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Marine hot water cylinder recommendations


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My boat came with a califont which is usually a no-no these days, so I fitted a rectangular 16 litre Isotemp hot water cylinder with tempering valve and 240V supplementary and that has been a bit too small if too many showers are taken but I also had limited space. I also fitted shut-off valves at the engine inlet and outlet just in case there is a problem with the hoses or heater to allow for normal engine operation. Subsequently, I fitted 2 valves to allow for califont operation when selected when the hot water runs out. 

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I am feeling completely out of touch with all of this plumbed hot water stuff. Where do you guys shower on the boat? How can it be 'sailing' if you have all the mod cons of your house?

Typically, I use a facecloth and some hot water (from the kettle) to wash the sunblock and salt crust off at the end of the day. We've used a solar shower to great effect in the past, but it's also just as easy to use a plastic water bottle and squirt yourself down with fresh water. This is a good way to rinse off after a swim. If we want a good wash, then some sailors soap / salt lather stuff, followed by the water bottle squirt down.

The big issue for me is the water conservation. We have 240 l on board. Can't have a very long holiday if you shower in the damn stuff!

Before you know it, you'll all have pressure water systems as well, and be pouring water down the drain every time you turn the tap on. Nothing like a little foot operated pump to get just the water you need...

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totally agree about the water conservation, when i had a 1020 with pump water and a kettle to heat a bit up when we wanted it i family of 4 did 3 weeks on 160L (standard 1020 tanks),  now i have 300 litres and pressure hot water we made it 4.5 days this xmas, problem is once you have it, it is hard to take it away

 

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We currently have 200L on the 1050 and get about 8 days.

We have pressure hot and cold water and 2x showers, 1 inside and 1 on the transom.

Before our next big cruise we will be expanding to 500L so we don't have to find water.

We have a 25ltr approx hot water cylinder and if the whole family is going to have a shower we will run the engine at the same time to keep water warm which also tops up batteries.

We have 2 adults and 2 kids.

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2 hours ago, Fish said:

We've used a solar shower to great effect in the past,

I have quickly learnt that standing bollocks-naked under a solar shower in the cockpit is a good way for me to clear an anchorage of bothersome other boats.  I also now know why its call a cockpit.

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Does any one have any hacks for super simple warm water off the engine? Im not talking hot steamy shower, I'm thinking just rinsing salt off the kids at the end of the day, out in the cockpit, while the engine is running. There must be some clever, simple systems out there. I have a 2gm20F.

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2 hours ago, aardvarkash10 said:

I have quickly learnt that standing bollocks-naked under a solar shower in the cockpit is a good way for me to clear an anchorage of bothersome other boats.  I also now know why its call a cockpit.

Have you tried taking your solar shower downstairs when using it? I understand all these plumbed hot water showers are used downstairs?

PS, I have many other responses, none of which are appropriate even for a forum ;-)

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1 hour ago, gisywaterboy said:

Does any one have any hacks for super simple warm water off the engine? Im not talking hot steamy shower, I'm thinking just rinsing salt off the kids at the end of the day, out in the cockpit, while the engine is running. There must be some clever, simple systems out there. I have a 2gm20F.

Wind a copper pipe around your heat exchanger and plumb tank water to one end and a cockpit shower into the other?

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7 minutes ago, Fish said:

Do you have any daughters? Uni aged?

nope.  Past that stage.  

In reality, we typically solar shower in hte cockpit, but I'm decent enought to wear budgie smugglers when I'm doing it.  The solar shower tied to the backstay.  We can get two long-ish showers out of one solar shower bag and we got into the habit of having two bags on the deck each day.

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5 hours ago, Young Entertainer said:

family of 4 did 3 weeks on 160L (standard 1020 tanks),  now i have 300 litres and pressure hot water we made it 4.5 days

 

On the 830 we would go to the barrier for 10 days with 3 x 20L plastic cans of fresh water, had a hand pump ib the galley and that was it. Half way through the trip was shower day, 2 adults and 2 small kids could get a quick shower each sat in outboard well with a 10L paint bucket, topped up over a jug full of boiled water using a 12v submersible pump with a solar shower hose and head on it. Blaardy luxury!

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On 14/05/2021 at 9:06 AM, Black Panther said:

If you have a daughter with curly hair triple all calculated amounts ( and clear the shower drain daily)..

IMG-20210410-WA0004.jpg

You must have been releaved when your daughters got their mother's looks ;-)

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