A compact watermaker for a sailboat needs to fit the boat, run on 12V solar power, and produce enough fresh water for your crew without taking over the cockpit locker. The LEDI Scout does exactly that, starting from $4,899 AUD, while the larger Nomad handles bigger crews and longer passages from $9,899. Here is how to work out which one belongs on your boat.
Why Sailboats Need a Compact, Low-Power Watermaker
Storage on a sailboat is always a compromise. A watermaker that requires dedicated cabinet space below decks, a high-pressure pump install, and 240V power rules itself out on most vessels under 50 feet. Sailboats running on solar and a 12V house bank need a system that fits that budget, not a generator. A compact, portable reverse osmosis unit lets you make fresh water at anchor or underway without rewiring the boat or sacrificing a locker permanently.
The other factor is weight. Moving a 40 kg fixed system on and off between vessels, or shifting it when you sell the boat, is a real task. A unit you can carry and stow changes the equation entirely.
The LEDI Scout: Compact RO for Cruisers Up to About 50 Feet
The LEDI Scout is a portable 12V reverse osmosis watermaker weighing 18 kg, light enough for one person to carry. It produces either 10 or 20 litres per hour from seawater up to 35,000 ppm, with 99.4% salt rejection and output typically sitting between 250 and 300 ppm TDS. Built-in UV sterilisation is included as standard.
No installation is required. Drop the stainless intake over the side, connect the supplied hoses, plug into your 12V supply, and you are making water in minutes. The Scout draws 16 to 18 amps at 12V, which a standard house battery and 200 to 400W of solar handles comfortably. No generator needed.
The Scout suits trailer sailers, coastal cruisers, and offshore yachts from roughly 20 to 50 feet. It works equally well on catamarans and monohulls. Pricing: $4,899 AUD for the 10 LPH version, $5,799 for the 20 LPH.
Feed Pump Options: Reach Further Than the Standard Hose
The Scout ships with a submersible feed pump and a 5 m hose, which covers most transom and pushpit setups. If your intake point is further away, two auxiliary pump options extend your reach:
- The Scout Auxiliary Feed Pump suits moderate runs beyond the standard 5 m hose.
- The Nomad Auxiliary Feed Pump handles the longest runs, roughly 20 to 30 m horizontally and up to 5 m of vertical lift. Both use the same SP13 2-pin connector and plug straight into the Scout with no adapter needed.
If you want a cleaner install with the intake plumbed to a seacock, the submersible feed pump can be positioned there instead. For a fully below-deck semi-permanent setup, ask the team about the Modular system.
The LEDI Nomad: When You Need More Output on a Bigger Vessel
The LEDI Nomad produces 40, 60, or 80 LPH and runs on 12V or 24V DC (with a 240V mains adapter available). It weighs around 38 to 42 kg and includes a built-in control panel with TDS monitor and flow meter as standard, 2-stage pre-filtration, and an hour meter for servicing. Pricing starts at $9,899 for the single-membrane version and $10,899 for the double-membrane.
The Nomad suits larger crews, liveaboards, charter vessels, and anyone running showers underway or making 100 litres or more per day. If your daily water budget tops what a Scout 20 can cover in a few hours of running, the Nomad is the honest answer. The Nomad is also autoflush-compatible for longer passages where you want to keep the membrane conditioned automatically.
One common question: if you need around 30 LPH, run a Nomad 40 for fewer hours per day rather than pairing two Scout units. Two Scouts costs more, complicates your setup, and is not how the system is designed to scale.
How to Match Output to Your Actual Daily Use
Before choosing between 10, 20, 40, or 60 LPH, work out what you actually use each day. Most cruising couples on a 35 to 45 foot monohull drink, cook, and do light washing on 20 to 40 litres per day. A Scout 20 running 2 to 3 hours covers that comfortably. A family of four on a catamaran, or a vessel where crew want hot showers underway, often needs 80 to 150 litres per day, which puts them in Nomad territory.
The article How Much Water Do You Actually Need? walks through the calculation in detail if you want to run the numbers before deciding.
Pre-Filter Maintenance on a Compact Sailboat Watermaker
The Scout uses a 5 micron 2.5 x 5 inch cartridge pre-filter. In clean ocean water, plan to replace it every 30 to 40 running hours. In silty or turbid water, that interval drops to 10 to 20 hours. A replacement cartridge costs $25 AUD and takes minutes to swap out.
If you run in mixed conditions or want more time between changes, the Scout is compatible with an optional 2.5 x 10 inch pre-filter housing. The larger cartridge holds more sediment before pressure drop triggers a change, and it gives the membrane cleaner feed water. It is included in the Watermaker Install Kit or can be added separately.
The RO membrane is not a routine consumable. With proper freshwater flushing after each use and pickling for storage periods over a few weeks, a membrane lasts several years. It only needs replacing when output or water quality genuinely falls. For more on keeping the membrane in good shape, see the guide on watermaker membrane lifespan.
Australian Made, Serviceable Anywhere
Every LEDI system is hand-built on the Gold Coast. The Scout uses a Pumptec 107SS high-pressure pump from the USA and 316 stainless components, the same commercial marine-grade parts used in fixed watermakers that typically cost $10,000 to $25,000 installed. Because LEDI uses non-proprietary, off-the-shelf parts, spares are available through the LEDI spares store and can be posted anywhere in Australia or internationally, usually within one business day. Parts are field-replaceable, so you are not stuck waiting for a service agent in a foreign port.
LEDI offers a 1-year warranty, extended to 2 years on registration, and lifetime in-house servicing on the Gold Coast. When you call or email, you deal with a real person, not a call centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Scout run entirely on solar without a generator?
Yes. The Scout draws 16 to 18 amps at 12V DC. A standard 12V house battery supported by 200 to 400W of solar handles it without a generator. Most cruising yachts with that setup can run the Scout during daylight hours and keep the batteries topped up.
How long does it take to set up the Scout on a new boat?
There is no permanent installation. Drop the submersible feed pump over the side or connect it to a seacock, run the supplied hoses, connect to 12V power, and you are making water in minutes. No plumber, no electrician, no through-hull work required unless you choose to install it that way.
What if I need more than 20 LPH? Can I run two Scouts?
No. If your daily use calls for around 30 LPH or more, the right answer is a Nomad 40 run for fewer hours, not two Scout units side by side. Two Scouts costs more, adds complication, and is not the intended way to scale up output.
Does LEDI ship to New Zealand and other countries?
LEDI ships from the Gold Coast to anywhere in the world. Australian shipping is charged at checkout. For international freight, contact the team at info@ledi.com.au or call +61 494 562 668 for a quote. Import duties and taxes at the destination are the customer's responsibility.
Ready to work out which compact watermaker suits your sailboat? Contact the LEDI team directly at info@ledi.com.au or visit the Scout product page and the Nomad product page to compare specs side by side.
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