Sailing Bluefin Ep#17: Rainman watermaker demo/review - How to make fresh drinking water on a boat!

[@SailingBluefin]

I'm actually just installing the unit on the boat this week. So we'll publish another video soon that goes through the process of installation.

[@richardf3849]

Great video - thanks for the step-by-step and pros/cons of the electric unit. We're looking at the different options and this was the best demo we've seen that wasn't by the company. Glad to hear about the good tech support as well. Safe sailing!

[@keithwiggins6891]

Thanks for watching Richard, glad you liked it. Let me know if you need any more info. I'm actually just installing the unit on the boat at the moment. I'll do another video about this install process.

[@janfictorie4584]

That’s such a cool water maker. No installation and so easy to use. Thanks for this great video and showing it to us.

[@SailingBluefin]

Thanks for watching! We really appreciate the feedback :D Let us know if you have anymore questions and sorry for the late reply!

[@annmariehanson2166]

Very informative video and it seems quite simple and I like the way you presented it! Appears to be a bulletproof product! Thanks so much!

[@SCYorks]

Excellent clear concise demonstration.

[@keithwiggins6891]

Thanks for watch, glad you enjoyed it. Have been using it now for a while, so happy to answer any other questions. Check out the other videos on our channel too! 😁

[@SailingBluefin]

Thanks! 😁

[@methodicstudio4663]

Fair and insightful review. Lots of useful details. Happy sailing!

[@SailingBluefin]

Thanks, and thanks for watching!

[@Monkeywrenchmotorcycles]

Thanks for the honest review. I’m looking into installing a Watermaker on my Baba 30 to sail the Caribbean and was actually recommended this unit in 12vdc but after seeing it, the heavy weight, and how big and bulky it is I’d rather do a built in unit instead and run off AC with a generator.

[@glenn5977]

Hi Keith great vid. We used to work together at Telstra , great to see you out on boat. I just got a yacht, based in Lake Macquarie NSW.

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey Glenn, where were you in Telstra? Great to hear that you're getting into sailing. Thanks for watching!

[@mathewdavis-adventuresandd6643]

Thank you for that demonstration.

[@keithwiggins6891]

Thanks for watching Mathew, let me know if you have any questions!

[@sailorsam6243]

Definitely a useful video

[@SailingBluefin]

😁⛵

[@sailorsam6243]

These are so much simpler to use than others we've looked at.

[@keithwiggins6891]

Yes, definitely simple to use. You just need to follow the instructions and not be rushed.

[@sailorsam6243]

@@keithwiggins6891 Did you say these are made in Australia?

[@keithwiggins6891]

@@sailorsam6243 yes they are, they're made in the Northern Beaches in Sydney.

[@sailorsam6243]

@@keithwiggins6891 Impressive that they can make them competitively in Australia.

[@decaf80]

Hello may i know the cost thanks

[@MarcHamilton4711]

Grear video. Thank you very much for sharing!

[@SailingBluefin]

Thanks for watching John!

[@pippipankau]

Thanl you! Great explanation! System is already running:)

[@kman6482]

Great video, awesome product. Not just for boating.

[@SailingBluefin]

We agree! It is awesome :D thank you so much for watching

[@moaly4738]

Nice video with a very good explanation !

[@SailingBluefin]

Thank you! We are so glad you found it useful! :D

[@petefinn4914]

Nice to meet you today kieth - Subscribed

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey Pete, thanks. Hope you enjoy some of the videos! See you during the week.

[@roderickmchardy3650]

a very good review ,, pity you did not include some prices , but thats been answered in the comments ,,,,,,, it looks in great shape for 2 yr old unit ..

[@keithwiggins6891]

Hi Roderick, yes, very good point. I probably should have mentioned some prices. I actually didn't think of it at the time. I am also a bit careful with prices as our Aussie $ is now so different to the US$. I might include a link to the Rainman site where they have the pricing. Thanks for watching, and really appreciate the feedback!

[@roderickmchardy3650]

@@keithwiggins6891 thanks for the reply ,,, i have already checked out their webpages ,,, pricey bit of kit ..

[@sailorsam6243]

The prices for these units also seem quite reasonable compared to to other brands considering the reliability that people experience with them.

