T&T: Watermakers

[Scott E. Bulger]

Anthony asked:  Its time to put a water maker on Carmen our Nordic Tug 42. I
am evaluating Village Marine and Spectra, about 400-600gpd. Does anyone have
any input to this evaluation?

 

Scott shares:  I replaced a PUR160 (12v/160gpd) unit with a VM No Frills
600gpd unit.  I has made about 3,000 gallons of water over the last year.
It's pickled now, as we have been in the ICW and near marinas for the last 6
months.  After buying and maintaining one for a year I'd strongly encourage
you to think long and hard about going this route.  If you get to a dock
every few days, and water is available, it's a very good route to go, other
than buying a RO unit.  However, if you have a significant other like I do,
taking on that brown/yellow water north of the Gulf Islands is a non
starter!  So, that said:

 

1.        I went with a modular unit because I could separate the pump and
membrane which preserved the storage space in my lazzarette.  I actually got
more storage space by implementing this larger system then I had with the
160.  IF you go with a non-modular system, realize when it needs service you
will probably be pulling it out of the boat.  If you can't get to it, you
will be hating life when, not if, something fails.  

2.       The No Frills unit costs less, is easier to install, and has no
"smart parts" to fail.  It's some plumbing, two pumps, three valves, two
switches and a membrane.  You flip a valve to sample, turn on the low
pressure pump, then the high, wait 5 min, taste or test the water, and then
flip the valve from sample to fill.  When done, if it's going to sit for a
few weeks you flip another valve and run fresh water through the membrane
for 5 minutes.  The amount of technology that's required to automate this is
significant.  All that technology costs money and can fail.  For these
reasons I went with the No Frills unit.  I don't regret this choice!

 

Finally, Shop, shop, shop.  I found out that I paid about 2 times more for
the product than I would have if I'd have shopped VM close out sales.  The
often have extra stuff laying around at the end of the boating season and
they can craft a system out of these parts (if your near a factory store).
I'd also install it myself, it's really simple, if you already have the
through hull.

 

Good luck, I can strongly recommend Greg at the Village marine store in San
Diego, they treated me great and got the system installed and working in 5
hours.  But I did PAY for it!

 

Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40, Seattle WA