Water is a fundamental good, and every day we understand more and more how important it is in our life. Yachts are certainly no exception; during long voyages especially, the availability of drinking water on board is a primary element for the quality of life of the owner, guests and crew. HP Watermakers is well aware of this and has founded an important part of its success on the production of fully automatic watermakers for yachts. It is constantly developing new solutions to expand and simplify the management of on-board watermakers.
Two new items were presented at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2022 (6-11 September) by Gianni Zucco, co-founder and sales manager of HP Watermakers, during the press conference on Thursday 8 September at the company's stand.
No problem Watermakers with Part - NET 2.0
HP Watermakers is the first company in its sector to develop its own interface, called Part-NET, which is fully compatible with the on-board electronic systems of brands such as Raymarine, Garmin, Furuno, Simrad, B&G and Lowrance. Part-NET allows the user to control the entire desalination system - including pressure and all other operating parameters - from the plotter on the dashboard, or even from a smartphone when an internet connection is available, without any manual intervention required.
Part-NET 2.0 retains all the innovations of the previous model, but adds even more flexibility and functionality thanks to the customisation possibilities and the very intuitive graphic interface.
Previously, to change equipment settings or vessel details for resale, the onboard system had to be connected remotely to the corporate network. It was a complex and time-consuming process that depended on reliable internet access. Part-NET 2.0 allows end users to easily customise parameters quickly and independently, without any intervention from HP Watermakers.
In the new graphics, the light grey background of the previous interface has been replaced with a dark blue one, for better contrast and clear visibility. Furthermore, while previously the device data changed automatically every 5 seconds to provide an overview, with Part-NET 2.0 both the synoptic and specific parameters are always displayed on the screen to increase the gaze-awareness frequency.
Finally, in case of malfunction, Part-NET has always allowed users to refer to conventional manuals in five languages integrated into the system. In Part-NET 2.0, this feature has been extended to all scenarios, with full video explanations of possible causes and solutions, a particularly useful feature for owner operators who may not have practical knowledge of on-board equipment. The manuals also include QR codes to easily order replacement parts.
Drinking water from the dock with MWT
There is never enough drinking water and, even when docked, having the equipment to treat the water supplied by the marinas may be advisable - this makes the water consumed on board safer. At the Cannes Yachting Festival, HP Watermakers presented the MWT Basic unit, which has been specifically designed for the treatment of marina-supplied water (MWT stands for Marina Water Treatment). The units are equipped with a special membrane and a filtering system that does not use salt (as in softeners) to ensure a prompt supply of soft water on board, avoiding the problem of limescale that can leave marks on the washed surfaces and clog the on-board systems.
Specifically, HP MWT Basic is the system to treat dock water through membranes, which bring the TDS (the degree of mineralisation of the water) and the total hardness to very low levels. This protects all freshwater-using devices from limescale and calcium build-up; the treated water can also be used to wash hulls without leaving limescale halos. MWT Basic is designed to supply water without the use of pumps and therefore electricity. It is portable but can also be installed on board. In the “Auto Version”, ideal for medium-sized boats, after being connected to the tank floats, MWT Auto automatically fills the tank without the need to operate any valves.