[@sailingstpommedeterre4905]

Your video is the best one I viewed on the Rainman.. I just subscribed to your channel👍

[@michelmontana8755]

GOOD MORNING GOOD DEMONSTRATION MERCI Michel Montana

[@keithwiggins6891]

Thanks for watching Michael! 😁

[@sailorsam6243]

Hey Michael, do you have a Rainman?

[@SailingBluefin]

Thanks! 😁

[@googlemate2587]

Great Video Keith, I’m also looking for a rainman water maker. My L44 is from 2014 with light interior

[@keithwiggins6891]

Ah yes, the light interior gives a great feeling of space. There was one just near us in the Whitsundays. Thanks for watching. 😀

[@SailingBluefin]

Thanks heaps for taking the time to watch 😀

[@svcatcher9865]

Loved the video!! We are thinking about the Rainman...Just saw them at the Miami Boat Show 2020 and we were sold on them! We were thinking more the permanent installation one they offer...

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey, yes, one of the issues with the portable model, as mentioned in the video, is that the cases make the unit bigger, so can be a barrier to semi installing. But the units themselves are rock solid. Lots of cruisers in Australia use them and all rave about them.

[@sailorsam6243]

Yes, they look great, easy to use.

[@keithwiggins6891]

Hey SV Catcher, did you end up getting a watermaker?

[@svcatcher9865]

@@keithwiggins6891 yes we did. We got the rainmaker, naked, installed ourselves...pretty easy, came with most everything and very please with the performance. We did get the extra long membranes as well. Nothing bad to say about it

[@keithwiggins6891]

@@svcatcher9865 that's great. I've actually just finished installing ours after using it portable for 2.5 years. No more having to lift it out of the locker. Also much easier to make water on passage. Another job ticked off the list! 😁

[@MagnumGaming1]

Great video... Great editing ✌🏽

[@SailingBluefin]

Thankyou! We really appreciate it 😁

[@MagnumGaming1]

@@SailingBluefin you're welcome... I recently purchased a 34 foot yacht and I'll be joining the crusing world soon... Thx for the inspiration 🙏🏽

[@SailingBluefin]

@@MagnumGaming1 That's fantastic! Congratulations!!! Nothing better than being out on the water exploring beautiful islands and beaches.

[@keithwiggins6891]

That's fantastic, what area will you be cruising?

[@MagnumGaming1]

@@keithwiggins6891 I want to do the carribean first... So that general area... I'll wait till after hurricane season before I head that way

[@TaylanYalniz]

Very helpful demo 💦⛵️

[@JudgieRob0422]

Great video thanks for sharing

[@TheWaywardHome]

Hey guys! Thanks for this informative video. I couldn't find the part where you talked about AC vs DC. Your timestamp is pretty much at the very end of the video :) Would love to know why you chose the AC unit as we are debating now. Thanks!

[@SailingBluefin]

Hi, thanks for the question. The AC vs DC question is an interesting one. There are a lot of people who insist that it is better to have a DC watermaker, because every boat has DC available. We ended up choosing AC, as for a given output, the power input is around the same in wattage. The issue with DC is that you have a low voltage and high amperage, which means that you require very thick cabling to wherever the watermaker is, apart from this you have significant increase in current loss as the distance from the battery increases, which is not the case with AC. Apart from this, it allows us to make a lot of water quickly when the sun is shining, so we can leave no solar power unused. So as long as you have a sufficient inverter and good solar, the AC version will give better results. Different if you have a small battery bank and small inverter. Good luck and let us know if you need more info. 😁⛵⚓

[@keithwiggins6891]

Also, have a look at our electeical installation video with the inverter install. Thanks for watching! 😁

[@sailorsam6243]

I also went for an AC model on mine for these reasons.

[@keithwiggins6891]

@@sailorsam6243 good to hear! 😁

[@eliterealestatestlucia5627]

@@SailingBluefin There be the answer in a Nut Shell 👍👍

[@rudihertzke220]

Thanks for the cool video. One question…. Some areas of the world are more heavily polluted than others. Does the unit have the ability to filter out harmful chemicals or bi products. If I’m in the South Pacific then water is more clean.. But if I was in parts near the Chinese coastline ( for example)then not so much… Any information is appreciated

[@MrDuffbeer999]

I may have missed this but what size inverter are you running this off of? I’m looking at these but don’t want to pull out the Honda generator every time.

