How useful is a washing machine if you liveaboard?

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FurryWritingDesk

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We're in the process of making some changes to The Fat Lady. At the moment, she has a washing machine in the aft heads. She doesn't have a black tank and we need/want to fit one. Mr FWD has decided that the ideal place to put it is where the washing machine is. (There are probably other places, but he's going for the straightforward option, which is in many ways commendable, but...)

I would love to keep the washing machine where it is. Frankly, I'd love to keep the washing machine full stop, as from experience, laundries are never available when you want them, and I've yet to see a bucket that has the capacity to wash bed linen.

Does anyone have any thoughts (or, better yet, persuasive arguments) on the value of a washing machine if you liveaboard?
PS we have a watermaker so the point about how much water we can carry is moot, even if said washing machine guzzles 75l a wash...
 
FurryWritingDesk said:
We're in the process of making some changes to The Fat Lady. At the moment, she has a washing machine in the aft heads. She doesn't have a black tank and we need/want to fit one. Mr FWD has decided that the ideal place to put it is where the washing machine is. (There are probably other places, but he's going for the straightforward option, which is in many ways commendable, but...)

I would love to keep the washing machine where it is. Frankly, I'd love to keep the washing machine full stop, as from experience, laundries are never available when you want them, and I've yet to see a bucket that has the capacity to wash bed linen.

Does anyone have any thoughts (or, better yet, persuasive arguments) on the value of a washing machine if you liveaboard?
PS we have a watermaker so the point about how much water we can carry is moot, even if said washing machine guzzles 75l a wash...
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Invaluable, I wouldn't be without ours. Pre-washing machine, laundry day on board Norna Biron was a miserable day.

There will be lots of responses that argue that the laundry needn't be a laborious chore and can be done in a gorilla tub, using the motion of the boat to agitate.......too much like hard work as far as I'm concerned and my husband agrees. Neither of us would want to spend a day washing towels and bedding by hand so our washing machine is a 'must have' on board. There are better things to be doing with life than laundry.

Find somewhere else for that black water tank!
 
SWMBO would hang me up by my tender bits were I to dare suggest we get rid of our automatic washing machine. In the winter the queue for the marina washer is legendary and the €3 cost per wash far outstrips the estimated €0.50 cost of a wash in our machine. In the summer the genny means SWMBO can wash when required and we never have to hunt around for a laundry. For us (apparently) it's a vital bit of kit!
 
Don't have one and don't really miss it, though a good wash of towels and sheets is something to look forward to.

Mostly we hand wash and try to wear as little as possible and remain legal, taking advantage of facilities where we find them.

In our 5th year as live-aboards and under no pressure to re-consider.
 
Carmel2 said:
For those who do what makes are you using?
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We've got a Greek made 'Carad' 3kg automatic machine. It's a plastic machine which, apart from spinning, does everything a normal automatic machine does. I've tried googling it with no success. It fits in one of our side deck boxes and can be used from there. We've just ordered a domestic spin dryer to make life even easier!
 
NornaBiron said:
We've got a Greek made 'Carad' 3kg automatic machine. It's a plastic machine which, apart from spinning, does everything a normal automatic machine does. I've tried googling it with no success. It fits in one of our side deck boxes and can be used from there. We've just ordered a domestic spin dryer to make life even easier!
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Tony Cross said:
A top-loading Whirlpool, it fits on rollers inside a full heigh cupboard.
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So not silly marine grade and price?? Next year maybe.............Can you put the dishes in?

Thank's
 
capnsensible said:
Have coped easily in 15 years living aboard without one.....
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'tis easy for you, your swmbo does the laundry.

Carmel2 said:
For those who do what makes are you using?
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standard LG 7.2 kg top loader bought from a supermarket.

When I sell Stingo, the first thing that I will put on the new boat will be a washing machine and watermaker. In the Crabby-Ian, on average, a 5kg load at the laundromat costs US$20 plus washing detergent. Having it dried costs extra. I need to do two loads a week, so $ 40 x 52 = US$2,080 per year on laundry costs makes buying a washing machine an easy choice.

By the way, the LG that I have has a plastic drum and is the cheapest version of the LG top loaders.

Finally, I put it on "wash" cycle and repeat that several times before putting it on rinse, which saves water, because it doesn't re-fill each time.
 
Wow - thank you for all the replies! It sounds as though there is a fairly strong argument in favour of keeping the washing machine (though I was amused by the gender bias of the responses; clearly laundry is a "pink" job on the majority of boats!)

