater intake and brine discharge. Make sure the intake is low enough that it won’t be exposed when heeling or in big waves to prevent air bubbles entering the system. Don’t install the intake where there will be turbulent flow, behind the keel, for example, or near the props and rudders. The discharge should be above the waterline.

To give the pump the best chance of producing the pressure needed, install it as low as possible in the boat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on hose diameters and avoid long hose runs and tight turns that restrict flow.

Finally, use correctly sized wiring as the 12V pumps will underperform if there are voltage losses in the wiring.

Monitoring quality

A Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) meter measuring impurities in the output water coupled to a diverter valve can automatically protect the purity of your tank. Anything under 500ppm is fine to drink but a well-installed system should deliver 200-300ppm.

You can buy inline TDS meters, or stick meters that you dunk into a sample cup to monitor it manually. You’ll see it slipping over time if there’s a problem developing with the pump or membrane.

It’s important to flush or ‘pickle’ your watermaker if you decide to not use it for any period of time

Membrane care

The membranes will produce more output and cleaner output in warmer and less salty seas. For the best lifespan, use them every few days. Drying them out, or running chlorinated water through them will do irreparable damage.

According to Dupont, which makes the widely used Filmtec membranes, they should not be left unused for more than 24 hours, but in practice they can be left for around five days before organic growth risks building up on the membrane, which blocks it and reduces performance. This can sometimes be remedied with an alkaline flush if caught early.

The other thing that can block them is carbonate deposits. In this case, an acid flush will restore some of the membrane’s performance.

If idle for a few days, it’s worth flushing the membrane with fresh water. Some manufacturers recommend doing this after every use, but that’s to protect other components in their systems.

If the machine is going to go unused during the off-season, the membrane can be pickled in propylene glycol. Most manufacturers offer branded pickling solutions and restorative solutions which conform to their warranty and don’t react with other materials in the system.

Avoid using the watermaker in anchorages where other boats aren’t using holding tanks. Although the membrane will sift out e.coli, the pre-filters will become a nasty Petri dish of bacteria.

Pickling tablets will be less aggressive on internal metal components

Don’t leave me this way

Different manufacturers have different recommendations, but, as a general guide, here’s what to do if leaving your watermaker unused for any period of time.

1-5 days: In practice, leaving the membrane sitting in saltwater won’t do too much harm, even though the membrane manufacturer warns against more than 24 hours. Check your watermaker manufacturer’s recommendation though. For instance, Spectras suffer from dramatic internal electrolysis if left soaking in sea water.

1-2 weeks: Definitely flush it through with fresh unchlorinated water. Use a carbon filter to remove chlorine if you are flushing with tap water.

More than a month: Pickle it.

They used to recommend using acid (hence the term pickling) but now manufacturers recommend propylene glycol, which is less aggressive on O-rings and other metal components. Buying the branded solution for your machine will give you peace of mind.

If your boat lives in relatively clean water, think about setting a timer so the machine runs automatically every few days for 10-15 minutes. That’s long enough to flush the membrane and prevent organic build-up.

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Do You Need a Watermaker for Your Sailboat?

• By Jen Brett
• Updated: October 2, 2019

I remember, in the not too distant past, when having a watermaker aboard a cruising boat seemed to be the ultimate luxury. Plenty of sailors considered them too expensive and complicated. Fortunately times have changed. With improved technology and a range of price points on the market, now even average cruising boats of modest means carry a reverse-osmosis system. And really, is there anything that feels better after a day spent sailing and swimming than a hot shower? The freedom and security that come with full water tanks are also a nice bonus, particularly if you’re cruising in an area where fresh water is difficult to come by and pricey when you do.

Choosing a Watermaker

As with any major system, there are many factors to consider when you choose a watermaker. You’ll need to figure out your freshwater needs, the space you have available for the system and how you’re going to power it . Generally speaking, in a reverse-osmosis desalination system the raw water is run through a series of pre-filters, and then a high-pressure pump moves the water through one or more membrane housings. The wastewater, or brine, is released overboard and the product water goes into your water tanks.

Since all of the watermakers that are currently available for cruising sailboats use this process for desalination, the major differences between the systems are how you power the high-pressure pump and the user interface. Powering options include 120/220-volt AC, 12- or 24-volt DC and engine/belt driven. All have their pros and cons.

“The first question I ask a potential customer is ‘Will your boat have a ship’s generator?’” said Rich Boren of Cruise RO Water. “If they plan to have a generator, then the decision to go with a 120-volt high-output watermaker seems natural. While running the generator for battery charging and other loads two to three times per week, they can keep their water tanks full without having to make generator runs just to make water.”

A 12-volt system, such as the Spectra Catalina 300 Mk II or the Horizon Reverse Osmosis Seafari Quest, makes a lot of sense for smaller cruising boats since they don’t need a generator to run and have fairly miserly power consumption. On a breezy, sunny day, a solar panel and/or a wind generator will likely keep up with the demand. “The only difference between 12-volt DC low-output and 120-volt AC high-output watermakers is how the high-pressure pump brings seawater up to the 800 psi needed to drive fresh water through the reverse-osmosis membrane,” Boren said. “The membrane and support equipment, like pre-filtering and plumbing, are the same.”

These systems typically produce anywhere from about 6 to 16 gallons per hour, and some units can do so for about a 1-amp-per-gallon power draw.

“Many smaller sailboats, under 45 feet or so, often utilize solar panels,” said Berkeley Andrews of Parker Hannifin, which produces Sea Recovery, Horizon Reverse Osmosis and Village Marine watermaker systems. “Their entire electrical backbone consists of 12-volt or 24-volt. So they must have a watermaker that can operate on low voltage. These customers have limited amp hours on their batteries, so all of their equipment must be suited to handling this.”

In choosing a watermaker, Bill Edinger, owner of Spectra Watermakers, said to be realistic about water needs. “When helping customers decide which system is right for them, first we like to determine their approximate water usage with questions like ‘How many people are aboard normally? Are you going to be living on the boat full time? Do you have a washing machine? Any children? Are you going to be cruising full time or leaving the boat for extended periods?”

A common error people make is choosing a watermaker that is too small for their needs. “The most common mistake I see cruisers making in their watermaker purchase decision is underestimating how much water it will take them to cruise comfortably,” Boren says. “I’m not talking about the minimal amount of water it takes for the crew to stay alive, because there is a big difference between staying alive and comfort. Selecting a watermaker that will only meet their minimal drinking-water needs but not keep up with the comfort needs of the crew can lead to crew tensions and feeling like camping rather than cruising.”

Remember that “watermakers are rated in gallons of production in a 24-hour period,” Edinger said. “So a 300-gallon-per-day watermaker system sounds like a lot of water. The important thing is that it produces about 12 gallons per hour. Normally a system like this will be run three to four hours per day if power is not a critical issue, in this case producing 36 to 48 gallons of water. It’s better for a system to run for a few hours every few days than an hour every day.”

Watermakers for Small Boats

If space is at a premium, consider purchasing a modular system instead of an enclosed one. In a modular system, the components, such as the membranes and filters, can be mounted separately. Another power source for the high-pressure pump is the boat’s diesel engine. In these engine-driven setups , the pump and an additional pulley are mounted on a custom bracket next to the engine. The watermaker can then be run while motoring or using the engine to charge the batteries.

While engine-driven watermakers can produce a large amount of water, 20 or more gallons an hour on average, the downside is that the installation can be more complex than for other systems. “Unlike the 12-volt DC or 120-volt AC watermakers, where you simply bolt the high-pressure pump down and then run the wires and plumbing hoses, the hardest installation aspect of an engine-driven watermaker is finding space. Some boats simply have no room in the engine compartment to mount the 5-pound pump with a 7-inch pulley on the engine while still leaving access to other engine parts that need to remain serviceable,” Boren says.

A relative newcomer to the marine market, the portable watermaker is a good solution for cruisers who want the convenience of a watermaker but don’t want to permanently install one. The Rainman is one such system that is available as a self-contained unit driven by a gasoline-powered Honda motor, or as a 115-volt AC-powered unit. “The bulk of our gasoline-powered system customers are sailing yachts between 30 and 50 feet,” said Ron Schroeder of Rainman Desalination. “Our customers seem to prefer to have a simple and somewhat manual system over one that relies on control panels, software and solenoid valves. We are also attractive to those customers who have had bad experiences with the installation process of an installed system.”

The Spectra Passport is another portable system. Edinger said it has already proved popular with offshore race crews and cruisers who need a watermaker for only a limited time.

Maintenance for Watermakers

Watermakers have long had a reputation for being difficult to maintain, but the equipment has improved over the years and overall, routine maintenance isn’t more challenging than with other onboard systems. “The best rule of thumb is to operate the watermaker in water that looks good,” Andrews said. “There are a few factors in the feed-water condition that come into play. Operating a watermaker in dirty harbors will most certainly result in repeated pre-filter changes and a clogged sea strainer. If you have extra filters on board, you can get by, but it’s not recommended. The environment in the open ocean and remote anchorages is much better. Also consider how shallow the water is where you’re anchored. Sometimes there can be a lot of tidal movement, which can kick up fine particulate and sediment. This too can also contribute to more frequent filter changes and even damage other components. A nice option is an automatic freshwater flush, which will rinse the watermaker’s membrane element after use. It helps keep the membrane vessel housing free of any biological growth that could foul the membrane and reduce your ability to produce fresh water.”

Whatever system you choose, with proper use and maintenance you can expect years of service from your watermaker. And plenty of hot showers.

Jen Brett is a CW associate editor. This article first appeared in the February 2015 issue of Cruising World.

Aqua Marine: www.aquamarineinc.net

Blue Water Desalination: www.bluewa​terdesalination.com

Cruise RO: www.cruiserowaterandpower.com

Dometic Marine Sea Xchange: www.do​metic.com

ECHOTec: www.echotecwatermakers.com

FCI Watermakers: www.filtrationconcepts.com

Horizon Reverse Osmosis (HRO): www.hrosystems.com

Katadyn: www.katadyn.com

Rainman: www.rainmandesal.com

Sea Recovery: www.searecovery.com

Schenker Watermakers: www.schenkerwa​termakers.com

SK Watermakers: www.skwatermakers.net

Spectra Watermakers: www.spectrawater​makers.com

Village Marine Tec: www.villagemarine.com

Watermakers Inc.: www.watermakers.com

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Rainman Watermaker Review: Best Sailboat Watermaker

Rainman watermaker review – Rainman naked 12V system (economy)

We’ve done a full review of the Rainman watermaker to help you make an informed decision before you purchase.

