Drop in shower/washdown solution

[Highlander]

Not any diff from ur head water tank being half mty & ur holding tank half full
I would think that there r water tanks avail with built in baffles to stop the water from sloshing around ?

J

[BOAT]

Kevin,


After almost a year of research I have not found a hot water system for the MAC that I would install due to butane propane issues and so forth - tank-less units were reviewed and really I have a lot of experience with camping and when it comes to hot water simple is best and temperature rarely is needed above 100 degrees - so everything out there is total overkill. Way more equipment and systems to haul around with pumps and pipes and tanks and (GEEZE! what a mess). I am used to this in my RV but in a boat I think it's not really needed unless your a live aboard.



I'm starting to think your system is the best. This leads to some questions:

1-Does the ZODI water pressure last a long time under pressure or do you need to re-pump it to complete a shower?

2-Can I heat the ZODI on my one burner stock alcohol stove in the boat? (I will buy the one with the propane burner but I don't always want to carry propane).

3-How long does it take to heat up on the alcohol stove?

I actually counted for two days on board how many times we needed hot water and I was shocked at how seldom we need it. I think a manual pressure tank system like yours may be the best answer.

Thanks for your answers in advance!

[kmclemore]

I'm starting to think your system is the best. This leads to some questions:

1-Does the ZODI water pressure last a long time under pressure or do you need to re-pump it to complete a shower?

Generally the initial pump and one re-pump does it to empty the tank.

2-Can I heat the ZODI on my one burner stock alcohol stove in the boat? (I will buy the one with the propane burner but I don't always want to carry propane).

I don't see why not. I use a propane stove, so it's probably a bit faster, but you're really only heating it to 110 degrees or so, not to boiling. I'd skip using the propane burner that comes with it, since it's not terribly stable on a boat.

3-How long does it take to heat up on the alcohol stove?

I have no idea - never did it on alcohol - but on a propane it's about 5 minutes at most.

I actually counted for two days on board how many times we needed hot water and I was shocked at how seldom we need it. I think a manual pressure tank system like yours may be the best answer.

Yeah, we don't really use hot water that often, either, and this does the job nicely. It can also be used for washing off feet, cleaning up around the deck, rinsing the anchor locker, etc. since it's so portable. We stow ours under the aft port seat, next to the galley (where the factory battery would normally be).

I will say, having a nice hot shower while sitting out in the cockpit on a cool morning feels amazing.

[BOAT]

Thanks Kevin,

I really like the idea that this unit knocks out several pieces of equipment at once -

Electric Pump - not needed - I looked at the portable "Pumps on a Hose" shower that are out now and they work great but you need to have a pot on the stove first.
Pot on the Stove - not needed - even the plastic pressure sprayers I saw are nice but a plastic pressure sprayer can't be put on the stove
Water Tank - since it's independent of any outside source of water you don't need a water tank on board to fill it.
Pipe and Hoses - doing the shower this way eliminates the needs for any pipes or hoses installed in the boat.

That's a lot of equipment I don't need to install or carry.

That still leaves me with the main problem dealing with a shower: the waste water - and female privacy concerns

All that could be addressed by sitting in the cockpit behind a curtain, except I sail in California so that requires me to deal with the waste water some how.

[Nauti Nell]

In dealing with a place to drain gray water I would think that some sort of pump out to the center board trunk might work. With a little cleverness and discretely routed hoses (think Hogans Hero's) the storm troopers may not notice......

[Seapup]

My spouse is a big fan of her solar shower. Easy to fill, store, and really heats up in the sun. We generally leave one laying on the deck during the day and it is still hot after sunset. We generally don't anchor near other people and hang it from a spare halyard to use outside.


We carry a 2 gal plastic fresh water sprayer too, but don't heat that and use it for misting and cooling off. It is too slow for rinsing soap.

[kurz]

sometimes I warm up water on the origo, then mix it with cold water in the solar shower.
Very low tech, and the best advantage is: It takes not much space to store...

