A watermaker for offshore sailing is not a luxury once you leave the coast behind. Carrying enough drinking water for a crew of two or three across a 1,000-nautical-mile passage is heavy, bulky, and unreliable if the tanks develop a problem. A compact reverse osmosis unit gives you an independent, renewable supply from the sea around you, so you focus on the passage rather than rationing.
Why a Watermaker Changes the Offshore Experience
Tank water has a hard limit. On most cruising yachts between 30 and 50 feet, that limit is somewhere between 100 and 300 litres. At typical offshore consumption of 3 to 6 litres per person per day for drinking and cooking alone, a crew of three burns through 200 litres in roughly ten to twenty days. Add washing hands, rinsing fruit, and keeping morale up with a hot drink, and you reach the bottom of the tank sooner than expected.
A watermaker removes that ceiling. Run it for an hour each day and you replenish what the crew uses, with nothing to carry and nothing to buy at the next port. For longer passages, blue-water loops, or anyone cruising with the intention of staying out rather than darting back to a marina, it is the most practical investment on the boat.
What Output Do You Actually Need at Sea?
Output is measured in litres per hour. The right figure depends on crew size, daily habits, and how long you run the unit each day. A useful rule of thumb:
- 1 to 2 people, day sails and short coastal passages: 10 LPH is comfortable. One hour replaces a full day's drinking water.
- 2 to 4 people, extended offshore passages and anchorage life: 20 LPH covers drinking, cooking, and a modest amount of washing without long run times.
- Larger crews, liveaboards, charter, or heavy daily use: 40 LPH and above is worth considering. At that level, showers underway become practical.
Matching output to real daily demand means you run the unit for a predictable, manageable window each day rather than chasing a shortfall.
Power Is the Critical Variable Offshore
Shore power is not available at sea. Most offshore yachts run a 12V or 24V DC house bank charged by solar and wind, with a generator as backup. The watermaker you choose must work within that energy budget.
The LEDI Scout draws 16 to 18 amps at 12V DC. That is well within the output of a 200 to 400W solar setup, which many cruising yachts already carry. There is no generator required. You can run the Scout during daylight hours while the solar panels are producing and take next to nothing from the battery reserve.
The LEDI Nomad, at 40 to 80 LPH, runs on 12V or 24V DC. It suits yachts with a larger battery bank and higher solar or alternator capacity, typically the sort of setup found on vessels 45 feet and up, or catamarans with generous deck space for panels.
Portability Matters More Than You Think
Offshore sailors often underestimate how much they value flexibility. A watermaker that requires a permanent plumbing install commits you to one boat. If you charter, deliver, or expect to move between vessels, or if you simply want to avoid drilling into the hull, a portable unit is a far more practical choice.
The Scout weighs 18 kg and is a single-person carry. There is no installation. Drop the stainless intake filter over the side, connect the supplied hoses, and you are making water within minutes. The same unit works equally well tied to a dock in a remote anchorage, running off the boat's solar, or set up ashore at a campsite beside a river. For a practical look at how the Scout handles those conditions, see Beyond the Horizon: Creative Uses for the LEDI Scout Off the Boat.
If you prefer a clean below-deck setup with a remote control panel and auto flush, the LEDI Modular kit is designed for exactly that. It suits refits and new builds where the watermaker lives out of sight and runs on demand.
Water Quality and Safety at Sea
Offshore, you are drawing from open ocean, generally the cleanest source a watermaker encounters. The Scout's marine-grade RO membrane rejects 99.4% of salt, producing output typically between 250 and 300 ppm TDS. Australian drinking-water standards allow up to 500 ppm. A built-in UV steriliser treats the product water before it reaches your tank, covering biological risk.
The Scout handles seawater up to 35,000 ppm salinity and also processes brackish or river water, which is useful if you are picking up fresh water in an estuary or river mouth between passages.
For a deeper look at output quality and how to verify it, see Is Watermaker Water Safe to Drink?
Maintenance on a Passage
Offshore, you cannot call a service centre. Every part of the system needs to be something you can fix yourself, with spares you carry aboard.
The Scout's routine consumable is the 5-micron pre-filter cartridge. In clean ocean water, expect to replace it every 30 to 40 hours of run time. That is a quick, tool-free swap. Carry two or three spare pre-filter cartridges for a long passage and you will not be caught short. The RO membrane is not a regular consumable. Kept flushed with fresh water after each use and pickled correctly for storage, it lasts several years.
LEDI posts spare parts Australia-wide and internationally, usually within one business day from the Gold Coast. If something needs attention mid-trip, the team can advise by phone or email and get parts to your next port. For the full picture on spares and consumables, visit the spares and accessories collection.
For a thorough guide on keeping the membrane healthy, see Watermaker Membrane Lifespan: What Shortens It and How to Make Yours Last for Years.
Choosing Between the Scout and the Nomad for Offshore
The two most common offshore scenarios break down like this:
- Trailer sailers, small cruising yachts (20 to 50 ft), crews of 1 to 4: The Scout at 10 LPH or 20 LPH is the right fit. Portable, solar-compatible, no install, easy to service anywhere.
- Larger cruising yachts, catamarans, liveaboards, crews of 4 or more, or anyone wanting showers underway: The Nomad at 40 to 80 LPH is the better match. It includes an integrated control panel with a TDS monitor and flow meter as standard, two-stage pre-filtration, and is autoflush-compatible.
If you are uncertain which suits your boat and your passages, contact the team directly at info@ledi.com.au or call +61 494 562 668. You will speak with a real person, not a call centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the LEDI Scout run on solar power alone offshore?
Yes. The Scout draws 16 to 18 amps at 12V DC. A yacht with 200 to 400W of solar panels can run it comfortably during daylight hours without touching the battery reserve. No generator is needed.
How much water does a watermaker produce on a typical offshore passage?
The Scout at 20 LPH produces 20 litres every hour. It makes about 20 litres for every hour it runs, and it can run as long as you need. All LEDI watermakers are sized with continuously rated pumps, so there is no fixed run-time limit; your water needs and power supply set the run time. The Nomad at 40 LPH covers 80 litres in the same window, which comfortably supports larger crews and includes water for washing.
What happens if the pre-filter blocks offshore?
Carry spare pre-filter cartridges aboard. The 5-micron cartridge on the Scout is a tool-free swap that takes a couple of minutes. In clean ocean conditions, you are unlikely to need more than one or two replacements on a typical offshore passage. The 2.5 x 5 inch cartridge is inexpensive and compact to store.
Does the Scout work in rough conditions at sea?
The Scout is designed for use on small to medium cruising boats. In heavy weather, most sailors wait for a calmer moment to run the watermaker, just as they would for any below-deck task. The unit is compact and can be secured or stowed when not in use. For specific guidance on your setup, contact the LEDI team.
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