washing machines

[MAURICE]

Will soon be leaving the UK on a new boat and am making up a list of things to consider. Washing machines? what are your thoughts should i get one will i need one. I know that at most marinas facilities are available for washing but it makes sense. I havnt really started looking but i would think that i could get a small one to fit in a cubby hole. Then of course the question is where should i buy one from??
Id better sit back and wait for all the comments!!!!

 

[Oliveoyl]

We're planning to get a Wonder Wash, measures 12"x12"x16".
Hand operated, apparently does it magic because the water is pressurized inside

 

[HoratioHB]

Is this wonder wash thing a white, egg shaped plastic jobby? cos if it is I had a good look at one in a chandlers the other day. It made claims of a unique pressure system but on investigation all it seems to be is a butter churn equivalent and I was so unimpressed I crossed it off my list - we are going for a high tech bucket!!

 

[moodycruiser]

We started off with a pressure washer and swmbo used it for about 2 months. Bit of a work up, water all over the shop so we've use a launderette once a week ever since.
Gave the washer to charity.

 

[sarabande]

When we drove out for 4 months to the Middle East across Europe and Turkey in the 70s, we had a 25l drum with a strong sealable lid. Stick clothes, water, and detergent in it. Tie to front bumper of LandRover, drive all day, rinse contents.

Can't see why a similar bin would not work on board, especially in a horizontal plane.

 

[whipper_snapper]

A lot of cruisers swear by these things. They are pressurized, sort of, because you add hot water and seal it. But I have never understood how simply raising the overall pressure achieves anything. I have seen them used very successfully, but it was a bit of a failure for me - I think I overloaded it. I nearly broke it and clothes were still distinctly whiffy after churning the thing for hours and soaking my current set of clothes in sweat.

 

[jerryat]

[ QUOTE ]
We're planning to get a Wonder Wash, measures 12"x12"x16".
Hand operated, apparently does it magic because the water is pressurized inside

[/ QUOTE ]

Used properly you won't be disappointed either! We used one (actually two 'cos SWMBO bu99ered the first!) for almost ten years whilst full time cruising. Brilliant bits of kit and used for almost all our washing. We did use a laundrette for the bigger stuff, blankets, large sheets etc but otherwise the little machine did a superb job.

One key thing we didn't know until well after our first year in the Med, was that the washing powders there are designed for use in cool water not hot. Once we'd realised that, our clothes came out really clean AND white! The other tip was to wash the articles for at least twice the time shown in the instructions - this made a huge difference.

We did have a couple of cruising friends with these little 12 volt jobbies and they were ok generally, but would only take smaller loads, so took just as long in the end.

 

[douglas_family]

we've just bought a butter churner effort but haven't tried it out yet.

Things to consider are how much water they use and how much electric if you go for a mechanical effort. If they use to much fresh water you might as well have gone to the laundrette as you'll have to come into a marina for water

 

[HoratioHB]

Sorry my technical incompetence means I cannot attach the photo I found on the force 4 website for what I was talking about earlier - they call it the force 4 portable washing machine - £40 are we talking the same thing as I would be easily persuaded to change my mind from what has been said here.

 

[temptress]

We use a Wonder Wash - we consiered fittind a small automaic but the wonder wash works ver well.

You need to use very little washing powder - we find about half the amout the wonder wash recomends and we use the galley sink and a bucket to rince.

 

[Jonny_H]

I think its the Wonder Wash that's been referred to above. Mailspeed stock it too calling it under their own name: Mailspeed

Jonny

 

[HoratioHB]

Thats the one I've been referring to. Just looking it over in a chandlery does not make a good impression but if this is the one you've all been talking about I might give it a punt for £40.

 

[KellysEye]

We left the UK with a Wonderwash - we tested it and they do work. However, there are so many laundrettes/laundries around we didn't use it for two years. Sold it in Venezuela.

 

[michael_w]

It would not be beyond the wit of human ingenuity to attach an electric drill, to save a bit of elbow grease.

 

[canalcruiser]

Thats a version of an old Swiss hand wash machine,the swis versions about 18inches in diameter and a ball.