What is a watermaker, and why do you need one?

A watermaker is a piece of equipment you can install in your boat, or any off-grid situation, to make crystal-clear drinking water from undrinkable, salty sea water and electricity.

A lot of people want a sailboat so they can travel independently and visit remote locations. A watermaker essentially removes your reliance on shore support for fresh water; drastically increasing your range and independence while making life on board a lot more comfortable to boot.

Watermakers can seem complicated at first, but they’re actually remarkably easy to install and operate – although some more than others!

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We also earn from other affiliate programs. This means we may receive a small commission on products purchased through our links at no extra cost to you.

In this article we’re going to explain why we decided to buy watermaker in the first place; how we went about choosing a make and model; how we installed it in our cruising sailboat, and why we ultimately decided on a Rainman watermaker as the best watermaker for full-time liveaboards on a sailboat.

How does a watermaker work?

How to choose the best sailboat watermaker

Rainman watermaker review

• Power options
• Size and quantity
• Portable or permanent
• Documentation review
• Installation

How does a Rainman watermaker work?

There are a lot of different watermakers to choose between, but they mostly work in a very similar way – they’re basically pressure-washers configured to force salt water through a very fine filter at high pressure.

The filter, or “membrane”, is specially designed to remove all of the things you don’t want in your drinking water – like bacteria, viruses and salt – and only allow clean water to pass. You can drink the resulting water (it’s usually cleaner than tap water on land!), and naturally you can also use it for all your other domestic needs like cooking and cleaning.

The watermaker needs two things to work: a raw water source, like the sea, and a power source, which on a sailboat is typically your batteries and solar panels. You can get watermakers that run directly off the 12VDC / 24VDC your batteries provide, or from your inverter at 120VAC or 240VAC depending on where you are in the world.

You can also run a watermaker from a generator if you have one, which is a popular approach for boats that consume a lot of water (e.g. charters). A select few manufacturers, Rainman being one of them, even offer units that run directly off petrol – a sort of generator-and-watermaker in one. But which is the best watermaker for a cruising sailboat, and how can you choose between them?

Like anything in sailing, the absolute best sailboat watermaker for your boat depends on your needs and intended cruising pattern – but we’re going to talk you through the criteria we decided were the most important, and how that process ultimately led us to buy a Rainman watermaker.

There are a few thought-exercises we ran through before committing, such as “how much water do we currently use”, but also “do we want to use more than that after we install the watermaker”?

We thought about what we really wanted to achieve by installing our Rainman (read more on this in the Rainman watermaker review section!) – were we looking to cover our existing needs and remove our reliance on shore support, or should this represent a significant quality-of-life upgrade at the same time? And having calculated all that, did we have enough power to back it up? Here’s the thought process we went through.

Step 1: calculate your water needs

Before our Rainman watermaker review – how much water do you actually need?

If you’re reading this article, it’s likely that you don’t currently have a watermaker… and if you don’t, it’s equally likely that you have learnt how to eke out the water in your tanks for weeks or even months at a time!

Prior to installing our Rainman, Emily had perfected the art of taking a full shower in less than one litre of water (0.2 gallons). She would draw it into an empty bottle and often come out with water left over! I however am not known for my restraint and delicacy, and as such was relegated to washing in the sea. As a result of her aqueous austerity, Emily also became the underwater ceramics technician onboard Hot Chocolate (i.e. she does all our washing up, because I waste too much water). All of the above came from our tanks, while water for drinking and cooking came from shop-bought bottles.

And for us, that was the #1 thing – we wanted to remove our reliance on bottled water, because it’s horrible for the environment. It’s also super inconvenient – water was the main thing limiting our range and tying us to shore support. Water weighs 1KG per litre (8.3lb / gallon for our friends across the pond). We drink about 3L each, per day, in the heat of the summer; so we’re looking at hauling 42KG of water per week (6.6 stone) from the supermarket just to cover our basic hydration.

We often cooked in bottled water, too, because a lot of countries have heavy metals like lead and mercury in the tap water and you don’t really want your pasta with a side of poison. We calculated that we were actually getting through about 8L per day combined in food and drink alone, which meant hauling 56KG of bottled water a week under the blistering Greek sun (nearly 9 stone)… and no doubt further inflating our water requirements as a result!!

Then there’s the cost of the bottled water, which is small but does add up, and the added inconvenience of having to make regular bin runs to deal with all that plastic (~38 bottles a week). Bear in mind we’re just two people – if you have a family or regular guests, you’ll need to increase those accordingly.

A close second was the ability to shower whenever we wanted (run away to sea, they said… it’ll be romantic, they said…) – so that’s an extra litre every day or two for Emily, and an extra 10 or 20 for me! Truth be told I was quite happy washing in the sea, but it’s very nice to be able to shower in fresh water for special occasions, or be able to rinse equipment in fresh water after it’s been in the sea (e.g. knives, spearguns…).

A stretch-goal was to have enough water on tap (pun intended!) for me to become assistant-second-in-command underwater ceramics technician, and take my fair share of the washing up. We also quite liked the idea of being able to soak lines, clean the salt out of deck hardware, etc. because that’s something we typically only get to do at the start and end of the season, but that was very much viewed as a bonus. Washing the salt off your gear extends its life dramatically which can be a good way to offset the cost of a watermaker if you’re on a budget.

So in summary, we didn’t just want to cover our existing needs – we wanted a little more to play with as well – but we didn’t go as far as treating it like water on land (showers every day, washing clothes, etc). If you have a washing machine, heads that flush with fresh water, teenagers that seem to be waging war on their microbiomes with endless soapy showers… you’ll need to account for those as well.

We estimated our water needs to be:

Drinking: 3L / person / day;

Cooking: 0.5L / person / day;

Personal hygiene: 5L / person / day (e.g. a 10L shower every other day);

General needs, e.g. cleaning: 1.5L / person / day;

Total: approx. 10L / 2.2 gallons per person, per day – meaning 20L total per day.

Step 2: Calculate your power needs (and how you’re going to meet them)

Some brands of watermakers are more efficient than others, but from our own experience and from talking to others, it seems like it takes around 10 Watt-hours to make a litre of water – i.e. about 0.8 Amp-hours from a 12 volt battery. Your mileage will vary based on things like the chemistry of your battery bank, the length of your cable runs, and even the temperature of the sea, but that seems to be a pretty usable yardstick.

Our Rainman watermaker draws about 28A when it’s running, and makes about 34 litres per hour.

Because we’re full-time liveaboards, and working remotely from the boat as well, we already have quite a lot of solar – for a monohull, at least – 360 Watts of mono panels. In theory they should push a good 30 Amps into the batteries in full sun, but in practice it peaks at more like 20A and we make a total of 2.2kWh (2200Wh) in an average day.

We need to make 20L of water per day to keep up; that means we need to allocate 200 Watt-hours from the 2200 we make in a day; i.e., installing our Rainman increased our overall power needs by about 10%.

For comparison, Emily’s laptop draws about 90W an hour and mine draws 120W, so running our Rainman watermaker for an hour a day is about the same as running both our laptops for the same period. A 12V fridge often draws about 3 amps, so about 36W – meaning keeping the fridge running consumes ~850Wh per day, about 4 times more than our watermaker.

Honestly, I imagined it would take a lot more!

Of course, our solar output drops drastically as the Autumn / Fall rolls in, but then so do our water needs… so it’ll be interesting to see how that pans out and whether we’ll need to augment it with fossils fuels, e.g. making water after motoring.

⚡ Note: We have recently upgraded our battery setup to lithium marine batteries from the wonderful BattleBorn. We highly recommend them. You can find out more here . ⚡

See the FAQs at the end for more information.

Step 3: Your cruising pattern

Everyone’s needs are different, and it’s important to factor them in when choosing a watermaker.

One of the main reasons we were drawn to Rainman watermakers is that they use all off-the-shelf, standardised parts. If your Rainman breaks down, it almost doesn’t matter where in the world you are – you’ll likely be able to get standardised spares in the nearest major city. We won’t name any names, but in our quest to identify the best watermaker for our sailboat we discovered that a lot of manufacturers use proprietary parts – ones you can only get from the manufacturer.

We considered this to be extremely undesirable, because

(i) as a cruising sailboat, we want to be able to service our watermaker anywhere in the world

(ii) it can lead to price-gouging, i.e. they can charge whatever they want for spares because you can’t get them anywhere else; and

(iii) – it demonstrates an astonishing lack of awareness on the part of the manufacturer.

Your mileage may vary, but we bought a watermaker for the independence. In fact, we more or less bought the whole boat for independence! Trading a reliance on bottled water for a reliance on obscure, single-source, non-standard parts completely defeats the object.

I have worked in technology all of my life, and for every instance where proprietary parts were truly necessary I could show you 20 more where it was simply an attempt to create a “walled garden” and force you to buy overpriced spares from the manufacturer themselves. In a further handful of cases, it’s to force planned obsolescence and make you throw away an old unit rather than repairing it – which again, is the opposite of how we try to live.

In a non-watermaker example, this is exactly the reason we were forced to replace our windlass in our first season. A simple, $5 helical gear stripped, but because it was proprietary and the manufacturer had long since gone bust, we had no option but to replace it in its entirety – at a cost of about $1500, and all the needless waste accompanying it. We found a machine shop who could copy the stripped gear, but it would have cost nearly $1000 anyway after set-up costs. Not everyone will agree with us but we found that a horrible waste and just an awful design philosophy, and we cursed that manufacturer in a way that would make Blackbeard blush as we hauled up 80M of muddy chain by hand…!

So try to think about your intended cruising patterns and how awkward it would be if you needed spares. If you typically cruise the same grounds, it’s unlikely to affect you that much. If you’re planning an expedition or a circumnavigation however, you’re likely to want to look for manufacturers with a practical design philosophy like Rainman.

Ask around in forums and social media groups and try to gauge what it’s like to deal with the manufacturer. How self-serviceable are the units? How reliable are they? Again, this is something that led us straight to Rainman watermakers. The units have a reputation for being absolutely bulletproof; the pre-sale communication was outstanding, you can get spares anywhere in the world and (nerd alert) the documentation is outstanding too.

Although we eventually went for a fully-installed unit, we also loved the fact you could get a portable version that stows away in a locker or can even been taken in a bail-out situation if you have a 12V source to run it from. You can use the same Rainman watermaker in salt water or brackish (mixed salt and fresh) just by adjusting the pressure level, where some manufacturers require you to purchase a specific unit for each. While we didn’t actually need a lot of these features we appreciated that Rainman was grounded in real-world use cases and had given us that flexibility.

