Watermaker

[DanBlack]

Hi, I am building a 20m cat houseboat for passenger cruising in Thailand. I am looking for an opinion on watermakers. Are they more trouble and expense than they are worth? There is non potable water available, and I have room for tanks. There will be approx. 12 people aboard for 4-5 day cruises

[JonathanCole]

Check out
http://www.airwatercorp.com/

[dannkanga1]

ATTN: Sir,

I am Dr. Dan Nkanga the present officer in charge of operations
Central Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N). I got your contact through online
network, I am contacting you in view that we might be of immense help to
each other. I have within my reach the sum of (27.500, 000 USD) Twenty
Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars of which I
intend to make you the beneficiary of the funds.

This money in question belongs to a deceased foreign contractor in
Nigeria of which I know 100% well that the money is hanging loose and
unclaimed within the Central Bank of Nigeria Territory. Due to my
current position as a present worker in the bank and also a Civil servant I
cannot lay claim on this money.

I wish to contact you so that you will indicate your interest as soon
as you receive this message, so that I will proceed and put your name
as the rightful beneficiary of the funds and move the money outside
Nigeria with your name. I intend to part you with 20% of the total sum,
for your assistance while 70% will be my own cut of the deal and the
remaining 10% shall be set aside for any expenses that might be
incurred in the course of the transfer. However, whatever that might remain
from the 10% shall also be shared equally (between you and me). Every
records concerning these funds and all the legal contract documents
backing the funds will be given by the Ministries.

Please my good friend, I want you to limit this matter personally to
yourself, whatever your decision might be, all correspondence must be
through this my most exlusive e-mail address:
dannkanga1@portugalmail.com

This deal is 100% risk free.

I look forward to receiving your response.
Thanking you in anticipation.

Kindest Regards
Dr. Dan Nkanga
C.B.N

[gerard baladi]

Dr Dan Nkanga ??? This Is A Forum About Boats . Please Find Suckers That Would Fall For Your Scams Elsewhere.

[FAST FRED]

Water makers work fine , but they require long operatoing hours if moderatly priced .

Sea water is used as the supply is unlimited.

Perhaps a dual setup , where non potable water could be used for showers ect , and the more expensive RO water (reverse Osmosis) water could be used to drink. Of course having the good water come from bottles may help the PAX from using as much.

FAST FRED

[nero]

Use a cheap household RO unit to make the fresh water potable. Install twin system to keep up with demand.

Of course having a desal RO with smaller holding tanks would lower overall payload needed.

[safewalrus]

Sounds like our mate Dan Nkanga would benefit from an assignation with several hours output from a Reverse Osmosis machine - a candidate for dihydrogen monoxide swamping if ever there was one!

Can't see the problem, you got non pot water? you got a stove? you got a kettle? Boil what you put inside you and you'll have no further problems! Nero's idea does hold water (pun) tho'

[Bob Mott]

Try Source watermakers in Langkawi Malaysia. A German company there is building simple to operate watermakers at a much cheaper price than the 'brand name ones"

RD Yachting Services Sdn Bhd
95 Langkawi Mall
Jalan Kelibang
Kuah
Pulau Langkawi
Malaysia 07000
Ph: + 60 (0) 12 4770 100

The owner is Rolf Drehler.

have a loo at www.noonsite.com and Malaysia then go to Langkawi and you will see a advertisement with their email address and website.

I have one aboard and so do many other yachts in the are and commercial dive boats.

If you do contact them mention my name as the referer.

Regards

Bob

[Bob Mott]

I am in Thailand as well - Phuket. Can recommend a water maker as well worht having aboard. Capacity around 200LPH will cost around 4,500US$. You can boost to 300LPH.

Can be Electric 240VAC or engine driven by electronic clutch.

Bob

[FAST FRED]

"Use a cheap household RO unit to make the fresh water potable. Install twin system to keep up with demand."

This would ONLY work on land as the usual house unit passes 20 gallons of water for each gallon filtered.

You would also need a good UV water sterilizing system as the house RO stuff does not rebove the bugs.

Montazumas Revenge in Phuket? not good for repeat business!!!

FAST FRED

[bazza]

you dont really say if the boat will be captained or bareboated, if captained then ro is the way to go. if bareboated absolutelly definatelly not! ro systems are simple and easy to use with a little knowledge. but 1 very small mistake and you are going to replace the membranes on a weekly basis. you can build a no frills system very cheaply compared to commercial systems.

