Help Me Choose a Water Maker for My Boat

Whether you're a weekend cruiser, a full-time liveaboard, crossing oceans, or simply tired of chasing marina taps, the goal is the same: reliable freshwater, less hassle, more freedom.

A good water maker changes the way you use your boat.

Owners don't install one because they want a machine. They install one because they want freedom.

Stay out longer.

Drop the hook in the spots you love and stay there. Water stops being the limiting factor.

Skip the marina run.

Stop planning passages around dock taps. Your itinerary is yours again.

No more jerry cans.

End the dock-shuffle. No carting cans, no spilling, no rationing onboard.

What are you doing for water currently?

This is always the first question. Before choosing litres per hour, pumps, or control panels, we need to understand what problem you're trying to solve.

Are you currently:

• Filling tanks at marinas every few days?
• Carrying jerry cans back and forth from the dock?
• Paying for questionable dock water quality?
• Running short during longer anchoring trips?
• Conserving water constantly just to stretch tank life?
• Avoiding remote anchorages because freshwater becomes the limiting factor?
• Planning passages around where you can refill instead of where you actually want to go?

Would it mean:

• Staying out for weeks instead of days?
• Taking proper showers without feeling guilty?
• Letting guests stay comfortably without worrying about tank levels?
• Supporting family cruising without constant water stress?
• Making long offshore passages easier?
• Cruising remote areas where dock water is unreliable or unavailable?
• Reducing marina dependence and gaining true offshore independence?

What would change onboard if water stopped being a problem?

Some owners want convenience. Some want simplicity. Some want serious offshore self-sufficiency. The right system depends on what freedom looks like for you. That is what we design around.

How much water do you need?

The goal is not maximum litres per hour. The goal is to replace what you use, comfortably, not barely. As a rough guide, most people use around 30 to 50 litres per person, per day. Some use less. Many use more.

To work that out, think about:

• How many people are onboard?
• How often do you shower?
• Do you wash dishes onboard?
• Do you rinse dive, fishing or water-sports gear?
• Do you run a washing machine onboard?
• How often do guests stay aboard?
• How often do you wash down the boat?
• How large are your water tanks?
• How long do you like to run your generator each day?

Couples & Coastal Cruisers

The simplest, most affordable starting point. Excellent for practical cruising where simplicity and value matter most.

• Couples and smaller boats
• Weekend & coastal cruising
• Light to moderate daily use
• Owners happy to run for longer periods

Families & Liveaboards

Strong output without overbuilding. Faster recovery, shorter runtime, less time thinking about water.

• Families & serious cruising yachts
• Offshore passages
• Higher daily water use
• Faster recovery, shorter runtime

Expedition & Heavy Use

For serious water freedom. Large daily use, minimal runtime, fast tank recovery, heavy offshore use.

• Larger vessels
• Expedition cruising
• Full-time liveaboards
• Maximum independence

What power do you have available?

All of our marine water makers use two pumps: a feed pump for the low-pressure side, and a high-pressure pump for reverse-osmosis desalination.

The Feed Pump

Handles the low-pressure side of the system. Pulls raw seawater from the seacock and strainer, pushes it through the 20µm and 5µm pre-filters, and provides steady inlet flow to the high-pressure pump.

Without good feed flow, the system can't perform properly. This pump is small, efficient, and matched to your boat's power system.

The High-Pressure Pump

The heart of the system. Creates the pressure required for seawater reverse-osmosis desalination. Without high pressure, seawater doesn't become freshwater.

Two options. A proven, easy-to-source domestic pump, or a premium permanent marine pump.

BYO Karcher K4 Compact

Simple. Affordable. Proven.

Our Essential and Standard systems are designed around the Karcher K4 Compact. Reliable, easy to source, widely available, and performs extremely well for single-membrane systems.

• Designed around the Karcher K4 Compact
• Easy to source & service anywhere
• Excellent value, no compromise on output
• Best for 80L/h systems

Not the "cheap" option. The smart option for many boats.

Marine Triplex Pump

Permanent install. Long-term performance.

Our Performance systems use premium triplex marine high-pressure pumps. Built for serious permanent installations with stainless manifolds and ceramic pistons.

• 1.1kW / 8 L/min
• 1.5kW / 12 L/min
• Stainless steel manifold, ceramic pistons
• Quieter, cleaner, built to last

The premium long-term solution. Less compromise, more refinement.

Every system uses the same proven core.

Different boats, different sizes, different installs. Same serious engineering. That's what makes the range easy to choose from.

DuPont FilmTec SW30-2540

Industry-standard membranes engineered for marine seawater RO.

Automatic Fresh Water Flush

Protects membranes between uses with no extra effort from you.

Activated Carbon Protection

Chlorine knockdown so dock-water flushing doesn't damage the membrane.

20µm + 5µm Pre-Filtration

Washable cartridges keep service costs low and consumables minimal.

Non-Proprietary Service Parts

No locked-in servicing. Source spares from anywhere in the world.

Modular Installation

Designed to fit your boat, not the other way around.

Eight practical systems. One common goal.

Some owners want the simplest possible setup for weekends. Some are full-time liveaboards. Some want the most refined, fully automated, WiFi-controlled system money can buy. The range is built around how you actually use your boat.