You should also consider if you really need a watermaker. Yes, they are wonderful. Yes, they are basically magic. Yes, it would be nice to be able to stand downwind of your significant other without a peg on your nose. But they also cost about $5,000, and you do have to keep using them every 2-3 days or fill them with pickling solution, else they will foul up and ruin the membranes (Rainman has an “autoflush” unit that makes this a lot easier, see below). If you don’t live aboard full time, you might actually find it an inconvenience!

Rainman Watermaker Review: Rainman 12V Naked

Having considered all of this, let’s talk about the Rainman Naked 12V unit we eventually bought, and why – although the reasons should already be becoming apparent! Here is our honest Rainman watermaker review – warts and all.

Rainman Watermaker Review – The Parts

A Rainman system comes in a few separate parts, which you can configure to suit your needs.  

The pressure supply unit, aka. PSU. This is the pump that draws water from the sea, and then pressurises it ready to be forced through the membrane.

The RO unit. RO stands for reverse osmosis, which is the process a watermaker uses to filter the water. The RO unit therefore is a long tube containing the specialist filters that let it separate clean drinking water from salty sea water. The PSU pressurises sea water and sends it into the RO unit. Out of the other end, you get a small amount of pure, clean, drinking water, and the waste product – brine.

Control panel. Rainman make an optional control panel that lets you start and control the unit remotely from somewhere else in the boat. We installed our Rainmain in a pretty awkward location (in a lazarette under the cockpit), so we were very grateful to be able to mount the control panel somewhere rather more accessible! The control panel has instruments that tell you the pressure the system is operating at, how much water you’re making, and even the quality of the water (via a traffic-light system). You can also use it to control the autoflush function (see below).

Autoflush. Another optional extra, but one we would highly recommend. As detailed earlier in the article, you have to run a watermaker very regularly else marine life will grow on the filters and ruin them. The best antidote is regular, even daily, use, but you can also fill the unit with “pickling” solution that stops the fouling from growing. Generally speaking, that means you run the watermaker 2 – 3 times a week while living aboard, and then pickle it in the off-season when the boat is on the hard standing or home berth. It’s a bit of a pain, but not nearly as annoying as lugging 50KG of water from the nearest supermarket and / or chronic dehydration.

Enter the autoflush. Once a week, or at another interval of your choosing, the autoflush will open a valve and take fresh water from your tanks to flush the membrane and prevent fouling. This extends the life of the membranes significantly and removes human error from the equation. Considering an average sailboat has north of 10,000 moving parts to worry about, we’re big fans of anything that essentially maintains itself! You’ll still need to pickle if you don’t run the unit for 30 days, but if you’re like us and can stretch a tank of water to 14 days or more it’s really convenient.

Rainman Watermaker Review – Your Power Options

When specifying a Rainman system, you have three basic choices to make :

• Power source
• Portable (cased) or permanently installed (naked!)

Power source. When buying a Rainman, you can choose between three different power sources:

• AC electric . An AC electric unit runs off mains power, i.e. 120VAC or 240VAC depending on where you are in the world. That mains power in turn can come from a few sources: if you have an inverter, like many cruising sailboats, you’re already making mains power from the 12VDC / 24VDC supplied by your battery bank. You’ll need an inverter that can supply 1250W, although 1500W is recommended. You can also get mains power from the shore, via your shore power connector – although if you spend a lot of time on shore power you might not need a watermaker at all! If you have a generator on board, there’s a high probability your generator is also outputting mains power as well. AC electric units are much faster than DC, and can produce about 4X as much water per hour – while consuming about 3X the power, so they’re more efficient as well. The best option for boats that meet the power requirements, particularly larger boats, boats with power to spare, boats with high water consumption (e.g. charters).
• DC electric . This is the option we chose, for reasons we’ll explain. DC electric means the unit runs directly off your 12VDC batteries. At the time of writing, I don’t believe Rainman make a 24VDC unit, but 24VDC boats can just use the AC version above via an inverter.

The DC version makes a lot less water per hour than the AC version, because of nerdy reasons related to DC and current. A DC system tops out at 34 litres per hour, where an AC can make up to 140. They’re also somewhat less efficient, although if you’re using an inverter to make AC you should bear in mind your inverter is typically wasting 10 – 20% in the process so the numbers aren’t quite as clear-cut as they seem.

It’s marginally quieter than the AC system, but you need to be able to position it fairly close to your battery bank because again, nerdy reasons to do with DC.

We chose the DC unit because:

• Our inverter is only 1200W, and we didn’t want to have to upgrade it to meet the requirement.
• Our generator is also only 1000W, and we prefer not to use it unless we have to.
• Our water needs are only ~20L a day, so we didn’t really care about making water slowly. One hour a day would easily cover out needs.
• We could easily install the Rainman 3ft from the battery bank, so the cable run wasn’t an issue.
• Petrol. Rainman also make a unit that runs directly off dead dinosaurs. Essentially, it’s a suitcase generator like the popular Honda EU-series with a pressure supply unit bolted on (the genset inside is actually a Honda GXH50 4 stroke). It’s a great idea, particularly if you’re using a Rainman in a non-boat scenario (bugout cabin, disaster relief, etc). You can burn fossil fuels directly to make water without the need for a separate generator. I can definitely see the applications, and although it wasn’t relevant for us, it’s another example of how Rainman’s design philosophy seems firmly grounded in the real world. If you liked the sound of the control panel or the autoflush unit, bear in mind you can’t use them with a petrol unit. Rainman says the unit burns about 600ml of petrol per hour, which at today’s gas prices is about EUR 0.70 per hour, or one Euro of fuel for 200L of water.

Rainman Watermaker Review – Size and Quantity Options

Once you’ve decided on a power source, you can then choose the size and quantity of RO membranes to go with it:

• The AC and petrol units can both take two full-size membranes for maximum output – and you’re encouraged to go down that route, because the increase in water output far outstrips the increase in power consumption. Alternatively, you can fit one full-size membrane if you’re really on a budget, or there’s a cute compact unit with two half-size membranes if you’re seriously short on space and/or weight! For 90+% of boats the first option is the best and there isn’t much reason to consider the others. With two full-size membranes you can expect to make 100 – 140 litres of water per hour. With a single membrane, or the two half-size units, you’ll make 50 – 70.
• The DC unit only supports a single full-size membrane – there are no other options. You’ll also make less water than an AC or petrol unit using the same membrane – about 30 litres per hour. If you’re a family, or you have high water needs for some other reason, you’ll likely want to try to get up to an AC unit with two membranes as you’ll make up to 5X as much water per hour. For us, that wasn’t really relevant – it was the difference between making water for 20-30 minutes a day, or an hour. It didn’t seem worth upgrading our inverter or buying a larger genset.

Rainman Watermaker Review – Portable or Permanently Installed

And finally, decide whether you prefer a portable (cased) or permanently-installed (naked!) system:

• If you want petrol, it only comes in the portable, cased form factor. Note that you can’t use the control panel or the autoflush with portable form factors.
• AC or DC electric units can either be portable or permanently installed. The same caveats apply regarding the autoflush and control panel. The cased form-factors come in a rugged, blue plastic case that seems like it will stand up to a lot of abuse.

Portable systems are good if you simply don’t have space to permanently install the unit, and they offer the flexibility of being able to stow your Rainman in a locker when not in use. The PSU needs to stay quite cool while in use, and operating the unit in the open air is a pretty solid guarantee that it will. They’re also great if you don’t have a spare through-hull and you don’t fancy cutting a hole in your boat – you just dangle the hose over the side, making sure it’s good and deep but not amongst any fouling. However, you add a lot of man-hours to your watermaking operation (setting up, packing down, manually flushing…), which should definitely be factored in. You can’t autoflush, and you’re more likely to make a mistake – sucking up air or fouling can damage the unit, and the more times you manually dangle a hose over the side the greater your chances of doing so.

On Hot Chocolate, we already had two perfect, spare through-hulls from where the engine-driven fridge compressor used to be. One of them is deep down in the keel, allowing for a clean bite of water with near-zero chance of fouling or air bubbles. We can make water while underway without needing to watch the hose. The latter was perfectly positioned above the waterline so we can observe the brine output and check it for bubbles (part of the procedure for making water). This made choosing a naked system a no-brainer for us, but I think even if we didn’t have the spare holes in the boat we would probably have made the same decision.

And that’s it – that’s your three basic choices . If you went for a naked system you have a further two optional extras in the form of the control panel and autoflush, both of which represent pretty significant quality-of-life upgrades if you can afford them – but it’s still a fantastic piece of kit if you can’t!

Rainman watermaker review of the installation documentation

I know we’ve already mentioned this, but the documentation is really excellent and it’s clear there has been a lot of thought put into the product. It’s evident Rainman expect people to self-install, whereas when we spoke to one of their competitors (who we won’t name!) they stated “if you need to ask us any questions you shouldn’t be installing it”! Again, this shows a level of pragmatism, forward thinking and just common sense on Rainman’s part that we sometimes found lacking in competitors.

If you’re a manufacturer reading this, please understand that cruising yachts absolutely are going to install and maintain their own electronics, and we’ll desert you in droves if you try to lock us out!

Reviewing the Rainman watermaker installation process

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the unit came with almost everything we needed to install it. We were expecting to supply our own hoses, sundries, etc. but Rainman supplies everything you need – hoses, jubilee clips, hose splitters, T-valves… while we were installing it our local chandlery told us a horror story about a boat who had been waiting eight weeks for a replacement hose for their non-Rainman watermaker, so we greatly appreciated the completeness of the kit! I believe the only items we had to add was a splitter to tee the fresh water output into our tank, because we have the flexible plastic variety and the supplied fittings assumed a conventional solid tank. We happened to have one on board, so our additional material overheads were exactly $0.

Installation was really very straightforward. End-to-end it took me two days to install and test the unit, plus an extra day to get the autoflush set up.

We had a tiny teething problem in that one of the hoses was supplied with an adaptor, and we needed to remove it to screw it in correctly. We raised a ticket with Rainman, they replied in about 2 hours, and had already followed up to see if we were sorted by the time we read their first email!

Only basic hand tools were required to complete the installation, and in fact most of the connections are toolless (e.g. push-fit connectors). We’re now about three weeks into our ownership, and so far, I can honestly say we don’t have a bad word to say about either the company or the unit itself. Our intention is to update this in 6 – 12 months once we’ve had our Rainman for a season and let you know how it shapes up!