[Bob Mott]

Hello Dan,

I along with my partner I run two large sailing cats. We could not function without our RO watermakers aboard. Mine 200LPH and his 160LPH. We carry a maximum of 8 guests aboard each cat. To not have to depend on shorebased water supplies is great. Once provisioned we are capable of two week out and more. The days of carrying water containers or looking for spring water or water at marinas and docks is over for us. My cat goes out bareboat with the water maker and to date no problems. Carefull instruction and a book aboard on its operation seems to of covered it so far.

Many of the other charter vessels and liveaboard dive vessels in the area have water makers. Many of those are from the manufacturer in Langkawi.

If you are happy to chase water and worry about running out of water - followed by explaining to your guests why you are out and constantly telling them to be easy on the showers then grab a fresh water RO with UV as suggested. Get the cheap freshwater RO unit first and try it. Once you have realised it is not what you need add the seawater RO system. The freshwater system can still be of use as a secondary purification system from water that you do pick up and water laying in your tanks. The freshwater system is cheap.

Note: If you operate in the upper Phang Nga Bay area the water is to muddy to use the Seawater system. You have to be down around Krabi on one coast and in the Phi Phi region and lower Phang Nga on the mid and other side towards Phuket.

I would qualify who above knows and lives in the Phuket Thailand region and knows the situation here for water. As well Chalong dock has drinking quality town water at its dock. The Yacht Haven Marina in the north has pretty good water from a year round spring. There are other near all year round springs at Surin Island and in the Similan Islands and further south in the Butang Group and another huge flow at Tarantau Island on the east side at a jetty.

I see advise coming from BVI - conneticut and Florida - Illinois - Hawai. All have western facilites to rely on.

If you want advise on how to operate inn Thailand ask the local operators who have been here for 10 years or more. There are plenty here. Nero and Fast Fred have some reasonable suggestion but still they are not here.

Have any of you guys been to Phuket lately?? and know the systems and situation here?

I am off for a long shower - no water shortage ever on my catamaran - also no shortage of solar power with 8 X 80W panels and plenty of cold beers in the solar run fridges. No customers with Montazumas Revenge as no tap water put on the boat - all water maker.

[MikeJohns]

I have had excellent results from Village Marine equipment and can recommend it.

[Bob Mott]

Hello Mike,

I know the village marine systems a freind had one. Yes they are OK. Problem is you are usually locked into spares from the manufacturer and special sized membranes " also expensive". The company I have recommended use commonly available components which are not locked into a " Marine branded system. That being the case you can buy replacement membranes " commercial versions 20 inch or 40 inch at a goo rate. Gauges and fittings also common - pressure housings also common, pressure pumps and booster pumps also common. Most " brand name" manufacturers paint over their components - the pressure pumps for example on HRO units are just common CAT pumps available from CAT. Membranes mostly are Koch - the price from a Koch distributer against the price from a " brand name " RO system manufacturer or supplier are quite different.

The system from Malaysia comes in various sizes evena AC unit that can be run from a 1500W inverter. It produces from 30 - with one membrane to 90 with three 20" membranes. Based cost is around 3,500US$. Others using 40" membranes athat produce 80 upwards start at around 4,000US$ Not only are they much cheaper than others at the same capacity they are simple with owner repair posssibilities. I have a 200LPH system and am very happy with it.

*** It needs to be said that RO seawater to fresh systems are not rocket science" they are often made to seem so by "BIG" manufacturers. In fact they are a simple prefilter followed bya booster pump, then high pressure pump ( same as a pressure wash for a car but with salt resistant materials), a combination of hoses to the gauges - drinking water out - dump of the brine etc, pressure housings that you can actually make yourself from a PVC tube ( inner) reinforced by GRP epoxy with end caps machined up to fit - we have Bronze end fittings machined up over here for about 30US$ each - then the membrane the most technical part of the whole system.

You dont need PH meters in the system either. They can be battery driven hand held. Just stick them in a glass of product water to test.

** Would like to see some prices of these other units on the market for comparison to how much drinking water they make. If anyone has them please send them in.

The word if you are out there on the water is SIMPLE where possible.


Cheers

Bob

[Ari]

Take Air Asia flight to Langkawi..if you are within the route..their offer is fantastic man..at times the airport tax cost more than the air fare..!