# Watermaker on Sailboat



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I will be taking a 6 month sail to the Caribbean next winter. I understand a watermaker would be very convenient. I am thinking of a PUR 40e, as small and not too expensive. We are 2 adults 1 child, and estimate usage at 7 gal/day. 

The thought is to run it on 12 volts for about 6 hours. 

What experience have others had with Pur? with this model of Pur? with the noise of extended running of a 40e? with installation/operation/maintenance issues with this watermaker?

What other suggestions do you have?

John


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## manateee_gene (Dec 7, 2001)

We have a Pur 35 that we sent back to the factory for service about 5 years ago.It works great.A couple of points.Go buy the book.How to Survive with a Power Survivor Watermaker by Gary E. Albers aboard S/V Ishi.
We ran into him in the Sea of Cortez where her put on seminars on the Pur 35 and 80''s
he demonstrated how to reseal them and all the other how too''s..
To install it needs to be out where it can be looked and serviced.The Prefilter MUST
BE where it can be looled at each time you use it.The overboard waste discharge is about 15 to one so you need a good place to discharge.Do not plumb the good water into your system.Fill a container test it with a
TDS meter.Drink some for the final test before pouring into your tank.
All w2ater makers are happiest when they are
used daily.I run ours about 2-3hours every
other day whether I need the water or not when we are underway cruising! Good laundry water also things like winches and blocks like non-salty baths too!! 
If I had to do it today I would get a watermaker with a Clark Pump!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thanks for the earlier reply.

I am curious about your decision to go with a Clark pump watermaker if you had it to do again. Why? Noise, maintenance, increased output, convience of more automated operation, other?

Do you use your PUR year round? How do you store it in the off season, especially the membrane?

The equipment cost difference between a PUR and the Clark looks like a factor of 2-3. Do you think this is worth it for a 6 month trip. After the trip we''ll be back to work, and sailing just on vacations for a few more years.


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## manateee_gene (Dec 7, 2001)

Well,I kind of like Clark!! We used to land our fish at the same dock in Sausalito years ago.My first fishing cat was from a litter his cat had.Spent lots of time fishing the same areas and crossing tacks with him!Next
the pump is a marvel of 12 yeara of trial and error by a pretty damn good engineer
out of UC Berkeley.If its as good as his boat its a teal winner.He had absolutely the
best hull shape in steel and put the right "stuff" on it when building so twenty 
years later there was still no RUST ANYWHERE!!For a very well used Coml'' Boat that says alot about how to do it right!!
Realizing your on a 6 mo.trip I''d probably try to find a good usrd Pur 35. Gary Albers
seems to think one that''s been factory upgraded is as good as it gets!The Marine division of Pur has changed hands twice since
I bought mine so I''m not up to snuff on their service.We used ours at least every
other day for 18months.serviced it, pickled
it and have tested it every six mo.and re-pickled it.Remember for every gallon of water produced you must dispose of 15 gallons of so called waste water.I mounted
mine alongside my daggerboard trunk,put the
prefilter just below the water line to cut down the energy usage.Plumbed my discharge to the daggerboard;above the waterline.My good water supply goes into a 3 gallon s/s
milk bucket.I test it,then drink it after I visually inspect it then and only then does it go into the tank.
If your only going for 6mo. you should seriously consider a good rain catching system.In a very short time a good system
you can catch all the water you need.We will
finde out in April when we go to the Bahamas
ourselves but I''ve read in Cruising Coast and Islands: the rag Tom & Mel Neale and the girls put out,that times are changing and though you have to pay for water its now mostly RO water.Hope this is helpful!!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

i have a factory rebuilt pur-40 for sale never used- it was originally a floor demo unit. i do not believe it was ever used.
please advise.
eric
[email protected]


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I had a PUR 35 on my boat, and considered it a great piece of equipment. I ran it whenever the engine was running, and tried to run it at least every other day when at anchor. I only made enough water to drink (my two golden retrievers got most of the water) and caught rainwater for non-drinking use. I caution you to not have it feed directly into a water tank, as I have heard of the units going bad and pumping salty water into their only water tank. We pumped ours into a 5 gallon jug that rested comfortably in our galley''s sink, and decanted it from there. 

If anyone is interested, I have an extended cruising kit for the PUR 35 that is for sale in the classified section.


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