Our Rainman arrived from Australia to Greece in a little under 3 weeks, although Greek customs took a further 3 weeks to clear! We ended up having to pay a total of EUR 1100 in VAT and import duties, which was about what we expected. We’ve heard of people not getting charged anything, so it seems to be a bit of a lottery. The biggest hurdle we faced importing it was getting an EORI number (a Greek tax code for imports worth more than EUR 1000). We ended up using our boatyard’s EORI number, meaning they paid customs and we paid them back.

If you have any questions about Rainman or watermakers in general, feel free to use the comments section below and we’ll do our best to help. We’ve also tried to compile some answers to the questions we had when we started this journey and some of the most common ones you see online ( find this section below ). If this review was useful to you, please consider sharing it or joining our newsletter for more quality content and awful puns!

Check out Rainman products here.

Can I run a watermaker off an alternator?

Yes, you can use the power from your alternator while motoring to run your watermaker. Just be aware that if you’re underway, you might be creating bubbles… and if you suck up a bubble it can damage your membranes. Make sure the intake hose is good and deep and your wake is free of bubbles, or just bank the power and make water when you get to the other end.

Can you drink water from a watermaker? Is it good / bad for you?

Absolutely. When your watermaker is functioning correctly it should make water with around 300PPM (parts per million) of contaminants. Safe drinking water is usually 500 – 800, so in most cases, it’s actually cleaner than the water you usually drink!

How to take care of a sailboat watermaker

The number one enemy of watermakers is fouling. When you suck up sea water, it contains billions of microorganisms like plants and algae. Your watermaker filters them out, but some of them get caught in the membrane and can start to grow. The best way to take care of a watermaker is to run it very regularly to flush the microorganisms out before they get a chance to take hold. Run your watermaker every 2 – 3 days minimum, pickle it when not in use, and strongly consider getting a system with an autoflush function like a Rainman – it will make your life a lot easier.

How much water does a Rainman watermaker produce?

It varies, but between 30 litres an hour for a smaller unit or up to 140 litres an hour for a larger unit.

How much electricity does a sailboat watermaker need?

It depends on the size of the watermaker, but basic units consume around 400W, and bigger units around 1.2kW.

Can I run a watermaker off solar power? Do I need a generator if I have a watermaker?

Absolutely, you can run a watermaker off solar power. We have a 400W unit that we run from our 360W panels, via our 12V battery bank. We rarely need to generate in order to make water.

12V vs mains-powered watermakers

Mains-powered watermakers are generally more efficient, producing more water both per Watt and per hour. However, you need a fairly large inverter or generator to use a mains-powered unit. We opted for a 12V system because we didn’t need the speed of a mains-powered system, and we didn’t want to have to upgrade our inverter to accommodate one. You can find more information about why we chose a DC system in the body of this review.

Can you use a watermaker to make water from a river?

Some watermakers can make water from brackish water as well as salt. Some manufacturers require you to specify at the point of purchase, whereas others (like the Rainman) can handle it with a simple pressure adjustment. Just be sure to read and follow the manual carefully or you can damage your membrane.

Solar still vs boat watermaker?

A solar still is a device that makes clean water by evaporating sea water. It’s a great piece of kit to have in a grab-bag, particularly if you’re attempting a longer passage. You can get inflatable solar stills that fold down to the size of a pack of cards. Solar stills are excellent emergency gear but not a replacement for a watermaker, because they typically only make 1-2 litres per 24 hours – vs 2,000+ litres per 24 hours for a watermaker. Their principal advantages are portability and the fact they don’t need any electricity to operate. Both have a home on an ocean-going sailboat!

DIY watermakers

A number of plans circulate online for DIY watermakers. Watermakers are essentially pressure washers that force sea water through a membrane or filter to produce clean drinking water. It’s reportedly possible to build your own using off-the-shelf components (like pressure washers!), and save perhaps $1000 vs buying a pre-configured watermaker. While we’ve heard a lot about the concept over the years, we’re yet to meet a sailor who has built one themselves. Let us know in the comments if you’ve built one and how it’s working out for you!

Watermakers VS Brita filters, filter jugs, lifestraw, etc.

What’s the difference between a water filter jug and a watermaker, and why does one cost $10 while the other costs ~$5000?

Filter jugs use filtration and something called “ion exchange”, meaning the water trickles through a pad made of something like cotton to remove large particles, and activated charcoal or ion exchange resin which reacts with and “grabs” semi-volatile organic compounds out of the water. Sometimes they also use silver, which is antimicrobial, or UV light to kill out bugs. Filter jugs typically can’t remove heavy metals like lead and mercury, and they certainly can’t desalinate water (remove the salt and make it safe to drink). For that level of filtration you need to pressurise the water and use a much more sophisticated filter called a “reverse osmosis” membrane, hence the cost and complexity of a watermaker. The closest cheap equivalent is a solar still (see above).

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13 comments.

Thanks for the detailed review and analysis of the various pros and cons. I plan to get a Rainman for my boat – also in Greece and am weighing up the options. Good practical advice about the autoflush option! Also, I notice you didn’t buy it from the Greek distributor – is there a reason?

Hello, thanks for the comment, and glad it was useful. We have to admit that out of all the upgrades we’ve made to the boat, this is the one that has run the smoothest – the whole process. We’re very, very happy! The reason we didn’t buy from Greece was as simple as price. Adam actually emailed Rainman with a whole bunch of questions (he likes to do his research!) and they cut us a very good deal that made it cheaper to buy from them. It was marginal though so if we hadn’t been out of the water all winter and had been in a rush to get our hands on it we would have bought from Greece. Hope that helps!

This is the best watermaker review I’ve read, haha! I was going to buy Spectra but now I’m seriously considering Rainman.

Thanks! Honestly would recommend it. Let us know which you go for and how you get on!

A very comprehensive and informative review, I’ve been researching these products for some time and can find very little to help me make a decision, can you also let me know how long you’ve had yours and if this has been reliable? I really want to make the right decision when I get one.

Hello, thanks for the comment. Glad we could help! We’ve had ours for a year now and it’s one of those bits of boat equipment that we just don’t think about because it works so seamlessly. Probably the best thing we’ve invested in for the boat (it was expensive but worth every penny!) Let us know if you go for the Rainman and how you get on.

Will do. I follow your blog closely, I’m a big fan of your lifestyle and your honest writing style.

what a great article, I love how honest and balanced this is. 5 stars

Thanks Rachel, really glad you found this useful and hope you do go for a Rainman watermaker. It’s one of the best purchases we’ve made for the boat!

So, you don’t g the specifications for the 12 volt model, what is the AMP versus gallon output ?.

was sent this article by a friend and it did not dissapoint. very thorough and clear explanation. can you review spectra next? ty

Thanks for your feedback and so pleased you found the watermaker review useful. If we ever go a different route in the future we will definitely give some honest feedback on whatever watermaker we opt for!

Comments are closed.

3 Best Watermakers for Sailboats (Reviews & Buying Guide)

With a boat surrounded by water, there’s surely no such thing as dehydration out on the sea. Right? Well, not exactly. There’s way too much salt in seawater, and your kidneys would have to work overtime to filter it out. And to do that, they would need more water, which explains why copious amounts of seawater is toxic to humans.

So before you take a sip of that salty brine, why not pass it through a watermaker? The best watermakers for sailboats can take seawater and turn it into potable drinking water, giving you an infinite water supply to keep you hydrated and healthy on extended excursions.

What is a Watermaker?

Otherwise called a ‘desalinator’, a watermaker takes salty seawater and passes it through a process called reverse osmosis. This happens by pushing the water through a semi permeable membrane that allows the water molecules to pass through, but restricts salt, bacteria, and other organic material.

The clean, drinkable water is then passed into a water tank where you can then collect water for use. The remaining brine that was left during filtration is then tossed overboard and discarded. What’s nice is that these machines don’t use any chemicals, so there’s no risk of water contamination or pollution.

Some machines also use a pre or post treatment of the water using things like filters, sand, activated carbon, remineralization, or microfiltration to guarantee safe drinking water.

The Benefits of Watermakers

Modern-day technology has made it possible for manufacturers to develop more compact, efficient watermakers than ever before. This has also significantly driven down prices, making them far more accessible to sailors of all backgrounds.

Today, watermakers are recognized as a sailboat essential, especially for people who frequent the waves for long periods of time. Some of the benefits of these machines include:

Efficient Speed and Fuel Consumption

Yes, you read that right. Consider this - just 1 gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds. If you’ve got 10 gallons on board, that’s equivalent to 83 pounds. A hundred gallons, and you’ve got an extra 830 pounds on board.

Watermakers allow boat owners to shave down their total weight. This lets you sail more efficiently, allowing faster speeds and lower fuel consumption which is important when you’re planning to sail long distances .

More Floor Area

Without a watermaker, you’d have to find room on board for the several tens or hundreds of gallons you need to bring with you. That also entails finding a place on your boat to store these water vats, which would obviously require significant room.

The watermakers of today are compact and lightweight. They can be either modular or self-contained, giving you different options to match your boat’s floor plan and use as little space as possible.

Safe Sailing

To ensure safe sailing, some studies have found that dehydration might actually be the reason for poor sailing performance. With dehydrated captains feeling lightheaded, achy, tired, and confused, it becomes increasingly likely to run into an accident that could endanger the lives of the people on board.

A watermaker guarantees that there will be fresh potable water at the ready any time you might need it. This doesn’t only curb the chances of dehydration, but also provides a solution for a variety of health conditions including diarrhea and various types of infections.

Extended Sailing Duration

You’ll only be able to sail for as long as your supplies on-board last. As your drinking water runs low, you’ll find yourself having to find the nearest dock to replenish supplies every so often. That’s if there are docks and shores you can access throughout your route. But what if there aren’t any?

Having the necessary equipment on board to extend your supply also means that you won’t have to rely on on-shore facilities to see you through your trip. This gives you more independence and flexibility as well as reducing the need to calculate complicated logistics.

Easier Boat Maintenance

Whether you’re underway or parked at the dock, your watermaker can help streamline boat maintenance by bringing freshwater straight to your vessel. With no need to collect buckets of water to lug back on board for a washdown, you can cut back the time and effort it usually takes to keep your boat clean.

Lots of boat owners even use their watermaker to give their boats a quick clean while they’re out at sea. This helps get rid of accumulated filth and dirt, reducing the need for a tedious deep clean once you get back to the dock.

The 3 Best Watermakers for Sailboats

Back in the day, watermakers were a luxury for the rich and the capable. But today, they’re incredibly affordable and easily accessible. Needless to say, manufacturers have also taken liberties with designing their own machines.

