San Diego is the last easy place to fix a watermaker before you head south. Once you're in Baja, membranes, pump parts, and seal kits can take weeks to import and arrive with heavy duties. This checklist covers what to verify, what to carry, and what to have serviced before you cast off.
Remote anchorages in the Pacific Baja coast and the Sea of Cortez have no potable water dock. Jug-hauling from a panga or a distant town burns days of cruising time. Parts shipped into Mexico clear customs slowly, and a shipment of membranes or a high-pressure pump can be tied up for two to three weeks plus import fees — often longer than the leg you planned to sail.
If you'll sit at anchor for more than a week without running the unit, pickle it rather than letting it sit wet. Warm water accelerates biological growth, and a fouled membrane in Bahía Santa María is a much bigger problem than a fouled membrane on Shelter Island. Know the procedure for your system before you leave, and carry enough chemical for at least two cycles.
We do inspection, pressure and salinity testing under load, membrane replacement, pump service, and pickling at the dock across Shelter Island, Harbor Island, Point Loma, Mission Bay, and Chula Vista. If you're staging for a departure date, tell us the date and we'll work backward from it so parts arrive in time.
Tell us your boat, your system, and your departure date. We'll work backward from it so you leave San Diego with a watermaker you can trust.