[BOAT]

I tried those solar showers when they first came out and I did not have much luck with them. They were heavy and clumsy to haul when full, hard to fill, did not get warm in the winter, and since they required gravity to use were useless inside my old Van and campers where they could not be hoisted up high. I sort of gave up on the whole "solar shower" thing a long long time ago after trying out 4 or 5 different ones. I even talked to the guy that invented the original one on the phone to discuss some improvements and although he was polite enough to take my call he said that none of this RF welded vinyl products stuff was made in the US - he said you need to send simple designs to the RF Welders in China or India where they have warehouses full of RF Welders like seamstresses in old garment factories that just spend all day welding vinyl . I got an education in the inflatable vinyl industry from that guy. All those products are made like clothing, so it's labor intensive and off shore. One of the old US firms (last still in business) is SealTech - they have managed to survive by using cad and automation. Radio Frequency welding is still the standard I think.

https://rf-sealing.com/

For the most part I tried to get these vinyl people to make me something per my specs but unless you speak mandarin or Cantonese and want to order at least 10 thousand items at a time they won't help you.



I gave up on the whole 'solar shower' thing a long time ago.

[BOAT]

In dealing with a place to drain gray water I would think that some sort of pump out to the center board trunk might work. With a little cleverness and discretely routed hoses (think Hogans Hero's) the storm troopers may not notice......

Well, (and I mean WELL) because the trick your calling out means well like in MOTOR WELL. I already know that trick and there is a much easier way to do it without drilling a hole in the DB well. - Instead - use the MOTOR well.

I keep a lot of rubber plugs on board of various sizes:



Mainly for emergencies, like they do on submarines - if you spring a hole cuz a thru hull pops you pound in one of these guys and lash it - also works if your vent plug breaks, or you poke a small hole int the hull.
Anyways, I keep a lot of them on board and the small ones will plug up the motor well (and the sink too!).

All you do is put the plug in the motor well, and then take your shower in the cockpit as usual - all the water drains into the well and gets trapped there because of the plug, (the well holds several gallons!).

Then, at night, when it's extra sneaky, in the dark - you sneak out into the cockpit and PULL THE PLUG! (he he he ) And the water drains out into the harbor and will be long gone by AM when the enviro Nazis come back!

Hey, like I said, I know ALL the tricks - I have been doing this for a very very long time.
(you guys are gonna get me in trouble)

[npsrangerchuck]

In dealing with a place to drain gray water I would think that some sort of pump out to the center board trunk might work. With a little cleverness and discretely routed hoses (think Hogans Hero's) the storm troopers may not notice......

I keep a lot of rubber plugs on board of various sizes:

Mainly for emergencies, like they do on submarines - if you spring a hole cuz a thru hull pops you pound in one of these guys and lash it - also works if your vent plug breaks, or you poke a small hole int the hull.
Anyways, I keep a lot of them on board and the small ones will plug up the motor well (and the sink too!).

Do you have a source for the "variety pack" of rubber plugs? Those are just the ticket for an onboard Damage Control (former Coastie...I can't stop using the jargon) emergency kit!

[BOAT]

Yeah - you can get all kinds of variety packs on Amazon from the LAB SUPPLY stores - they have rubber, silicon, nylon, nalgene - all kinds. You can get the wood ones they use on submarines for high pressure but they need a sledge hammer to set them and a lashing - the rubber ones work fine for us surface dwellers.

https://www.amazon.com/GSC-Internationa ... bber+plugs






Lots of Lab Ware companies have them too.
They are handy for all kinds of stuff.

[ris]

In 2016 we lived on our Mac for over 8 months in salt and fresh water. We used the jump in get wet, climb ladder soap up, jump in for a rinse. We did this if the air temp was in upper 70's F and water temp was at least 68 F. If it was colder we used those big wet wipes, or hot water in a basin with a wash cloth. At least once a week we had a marina shower. We also used a sun shower sometimes. I think that hand pump up shower will be on our next cruse on the Jill Kristy. Just boiling a half gallon or less of water on the stove and pouring it in that spray tank should heat that thing up nicely.

[kadet]

I use a Helio like foot pump collapsible shower. Takes up almost no room when folded up and I just use the kettle on the stove to heat some water. Shower on deck or in cockpit wearing my budgie smugglers (speedo swim briefs) as long as the sun is out



Optional accessories would be nice, but I solo most of the time

[NiceAft]

While searching the WWW, I found this.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/theoutdoor ... owers/amp/

Ray

[hschumac]

+1 on the Helio. Purchased at REI, perhaps $100. It stows very small when not using. Before I head out for overnighters I fill it at the dock, and set it on the transom. During the summer the sun warms it up nicely. When ready to use it, 5-10 foot pumps gets it to pressure. For an extensive shower, only have to pump once before starting and halfway through. And only use 1/3 of the water in the tank. Also useful for returning from the beach to hose off sand.