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey no problems, it's a 3KVA Inverter. The water maker uses about 2300 watts. Sorry for the late reply! Let us know how you go with everything and if you have any more questions :D

[@googlemate2587]

Hi Keith will be great if you can make a review on the bildge pump port and stardboard side and explain why there is always water there, probably due to refrigeration condensation or air conditioning condensation thanks

[@SailingBluefin]

Thanks for watching 😁 Keith is currently on a roadtrip at the moment and will be back in a couple of days, but I will pass on the message and definitely get on to that for you. Thanks so much for the suggestion!

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey, a good point about the bilges. I'm actually going to do some investigation into our, because they always have some water. I know of two causes. First is rain leakage that gets through to the bilge. The second one I discovered was that the salt water filter seals on the Cruisair systems are not great & seem to always leak a little. There are just so many ways that water can get into the bilge on a cat this complex. I will do some investigation though! 😀

[@googlemate2587]

Yes and for me it’s the same during heavy rain suddenly my bilge pump is working with red light ...look to your video when we you have time cheers Ben

[@sailorsam6243]

Can also be leakage from filters. Good to know whether it is fresh or salt or a mixture.

[@SailingBluefin]

@@sailorsam6243 yes, good point Sam, always check the salinity and check all the filter gaskets.

[@Wonka_Tonka]

I Like the portable one , If sailing with a buddy boat and they runout /system stuff up > you can share

[@MrGentlebutfirm]

.. If they have sufficient power available :-)

[@keithwiggins6891]

Yes definitely, even if power is a problem, given that you can make 150 litres in an hour, you could always run a generator or an engine to assist, although we do it all on solar and battery.

[@keithwiggins6891]

By the way, thanks for watching 😀

[@SailingBluefin]

More solar! 😀

[@MrGentlebutfirm]

@@SailingBluefin We are going circumnavigating in 4-5 years. When we did the Europe-Caribbean-Europe 10 years ago I built a watermaker. I put the high presure pump on the diesel main engine. So looking for alternatives. Mucho solar and big LiFePo4 bank may be the way. And thanks for showing the Rainman watermaker in action!

[@Onyourbiketoo]

first time to watch you ... you really need to get a handheld gimbal control for the camera as I could hardly see the picture as it jerked around in the beginning.

[@firestormlivingsolutions]

That is amazing

[@keithwiggins6891]

Thanks Kevin. Do you have a boat?

[@firestormlivingsolutions]

@@keithwiggins6891 no looking at them now... Covid lockdowns has slowed me down

[@keithwiggins6891]

@@firestormlivingsolutions yeah, it's been an interesting year. All the best for your boat hunting, let us know if you need any advice. We have a few other practical videos on the channel too. 😁

[@firestormlivingsolutions]

@@keithwiggins6891 the UK Government seems hell bent on killing hospitality and travel... Hopefully this BS ends soon.

[@PerriGoingGone]

We are looking to buy one of these, their literature only says the gasoline unit can make 140gph. How much water does the generator run unit make per hour? -Thanks for making this very informative video.

[@sailorsam6243]

When I checked on the 240 volt system it was around 140 - 150 litres per hour.

[@keithwiggins6891]

Hi, it's Keith here. We get around 140 litres an hour from this unit, a bit more when the sea temperature is warmer. We decided to get the AC model rather than the motorised version, as we have a decent inverter and plenty of solar and we can also use our diesel generator if we need to. The less petrol that we store on the boat the better. Hope this answers the question. Let me know.

[@PerriGoingGone]

@@sailorsam6243 Thanks for info

[@PerriGoingGone]

@@keithwiggins6891 Less petrol is better. Was just kind of liking the idea of multi-use water maker/pressure washer. Thanks for the very informative video. Looking forward to future videos.

[@SailingBluefin]

@@sailorsam6243 yes, that sounds right.

[@janfictorie4584]

A quick question. Can you also use this when you are sailing? For example, if you cross the Atlanta ocean and you need fresh whaler, can you use this while you sailing? I would think so right?

[@SailingBluefin]

Great question! yes you can definitely use it while sailing. All dependent on availability of power. Heeling is not a problem nor is swell or chop.

[@SailingREHAB]

Hi, Some people say that the water is not safe to live on full time ? Lack of minerals ? Im new to the water making on a boat concept and interested to hear your comment please ?

