Watermaker Needed? (Poll)

Watermakers are expensive, they need to be run weekly, or very often, and they need LOTS of power to make water. If you were going to the Bahamas and maybe the Caribbean Islands where you may cruise 3-6 months a year, would you invest in a watermaker?
Which one?
How would you power it?
How long does it take to pay off, and make it worth it?

Echo Tech:
www.echotecwatermakers.com/seawater_desa...mmercial_vessels.htm

Spectra:
www.spectrawatermakers.com/

Village Marine:
www.villagemarine.com/

Others????


Thanks
Hayden

A water-maker is not essential and I would doubt that you'd ever recover your investment but it sure as hell is nice when you see the poor devils on the next boat having to jug it from sure every time you put the hook down.
It's like all things boating, very little is actually essential but there are a whole lot of goodies that are nice to have and WM's come under that heading.
Mine is an old one and works fine but I need to run my generator and probably run it about once a month in the Caribbean, probably more often in the Bahamas. Last year there was a major drought in the Windward's and water was hard to find and then it was subject to rationing so the old WM came in very handy. Also after hurricane Tomas went through St Lucia, we were without water for two weeks so again it was nice to have the option.
If I was to buy a new one my choice would be Spectra as you can make water form sunshine and it's quiet

Peter Lancaster,
Traa Dy Liooar

We have a 110 volt Aquamarine watermaker. Got that one because we have a generator and it makes 24 gallons an hour. It is really nice to have when in the keys and we plan on using it in the Bahamas. Along the east coast you really cannot use it because the pre-filters get clogged to easily. We pickled ours when we were half way north in Florida and will start using it again when we get over to the Bahamas.

Jeff
IP380-133
Xperience

We love our Spectra. I was not going to get one due to the Cost being so great. But a cruising friend reasoned with me and pointed out that at some time - especially if you like to anchor in secluded anchorages and not at a dock - you will be low on water and weather won't be good. Then it becomes a safety issue. He had seen several boats make journeys when they otherwise might have stayed, all because of no watermaker.

Best buys on Watermakers is from Barry, a Brit who stays in Curacao in the south Caribbean. He constructs them for a fraction of what commercial ones would cost and those with his all rave by them. We have a Spectra 150 (small size was only one that would fit our earlier vessel) - now wish we had the 300 model! Ed

With our aluminum tanks what better way to ensure nothing bad gets in them.

We put in our 240 volt watermaker at the same time as we installed a generator. We've found them both very useful as we cruised the west coast of Ireland and Scotland. We spend a lot of time at anchor and it's great not to have to worry about how much water we use. It's not essential but it is a real nice to have.

We installed a D60 Dessalator CRUISE Watermaker and a Paguro 300 compact generator. Both have performed well over the last 3 years.

Paul Bragg
Jennie B IP 380-163