For you, that means an endless list of watermaker bets that could easily screw up your choice. So to help narrow down your options and lead you to the right one, here are our top 3 vetted picks:

1. Katadyn Power Survivor 40E Watermaker Desalinator

Small yet powerful, the Katadyn Power Survivor 40E is a reliable workhorse designed for boats with a small crew population of 2 to 3. This modular unit provides 1.5 gallons of water per hour, and draws only 4 amps from a 12-volt system, making it one of the most energy efficient desalinators out there.

This ‘Energy Recovery’ system works to desalinate seawater at just a fraction of the energy used by other watermakers in the same segment. Thus the device gets its name: Power Survivor.

Silent and lightweight, the machine lets you separate its primary system components so you can install the device seamlessly even in tight or awkward, irregular spaces. Most of its parts also come with a 3-year warranty, giving you that extra peace of mind versus damages and malfunctions.

2. AMPAC USA SeaPro Saltwater Desalination RO Watermaker

Able to produce 100 gallons per day, this watermaker was designed for use on small power boats or sailboats. Its super quiet automatic operation features intuitive controls that let you start and stop the desalination process with the push of a button.

Equipped with a noise pulsation dampener, the sounds produced during operation are negligible at best. This lets you run the machine in the evening to store up clean water for the next day without having to disturb your crew’s peace and quiet.

For boats with limited space, the SeaPro comes in a modular design that’s perfect for tight floor areas. It also comes in a partially mounted compact frame option that lets you fit the desalinator in place with little time and effort.

3. Rainman 12 Volt DC Watermaker

According to Rainman, their 12 Volt DC Watermaker consumes the least energy, able to filter 9 gallons of water per hour. The design touts a two-part system -- one pressure supply unit and another reverse osmosis unit. The former lifts the seawater from the source, while the other performs the desalination process.

What’s unique about Rainman’s watermaker is that the design gives you the option to install the unit directly to your boat, or to keep it handy as a portable watermaker system. This offers immense flexibility, allowing you to set up or take down your system as your situation calls for.

Aside from all of that, the Rainman Desalinator also features a streamlined control panel that makes everything easy to understand and operate at a glance. It also comes equipped with its own LED salinity sensor that tells you when water is good enough to store in your tank.

Choosing the Right Desalinator Watermaker

Not quite sure which one is right for you? Here are a few factors worth taking into consideration when buying a watermaker.

Size and Installation

There are two major options: modular and self-contained. The modular system lets you take the unit apart to install each part at a different part of your boat. This one’s ideal for boats with limited space. The self-contained system has the entire unit built together, which means it has to be installed as one piece.

Gallons Per Hour

How big is your crew? More people means you might need a watermaker with a higher GPH. Smaller machines capable of 1.5 to 2 GPH might be good for crews of 2-3 persons. But larger boats may need several hundreds of GPH to meet all of the crew’s needs.

* See: What size Yacht will Require a Crew?  

Non-Proprietary Parts

You’re going to make part replacements one way or another. See to it that you’re buying a machine that uses non-proprietary parts so you can purchase the necessary replacements anywhere online.

Warranty and Services

In case anything happens to your watermaker, who will be there to help you fix it? Check the warranty coverage and see how long the manufacturer is willing to cover it for damages and malfunction. It’s also important to make sure there’s a nearby service center to cater to your needs in case of damage.

Water You Waiting For?

The best watermakers for sailboats offer to give you a virtually endless supply of clean drinking water when you need it. But there are a ton of choices on the market, so it pays to know what you’re getting before you shell out that cash. Consider our bets for the best desalinators for your sailboat, and keep your crew happy, healthy, and hydrated all along the way.

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12 Volt Marine Watermaker for Sailboat 55 l/h only 450 Watt

€  3190.00 + 20% VAT (if due)

excl. VAT plus Shipping Costs

Great value for money sailboat watermaker. In the Blue Gold ZERO series Watermakers you will find only the essential components of a well-functioning reverse osmosis desalination plant.

The required power is very low, only 450 Watt (less than 40 Amperes) and you can produce freshwater without the need of a generator or a big alternator on the engine of the boat.

The Blue Gold ZERO Watermaker is intended for use by recreational yachts, small leisure boats and sailboats where purchase and maintenance of the desalination plant on board need to be economical. Around this simple, inexpensive and very reliable watermaker for nautical use, you can install additional components according to the specific needs of the boat.

Delivery time: 10 working days

• Description
• Additional information

In the Blue Gold ZERO series Watermakers you will find only the essential components of a well-functioning reverse osmosis desalination system.

The Blue Gold ZERO Water maker is intended for use by recreational yachts, small leisure boats and sailboats where purchase and maintenance of the desalination plant on board need to be economical. Around this simple, less expensive and very reliable marine watermaker, you can install additional components according to the specific needs of the boat.

This small watermaker for sailboat unit is built to last and comes with 1x 2540 (55l/h) high rejection and high productivity seawater membranes. A new vessel rack made in composite, strong and very lightweight is supplied as standard.

Its modular design allows an easy handling of the components even in the narrow spaces of a boat .

Sail boat water maker is equipped with the MIXTRON high pressure pump in Technopolymer especially designed for the reverse osmosis water makers. These pumps are quiet and reliable.

A small feed pump, is supplied as standard for carrying the seawater to the high pressure pump.

The boat desalinator ZERO is supplied as a diy water maker kit, but no specials skills or wrenches are required to perform this job. Inserting the membranes in the RO pressure vessels is a simple task and you can follow our YOUTUBE video to get it done. The high pressure unit of the Blue Gold water maker is supplied already mounted and tested.

Installing a desalinator for seawater onboard significantly increases the level of comfort of your boating life.

So, even if you are looking just for a portable water maker  or portable desalination kit for your boat, Blue Gold small marine water maker ZERO 12V 55 l/h is an alternative option worth considering.

Of all the water makers for sailboats available on the market, the Blue Gold ZERO sailboat watermaker stands out as very good value for money!

NEW on our Blog: Learn why traditional boat watermakers with the high pressure water pump (like our Blue Gold Watermakers) win over Energy Recovery System water makers .

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Boat Watermakers series “Just Water” 230 Volt 1,1 kW – 75 and 120 l/h – Light VERSION

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Home » Blog » Gear » Watermakers: a guide to marine desalinators and making water on a boat

Watermakers: a guide to marine desalinators and making water on a boat

By Author Fiona McGlynn

Posted on Last updated: March 23, 2022

There’s something magical about a watermaker—at least that’s how I felt after we installed one on our boat. That may sound overblown, but think about it: watermakers transform salt water into fresh water, providing a near-endless supply of potable water for drinking, bathing, and cleaning! THAT my friends is an amazing piece of technology!

(If you don’t share my enthusiasm, try going without a shower for a few days and you’ll begin to see my point).

Having experienced living on a boat and cruising, both with and without a marine desalinator, I can attest that it’s a game-changing piece of gear. However, you definitely don’t need one to go cruising. There are plenty of low-tech ways to collect and make water on a boat.

Marine desalinators do offer some major benefits: there’s more water for showers, it’s easier to travel farther afield, you can spend more time in a remote location. However, these benefits have to be weighed against the drawbacks: namely a hefty price tag and ongoing maintenance.

Deciding whether a watermaker is right for you will come down to the type of cruising you’re doing, how much water you need, and your budget. Read on to learn about the pros and cons, costs, and key features of marine watermakers.

Table of contents

• 1 How does a watermaker work?
• 2.1 Benefits
• 2.2 Drawbacks
• 3.1 Powered or handpump
• 3.2 Electric or engine drive
• 3.3 Energy recovery watermaker
• 3.4 Modular, self-contained, and portable watermakers
• 3.5 Automatic flushing systems
• 3.6 Automatic Pressure Regulation and adjustable pump speed
• 3.7 Remote control panels
• 4 Top watermaker brands

How does a watermaker work?

A watermaker on a yacht converts seawater into fresh water through a process known as reverse osmosis (RO). A high-pressure pump pushes seawater through a semi-permeable membrane that filters out salt, organics, and bacteria. The fresh water is pumped into your water tanks while the remaining brine bi-product is discharged over the side of the boat, back into the ocean.

Marine watermakers: the benefits and drawbacks

Less water rationing.

When we started our 13,000 mile trip across the Pacific, we didn’t have a watermaker. We were on a tight budget and decided to prioritize other pieces of equipment like a life raft and wind vane.

As a result, we became experts in conserving water on a boat . We would carefully ration out water for washing dishes, taking showers, and even brushing our teeth!

After getting a watermaker we became far less meiserly because we knew we could always make more water if we needed to. It was a relief to not be constantly thinking about how much water we were using over the course of a day.

That being said, we couldn’t relax completely. We had to keep our tanks topped up, so as not to run the pump dry. We also always carried potable water in reserve, in case our watermaker broke in the middle of a long passage.

More luxuries

Can’t live without a proper shower? A boat water maker can make water-intensive luxuries like freshwater deck washdown, freshwater flushing heads, laundry, daily showers, and even baths, a possibility.

As great as this sounds in theory, we were surprised to find that we didn’t indulge in more showers after we got the watermaker.

We continued to use a hand pump pesticide sprayer to shower on deck despite having a watermaker and shower below. While some of this came down to habit, we also disliked running our engine (and consuming diesel) just to run the watermaker.

No hauling water

For us, this was by far the greatest benefit of having a watermaker!

While cruising in the US and Canada, we could refill our water tanks at a dock or marina. This was a minor hassle because it involved pulling up the anchor and docking the boat.

In Mexico, it was more challenging to get water. We would fill 5-gallon jugs at the local water purification plant in town and wheel them back to our boat on a collapsible dolly.

It often took a couple of trips with the dolly and dinghy to fill our water tanks. Oh, and we broke our dolly, twice!

We realized that if we wanted to spend more time exploring, and less time hauling water, we would have to invest in a watermaker. When we reached La Paz, Mexico we bought a refurbished watermaker, and we were so glad we did!

Our sailboat water maker gave us the gift of time, especially in places like Mexico and the South Pacific, where there were limited opportunities to fill water tanks up at the docks. It also saved us paying docking and water fees.

We estimate that our boat water maker saved us anywhere from four to six hours every week, time that we could spend exploring the wonderful places we were visiting.

A clean, safe water source

In places where the drinking water may be suspect, a boat water maker can be a reliable source of safe drinking water (assuming it’s in good working condition!).

More time in remote locations

A watermaker is a great tool if you’re drawn to remote locations where you might be the only boat in the anchorage.

