Watermaker-do I need one?

[king7446]

My wife and I plan to cruise the Med from April-October 04 in a new 56' moter yacht with a 145 US gallon fresh water tank. Will I need to install a watermaker or will we find sufficient supplies of potable water in all areas of the Med? Boat is equipped with washer/dryer and wife showers a lot.
Thanks


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[Talbot]

The need will depend on your cruising habits. If you will be spending most of the time in marinas/close to the shore, then no (cause you shouldnt run the watermaker in either of those situations), however if you will be passagemaking for several days at a time - depending upon size of crew and just how often SWMBO does rinse off/ do the washing will rule whether you need one or not. You will need to do the sums yourself!

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[king7446]

Thanks for response.
I should have been more specific in my query. I know that potable water will be available in most marinas in Western med, but have read conflicting reports of availability in Croatia and Greece. While we expect to make port every evening, do all marinas in Eastern med have ample supplies of dockside potable water?
Tx

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[Talbot]

I cant answer that, but you should not run a watermaker in a marina in any circumstance. In fact it is recomended that you should be at least 6miles (if not 12) from the coast before using it.

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[rich]

most water in Greece is carried in cans. fuel as well, in a lot of places

<hr width=100% size=1>rich ) <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.jersey-harbours.com>http://www.jersey-harbours.com</A><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by rich on 30/10/2003 21:31 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[poter]

Ref water in Greece.........
most of the large marinas & islands do have potable water but it can be a struggle to get it. Certainly on most of the smaller islands you will have a problem in filling your tanks, but bottle water is always available for drinking etc.
When you get to the Med do what I do with the female crew & tell them they can only wash hair once a day, & jump in the ocean as a shower.
Go native!!!!

have fun

poter.

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[MapisM]

In Croatia, you will have no problem at all with water, in any marina.
I can remember just a very few exception: Zut, Piskera, Lastovo.
Mind, even these do have water, it is just limited in quantity and time of availability.
But you are missing one point IMHO: Croatia is one of the best spots around for mooring safely at anchor in beautiful bays.
This year I spent two full weeks without touching any marina.
We used the washer just a couple of times (that's a real fresh water eater!), and obviously tried not to waste any water.
But it was worth! No marina can offer you a comparable environment, if you like the sea as such.
Just to give you an idea, after two weeks we still had some 50 gal left, out of 400.
Actually, 145 gal is a low reserve to start with, sounds strange for a 56 footer.

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[king7446]

RE Croatia
I have heard the same good things about this cruising area as you report.
As we plan to stay there about a month--most of it on the hook--I expect that I will need a water maker. Parts of Greece seem to argue the same conclusion.
My wife thinks that a "boat shower" is using all the water that you wish albeit it on a boat.
Sunseeker 56 Manhattan only has 550 liter fresh water tank which is what is occaisoning my query.
TX


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[MapisM]

Well, then I guess you must go for a watermaker.
Actually, I'm also giving it a thought, hoping to have time enough next year for longer trips, down to the Greek islands.
In fact, fuelwise I have a range of some 1500 miles, therefore water can be more of an issue than diesel.
Which areas are you planning to visit, and when?

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[king7446]

Mapis
The current plan is to pick up the boat in UK around the middle of April, take courses to qualify for ICC, and port hop (fuel enough only for 250NM) down to Gibraltar, hoping to arrive around early May.
From then until October--with a few short trips back to the US--we will stay in the Med with an itinerary is as yet unplanned. I am reading up on weather and such and we will probably go clockwise around the Med.
We will avoid Greece during the Olympics and probably wind up in Crete (or back to Gibraltar) where I would drydock the boat until the next season.
I have around 10 years sailing (in a real sail boat) around the Carribean, but no experience in power or in the Med.
I just found this website so I trying to absorb useful info from all.
TX


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[Robin]

I have to say that 145 galls water capacity on a 56ft powerboat boat is ludicrous. Surely most boats of this size would be expected to have more than just 2 people on board, plus even perhaps pro crew and this is not a size or type of boat where restraint and rationing would be expected or accepted.

