Watermakers for off-grid and expedition use
Once you are weeks from a chandlery, the question stops being which system performs best and becomes which one you can keep alive. Standard parts, a procedure you can perform yourself, and a draw your panels can cover.
The power reality. Remote cruising is solar cruising. Running the engine to make water is possible but it burns fuel you may not be able to replace.
What matters on off-grid and expedition boats
Standard parts, not proprietary ones
Ask whether the membranes, prefilters and fittings are industry-standard sizes you could source anywhere, or specific to one manufacturer. In the Kimberley that answer is the whole game.
Can you service it yourself?
Know how to change a prefilter, clean a membrane and pickle the system before you leave. A procedure you have never performed is not a procedure you have.
Silty and plankton-rich water
Tropical northern water loads prefilters far faster than clear ocean. Carry more than you think and fit a gauge so you can see it coming.
Simplicity has value
A proprietary controller that fails a thousand miles from a dealer stops a system that is otherwise perfectly healthy. Ask whether it can be run manually.
Shortlist for off-grid and expedition boats
The 8 best matches of 20 that suit off-grid and expedition boats, ordered by energy per litre. Run time and energy below are for 60 litres a day.
| System | Power | Output L/hr | Draw W | Wh per litre | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zen 30 Schenker | 12/24V DC | 30 | 110 | 3.7 | $6,300 |
| Zen 100 Schenker | 12/24/48V DC or AC | 100 | 400 | 4.0 | $9,600 |
| Ventura 150 Deluxe Spectra | 12/24V DC | 24 | 108 | 4.5 | $6,000 |
| Ventura 150 Connect Spectra | 12/24V DC | 24 | 108 | 4.5 | $7,400 |
| Newport 400C Spectra | 12/24/48V DC | 64 | 288 | 4.5 | $14,500 |
| Zen 50 Schenker | 12/24V DC | 50 | 240 | 4.8 | $7,800 |
| D100 DUO Dessalatorreported | 12/24V DC | 100 | 700 | 7.0 | on request |
| D60 Freedom Dessalatorreported | 12/24V DC | 60 | 550 | 9.2 | on request |
Common questions
- What watermaker is best for remote cruising?
- One that runs inside your solar surplus and uses parts you can source anywhere. An energy-recovery DC system covers the first; asking about standard membrane and filter sizes covers the second.
- What spares should I carry for a watermaker?
- Typically sediment prefilters, a pump service kit, O-rings, spare hose and the preservation chemical — but the correct list is specific to your system, so have the manufacturer or installer specify it.
- How do I look after a watermaker in the tropics?
- Expect prefilters to load fast in silty or plankton-rich water, flush whenever the system will sit more than a day or two, and monitor product-water quality before it reaches the tank.
Guides that go deeper
Not quite your boat?
How the shortlist is built. 60 litres a day is 3 aboard at 20 litres each — a planning figure for this kind of boat, not a measurement of yours. The list is filtered to systems whose power source suits off-grid and expedition boats and ordered by energy per litre. Every figure is the manufacturer’s rated output and draw; Wh per litre is one divided by the other. Methodology.