[@martiar2]

Hi, I have an Outremer 45 Danson year 2007, that is hybrid with a 19.kW lithium battery bank and a Victron Quatro 48v 4000kW inverter, I think power wise my boat would be able to handle the unit. However, I do not really have a lot of space, and I was leaning toward the smaller membrane unit. Two questions: 1) do you recommend the smaller unit ? 2) how to you maintain and or replace the main osmoses membrane in the unit other than flashing with fresh water ? Thanks Alberto boat Just A Dream, Connecticut USA

[@SailingBluefin]

Hi Alberto. Yes, the membrane units are annoyingly big and can be a challenge to fit into spaces. We ended up installing the unit in the large locker in our front cockpit. The large membrane provides more capacity, but I would be tempted to get smaller membranes next time. In terms of maintaining the membrane, technically you can just keep on making water every couple of days and not even rinse the membrane, but I always prefer to rinse it, as they're expensive to replace. If we're going to be in a marina for a while, I will pickle the membrane with pickling solution, which is quite easy to do. The other alternative is that you can rinse the membrane regularly from your tank water, as long as the chlorine is filtered out with a carbon filter, as chlorine in tap water ruins the membrane. I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any other information. Thanks Keith

[@mrrobcampbell9741]

Just got my Rainman portable and love it. Your video was terrific but I have one question. Can you / should you rinse the pre-filter. If so, should you only use made water?, soak it? dry it? Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey Rob, apologies for the delay in replying. Yes, you can rinse your prefilter, either with saltwater (tie it securely and drag behind the boat) or hose it off with normal tap water, but then rinse thoroughly with ocean salt water before using, to ensure there is no chlorine to enter the membrane. Thanks for watching!

[@helmsman3838]

Do you need to add pickle powder to the bucket water or can you flush it with just fresh water and then come back in two weeks and use it again. How long can I let it sit with just a fresh water flush

[@LetsGoOutdoors]

Are you still using this product? And are you still happy with it? Thanks, very informative.

[@maviarab]

N ice unit....what kind of maintenance do these require if not used frequently (compared to normal water makers), say you're off the boat for a couple of weeks?

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey, thanks for watching and thanks for the question. Right at the moment we have ours pickled. The general advice from Rainman is to pickle it if not using for more than a week. Although I have heard from other owners that they may go a couple of weeks. I tend to play it safe and stay with the week. Pretty easy to pickle. I just rinse with fresh water as normal, then use another 10 litres of fresh water with the pickling solution. So pretty quick and easy. After pickling, to use again, I run it for around 30 minutes before using the water. Let me know if you have any other questions. 😁

[@maviarab]

@@SailingBluefin Ahh cool to know...thanks for replying. You all have a great night :)

[@SailingBluefin]

@@maviarab you too. By the way are you on a boat or planning to get one?

[@keithwiggins6891]

@@maviarab hey, did you end up getting a watermaker?

[@maviarab]

@@keithwiggins6891 Hey...sorry missed your last reply. Still not even got the boat yet heh. Be a few years yet, carer for my mother, just like getting information in advance so know all my options.

[@Jags22079]

I hope you priorities catching rain water

[@SailingBluefin]

Actually, we do catch the rain water through small downpipe from the forward cockpit roof and aft cockpit roof. We mainly use this water for cleaning and rinsing, as the roof surfaces tend to become salty and a bit dusty, so the rain water is not so great unless it has been raining for a couple of days. But rainwater is valuable and free! Thanks for watching!

[@KeithStrang]

How's the system running after 3yrs? Any issues or recommendations?

[@Eagle8ist]

Can the Water maker be tuned by a Battery Like a Car Battery?

[@AshleyBloom13]

Team, it would be wonderful to overdub some of your Rainman setup/demo with our Tongan translator friends in Brissie, since we're sending 3 units over to Tonga later this week to help the southern group of islands with their fresh water shortage. Can I email or call one of you? :)

[@Eagle8ist]

Where can the Water Maker be Purchased?

[@billhanna8838]

Says a lot about chlorine/ Fluorinated water we drink ashore ? Bit noisy but great unit - Price .

[@ricardoguerreiro2074]

Hi, Mantenance?

[@keithwiggins6891]

Hi Ricardo, thanks for watching 😁 We haven't had to do any maintenance on it yet in 2.5 years. We just make sure to pickle it if we are not going to use it for extended periods.

