Any ideas about how i can add hot water?

[charliehows]

I know this won't be popular but I do find this sort of discussion amusing; humans who historically lived by the sea, bathed in the sea. Then we invented plumbing for the humans who didnt live by the sea. Now the humans who live on the sea want the same plumbing as the humans who dont live anywhere near the sea, because they have forgotten how to bathe in the sea. Yeah, yeah, sharks, crocodiles, the wife, whatever, yada yada...

[TrentePieds]

Hm... Historically, people who lived by the sea did NOT bathe in the sea because the salt causes itching at the very least, and in come cases can lead to dermatitis, although in days of yore Joe Bloggins had no idea what that ailment is. Joe did, however, know that when you came in from sea in your little fishing skiff, all covered with fish slime and brine, you needed to wash the salt off you skin as soon as you could.

Generally, that was done with water from the well, and even those fishermen's settlements that were right ON the shore would have wells sufficiently inland that the water in them was fresh.

It is possible that many of my generation, on these shores, and almost all those who are younger than I, are unfamiliar with the bathing rituals of those of us who were fortunate enuff to grow up in wholesome, pre-conspicuous-consumption societies. So let me let you in on them:

On Saturday (the name for which in my native language has come down to us in the old form meaning, quite literally, "Washday") Mom would, in the morning, fill the big "copper", the huge kettle set in brick work in the wash house, and fire up under it. The fuel could be firewood if the household was well to do, but among the poor it was generally turf, i.e. organic matter "cut" in the ancient bogs. When the water reached boiling, around about suppertime, the water was transferred to a galvanized tub big enuff to hold a well-grown man and cooled to sufferable temperature with cold water from the well which had been fetched in anticipation and left in buckets in the wash house.

"Dad" (which might be "old-father", i.e. granddad or even great granddad) went first, followed by any other superannuated males. Then came "Mom" (women being subject to the same ranking), then the oldest boys down to the age of ten or so, then all the other children, oldest girls first, with kids under ten being accommodated in any convenient order. Soap was home-made as it had been for hundreds of years from scraps of fat from the kitchen and homemade lye. You will know the expression "soft soap". That is often what it was, and you had to be careful with it because soft soap is still strongly alkaline, the saponification being somewhat incomplete be design. But, Boy! does it ever get rid of the muck!

By the time the littlest kids had had their bath in THAT water, they needed a bath :-)!

Most sailerfolk will use seawater for all sorts of things, including boiling spuds and doing the dishes, but in the case of showering - for which seawater is fine if you have substantial amounts of ***** to get rid of - we try to have enough freshwater to allow a rinse.

Most of us "small boat" sailors manage to check into a marina on "washday" to take advantage of the showers found there. For MOST small boat sailors on-board showers are really a luxury it is easy enuff to do without.

TrentePieds

[dennismenace111]

Ahh yes. I too remember bathing that way as a child growing up in rural Western Pennsylvania. My grandmother had no running water, only an artesian well in the cellar. Baths were done in the cellar next to the coal fired furnace, the warmest place, in a galvanized tin tub!

Then my parents moved to Miami Beach and we were like the Beverly Hillbillies with a cement pond out back!

[charliehows]

forgive me - i forget that most of the folk on here are northern hemisphere dwellers - you guys seem to have trouble thinking back more than a few generations in spite of having the advantage over we of the south pacific, of a written history going back 2-3000 years or more. We have a memory of a closer relationship with Te Moana in our part of the world.

[riki]

Originally Posted by charliehows

forgive me - i forget that most of the folk on here are northern hemisphere dwellers - you guys seem to have trouble thinking back more than a few generations in spite of having the advantage over we of the south pacific, of a written history going back 2-3000 years or more. We have a memory of a closer relationship with Te Moana in our part of the world.

Well, my ancestors, the Romans, used fresh water and had plumbing.....maybe this is why i don't use salty water to wash.

[NevilleCat]

I have used smaller bug spray systems as described, very easy; just 1 kettle of boiling water to 2-3 cold.
Was wondering if anyone had installed one of the larger backpack style units with a handle type pump system? Seems like if you had room to mount it semi-permanently it would be easier to pump up...
This one costs $41 locally and has a S/S handle and wand...although you would throw away the wand and use it without.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by NevilleCat

I have used smaller bug spray systems as described, very easy; just 1 kettle of boiling water to 2-3 cold.
Was wondering if anyone had installed one of the larger backpack style units with a handle type pump system? Seems like if you had room to mount it semi-permanently it would be easier to pump up...
This one costs $41 locally and has a S/S handle and wand...although you would throw away the wand and use it without.

I like it!
except on second thought the pump handle would be facing the wrong way if it were wall mounted, no?

