Alright, our interest in a water making system was certainly piqued at the Newport Boat Show. The potential simplicity and ease of operation of the system offered by DIY Watermakers make our consideration very serious. So, why would we need a water maker when our sailing plans contemplate mostly coastal voyages?
Well, one of the elements of sailing, cruising, or voyaging that we really value is the self-reliance it requires. Additionally, we like to be relatively off the grid and independent with respect to "having" to go to the dock or "having" someone come out to us for anything. Now, we're not "doomsday preppers" or kooks longing for solitary existence. But we want to be able to handle most of our needs by ourselves.
Having a water making system would offer several benefits to us. First, we would always have control over the quality of the water we have in our tanks. Second, we would be able to generate enough water for all of our needs without having to make repeated trips to the dock to fill our 200 gallon tanks. Third, if we were to ever be able to take a cruise to the "islands", it would be imperative to have our own clean water supply.
In normal situations, one goes to the "main" dock or marina to fill empty water tanks. This water usually is from a relatively reliable municipal water supply, but sits in hoses until it reaches the one's deck fills. Once in the boat's tanks, the "new" water must be sanitized with a variety of chemicals. In outlying areas or the "islands", the water may be sourced from some very questionable sources.
For us, the process of bring Harmony into the dock involves a lot of work for 2 people. And that is in calm conditions. Yes, we have a bow thruster, but the Westsail 42 is a big and beamy boat with a 4+ foot bow sprit and it can be nerve wracking. To exert the effort for a 20 minute water fill may not be the best use of time and energy.
When we move onto Harmony we will have the luxury of pressure water, hot water showers, and multiple sinks. Our previous boat, Poetry, was fitted out with 1 manual water pump and no internal shower. Not that we want to be wasteful, but we do want to move beyond a camping-like existence on-board. We really want to entertain friends and family on-board without subjecting them to an overdone scarcity environment. Being able to replenish our water supplies while either at anchor or underway makes life aboard less limiting and increases the overall comfort level.
Yes, our primary cruising voyages will be coastal. We won't be crossing oceans. However, we do have a desire to take at least one trip south the Caribbean Islands. While we'll certainly have to go ashore to clear customs and enjoy the cultures, we do want to be somewhat independent from island water supplies.
OK, we could dinghy ashore with our multitude of 5 gallon containers and make the repeated trek back and forth. Let's see, 200 gallons divided by 5 equals 40. Each 5 gallon container weighs about 40 pounds. It won't take long for the back and forth to get old!
So, there are a lot of advantages and "luxuries" associated with the having a water maker system. There are also costs and complexities. It is certainly cheaper and simpler to take a container to a well or plug a hose into the deck fill. For us, the decision is less about the cost and more about the quality of the life we'll live aboard. This is not to say that we are not frugal: heck, we are New Englanders who have relatively simple tastes.
Since the Newport Boat Show, we have discussed this topic almost endlessly. I think we have convinced ourselves of the efficacy of having a water maker. Now, we need to invest a bit of effort researching our options, because we don't want to find ourselves all wet after having made a decision with diluted information!
Fair Winds and Following Seas!
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