Essential Single Membrane Water Maker

The simplest and most affordable way to install a serious marine water maker. Reliable, proven and easy to service anywhere. Perfect for owners who want freshwater independence without unnecessary extras.

Features

• Single membrane configuration
• Designed for Karcher K4 Compact
• Compact modular installation
• Direct system operation at the unit
• Auto fresh water flush included
• Full standard pre-filtration

Why owners choose it

• Simplest, most affordable entry point
• Reliable and easy to service anywhere
• Freshwater independence without extras
• Just works, no fuss

Standard Single Membrane Water Maker

Same strong value as Essential, with even better usability. No opening lockers. No climbing into engine bays. No operating pumps buried in a lazarette. Just proper, clean daily operation.

Features (Essential, plus…)

• Full remote control panel
• Freshwater divert valve (test / tank)
• Pressure monitoring
• Centralised system controls
• Flush mount or surface mount
• White panel finish with surround

Why owners choose it

• Easier day-to-day operation
• No buried-in-the-locker pumps
• Clean, considered cockpit-side control
• Smarter for harder-to-access installs

Performance Single Membrane Water Maker

Where the system stops feeling like a pressure-washer setup and becomes a true installed marine desalination system. Cleaner. Quieter. More professional. Built for owners planning to keep the boat and use it properly.

Features

• Marine triplex high-pressure pump
• Stainless manifold & ceramic pistons
• Cleaner, quieter operation
• Full remote panel included
• Permanent install fitout
• 1.1kW / 8L/min or 1.5kW / 12L/min

Why owners choose it

• Premium long-term solution
• The best installed single-membrane system
• Less compromise, more refinement
• Built to last

Performance Double Membrane Water Maker

Our most popular serious cruising system. It gives you enough water to stop thinking about water. Shorter runtime, more comfort, more freedom. For many boats, this is the sweet spot.

Features

• Double membrane configuration
• High production output
• Fast tank recovery
• Premium triplex pump supplied
• Full remote panel included
• Permanent marine installation

Why owners choose it

• Stop thinking about water
• Shorter runtime, more comfort
• Strong choice for offshore passages
• The sweet spot for many boats

Performance Triple Membrane Water Maker

For owners who never want water to be the limiting factor. Minimal generator runtime. Maximum freshwater production. Complete onboard independence.

Features

• Triple membrane configuration
• Maximum production output
• Fastest tank recovery
• Premium triplex pump supplied
• Full remote panel included
• Heavy-duty permanent install

Why owners choose it

• Total onboard water independence
• Minimal generator runtime
• Built for heavy expedition use
• If water freedom is the goal, this is the one

Fully automated. WiFi controlled.

The premium tier of our range. Manage your water maker from your phone, tablet or laptop over a simple onboard WiFi connection. Automatic startup, shutdown, freshwater flush, divert control and tank monitoring are all handled by the system, and all visible from anywhere onboard.

Performance Automatic Single Membrane Water Maker

A compact fully automatic system designed for vessels wanting premium automation and convenience in a smaller freshwater production package. All the intelligent control of the larger auto systems, scaled for boats that don't need the bigger output.

Features

• Fully automatic operation
• WiFi remote control & monitoring
• Automatic startup & shutdown sequencing
• Automatic freshwater flush cycles
• Automatic divert control (test / tank)
• Integrated tank level monitoring
• Intelligent fault detection

Why owners choose it

• Hands-off operation in a compact package
• Premium feel without the bigger footprint
• Remote monitoring from anywhere onboard
• Best for premium smaller installs

Performance Automatic Double Membrane Water Maker

Increased production with full automation. Designed for vessels with higher daily freshwater demand, larger crews and owners who want a freshwater system that runs itself. Manage everything from your phone or tablet.

Features

• Double membrane configuration
• Fully automatic operation
• WiFi remote control & monitoring
• Automatic pressure regulation
• Integrated tank level management
• Intelligent fault detection & shutdown
• Centralised modular system layout

Why owners choose it

• Liveaboard-friendly automation
• Strong production with effortless control
• Manage water from anywhere onboard
• Set it and forget it

Performance Automatic Triple Membrane Water Maker

The flagship. Maximum production, full automation, WiFi remote control. Built for larger vessels, premium long-range cruising and owners who want freshwater to be entirely effortless. The most refined system Water Makers Australia builds.

Features

• Triple membrane configuration
• Marine triplex pump (1.5kW)
• Fully automatic operation
• WiFi remote control & monitoring
• Automatic pressure & tank management
• Intelligent safety & protection systems
• Heavy-duty permanent install

Why owners choose it

• Maximum production, maximum automation
• The premium long-range cruising system
• Effortless onboard water management
• Water just happens

Get the buyers guide emailed to you.

A plain-English PDF that walks you through sizing, power, and the eight systems. Take it away, read it with your partner, share it with your skipper. No sales calls, no pressure.

• Working out litres per person, per day
• Matching a system to the power you have
• Side-by-side comparison of all eight systems
• What to check before you buy

We'll email you the guide and the occasional watermaker tip. Unsubscribe anytime.

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Reliable freshwater. Real cruising. No compromises.

No proprietary parts. No locked-in servicing. No unnecessary complexity. Just serious marine water makers built for the way you actually use your boat. Tell us how you cruise, and we'll help you choose.