It wasn’t until we reached Los Frailes, a secluded village on the Baja, that we really began to think about buying a watermaker.

There we were in an idyllic anchorage, surrounded by spectacular hiking and fishing. There was only one problem—every two days we had to walk 10 miles into town with our water jugs and hope that some kind samaritan would give us a lift back to our boat.

Before having a watermaker, we’d often leave a place we loved just because we needed to fill up our tanks. With a watermaker, we were more self-sufficient and could stay an extra few days, or as long as we wanted!

The number one drawback is the cost. We were able to find a refurbished water desalinator for $3,000, which was a great deal but also a considerable slice out of our cruising kitty.

How much does a watermaker cost?

Powered desalination systems for your average recreational cruising boat range from around 3,500 USD to 11,000 USD, with the more expensive options offering higher production (gallons of fresh water per hour).

Ongoing maintenance

Watermakers are yet another piece of boat equipment that needs to be maintained.

The majority of watermaker problems are caused by not using it enough or not using it properly.

If a watermaker is not used for a few weeks, the planktonic organisms in the seawater will die, rot, and clog the membrane and filters. This can eventually damage the reverse osmosis membrane in the watermaker.

For this reason, boat water makers should be used frequently and regularly flushed with fresh water.

Watermaker flushing

Check your manufacturer’s instructions on how to flush.

Rainman recommends flushing the seawater out of the system with fresh water if you are not using the system for more than a day or two. After another week, you need to freshwater flush the system again or pickle it for long-term storage.

Of course, it’s easy to forget, so we made it a rule to freshwater flush our watermaker after every use.

This is one good reason to choose a watermaker with an output that will meet your water consumption needs but not exceed them. If you’re using it every second day, you won’t have to try and remember whether you’ve flushed it or not.

Flushing a watermaker is relatively simple but it does involve a bit of work. We used a system with buckets of fresh water to flush our system and it generally took about 5 minutes.

You can also buy systems that automatically flush your watermaker at pre-determined times—even when you’re away from the boat (more on autoflush systems below).

Whatever you do, don’t use chlorinated water to flush as it will destroy reverse osmosis membranes. It’s possible to buy a carbon filter to remove chlorine from water sources at the dock.

Pickling a watermaker

If you don’t plan on using your watermaker for a while it needs to be “pickled” with a special biocide to prevent growth and buildup which could render your reverse osmosis membrane totally useless.

A watermaker should also be pickled every so often to chemically cleanse the membrane.

In addition to flushing and pickling, you will also need to clean out and replace the raw water pre-filters.

Operating costs

When properly cared for, a membrane should last five to ten years. If you don’t properly flush or pickle your watermaker, it can be a lot sooner and membranes aren’t cheap, generally costing in the range of 200-700 USD.

You’ll also need to purchase pre-filters and pickling solution, which are generally quite affordable. It’s also a good idea to carry spare parts

Power consumption

Watermakers can be real power hogs. When Practical Sailor tested a dozen DC watermakers they found they could draw anywhere from 12 to 48 watts per gallon, a huge range in efficiency!

According to Practical Sailor, “for maximum efficiency none of the systems drawing 15 amps or more should be operated without running the engine at the same time.”

We had to run our engine for hours to fill our tanks, which was annoying (and loud) when we were hanging out at anchor and also used up another finite resource—diesel fuel.

In our view, this was the single largest drawback to having a watermaker aboard.

Keep in mind that your power supply will determine what type of watermaker you buy. You may need to upgrade your electrical panels, get a generator or high-powered alternator, add solar panels, or increase battery capacity to supply the demand.

You can’t make water everywhere

While watermakers offer great flexibility and freedom, you can’t just make water in any old spot. If you make water in a polluted marina or anchorage, you’ll risk clogging up your filter. Most cruisers will head out to open water to ensure the saltwater they’re using is as clean as possible.

Key features to look for

Powered or handpump, handpump watermakers.

Handpump watermakers tend to be small and portable, the perfect thing to keep in your ditch bag in the event of an emergency. They’re less expensive than powered watermakers and produce far less water, usually around one gallon per hour.

Though I do know cruisers who have used a handpump watermaker for everyday use, they typically tend to be kept aboard for survival situations.

Powered watermakers

Powered watermakers run off your electrical supply or engine and can produce tens of gallons of water per hour. They tend to be a lot more expensive, but they’re productive enough to replenish your tanks.

Electric or engine drive

Powered watermakers can be electrically driven, by AC or DC, or run off the boat engine.

AC watermakers

AC models can produce in the range of 20-60 gph and are ideal for cruisers with an AC generator or alternator on board. They can also be used on boats with ample solar or wind sources and an inverter.

DC watermakers

DC watermaker systems typically produce in the range of 10-30 gph and are ideal for boats with solar power or 12V battery power.

Engine-driven watermakers

On an engine-driven watermaker, the high-pressure pump is belt-driven. These can produce a considerable amount of water, even on small engines. For instance, engine-driven units produce between 20-60gph, twice what a DC unit can produce.

Energy recovery watermaker

DC watermakers have become more efficient in recent years thanks to energy recovery systems (ERS). When the water leaves the watermaker it is still under pressure. ERS uses a set of valves to make use of this excess pressure to help drive the pump, which can reduce energy consumption by as much as 80 percent.

Modular, self-contained, and portable watermakers

Watermakers can be bought as modular, self-contained, and portable units. Choosing the right one may depend on your boat size and layout and whether you’re comfortable installing the watermaker yourself.

Modular units

Modular units come as several separate components that you can mount and connect yourself. This obviously offers a lot more flexibility and is particularly useful on smaller vessels where you may not have a lot of space. The downside is that these systems will take longer to install.

Self-contained units

Self-contained units arrive pre-assembled. While easier to install, they’re often bulkier and best suited to a bigger cruising sailboat with a large engine room.

Portable watermakers

Portable watermaker systems, like the Rainman watermakers, are entirely self-contained. Their compact design makes them easy to move and stow and you can completely avoid a permanent installation.

Simply put the intake and brine discharge hoses overboard, the freshwater hose in your water tank and you’ll be making water in no time.

If you race, have multiple boats, or plan on selling your boat, a portable watermaker is a great option because it can be easily moved from boat to boat.

If we were to buy another watermaker, we would probably opt for a portable one.

Automatic flushing systems

Automatic flushing systems use your boat’s freshwater supply to flush the watermaker for several minutes every few days. These systems require additional components (e.g., a timer, carbon filters, and a motorized valve) and installation but they take a lot of the maintenance out of having a watermaker onboard.

Automatic Pressure Regulation and adjustable pump speed

Your watermaker’s efficiency will be affected by the temperature and salinity of the water you’re cruising in. Cold and highly saline waters (e.g., in the high latitudes) will be more work for your watermaker, so it will take longer to purify.

Some units feature Automatic Pressure Regulation (APR) and adjustable pump speed which can help compensate for fluctuations in water temperature and salinity.

Remote control panels

Some watermakers have the option of a control panel which allows for easier access and remote control. Control panels tend to have a fairly simple interface with just a few gauges but may include a salinity sensor—so you can keep tabs on water quality—and auto-flush integration—so you can flush your watermaker with the flip of a switch.

Top watermaker brands

If you’re considering buying a watermaker for a boat, here are some of the top brands to consider.

• Cruise RO Watermaker
• Echotec watermakers
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Fiona McGlynn is an award-winning boating writer who created Waterborne as a place to learn about living aboard and traveling the world by sailboat. She has written for boating magazines including BoatUS, SAIL, Cruising World, and Good Old Boat. She’s also a contributing editor at Good Old Boat and BoatUS Magazine. In 2017, Fiona and her husband completed a 3-year, 13,000-mile voyage from Vancouver to Mexico to Australia on their 35-foot sailboat.

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boat watermaker Wiki

Production : 30 l/h Power consumption : 110 W Length : 71 cm

Wiki, term of Hawaiian origin which means “fast, quick”. An ideal name for a portable plug-and-play watermaker that can be activated in just a few minutes. Embrace the freedom of portable drinking water with the compact, ...

boat watermaker ZEN 30

Production : 30 l/h Power consumption : 110 W Weight : 21 kg

... consumption to a minimum. Can be installed in all positions, horizontal as well as vertical. The new state of the art in small watermakers .

boat watermaker ZEN 50

Production : 50 l/h Power consumption : 240 W Weight : 30 kg

Powerful, silent, light, efficient, convenient. The Zen 50 is equipped with a latest-generation Energy Recovery System that reduces power consumption to a minimum, and the “economy" function that reduces power consumption and production ...

yacht watermaker H2O ECO

Length : 487 mm Width : 627 mm Height : 283 mm

The new Patent Pending Energy recovery Device H2O ECO is engineered for boaters with limited power options. Featuring automatic operation, it is ideal for Catamarans and sail boats. The new Patent Pending Energy recovery Device H20 ...

yacht watermaker HP UC series

... , Auto, RP TRONIC® Power supply: 12 V - 24 V - 110 V 60Hz - 230 V 50Hz - 230 V 60Hz Fresh water production: 35 - 70 L/h HP UC35 24 V Liters:35 People:2 Functioning:Automatic Internet:Yes € ...

boat watermaker SPLASH-25

Production : 25 l/h

The SPLASH-25 12 V and SPLASH-25 24 V boat watermakers produce between 25 and 30 litres per hour, with very moderate energy use. Water desalinisation systems particularly ...

boat watermaker WATER-PRO S-90

Production : 90 l/h

The WATER-PRO COMPACT S-90 12 V and WATER-PRO COMPACT S-90 24 V boat watermakers feature effective production of 90 litres per hour, with very moderate power use and fresh ...

boat watermaker WATER-PRO MODULAR S-90

The WATER-PRO MODULAR S-90 12 V and WATER-PRO MODULAR S-90 24 V boat watermakers feature effective production of 90 litres per hour, with very moderate power use and fresh ...

boat watermaker D30

Power consumption : 370, 600 W

... FREEDOM 30 / FREEDOM 60: 12 /24 Volts, 370W FREEDOM 100: 12 /24 Volts, 600W If the boat has no A.C. generator, the 12 /24 V models will be suitable. Equipment Membrane ...

boat watermaker Ocean Whisper

... Measures 70 x 35 x 25cm and weighs just 20 kg (30 litre/hr model). Runs from DC battery power, 12 V or 24 V . 30 litre/hr unit consumes approximately 13 amps per hour at 12 V ...

