Cruising with a Katadyn 40E

[sailorboy1]

[QUOTE=Mike OReilly;3172078 ... I can't image how I would possibly use that much water. I'd have to basically turn on the tap and let it run constantly. Who does that?!?

[/QUOTE]

People with watermakers.

But not those with a 40E

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

People with watermakers.

But not those with a 40E

OK, I laughed. Thanks for starting my day.

[Boatguy30]

We had a 35 which is basically the same. Used it very little, but was nice when it was needed. I find hauling water to actually be a bit interesting and a good way to meet the cruisers of average means. Or maybe below average these days.

We currently have a Spectra with 21" membrane I built from parts from eBay and the classifieds here. Total cost was around $1800.

I have also had a 160e which is really the best Katadyn as it uses a standard motor And 21" membrane. 1/2 as efficient as a Spectra however. But likely more reliable. Not sure they make that model.

Other option is build up a 80 using a stock 14" membrane. You used to be able to buy an aftermarket Katadyn small membrane in Ft Lauderdale, but industry consolidation has taken care of that!

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

People with watermakers.



But not those with a 40E

Before we sold our 40e our consumption was around 5 gallons per day. We ran the 40e 4ish hours every afternoon.

We also left the boat for 4ish hours every afternoon to escape the wirr wump wirr wump wirr wump.

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Looking for real life couple cruising stories of cruising with a 40E. Was it enough water for you? Did you basically just run it all day when the sun was up? Was it loud and annoying?

Seems there are a lot of threads of people selling their 40E. Was that because it just isn't enough water?

We used ours for many years. We use a 2.5 gal black plastic garden sprayer as a solar collector shower. We also use about a gallon a day for drinking, cooking, and washing dishes.

3.5 gal per day. Our Katadyne could produce this in a couple of hours each morning, using only solar power.

Water makers like to be run every day, to keep tanks full at all times. This way, if there is a malfunction, you have weeks of water standing by.

[davil]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This is on par with our usage, which is why I'm interested in this WM. But I am also concerned with noise levels. If they really are quite noisy, I may choose something else.

==================================
Mike
used for three years in my 1978 Tartan 34
was the original 35 Power Survivor,much like the current 40
My unit produced about 3.5 gl/hr


installed on the port side (kind of pilot berth) mounted under the cockpit to easy access for filter changing and servicing.
the noise was never an issue for us ,just the pump moving in and out inside the cylinder,I recognize this is personal.
Pickled it on return,year 2000,and to my disbelief I opened two years ago and only needed a new membrane,seals were fine but changed them anyways.
Replaced the membrane with Defender,serviced with the kit I had and worked like it used to!!!!!!
Am amazing at this,took me couple of days fidgeting with so many little pieces and my arthritic fingers.
We cruised for three years and used daily except in marinas,but again we did not stay much and mostly anchor with access to clean water.
Ran the engine daily in the morning to charge batteries,ran the wm,microwave for breakfast and use the SSB for email.
Was meticulous flushing the salt water after use and pickled it if was to be away for more than couple of days.

No solar panels then.
Two hours (about)was enough for the 8 gls of fresh water we used,for the two of us,and a daily shower always.
I guess we were frugal.
By the way shower was exclusive sun shower.better control of water usage.
But did have pressure water for both sinks.

We drank clean and more trusted fresh water and best tasting too.
Obviously 8 gls/day was enough for the two of us.
Last year as I cruised the northeast and Nova Scotia did not use it as planned as found using marinas more than planned.
I do not wish to engage on an argument about pros and cons vs other WM.
Just my experience as requested by the original question and also knowing your lifestyle and preferences from following your postings.
David

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by davil

Mike
used for three years in my 1978 Tartan 34
was the original 35 Power Survivor,much like the current 40
My unit produced about 3.5 gl/hr... We drank clean and more trusted fresh water and best tasting too. Obviously 8 gls/day was enough for the two of us.

Many thanks David. I really appreciate your real-world experience with this WM. And it's affirming to hear from you, and other recent posters like Mark, that our daily usage is not far off others. I'm still amazed at the volumes of water some people report they use.

