Showering facilities - Abingdon to Marlow

[Mart74]

Evening All

We're off on our first long trip on our Birchwood 25 in a few weeks. Due to the engine always running cool we don't really get hot enough water for a shower. After 3hrs running it's just about warm enough to wash your hands.
My girlfriend has to have a shower each morning (me too although, not as much as the gf). We're looking at Abingdon to Wallingford, Wallingford to Reading, Reading to Henley, Henley to Marlow return. I've been tring to find showering facilities at each night stop without much success.
We've offered to pay the camp site in Wallingford, they said no, becasue of Covid restrictions. We're trying The Marina at T&C canal but they are full and don't have room for our boat. From there on I'm not sure where to try.
Any recommendations please?

 

[Mark26]

As you say COVID restrictions will be an issue. If it were me, and I was going “in a few weeks”, I’d concentrate on fixing the problem before I went.
You don’t say what sort of engine, but one assumes an inboard with a calofier, it should be too hard to fix, I’d start with a new thermostat.

 

[Mart74]

Hi Mark. Thanks for the reply.
It's a Watermota Sea Tiger petrol engine. I've put a thermostat in which helped slightly. The water gets and goes round the calofier but as it's straight out the river, round and out it doesn't warm it enough.
Sheridan do a divert kit, unfortunatley they've just updated it and are testing it and it's not available to buy yet :-(

 

[Portland Billy]

Boil a kettle and have a strip wash.

 

[plumbob]

Not a joke. There's a seriously good shower kit available from the Killaspray people. Kettle of very hot water, top up with fresh, perfectly fine shower. Used one on our Freeman for years. No tray? Kids blowup paddling pool. Job done.

 

[Scapegoat]

If you can find a space at Marlow (not easy!!), on Higginson Park, the mooring fee is supposed to include use of the facilities at the Leisure Centre. But not sure if there are any current covid restrictions affecting use. You could also look at overnighting in a Marina with facilities.

 

[plumbob]

Not a joke. There's a seriously good shower kit available from the Killaspray people. Kettle of very hot water, top up with fresh, perfectly fine shower. Used one on our Freeman for years. No tray? Kids blowup paddling pool. Job done.

I perhaps should have added, provided the water standpipe allows you to fill up.

 

[Parabordi]

I perhaps should have added, provided the water standpipe allows you to fill up.

https://media.giphy.com/media/11Wkoq2MaUbLXi/giphy.mp4

 

[oldgit]

MDL are certainly allowing visitors to use their facilities in their tidal marinas and the EA have their newly refurbed toilet shower/ blocks open on the non tidal bit of the Medway.

 

[Windy_Stu]

Has your tank got an immersion in as well as a heating coil... if so why not use a small genny to heat up the tank... will only take about 15 mins

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I used one of these when I lived on a very small boat but I don't have showers every day so could well not be feasible for someone who has high personal hygiene standards.

Basically a pressurised weed sprayer but with a shower head on it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Ltd-4140A0000-PortaShower/dp/B001ULCILM


Cheaper ones are available

 

[Chris_d]

Unfortunately at that end of the river you'll be struggling, guess its a raw water cooled boat hence takes ages to heat the calorifier.
Does it have an immersion heater in it, a generator might be the answer if it does.
Edit, see Windy Stu beat me too it

 

[DogsBody]

Boil a kettle and have a strip wash.

Thats exactly what we had to do when we had a Birchwood 25, which didn't have a shower fitted - was a nice change when we upgraded to a bigger boat with a nice hot shower

 

[Mart74]

Thanks for all the suggestions
I'll check out Marlow marina, sounds ideal. I'll also look to see if we have an immersion (I don't think so)

I've been looking on Amazon and quite a few shower pumps with shower heads that you drop in a bucket of hot water. Seem quite good although not sure how the better half will feel about it lol

 

[Gibeltarik]

Thanks for all the suggestions
I'll check out Marlow marina, sounds ideal. I'll also look to see if we have an immersion (I don't think so)

I've been looking on Amazon and quite a few shower pumps with shower heads that you drop in a bucket of hot water. Seem quite good although not sure how the better half will feel about it lol

Marlow is not a marina - it is moorings on the edge of Higginson Park (council owned).

Bourne End Marina might be better bet Marina on the Thames in the heart of Buckinghamshire - that way you can book a mooring and make use of their shower. Choice of two eateries as well - The Bounty on the other bank - cheap cheerful and friendly or the new and more expensive tapas restaurant in the marina - Authentic Spanish Tapas Bar & Restaurant on Bourne End Marina | Corazón del Río.

Of course the ideal answer would have been Cookham lock with overnight moorings, campsite and proper shower block - but EA COVID caution means that you aren't even allowed to land yet -let alone shower! (it used to have a power supply but it has been strangely unavailable for some years)

 

[Boathook]

I used one of these when I lived on a very small boat but I don't have showers every day so could well not be feasible for someone who has high personal hygiene standards.

Basically a pressurised weed sprayer but with a shower head on it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hozelock-Ltd-4140A0000-PortaShower/dp/B001ULCILM


Cheaper ones are available

Thats what I have on board. Fill up with 3.5 litres cold water then 1.5 litres boiling water, mix and you have a nice warm shower. You can get 2 showers out of it if hair washing isn't done.

 

[Kilo]

+1 for the hozelock portashower, bloody brilliant to my mind but then I have #2.... My partner with long lustrous locks looks at it with derision.
How committed are you in your relationship -
with the boat?

 

[oldgit]

- but EA COVID caution means that you aren't even allowed to land yet -let alone shower!

Covid caution ...or simply not in working order ?

 

[alfaman155]

Wasnt there a big plastic bag you could buy, fill it with water, leave it on the boat's roof in the sun all day, then by the evening you could hang it from a tree or similar, stand under the tap arrangement and it would just about give you a dampening with warm water? They were aimed at camping folk as I recall, rather than boaters.
Drawback - useless for a morning shower, and probably useless on cloudy days too.