# Sailboats with showers?



## PPPPPP42 (Mar 11, 2009)

More of a luxury item than any real necessity but I'm used to seeing regular 23-26 foot cruisers with those waterproof bathrooms with handheld sprayers and drains in the floor that they use as a shower. Maybe its just because its mostly older boats in my price range but most of the sailboats in that size range seem to have similar bathrooms to the power cruisers but I don't see that many are for use as showers. Is this a feature that only normally appears in newer boats, or is it larger boats? I suppose its hard to fit all the crap necessary in a sailboat.

Anyone ever converted the bathroom in a 25 or 26 foot older 70's sailboat to function as a shower? I suppose the drain wouldn't legally be allowed to dump overboard. I wonder what those on demand water heaters cost, the ones the Japanese people use are tiny little buggers.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

It can be done, and the water discharge from the shower can legally be pumped overboard in most areas, as it is considered GREY WATER, not BLACK WATER. Black water is what comes from the head and contains human fecal matter or waste. 

On older boats, they didn't set the boat up with a shower since the head compartments weren't generally made of waterproof materials, and taking a shower in them would create a pretty huge mess. Modern plastics and boat building technique changes have allowed them to do this on even fairly small boats now, as a fiberglass liners and such can be used to create the waterproof space required. 

The on-demand propane heaters can be a serious explosion risk/hazard and many insurance companies will not insure a boat equipped with one. YMMV. 

I'd also point out that on a smaller boat a solar shower setup might make more sense. Many smaller boats don't have pressurized water to begin with, so a solar shower or some other gravity fed system would be required. You'd be surprised at how hot the water in a simple solar shower can get by the end of a long summer day.


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## PPPPPP42 (Mar 11, 2009)

Yeah it would have to be propane, the electric ones are such power hogs that they are shore power only. I'm sure since I only ever get boat liability insurance it wouldn't effect it since they never bother to actually look at the boat here for just that.

Now I'll hafta look up how efficient the propane heaters are. I can glass in the head (easiest way i suppose), add an overboard drain and a proper water system to a 26 footer or so without hogging up much extra space. As a bonus I could put a T in the line and have a nice propane grill too.

It'll be awhile yet before I get a boat but i'll hafta document that correctly and do a write up on it for others to see.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

PPPPPP42 said:


> Yyeah it would have to be propane, the electric ones are such power hogs that they are shore power only. I'm sure since I only ever get boat liability insurance it wouldn't effect it since they never bother to actually look at the boat here for just that.
> 
> Now I'll hafta look up how efficient the propane heaters are. I can glass in the head (easiest way i suppose), add an overboard drain and a proper water system to a 26 footer or so without hogging up much extra space. As a bonus I could put a T in the line and have a nice propane grill too.
> 
> It'll be awhile yet before I get a boat but i'll hafta document that correctly and do a write up on it for others to see.


Whoa.....now thats not really correct. Most, if not all 'electrical' hot water heaters run off engine not only shore power.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Technically, the hot water heater would be a hydronic one if it ran off of engine heat... it might also be electric as well, but without the heat exchanger and coolant loop, the engine does nothing. 



tdw said:


> Whoa.....now thats not really correct. Most, if not all 'electrical' hot water heaters run off engine not only shore power.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> Technically, the hot water heater would be a hydronic one if it ran off of engine heat... it might also be electric as well, but without the heat exchanger and coolant loop, the engine does nothing.


Ok smartass......

Last marine hwh I used (current Womboat doesn't have one) had an element that ran off power generated by the engine or shore power. It also had a heat exchanger to make it more efficient.

Surely no one would have an hwh that was purely shore power ?

Would they ?

Alternatively, am I mistaken and in fact off the grid it was all down to the heat exchanger and the electrical was purely shore power ?


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

Andrew,
That is the way I know it to work. (Maybe it is different on the other side of the world.) In fact turning on the hot water heater on our boat while away from shore power is a big no no. Our inverter can handle it but it sucks the life out of the batts in no time. Heater is off underway.
Wife showers all the time on board while we are under motor, no juice. Just heated off the engine.


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## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

The skipper of a commercial troller I'm currently working on (wiring) is installing a 3 way water heater - AC shorepower, hydronic off the engine and a coil through the Dickinson diesel heater as well. 2 ways to get hot water when away from the dock and in the winter at the dock an alternative to the shorepower.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Most marine hot water heaters use the engine cooling water to heat the water when the engine is running, but use an electric heating element when hooked up to shore power.

I can't think of any that use the engine for electrical power to heat the water due to the really high amperage requirements that would entail.

Some are only electric, and provide no hot water when not hooked up to shore power or a genset...but typically, these aren't seen on sailboats. *Here's one by Raritan that has NO HEAT EXCHANGER,* so they do exist, but they are fairly rare on sailboats. 



tdw said:


> Ok smartass......
> 
> Last marine hwh I used (current Womboat doesn't have one) had an element that ran off power generated by the engine or shore power. It also had a heat exchanger to make it more efficient.
> 
> ...


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

This is likely only a two-way hot water heater-hydronic and electric-and has a loop that is connected to the heat exchanger running through the heater.


mitiempo said:


> The skipper of a commercial troller I'm currently working on (wiring) is installing a 3 way water heater - AC shorepower, hydronic off the engine and a coil through the Dickinson diesel heater as well. 2 ways to get hot water when away from the dock and in the winter at the dock an alternative to the shorepower.


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## mitiempo (Sep 19, 2008)

True, but it gives another option even at the dock when the diesel heater is on. Most commercial fishboats around here light the diesel stove or heater at the beginning of the season and if it gets too warm just open the door. As long as there is diesel (500 gallons plus daytank in this case) they don't turn it off.


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## 2Gringos (Jan 4, 2008)

New England sailors take showers?

Man, did THAT place get wimpy after I left....


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## Architeuthis (Mar 3, 2008)

PPPPPP42 said:


> Anyone ever converted the bathroom in a 25 or 26 foot older 70's sailboat to function as a shower? I suppose the drain wouldn't legally be allowed to dump overboard. I wonder what those on demand water heaters cost, the ones the Japanese people use are tiny little buggers.


No never converted, never seen one. I have seen cockpits converted to shower use, in fact all the boats in that range used the cockpit for showers and no hot water. I think there is some rule about that, or maybe just on the boats I was on for weeks at a time.

Of course most have no shower at all, just bath overboard, or wash up with bucket in cockpit. Nothing like that first bucket of Lake Superior water dumped on your head to wake you up.


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## Allanbc (Apr 19, 2007)

So why do all you guys have HOT water heaters? I have a water heater to heat cold water. Why heat water that is already hot? :laugher


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## FishSticks (Nov 16, 2007)

2Gringos said:


> New England sailors take showers?
> 
> Man, did THAT place get wimpy after I left....


Besides the wimpiness factor a shower takes up valuable space and adds complexity to the plumbing. Some boats get along fine this way - an automatic shower without the inconvenience of leaving your bunk. Sometimes fresh water, sometimes salt, especially when you're on the wind. Experienced crew like this fellow avoid sleeping on their backs to prevent their eye sockets from filling with water.


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## Livia (Jul 20, 2006)

One option if it helps your refit is to install a cockpit shower instead. Depending on where your water heater will be installed it may simplify your plumbing and, except at a marina, we prefer to shower in the cockpit even in the winter. Of course, we are in the PNW and have a full enclosure now so YMMV. Showering in the cockpit is bracing when it is cold (think sauna then polar bear plunge type feeling) but it keeps the humidity outside.


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