In his most ambitious practical project yet, liveaboard boat owner Owen Moorhouse build his own DIY watermaker
Creating a reverse osmosis (RO) system had long been a pipe dream as a liveaboard yachtie on a swinging mooring, but the cost had always been out of my reach.
However, one day, after topping up my water tanks, a A$25 (£15) water charge was added to my bill following a full fill of fuel.
Until then, the accepted practice had been that the water was free, so a surcharge of 10 cents per litre prompted me to think about sorting out an RO system.
To add to my dilemma, on a windy approach to the fuel and water pontoon a few weeks later, I had an unfortunate brush with another yacht alongside.
Although there was no visible damage, I was quickly presented with an eye-watering bill for A$1,500 (£900) in repairs.
The control panel fitted in the wheelhouse above the rollout fridge
If nothing else, that solidified my decision to make my own fresh water on board and I was determined to make the system myself.
After all, how hard could making a DIY watermaker be?
Reverse osmosis is a highly effective method of…
