A portable watermaker for your boat is one of the most practical upgrades you can make before heading offshore. Instead of rationing tank water, hunting for a marina tap or hauling jerrycans, you simply drop an intake over the side and make fresh drinking water from the sea while you are underway or anchored. This guide explains how portable marine watermakers actually work, what separates a good unit from a frustrating one, and which system from LEDI suits your situation.
What Makes a Watermaker "Portable"?
A portable watermaker is a self-contained reverse osmosis system that requires no permanent installation. Everything, including the high-pressure pump, pre-filter, RO membrane, and UV steriliser, is housed in a single case or frame that you can move between vessels, lend to a crew member, or use ashore.
That is genuinely different from a fixed, below-deck watermaker. There is nothing to plumb in, no cabinetry to cut, and no electrician to call. You connect a couple of hoses, clip to a 12V power source, and you are producing water in minutes.
The trade-off is output: portable units typically produce 10 to 80 litres per hour, which suits most recreational and passage-making boats perfectly well. If you need a permanent, out-of-sight installation with push-button automation, that is a different conversation, and the LEDI Modular kit is worth a look instead.
How a Portable Marine Watermaker Works
Seawater is drawn through a stainless steel intake strainer and passes through a pre-filter (typically 5 micron) that removes sediment, sand, and larger particles. A high-pressure pump then forces that filtered water through an RO membrane at around 800 PSI. The membrane rejects around 99.4% of dissolved salts, producing permeate (fresh water) on one side and a concentrated brine stream that goes back overboard on the other. A built-in UV steriliser then treats the fresh water before it reaches your tanks, killing any biological contaminants that made it through the membrane.
The result is drinking water that typically tests at 250 to 300 ppm TDS, well under the 800 ppm upper limit and well within Australian drinking-water standards.
The LEDI Scout: Built for Boats Like Yours
The LEDI Scout is LEDI's flagship portable watermaker, made on the Gold Coast. It is available in 10 LPH and 20 LPH output versions, and at 18 kg it is a single-person carry. There is no installation. Drop the stainless steel intake over the side, connect the supplied hoses to your 12V supply, and you are making water.
- Power draw: 16 to 18A at 12V DC. A standard house battery bank with 200 to 400W of solar handles it comfortably, no generator needed.
- Salt rejection: 99.4%, output typically 250 to 300 ppm TDS.
- Feed water: handles full seawater up to 35,000 ppm, plus brackish or river water.
- Built-in UV: meets Australian drinking-water standards.
- Pump: Pumptec 107SS (USA-made, 316 stainless), rated to around 800 PSI.
- Price: from $4,799 AUD.
The Scout suits trailer sailers, cruising yachts from 20 to 50 ft, catamarans, and smaller crews. If you want to understand exactly how it compares to other options on the market, the Scout vs Rainman vs Spectra comparison is a useful starting point.
When You Need More Output: The LEDI Nomad
If your boat has a larger crew, you run a charter operation, or you want hot showers and full galley use without watching the gauge, the LEDI Nomad steps up to 40, 60 or 80 LPH. It runs on 12V, 24V or 48V, includes an integrated control panel, a CATPUMP high-pressure pump, two-stage pre-filtration, TDS and flow monitoring, and is autoflush-compatible.
The Nomad is available from $8,299 AUD. Final pricing across the full range is being finalised and it is available very soon. If you are interested, reach out to the team at info@ledi.com.au or call +61 494 562 668 to register your interest and get the latest details.
Why Portable Beats a Fixed Install for Most Cruisers
Fixed, below-deck watermakers are commonly quoted at $10,000 to $25,000 installed. They use the same commercial RO membranes and high-pressure pumps as portable units, but you are paying for the cabinetry, the plumber, the electrician, and an imported brand's distributor margin. If you want to understand that cost difference in plain terms, this article on the real downsides of traditional watermakers is worth reading.
LEDI builds the Scout on the Gold Coast. There is no overseas distributor, no freight on an 18 kg case from Europe, and no proprietary parts that cost a fortune to replace. Every wear item is available off the shelf, including the 2.5 x 5" pre-filter cartridge at $14.50, and the seawater RO membrane at $330. Spares post Australia-wide and internationally, usually within one business day.
The other honest trade-off: the Scout runs manually rather than at a button. That means fewer components to fail at sea, which most experienced sailors consider a feature rather than a limitation.
What to Look for When Comparing Portable Watermakers
Not all portable marine watermakers are the same. Here are the things worth checking before you spend your money:
- Output (LPH): Match this to your actual daily water use. The guide to how much water you actually need gives you a simple way to work this out.
- Power source: 12V DC is the most flexible option for solar-powered boats. Check actual amp draw, not just wattage claims.
- Pump quality: Look for a named, serviceable pump with a proven track record. The Scout uses a Pumptec 107SS, a USA-made commercial pump.
- Salt rejection: 99% or above. The Scout achieves 99.4%.
- UV sterilisation: Not all portable units include it. The Scout does, as standard.
- Parts availability: Ask whether replacement membranes, pre-filters, and pump service kits are stocked locally and priced reasonably.
- Warranty and support: LEDI offers a one-year warranty, extended to two years on registration, plus lifetime in-house servicing on the Gold Coast. You deal with a real person, not a call centre.
Ongoing Maintenance: Simpler Than You Think
The routine consumable on the Scout is the pre-filter cartridge. In clean ocean water you will replace it roughly every 30 to 40 hours of use. In silty or dirty water that drops to 10 to 20 hours. The cartridge costs $14.50 and takes a couple of minutes to swap. If you run the Scout regularly, the optional larger 2.5 x 10" filter cartridge extends the interval between changes, and it is included in the Watermaker Install Kit.
The RO membrane is not a regular consumable. With a freshwater flush after each use and pickling for longer storage, a membrane lasts several years. Replacement only makes sense when output or water quality genuinely falls off. You can browse all spare parts and accessories in the LEDI online store.
Ready to Stop Rationing Water?
A portable watermaker for your boat changes the way you cruise. Anchorages that were off-limits because of the next water stop become viable. Passage planning simplifies. And the boat feels less like a vehicle and more like somewhere you actually live comfortably.
The LEDI Scout starts from $4,799 AUD and is ready to use straight out of the box. If you are not sure which unit suits your boat, get in touch. You will speak to a real person who knows the products and can match you to the right system without any pressure.
Email info@ledi.com.au or call +61 494 562 668. Australian shipping is calculated at checkout. LEDI ships globally, so contact the team for an international shipping quote.
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