On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 23:56:08 -0000, "
wrote:

On Sep 10, 1:02 pm, Larry wrote:
... My discussion
involves a whole different way of distillation in POWER boats with ENGINES
running....not hermits living on the hook. ...

I take it from the nasty ad hominem zinger that I'm being a pain.
Sorry about that. Just for the record, there are many very desirable
cruising destinations that have plenty of people but not much fresh
water. In those spots an efficient water maker is a wonderful tool
for sociable cruisers. Also for the record, I'm not trying to be a
pain. But, at the risk of seeming negative, since you completely
ignored my question I'll ask it one more time: what is the motivation
to use steam distillation even in "POWER boats with ENGINES running"
when the same amount of heat differential would give you vastly more
fresh water if you used it to run R/O filtration?

My understanding is that Larry simply prefers distilled water, and has
given reasons why. Mineral content, and possible bacterial
contamination of RO water.
Though I am not well versed in this, and have not tested the waters.
distilled and RO are different, aren't they?
He never said distilling was more energy efficient than RO, but was
looking to capture engine waste heat to make distilling more efficient
than it is using conventional methods.
And if it could be done, it would be of benefit to sailboats too,
since they are often under power, and their engines waste many,
BTUs. Capturing wasted BTUs is the most important issue.

--Vic