It has a pressure cap that the hot water you put in give pressure,it works really well but is still a lot of work.It dose clean dirty cloths but i went back to a bucket

They cost from £4 to£10 secondhand and are made of alu and SS (frame)

 

[Liz_I]

OK. You want an honest opinion. After 11 years aboard. We really mean aboard, not a few months in the summer! Using a 'wonder wash' Yes it really does work well but the lid seal gives up on a regular basis and is difficult to source when abroad. We were in Croatia where launderettes are scarce and service washes are designed for the charter fleets. American friends had a service wash and it cost them 70 euros! We decided to fit a small automatic to our 42' Moody - where !!!!! Once decided and at a cost we purchased a 3.5kg Candy. It's plumbed into the ships pressure system the drain goes into the fwd heads sink. The only question is WHY didn't we do this years ago? It uses less water than washing by hand, is better for the 'modern' fabrics and has transformed our lives. A couple of friends have seen and followed our example and are of the same minds, The machine has now more than paid for itself. Yes I've done hand washing in salt water, rinsing in fresh. Yes we've used a wonder wash. Yes we've used launderettes, but this is heaven in comparison.

 

[jerryat]

Does your machine run off 12v or 240v? If you are marina based a lot, a 240v or 12v type might make sense, but we, for example, spent the vast majority of our time at anchor, so the Wonderwash was a real boon.

The 12v versions a couple of cruising friends had weren't too bad, but as I said above, took smaller loads and none lasted more than about three years. No doubt the mains versions are more robust, but you need a bigger boat than ours to make it a sensible option. After all, your not doing anything like as much washing when cruising in the Med/Caribbean as you do living in the UK.

We tended to live in shorts and a tee-shirt, nice light things that were easy to wash/dry!

 

[Abigail]

We have a wonderwash which we do use some of the time, for smaller things. It helps us to stay on top of the washing and it uses less water, particularly for rinsing, than a bucket. Laundrettes/service washes all down the coast so far have been very expensive.

Now we're in southern climes (Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Gib) we do wear less but there's still sheets and towels. And of course, overall laziness about the elbow grease. In some marinas there is a washing machine which is about UK prices, but elsewhere it's a service wash and very dear.

BUT the wonderwash is a bit of a pain in the arse. Not least it's quite a pain to stow and get out. The adivce about minimising soap is also important.

So we are researching a small, cool water washing machine that we could plumb in (a la candy above) or easily manouevre, like the all plastic Nova machines we have seen on some vessels. It would certainly pay for itself quite quickly.

So all info on such machines is very useful, and if we were leaving again we would work harder on installing one. I have never seen the price of laundry in Spain, Portugal etc recognised in these discussions.

 

[Sandyman]

Currently looking at installing a washing machine so any advise as to makes & models would be appreciated.

 

[Liz_I]

Candy Aqua 600T. 230v. 600rpm spin speed. Dims; 43Dx51Wx70H (cms); Appx times & water usage Program 3 @ 50deg C;1hr 25min - appx 37/40ltrs. (this incl wash & 3 rinses); Program 32 (max 2kg quick wash) 40degC; 35-40mins; appx 24ltrs.
There are other programs but generally these are the ones we use. There is a 90deg wash cycle, for example.
We too are at anchor for the whole of the summer and the machine is only used for the bedding, towels etc. Shorts/tops & smalls are still done by hand. We do however have a 4 kva generator, so when the wash needs to be done we just run George for a couple of hours. We are thinking of getting a larger invertor i.e. 1600w since, on a good day our 4 solar panels (appx 130w on 24v) would provide us with more than adequate power over a 2 hour period.
Water so far has not been a problem. We carry appx 600 ltrs and without stinting this lasts around 3 weeks. The space is a real problem but we were lucky to have a chest of drawers in the port cabin (never been used as a 'bedroom') removal of this freed just enough space to slide the machine in! Only had to cut a small piece from the bulkhead to fit the machine through the doorway. That replaced one cannot even see the join!
Our main problem with wonder wash was the lid. If one doesn't tighten down the 'nut' the machine leaks, tightening too much cracks the plastic! But it's a useful piece of kit and can double as extra storage, a butter maker or a salad spinner!!