Will have to practice those assertiveness skills and think more creatively about where to put the black tank. It's just possible that the void behind the engine room could be the answer.
 
FurryWritingDesk said:
Wow - thank you for all the replies! It sounds as though there is a fairly strong argument in favour of keeping the washing machine (though I was amused by the gender bias of the responses; clearly laundry is a "pink" job on the majority of boats!)

Will have to practice those assertiveness skills and think more creatively about where to put the black tank. It's just possible that the void behind the engine room could be the answer.
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Oh, good god, you've got a void? I can't believe there was ever a question about the washing machine! ;-)
 
We have a void... Apparently the black tank *has* to go where the washing machine is, but the latest conversation has seen him concede that a washing machine is not a "nice to have". And he will look to buy me a shiny new one to go in the forward heads.

Which will leave the void, void. (Or, as it is in reality, stuffed full of bits for the Eberspacher that has never been fitted. That's a project for another time!)
 
Washing machine is a must-have. We don't have anywhere near enough space on our little 35 footer for a fitted washing machine, so we have a relatively small, mostly plastic washing machine. It's completely manual, so we have to fill with water and empty out when done, but it uses little power so we can run it off the inverter and certain beats washing by hand. Lives in our forward cabin.
 
stingo said:
'tis easy for you, your swmbo does the laundry.

.
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Where we are at the moment, the Laundry does the laundry......

Do remember we live 0n a 33 foot Moody. There is nowhere to put a machine, the water to operate it, or a way of containing grey water until it can be pumped into a proper sewage system.

We have had some great runs ashore in places (exotic) taking the dhobey out to play and using self service!!

Would not change if we had a bigger boat. :)
 
For those reading this tread and thinking that without a big boat / washing machine cruising is not possible, here is my humble washing solution.

Just a few months liveaboard cruising we noticed how expensive and time consuming laundrettes are. We are not keen on marina´s so used town laundrettes. Expensive and if you are affectionate to your stuff, better not to leave the machines alone. Also don’t underestimate the long ways carrying a huge bag full of laundry.

It was me who wanted to go sailing, so Swimbo finds it is logic I do the washing. It is not the only punishment I have to endure to live my dream, for instance even after 15 years of cruising she still refuses to row or use the outboard. I know she can do it herself but It is I who has to row Milady.

A hand washing tumble machine Is what I use now. First sail to a spot where getting water is relatively easy, cos even with that little machine I need 40 litres of water for one washing and three times rinsing. Rinsing is the most important part of the cycle.
Boil washing is done only a few times a year ( See pic )

http://s1155.photobucket.com/user/OldBawley/media/Maart2005_0004-Kopie.jpg.html

Recently I acquired an aluminium version off the wonder wash. Painted the drum black, the sun heats the drum to very hot, and the drum can be put onto the wood burning stove or the outdoor wood burning pipe seen in the pic.
Winter 2004 I sailed to Rhodes to get a wiper motor. In those days the streets of Rhodes war littered with abandoned cars and it never rains on Rhodes so I figured a recycled wiper motor would be as good as new. A few hours of DIY and I had an automatic tumbling machine. Solar driven.
I learned that it is not the tumbling witch gives the excellent washing result but the pressure build up inside the drum. ( Don’t ask me why ) So the motor is used for something else, I just give the machine a swing now and then.

Real big stuff is done in the dingy ( Pic )

http://s1155.photobucket.com/user/OldBawley/media/DSCN2054-Kopie.jpg.html

I know, a lot of work, but so is jogging or body- building. Double win.
 
capnsensible said:
Where we are at the moment, the Laundry does the laundry......

Do remember we live 0n a 33 foot Moody. There is nowhere to put a machine, the water to operate it, or a way of containing grey water until it can be pumped into a proper sewage system.

We have had some great runs ashore in places (exotic) taking the dhobey out to play and using self service!!

Would not change if we had a bigger boat. :)
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Your Moody probably has similar internal space as our Southerly. We have one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/OneConcept-...6057&sr=8-6&keywords=portable+washing+machine
We run it in the heads and flush it through the shower sump pump. Straight over the side, much like any laundrette will do.
 
We had a little twin tub which we used occasionally. It drank large quantities of water and wasn't actually up to lot. we gave it away last winter and now use laundries ashore as and when required. If Rampage were bigger and we had room and the ability to carry the weight along with a water maker, then things might be revisited.
 
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