boat watermaker Ventura 150

Production : 24 l/h Weight : 27 kg

The Spectra Ventura series is engineered to be energy-efficient and lightweight. The compact, modular design, makes for easy installation in confined spaces. The Ventura 150 operates anywhere in the world and delivers over 6 gallons (24 ...

boat watermaker New12 S 25/30

Power consumption : 100 W Width : 38 cm Height : 29 cm

Energy Recovery Watermaker , equipped with Osmosea® Pressure Intensifier. Simple, Essential and Economic. Direct battery power supply, easy installation, compact dimensions and no electronics.

boat watermaker PROGRESS

The Progress is a low power consumption watermaker , which needs 12 or 24 Vdc. Excellent for boats without generator on board. It can also work when fed by batteries provided with an aeolic generator or ...

boat watermaker AQUA-BASE ECO

AQUA-BASE® ES range offers an energy recovery watermakers , ideal for boats with low energy resources. The consumption is reduced to only 12 A in 12 Volts to produce 35 liters / hour. Extremely ...

boat watermaker Petrol

Production : 50 l/h - 140 l/h

... EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE REQUIRED. Our original petrol (gasoline) version of the pressure supply unit perfect for boats with 12 V electrical systems or people using the system off grid. Sturdy polyethylene ...

boat watermaker MINIMAR

Production : 30, 60 l/h Power consumption : 600 W Length : 750 mm

Minimar Reverse Osmosis watermakers are the choice when power or space is an issue. Available in 12 -24 V DC, they can be used in very small sailing boats and yacht connected to the batteries, ...

boat watermaker POWER SURVIVOR 40E /12 V

... rigors of the marine environment, this watermaker is built to last. We're so certain, we've covered it with a superior warranty: 3 years on most components. Special - The PowerSurvivor-40E is the only power watermaker ...

yacht watermaker DML SERIES

With the release of the new 12 / 24 Volt Watermaker 200-DML-1, ECHOTec achieved a breakthrough in efficiency for watermakers , utilizing ultra-reliable triplex ceramic plunger pumps. The ...

yacht watermaker Express ClearMate

Production : 118 l/h - 315 l/h Power consumption : 1,800, 550 W Weight : 95, 114 kg

The new for 2020 Blue Water Desalination Express ClearMate combines two of Blue Water Desalination’s efficient watermaker systems into one convenient package. Using the same leading-edge technology as the popular Express ...

boat watermaker WHISPER Serie

... components are built in a frame with automatic salinity control and PH Stabilizer The WHISPER Series are available with 12 /24 V DC or 230 V 50Hz AC power supply.

yacht watermaker DD 500

Production : 55 l/h Weight : 34 kg

... be provided on board. Watermaker DD 500, a proven desalinator for the two-person crew, driven by a 12 V or 24 V DC motor. The direct drive via a flexible ...

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Quiet, small, efficient, inexpensive

Zen Twin 200

Zen twin 300, zen watermakers.

All components are integrated in the main manifolds and there are very few external components like fittings, pipe, valves.

These features make the Zen watermakers  very compact , with a special ultra-flat design. Zen in fact  is designed to fit  into tight spaces  and can be installed in every positions, horizontally as well as vertically. Not much bigger than a briefcase!

The Zen are fitted with new generation Energy Recovery Systems that reduce the electric consumption to a minimum.

Zen technology is patented.

• PATENTS IT102018000010303 EP3653583-A
• EU Registered design No 005823747

Zen 30 is the Schenker watermaker ideal for a crew of 1-4 people, in 30-40 feet sailboat or in 25-35 feet powerboat or catamaran. The capacity is 30 lit/h (7.9 Gal/h); consumption is just 110 watt. 12-24 VDC power supply.

Overview  

• Capacity : 30 lit/h | Gal/h 7.9
• Power Supply : 12 / 24 VDC
• Consumption : 110 watt
• Weight : 22 Kg - 48,50 Lb
• Membranes : n°1 2,5" x 21"

Product Details

• Kit Includes
• Remote Panel
• Watermaker fitted with Energy Recovery System
• Feed pump with filter
• Active carbon filter with electrovalve
• Filters key
• Non return valve
• Fresh water hose (5 mt.)
• Remote panel
• Installation kit (assortment of fittings and screws)
• Owner manual
• Automatic pressure regulation
• High pressure block
• Low voltage block
• Remote start/stop
• Watermaker flushing
• Dimensions: 100x66mm

New Basic Panel

Choose a pump from the list below based on the space on the boat and the models available for the selected watermaker:

30 l/h – Gal/h 7.8 Pump

Zen 30 Drawings

TYPICAL INSTALLATION

Zen 30 Installation Scheme

Zen 50 is the watermaker ideal for a crew of 4-6 people, in 35-45 feet sailboat or in 30-40 feet powerboat or catamaran. The capacity is 50 lit/h (13.2 Gal/h); consumption is 240 watt. 12-24 VDC power supply.

• Capacity : 50 lit/h | Gal/h 13.2
• Consumption : 240 watt
• Weight : 31 Kg - 68,34 Lb
• Membranes : n° 2 2,5" x 21"

50-60 l/h Pump with external filter

Zen 50 Drawings

Zen 50 Installation Scheme

Zen 100 is the Schenker watermaker ideal for a crew of 6-8 people, in 45-55 feet sailboat or in 35-45 feet powerboat or catamaran. The capacity is 100 lit/h (26.4 Gal/h); consumption is 400 watt. 12-24 VDC or AC power supply.

• Capacity : 100 lit/h | Gal/h 26.4
• Power Supply : 12 / 24 VDC or AC
• Consumption : 400 watt
• Weight : 53 Kg - 116,85 Lb
• Membranes : n° 2 4" x 21"

Basic Version

Touch version.

• Low pressure block
• No cycling block

CHOOSE YOUR PANEL FROM BASIC AND TOUCH VERSION

Basic panel features, touch panel features.

• Remote Start/Stop
• Automatic flushing
• Intensive flushing
• Periodic flushing
• Hours counter
• Automatic start up
• Assisted maintenance
• Salinity monitoring (optional)
• Flow meter (optional)
• Pressure meter (optional)
• Dimensions: 135x116mm

New Touch Panel

80-100-150 l/h Pump

Zen 100 Drawings

Zen 100 Installation Scheme

Zen 150 is the watermaker ideal for a crew of 8-10 people, in 50-60 feet sailboat or in 40-50 feet powerboat or catamaran. The capacity is 150 lit/h (39.6 Gal/h); consumption is 600 watt. 24 VDC or AC power supply.

• Capacity : 150 lit/h | Gal/h 39.6
• Power Supply : 24 VDC or AC
• Consumption : 600 watt
• Weight : 62 Kg - 136,69 Lb

150 l/h Pump

Zen 150 Drawings

Zen 150 Installation Scheme

The ZEN Twin is based on two independent watermakers controlled by a single remote touch panel, which offers the possibility to operate both or just one machine. The two units can also be powered with different power supplies. Maximum flexibility and redundancy.

• Capacity : 200 lit/h | Gal/h 53
• Power Supply : 12-24 VDC or AC
• Consumption : 800 watt
• Weight : 102 Kg - 224,87 Lb

• Double watermaker fitted with Energy Recovery System
• Double pump with filter
• Double active carbon filter with electrovalve
• Double non return valve
• Fresh water hose (20 mt.)

2x 100 l/h Pumps

Zen Twin 200 Drawings

Zen Twin 200 Installation Scheme

• Capacity : 300 lit/h | Gal/h 79
• Consumption : 1,2 kWatt
• Weight : 120 Kg – 264,56 Lb

2x 150 l/h Pumps

Zen Twin 300 Drawings

Zen Twin 300 Installation Scheme

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Little Wonder Modular Series | Product Series

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Power (amps), power (volts), water production (gpd), get your parker account today.

Create one account to manage everything you do with Parker, from your shopping preferences to your application access.

Little Wonder Modular Series

The Little Wonder Modular Series Watermaker is the preferred choice for boaters who require small low power watermakers. Able to produce between 145 - 180 GPD, this is an ideal desalinator for sail boats.

Technical Specifications

• Power Source: Hi-rejection Aqua Pro® membrane(s), hi-rejection Aqua Pro® membrane(s), AC or DC
• Brand: Village Marine
• Water Flow Rate: 145-200, 145-700 Gal/day, 550-760 L/day
• Application: Leisure
• Pump Type: 145-700, Aqua Pro® Pump, Titanium High Pressure Pump
• Configuration: Modular
• Reverse Osmosis Membrane Type: 550-760, Hi-rejection Aqua Pro® membrane(s), hi-rejection Aqua Pro® membrane(s)
• Product Type: Watermaker
• Filter Area: Aqua Pro® Pump, Titanium High Pressure Pump
• Pressure Adjustment Control Type: 5 micron pre-filter, Manual
• Height: Manual, Final configurations will vary after components included
• Width: 62-69 Lbs/28-31 Kg, Final configurations will vary after components included
• Filter Type: 5 micron pre-filter
• Weight: 62-69 Lbs/28-31 Kg
• Length: Final configurations will vary after components included
• Electrical Requirements: Varies by Part Number

Safety Warning

Full product description, related documents, email this page.

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Parker Village Marine Tec Pleated Water Filters

Our products are proudly manufactured here in Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA!

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• Portable Watermaker Lithium Powered
• Portable Watermaker AC Powered

Portable Watermakers

+1-954-800-8800

Offer Details*: Online orders available for in-store pick up or $40 shipping fee. Must show proof of purchase upon arrival. Offer only while supply lasts.

Don't Plan Your Trip Around Water.

Enjoy the purest water without limitations - easy and reliable.

Exclusive SWP Boat Chair

Adventure with comfort and style. Find out how to get yours here!

Plug & Play

Pure water. Pure style. Easy compact options.

RV or BOAT?

Our mini watermaker has you covered!

Fast Express Shipping.

Industry Best Warranty!

Have a question?

Modular Systems

Available in 17 to 40 GPH - Best for medium to large size vessels.

Watermaker: AC 110-220 Volt 970 Watts, 40 GPH Dual Membrane

14 GPH - Best for small to medium size vessels.

Mini Portable Watermaker AC Powered

Compact Watermaker

30 GPH - Best for medium to large vessels with limited space.

Plug and Play Piranha 970W/30GPH (22"x16")

Top 4 most popular systems this month.

Looking for the latest and greatest in watermaker systems? Look no further than our Top 4 Bestsellers of the month! Our expertly curated selection features the easiest and most reliable systems to date!

Watermaker: DC 24 Volt 900 Watts, 40 GPH Dual Membrane

SeaWater Pro Micro Water Maker®

Quick Assembly Video

Swp modular & portable watermakers.