[warrior 90]

Originally Posted by Splash of Lime

Well our vessel is 48' so lots of room in the engine room. I took out the old water heater that weighed tons even when empty. So i found at Home Depot a small electric on demand water heater. My wife wants hot water for showers and dishes. So anyway I bought it and gave it to the guys at the Boat Yard in Mexico - and they installed it. The heater on demand is about 24' high and about 12" wide and weighs about 2 lbs. (Beats the hell out of at least 60 to 80lb+ water heater.) You also need a tank pressure tank. So I bought a 2 gallon tank from Defenders and they shipped it. So the electrician who installed it did a great job. Works like charm, everyone is happy and that makes me happy. The heater only comes on demand. So it is not on all the time, it heats very fast. About 20 seconds or less. Yes it does takes some juice but only for a short time. Then it is off. So we turn off the switch on the panel when not in use even though it does not run when off. I would absolutely suggest this type of water heater to everyone. Why not, light weight, and it works, and it was not expensive. By the way, our boat is "Casablanca" 48' Hershine.

Now You really got me curious. Yes , I think I know what You are talking about. Those water heaters are connected to the systems and cost only some 1-200 $. But always thought those little wonders need a certain flow rate and are pressure calibrated by factory. That means I need to adapt the plumbing of the boat for that kind of pressure.
And to my technical understanding there is another little issue. Yes, they are called instant water heaters but even so there a little delay to get it actuated and that delay is wasted water ?
Well, that might be resolved with the 2 gal tank if it has good insulation

" And of course some juice "
Well of course.... so how much juice are we talking ???

Of course there are trade offs but I like electricity. Easy installation and no explosive gas bottles that are heavy and have to be filled.

Next in line for me are the diesel water heater systems like Webasto etc.
https://www.webasto-comfort.com/file...eet_lo_res.pdf
They are very small and can be easy fitted in a standard engine coolant circuit but are also more expensive.You have the added benefit of also a comfortable heating system for the cold seasons of the year and in extreme situations helps to start the engine.
I think it is also a valid solution with outboard engine. Draws little energy and a small Diesel tank goes a long time. I would definitely prefer it to a gas water heater. I hate all the issues with the gas tank and the installation "ON A BOAT"

Please tell me more about Your installation. I am interested. Always open to explore other options.

PS: About cave men and the Romans....... of course if You only have a dog on board You don´t have the problem

[john61ct]

Heating water with electricity takes **a lot** of juice.

Running the genset, better off taking advantage of waste heat from the cooling circuit.

[NevilleCat]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I like it!
except on second thought the pump handle would be facing the wrong way if it were wall mounted, no?

I don't know; it looks like the handle is removable and just slots onto the shaft on either side so should be a few options even without modification.
In fact it would normally be worn as a backpack presumably the other side out to the picture so they seem to have have the handle the wrong way about in the pic. It just pumps up and down anyhow.
I'm boat-less at present so I don't have any excuse to get one to try.

[riki]

Thank you all for your time and answers. Got a clear idea now.
Cheers

[nortonscove]

Coleman and others sell a portable water heater that can draw water from a portable tank. It says it can heat forty gallons per one pound tank of propane. Easy if you carry a couple jerry can type water jugs.

[ben2go]

Solar hot water panel to an insulated water heater tank. Thermosyphoning will happen with the short runs so no need for a pump. Insulate the water lines. When at dock, the water heater tank can be run via shore power. Even on cloudy days, a water heating panel will reach 80F to 90F. A well-insulated tank can keep water warm, not hot, for several days to a week depending on the temps around the tank.



https://www.amazon.com/EZ-37-Solar-W...language=en_US

[AJ-SeaChange]

We are full time liveaboards and have just installed a 12 volt water heating element into our 30 litre water heating tank.


The product was supplied to us by Green Yachting and it's called Solar Green.


We now have permanent hot water whether we're at anchor (which is most of the time) or attached to shore power.


Let us know if you have any questions.

Click on the link below to watch the installation process.

https://youtu.be/x3iCnkNTy-I

[a64pilot]

Propane on a boat is incredibly unsafe, reason is any leak at all will accumulate in the bilge and can explode. Therefore there are special modifications made to marine propane appliances like stoves that make them safe, these modifications aren’t made to water heaters etc.
That takes us to Solar which works very well as long as of course it’s not cold weather and there is sun.
Finally there is electric, it takes tremendous amounts of electricity to heat water, unless your on shore power it’s almost certain that you don’t have enough Solar to heat water and power the boat, especially in Winter with short solar hours.

That leaves the stove to heat water to shower, that is the easiest to implement, least expensive, and probably most reliable and sustainable, as well as inexpensive

A variation of that is of course a diesel powered water heater that can also heat the boat, but they are usually very expensive