[@hewagenimal3053]

Nice video price please thanks

[@SailingBluefin]

Hi, in Australia this high output model costs around $7,500 AUD. I think it's around $5K in the US. The smaller models cost less. Where are you based?

[@birdbrainsolutions6112]

Hi Keith!

[@williampowers3443]

I never saw you getting a bucket from the ocean. And into the rainman?

[@astroid9087]

Can U really drink this water without adding something? plus what if the lake looks not that clean?

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey, yes not only can you drink it, but it tastes great, as all of the impurities have been removed. The main thing that will cause a problem is any type of oil, diesel or petrol in the water. The primary filter will filter out any dirt and the membrane will take out pretty much everything else, including salt.

[@thesheeplepeople1497]

How long does it last?

[@keithwiggins6891]

Do you mean the watermaker itself? There seem to be a lot of them around on boats and they never seem to die. Some people have damaged membranes and have to replace them. Hope this answers your question. Thanks for watching! 😁⛵

[@SailingBluefin]

Apparently a long time!

[@keithwiggins6891]

Just an update on this, 2 years and the watermaker is still going strong!

[@HMFamilyLife]

Does anyone use distillers?

[@dennisrichards2540]

Don't get me wrong its a cool bit of kit, for £5000 it pretty steep. I guess the portability is at a premium. thanks for sharing.

[@keithwiggins6891]

Hey Dennis, good point. I guess there's a bit price range for watermakers. These are around $7,000 AUD. That's probably around 4,000 pounds. We looked at other options & the main options that were cheaper than this were either small rough looking brands or the Seawater Pro from the US, which used a Karcher pressure washer as a pump, which is ok, but not great. As soon as you add a good quality high pressure pump, it immediately becomes a lot more expensive. At the higher end, the alternatives were $15K - $20K. Are you aware of cheaper alternatives? It would be great to know. Thanks Keith

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey Dennis, by the way, thanks for watching! 😁⛵⚓

[@deankoch7305]

Very nice but the cost is horrible. Made with china parts probably also?

[@SailingBluefin]

It is actually made in Brookvale NSW which is a suburb of sydney! So all Aussie made :D and we found the price to be quite reasonable compared with other options available.

[@mskogly]

What is the price?

[@SailingBluefin]

Hi Morten, I think that the current price for the high output AC model is around $6.5K AUD, which is around $4K USD. Ours is around 2.5 years old.

[@keithwiggins6891]

I think that they have the prices listed online.

[@keithwiggins6891]

By the way, thanks for watching!

[@sailorsam6243]

Also, if you look around you can sometimes pick them up second hand. a lot o people buy watermakers and then don't use them for some reason.

[@joebenyi1090]

What is the cost of a unti

[@partsorders9735]

The Shenker Zen 150 is much better quality Watermaker, Bought mine @ Titan Marine in Hollywood.

[@mickronson8672]

alled distilled water....the same as they make petrol by boiling the oil in a distiller.....the vapor becomes petrol

[@johnnosach3124]

Nice review, What do they cost?

[@keithwiggins6891]

Hi @John Nosach ours was a bit over $6,000 Australian around 1.5 - 2 years ago. Not sure what currency you use, but that should probably be around $4K USD. I reckon they're pretty reasonable for the reliability that everyone seems to have.

[@keithwiggins6891]

By the way, thanks for watching, and let me know if you have any other questions. 😁

[@SailingBluefin]

Hey John, thanks for watching and let us know if you want us to chase up any info for you 😀

[@sailorsam6243]

I checked these and I think they were around $7K in Australia

[@keithwiggins6891]

@@sailorsam6243 yes that sounds about right for $AUD. Probably less in $USD.

[@bardapenes8299]

Whats The price

[@SailingBluefin]

In Australia they are about $6000 AUD, but please check their website for more information :D www.rainmandesal.com/

[@tomkitchen2764]

Is your accent South African?

[@keithwiggins6891]

Hi Tom, thanks for watching. Actually, my accent is a mixture of Canadian and Australian. I lived in Canada till I was 9 yrs and a lot of the accent stuck with me!

[@SailingBluefin]

Hi Tom, the boat is South African, but we're all from other places! 😁⛵

[@veoteveo1]

Green hose for brine wrong color coded