Welcome to SeaWater Pro, the premier provider of high-quality watermakers for boats and portable watermakers for all your marine adventures. Our cutting-edge technology and reliable products will ensure that you have access to clean, purified seawater wherever you go. With our easy-to-use and reliable watermakers, you can say goodbye to bulky storage tanks or worry about running out of fresh water. Our compact and efficient systems are designed specifically for marine use, making them perfect for boats of all sizes. Whether you're cruising the open seas or anchored in a secluded cove, our watermakers will provide you with a steady supply of fresh, drinkable water. At SeaWater Pro, we understand the importance of safe and clean drinking water while at sea. That's why our portable watermakers are equipped with advanced filtration systems that remove harmful contaminants and bacteria. Look no further than SeaWater Pro for your next, most reliable boating adventure investment!

Customer Installations Gallery

Latest Articles

Charting your course: your first steps into the exciting world of the sea industry, perks of staying hydrated with a portable watermaker while camping, prepping your boat for hurricane season with seawater pro, how do i know which seawater pro watermaker i'll need for my boat.

• Identifying which power source you'd like to run the system. AC or DC power?
• Determine how many gallons per hour will you need to maintain your lifestyle, 17 or 40 GPH.

How much does each SeaWater Pro System weigh?

Every modular watermaker ships in 2 boxes: The first Box is 48 x 12 x 12, 60 lbs. and the second is 24 x 12 x 12, 37 lbs.

Can I install a SeaWater Pro system myself?

Yes! We have videos and instructions for our customers on the resources page .

Do I need a control panel?

Do I need a control panel? Click to watch video

How do I rinse my system after I use it?

Rinse Timer Setup Guide Click to learn more about using your system's rinse timer!

How often do I need to pickle my watermaker?

How to pickle my SeaWater Pro system! Click to watch our short video guide.

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Spectra Watermakers

• Watermakers

Spectra Cape Horn CH-330R Remote Manual Extreme Watermaker 12V/24V System

Spectra kit-hp-s&oh seals & o-rings kit 15% & 20%.

Spectra KIT-HP-S&O Clark Pump Seal Kit

Spectra Watermakers Catalina 340RS Remote Compact Series 12V/24V System

Spectra Catalina Watermaker Connect Automated 12/24/48V Watermaker (CT-340C)

Spectra ZION for Manual Systems ZION-MAN

Spectra ZION for Automated Systems ZION-AUTO

Spectra Cape Horn CH-330 Extreme Watermaker 12V/24V System

Spectra Newport 400 Watermaker Automated Connect Series 12V/24V System

Spectra Offshore Kit for 7%, 10% Clark Pump

Spectra EL-FP-12V Shurflo Pump (12V)

Spectra Ventura 150 Deluxe 12v/24vDC 6.3GPH Marine Watermaker VT150D

12/24v DC Watermakers for Sale

Build your modular 12V watermakers for sale to your preferences.

ECHOTec Economy Watermakers come with everything you need to install onboard and produce freshwater from the sea. If the high-pressure pump will be installed less than 40cm below the waterline, an optional seawater feed pump will be required. Customize to your preferences with the options and upgrades in the below table.

The workhorse  DML Yacht Series  is entered for specification and cost comparison and as a benchmark for ultimate performance and reliability.

Please call or email with any questions you may have (WhatsApp/Phone: +1 868 382 2323 , email:  [email protected] )

Optional Equipment and Upgrades

Fittings and Regulator DUPLEX 1.4462 (similar to 2205) is more costly and more difficult to form and machine but achieves almost twice the corrosion resistance of AISI 316 stainless steel. DUPLEX has been successfully used for all high-pressure fittings and pressure regulators of ECHOTec commercial desalination systems for the past 10 years. The Duplex package comes now with all DML Series watermakers and is available as an option for the Economy Series. The Duplex package comes with a lifetime warranty (If for any reason, a DUPLEX regulator or fitting ever fails, we replace it. Period).

High-Pressure Pump Head Corrosion-resistant Stainless steel AISI 316 head, ceramic pistons, and stainless valves versus Nickel plated head, ceramic pistons, and stainless valves. High-Pressure Pump (Low Noise Pump Upgrade) Extremely silent operation. Quietest pump on the market.  Only available in combination with the AISI 316 stainless steel pump head upgrade.  High-Pressure Hoses   Upgrade from2 pcs 5’ / 1.5m fixed length hoses (can be ordered to your length requirement) with AISI 316 compression fittings to 15’ / 4.5m high-pressure hose with field attachable AISI 316 O-ring sealed fittings. Pump Motor Epoxy Sealed Completely sealed and Epoxy plus Polyurethane coated wash-down motor versus standard motor.

Anti-Vibration Pump Mount Anti-vibration motor/pump unit mount with specially engineered soft vibration dampers.  This feature dramatically reduces noise transfer into the hull.

Membrane Vessel Assembly   DUPLEX 1.4462 versus AISI 316 vessel components come with a lifelong warranty on the complete membrane vessel.

Filter Brackets 3pcs.   Extremely rigid brackets from AISI 316 versus painted standard brackets from aluminum.

Remote Control Panel AISI 316 stainless steel control panel for remote operation (completely assembled).

1500 PSI Gauge All AISI 316 stainless steel with Monel bourdon tube versus a plated Brass connection with AISI 304 dial and AISI 316 bourdon tube.

Braided Hose / AISI 316 hose clamps 40’ braided hose with 29 pcs AISI 316 hose clamps versus 15” Polypropylene tubing.

Feed Pump, Centrifugal / Feed Pump, Diaphragm While the magnetic drive, seal-less centrifugal pump is more costly, it does not wear as much as diaphragm pumps.  Especially for DC systems, a centrifugal pump is recommended as it provides constant feed flow without building unnecessary pressure, resulting in unnecessary power consumption. A diaphragm pump is a positive displacement pump that will be feeding another positive displacement pump. Cheaper but not a good combination. 

Manual Product Diverter Valve Switch from dumping the first high-salinity product to filling the tank with potable product water. Complete with AISI 316 mounting bracket.

Cleaning/Storage 3-Way Valve Allows infusion of cleaning and storage solutions with the flick of a valve. Complete with AISI 316 mounting bracket.

Hardener / pH neutralizer Kit with mineral element and 2 pcs 3/8” compression fittings, stainless steel bracket with screws

Filter Condition Gauge AISI 316L / AISI 303 The low-pressure gauge indicates when the pre-filters have to be changed or the through-hull becomes clogged (barnacles etc.). Low-pressure gauge (AISI 316 dial / Monel bourdon tube) -30 +60PSI, ¼” NPT threads direct into the 20-micron filter housing, AISI 316 filter bracket with cutout for gauge. or  Low-pressure gauge (AISI 304 housing / AISI 316 bourdon tube) -30 +60PSI, ¼” NPT threads direct into the 20-micron filter housing.

TDS Meter, Real-Time Fixed installed, indicates the product quality in real-time.

Freshwater Flush Kit The freshwater flush kit enables storage of the watermaker for up to 10 days without the use of chemicals (biocide).  The freshwater flush storage can be repeated every 10 days. Flash Kit (Valve) contains 1 Filter housing, 1 active carbon cartridge, Bracket (AISI 316SS), 8 screws, 1 shut-off valve, 2 hose barb connectors, 1 Nylon nipple, 1 Nylon tee, 10 ft. braided hose, 5 hose clamps (AISI 316SS).  Flush Kit (Basic) contains 1 Filter housing, a Non-return valve, 1 active carbon cartridge, an Aluminum bracket, and 2 tube connectors.

Flush Timer Battery-operated timer to time-limit manual flash or automatically repeat flash at the operator’s selected interval and duration. 

What Are the Best 24V Watermakers for Yacht Owners? 

For yacht owners seeking the ultimate in self-sufficiency and onboard convenience, modular 12V watermakers or 24V watermakers are the undeniable choice. These cutting-edge systems have redefined the standards of marine desalination technology, offering a compact, energy-efficient solution that ensures a continuous supply of fresh, potable water.

The best 24V watermakers combine state-of-the-art reverse osmosis technology with the latest advancements in energy management, ensuring that they can operate smoothly without straining the yacht’s power supply. ECHOTec Watermaker’s model stands out as the premier choice for discerning yacht owners seeking the very best in 24V watermaker technology. Its exceptional engineering and innovation make it the pinnacle of desalination systems for marine use. ECHOTec’s dedication to efficiency, quality, and reliability sets its model apart, ensuring a seamless integration into any yacht.

What Kinds of Boats Need Watermakers for Fishing? 

As one of the most experienced manufacturers of engine-driven watermakers , we have much experience when it comes to boating and the different activities done on them. One of the most popular experiences you could have on boats is fishing. Fishing, like most other hobbies, has many different applications. Perhaps the fishermen that most need watermakers are those on deep-sea and commercial fishing boats. 

Watermakers have become an indispensable asset for a variety of fishing vessels, offering a consistent and reliable source of fresh water, crucial for the needs of the crew and the success of the fishing operation. Long offshore trips and extended stays at sea, common among deep-sea and commercial fishing boats, necessitate a dependable supply of clean water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. 

In addition, sportfishing and charter boats that cater to anglers on multi-day excursions also find watermakers invaluable, ensuring passengers have access to fresh water and maintaining their comfort throughout the trip. 

Do Watermakers Work in Freshwater? 

Watermakers, in their core function, are designed to make impure or undrinkable water into fresh, potable water by removing salts and impurities through a process known as reverse osmosis. With the proper care, our modular 12V watermakers for sale will provide you with the resources to create ample amounts of drinking water wherever your adventures take you.

How Long Do Watermakers Last? 

The lifespan of a watermaker is a key consideration for any potential user. While the longevity of a watermaker can vary depending on factors like maintenance, usage, and the quality of components, a well-maintained and high-quality watermaker can last for many years. With regular servicing and proper care, a typical watermaker can endure anywhere from 5 to 15 years or even longer. Routine maintenance – such as cleaning filters, flushing the system, and replacing consumable parts – is essential to prolong its life and maintain peak performance. The durability of each watermaker will vary, but with good maintenance, they are sure to last. 

Interested in 12 Volt Marine Watermakers? ECHOTec Is Here to Help!

ECHOTec Watermakers is one of the most experienced manufacturers of watermakers in the industry. No matter what size machine you are looking for, if you are looking for home desalination systems , 12-volt marine watermakers, or other watermakers, we are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our desalinators for sailboats and other products.

12V DC, 24V DC from 17 GPH to 28 GPH