I continue to believe a PS 40 is my preferred WM option. But it remains a lower priority. I already have nearly three months of capacity in my tank (based on our usage), and so far we've never had to go into a dock only to refill our tank.

But I still like the idea of a WM. It's about freedom and independence.

[Kelkara]

Originally Posted by davil;

was the original 35 Power Survivor,much like the current 40
My unit produced about 3.5 gl/hr

did you mean to say 3.5 litres per hour? The 40E is only specced at 1.5 gal/hr.

[witzgall]

Run time was the biggest issue for us when cruising. We did not want to leave the boat when the unit was running. This meant sometimes staying aboard when we would rather be out exploring, etc. Ours was the Spectra 150. Money aside I would go with a larger unit if we venture out again.

Chris

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by witzgall

Ours was the Spectra 150. Money aside I would go with a larger unit if we venture out again.

Chris

yea, probably why even though I have been trying now to talk myself into a Spectra 150/200 I am probably going to go the AC driven 40gph route. Saves $2k+ (it is about same price as a 40E) and that and "gets the job done and over quickly". BTW - since the price of a 20gph AC system is only $400 than the 40E plus a Honda 2200i it seems that the only reason not to got that route is space and that the 40E is easy to find a place to install.

[davil]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

did you mean to say 3.5 litres per hour? The 40E is only specced at 1.5 gal/hr.

http://www.ishipaco.com/katadyn/docs/WatermakerBook.PDF

"
"PowerSurvivor 35 will produce1.4 gallons of water per hour while drawing an average of only 4 amps per hour"



Thanks for correcting my mistake
my usage still same about 2 hs engine = 3 gallons a day shower daily 2 of us

[dwedeking2]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

BTW - since the price of a 20gph AC system is only $400 than the 40E plus a Honda 2200i it seems that the only reason not to got that route is space and that the 40E is easy to find a place to install.

Ease of installation and lowers the amount of gasoline you need to have on hand. I like to visit remote spots, just not a people person, so being able to run it off of solar which is pre-paid power and doesn't require storage other than batteries. But that is a unique set of criteria (no everyone likes the far off spots for long times).

[Mike OReilly]

I've oft seen the advice that if you're already running a generator, and content to do so, then getting an AC watermaker is the way to go. Cheaper, larger output. Downside is noise and the fuel dependency.

I prefer not to use a generator, hence my focus on the small DC options.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I've oft seen the advice that if you're already running a generator, and content to do so, then getting an AC watermaker is the way to go. Cheaper, larger output. Downside is noise and the fuel dependency.

I prefer not to use a generator, hence my focus on the small DC options.

have you watched a video with the noise a 40E makes

I started a go with this one thread about wm noise. In the end I decided that it is better to just run the Honda for an hour and get the noise all done and make the same amount of water a 40E would take 24 hours to make.

BTW - I could run the 40 gph off the inverter and batteries for an hour and make the same amount of water as the 40E in 24 days for almost the same total AHs. So where is the "solar savings"?

[a64pilot]

I keep saying this but no one listens.
If you want to go DC, go with a Spectra or you will wish you had, just about any other one will have you either water rationing or burning fuel to make enough water. For those that get by on a couple of gallons of water a day, your water rationing, maybe not intentionally, but you are.
I don’t see how you guys that claim to only use a gallon or two of water a day can be showering, I bet I drink at least a half gallon of water in the form of iced tea a day.
We use on average about 30 gls a day, but we are showering every day and not using squirt bottles to shower or washing in salt with a fresh water spritz off, and we are washing clothes in a washing machine too, and we use fresh water to flush the head as well. That works out to one hour of water maker time a day for us, so three hours twice a week or so.
A smarter than I person computed on this forum that you can make 150 to 200 gls of water per 1 gl of fuel, so your increased fuel usage is minuscule if you want to go the AC route.

But a watermaker frees up where we go and how long we can stay, and when we have to leave. Where we cruise which is usually the Bahamas, good water isn’t always available so you have to route plan based on where water is available if you don’t have one.

Even the Dry Tortugas your stay will be based on how much water you have.