World première at MetsTrade 2022 for the new HP KILO watermaker

Watermakers ensure that on board there is plenty of fresh water, a resource that is already very important on land and even more essential when out at sea. HP Watermakers has long stood out for its ability to develop a series of solutions and systems that make using these precious machines easier and safer than ever.

At MetsTrade in Amsterdam, the world's most important exhibition dedicated to marine accessories, HP Watermakers presented three new products: one made its world début and two were exhibited for the first time in Amsterdam.

HP KILO, 120 L/H of Fresh Water Using Only 1 KWH

“HP KILO was born from the demand that came mainly from the French market,” says co-founder Gianni Zucco. “However, having plenty of fresh water on board is a need that is very much felt by all yacht owners, on both motor and sailing yachts, from 35' to 50'. Until now, if limited amounts of electricity were available, the solution used has consisted in 12VDC or 24VDC watermaker which, when operating continuously for long periods, have unfortunately clearly proven to not be fully reliable. HP Watermakers has therefore chosen to solve the problem with an innovative solution that promises to shake the market: a 220V watermaker that uses only 1 kWh to continuously produce 120 l/h of fresh water. The use of alternating current guarantees undoubted advantages: it extends the life of the electric motors and their efficiency, electricity absorption is more fluid and installation is simpler with smaller cable sections.”

If, therefore, on maxi yachts the demand for fresh water can be solved more easily with powerful generators and watermakers, on medium-sized yachts, possibly sail boats (where displacement plays a key role in performance and entertainment), it is actually a problem for which no effective solution has been found. This is particularly true for people who use their boat frequently and who cannot do without the guaranteed availability of fresh water for all on-board services.

It is therefore easy to understand how the HP Watermakers HP KILO is expected to be a real revolution in the market of watermaker on medium-sized boats, which often rely only on batteries and inverters or have generators limited to 5 kW at the most.

The watermaker will also be compact in size, because HP KILO is built using the frame of the HP SCA model launched in 2021, whose unexpected sales success was linked to its small size, 840 mm x 455 x 420 (h).

Part.Net 2.0 for a User-Frindly Desalinator

HP Watermakers has always focused on integrating state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly and fully automatic technology in its watermakers range. An example is Part-NET, presented at MetsTrade for the first time, which allows the user to control the entire watermaker 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. HP Watermakers is the first company in its sector to develop its own interface that is fully compatible with the on-board electronic systems of brands such as Raymarine, Garmin, Furuno, Simrad, B&G and Lowrance.

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. This complex and time-consuming process also required a reliable Internet connection. Part-NET 2.0 allows end users to easily customise parameters quickly and independently, without any intervention from HP Watermakers.

Additionally, 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 allowed users to check 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 anyone who does not have practical knowledge of on-board equipment. The manuals also include QR codes to easily order replacement parts.

Fresh Water from the Marina with MWT Basic

There is never enough drinking water and, even when docked, having the equipment to treat the water supplied by marinas may be advisable - this makes the water consumed on board safer. Boats spend up to 85% of their time in marinas and often the water supplied by the dock facilities contains high amounts of calcium and magnesium, which can lead to limescale build-up. This problem is not just limited to boat washing, because limescale can also clog pipes and pumps, shower systems and toilets, resulting in significant additional costs and downtime for maintenance.

So HP Watermakers has this year launched the MWT Basic. Together with the other models, MWT 1000 and MWT Auto, the watermakers are designed precisely for water treatment in marinas (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 and avoid the problem of limescale.

HP MWT Basic treats dock water through reverse osmosis 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 Basic automatically fills the tank without the need to operate any valves.

Sponsors of the Boat Builders Awards

At MetsTrade 2022, HP Watermakers also stood out as one of the sponsors of the Boat Builders Awards for Business Achievement, specifically of the “Environmental Improvement in Manufacturing Process” category. The awards, divided into 10 categories, were created to reward all the people, teams and partners that have played a leading role in the shipbuilding industry worldwide.