What size watermaker for a 60 foot boat?

Six aboard at 30 litres each is 180 litres a day. Something from about 100 litres an hour fills that inside a two-hour genset run, which is the pattern most boats this size settle into.

Should a large boat have two watermakers?

Some charter and expedition boats do, for redundancy rather than output. A cheaper approach is one system plus a stocked set of spares — seals, valves, prefilters and a membrane — and a technician who has seen the boat.

By length · 16–20 m · updated 5 September 2026

Watermakers for boats 52 to 65 feet.

Above about sixteen metres the electrical system stops being the limit. There is a generator, there is 24 or 48 volts, and the watermaker is one load among many. What matters instead is output, unattended operation, and whether it can be serviced without stopping the trip.

Planning figure180 L a day6 aboard at 30 L each

What to optimise forLitres per hourat this length

Shortlist leaderRainman Frame AC 240L Torrent, auto0.8 h and 2,270 Wh for 180 L

Schematic, not to scale. 6 aboard at 30 litres each is the planning figure for a 52–65 ft boat — 180 litres a day — drawn with 24 or 48 V with a generator as standard.

The electrical reality at 52–65 ft. Typically 24 or 48 V with a generator as standard. A generator is standard at this size, so mains systems are practical. Output and automation matter more than watt-hours per litre — though the energy is still real.

What matters at 52–65 ft

Fill the tank inside one genset run

The useful target is the whole day's water during the evening generator hour. That points at output, and at a system rated to run at full pressure for that long without attention.

Automation earns its keep

Start, flush and stop without anyone in the engine room is most of the premium on a framed automatic system, and at this size and crew it is usually worth paying.

The energy is still real

A generator makes the watt-hours easy to supply, not free. Diesel and engine hours have a price, and a thirstier system runs the genset longer for the same tank.

Plan the service, not just the install

Larger systems mean larger membranes and heavier parts. Confirm the technician can get to it and that spares are held in Australia before you commit.

Shortlist for 52–65 ft boats

The 10 best matches of 32 that suit a boat this size, ordered by litres per hour. Run time and energy are for 180 litres a day.

System	Power	Output L/hr	Draw W	Wh per litre	Price
Frame AC 240L Torrent, auto Rainman	AC 240V	180–264	2,800	12.6	$15,089
Frame AC 240L Torrent, manual Rainman	AC 240V	180–264	2,800	12.6	$12,089
Performance Triple 200L · 12V feed Water Makers Australianameplate estimate	AC 240V	200 nominal	1,610	8.1	$9,181
Automatic Triple 200L · AC feed Water Makers Australianameplate estimate	AC 240V	200 nominal	2,280	11.4	$19,250
Zen 150 Schenker · spec unconfirmed	12/24/48V DC or AC	150	—	not published	on request
Performance Double 140L · 12V feed Water Makers Australianameplate estimate	AC 240V	140 nominal	1,610	11.5	$7,791
Portable AC 140L Rainman	AC 240V	100–154	1,250	9.8	$5,329
Portable Petrol 140L Rainman	Petrol	100–154	—	petrol	$6,731
Portable 48VDC 140L Rainman	48V DC	100–154	1,250	9.8	$6,240
Modular AC 140L Rainman	AC 240V	100–154	1,250	9.8	$5,460

Under 6 Wh/L · energy recovery

6–12 Wh/L

Over 12 Wh/L

Length is a proxy. Your boat is not.

Put in your own crew, tank, battery bank and solar surplus and see which of these actually fit.

Open the calculator

Common questions

What size watermaker for a 60 foot boat?: Six aboard at 30 litres each is 180 litres a day. Something from about 100 litres an hour fills that inside a two-hour genset run, which is the pattern most boats this size settle into.
Should a large boat have two watermakers?: Some charter and expedition boats do, for redundancy rather than output. A cheaper approach is one system plus a stocked set of spares — seals, valves, prefilters and a membrane — and a technician who has seen the boat.

Other lengths

Not your size?

All lengths →

Under 33 ft30 L 33–40 ft66 L 40–46 ft100 L 46–52 ft140 L Over 65 ft280 L By boat type

Before you shortlist

Length is a proxy, not a measurement. 180 litres a day is 6 aboard at 30 litres each — a planning figure for boats of this size, not a claim about yours. Two people cruising frugally on a 45-footer use less than a family of four on a 38. The shortlist is filtered to systems whose power source and output suit a boat this size and ordered by litres per hour. Watt-hours per litre is rated draw divided by rated output. Methodology.