Firstly I would go back to Sunseeker and insist they install adequate water tank capacity, commensurate with the size of boat and number of berths and at the same time maybe some additional fuel tankage too. Secondly I would have expected a watermaker perhaps as standard on such a boat. Inevitably the generator (it does have one I assume?) will be in daily use and at the same time as generating power it can be running the watermaker - BUT there is no point if there is nowhere to put the water it makes.

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[zefender]

I've chartered sailboats many times in Greece (and this Summer in Croatia). Our boats typically have about 70 gals only on board and there is usually me, the missus, two teenage daughters, each with a friend. Water became something of an obsession! We could go just a couple of days without a refill. That certainly restricts much anchoring out of marinas. You can make short stops for lunch though and fill up then - often for no charge or much cheaper. If you can get close to any taverna (and eat there), they will generally find a way of getting water to you. The water in both places is usually pretty good (though some islands in Greece have it shipped in). Locals will also get a bit pissed off if people wash their boats with their precious water too. I don't think I would drink it though. Take a very long water hose with you and plenty of different attachments. Rod Heikell's Greek Islands Pilot is pretty good at telling you where to get water. The Croatian one is not quite so good (and very marina focussed). As mentioned by another poster, water is very scarce in the Kornati Islands of Croatia.


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[Metabarca]

To add my halfpenny's worth on Croatia: water on the mainland, no problem finding it (sometimes outside marinas too) and it's very good. On the islands very scarce because it's rainwater kept in cisterns or shipped from the mainland, so it's also rather anti-social sloshing the stuff around. Exceptions to the above are some of the largest islands which have pipelines and Cres which has a large lake in the middle.

See my link below for more info re Croatia

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html>http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html</A>

 

[AuntyRinum]

<you should not run a watermaker in a marina in any circumstance. In fact it is recomended that you should be at least 6miles (if not 12) from the coast before using it. >

Why is that?


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[king7446]

THANKS TO ALL
Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to help me with this decision.
I have decided to install a watermaker given the tankage imitatations of our boat and the problematic situation of easily filling our supply in all of the Eastern Med.
The suggested watermaker from the manufactuer (Sunseeker) is a Seafari SFM 630-1 rated at 99 liters/hour.
As all of you have pointed out, without one, insuring that we would have sufficient water in some areas of the Med might become a daily preoccupation and dictate our schedule--an irritant that I can do without. Albeit, I appreciate the irony of the fact that I would be worrying about a commodity of which, in another form, covers 2/3s of the world!
Thanks again.


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[Talbot]

<you should not run a watermaker in a marina in any circumstance. In fact it is recomended that you should be at least 6miles (if not 12) from the coast before using it. >

Why is that?

Cause the watermaker is not filtering virus or biological waste and thus does not purify the water, but make it salt and mineral free. furthermore IIRC these products which tend to be in waters around coast (and particularly marinas) are not good for the chemical bits in the watermaker system thus causing increased maintenance. again IIRC to be able to safely drink the water from a marina you would need to at least chemically treat it, and pass it through a UV source



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[bendyone]

Why the need for water? Gin is far better for you.

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[bendyone]

Why the need for water? Gin is far better for you.

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[king7446]

Bendyone
While I agree with your water substitute, wife advises that gin makes her hair frizzy!!


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[MapisM]

I also mentioned that such water tank seemed small for such size of boat.
But when King7446 told it's a SS Manhattan he was talking about, then I understood.
Nothing against them - they look beautiful, and I guess they also cruise perfectly.
They are just not made for long cruises; the 250 NM range explains it all.
Personally, I prefer boats capable of longer cruises far from marinas, rather than more speedy (and luxurious) ones.
But each choice has its pros and cons, and whatever you decide to go for, you have to leave with them.
I would be surprised if the shipyard could easily double the water capacity (any smaller increase justy wouldn't be enough).
And even that, would be useless anyway, unless the diesel tank would also be doubled or so.

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