Shower in Confined Area

[Foswick]

The boat we are buying (Fuji 32) has a shower. It occurs to me that I have never used the shower on a boat except where the head was a bit larger, allowing for a part of the head that could be curtained off. Or, the head was all plastic and gel coat, so it didn't matter where water got to.

But, on this boat, the doors (yes there are two doors to the head) are solid teak, there is teak trim throughout, and there is a large mirror (though I don't think the mirror is original equipment). The ceiling is too low to stand up and shower. I'm used to that.

My question is, what do other folks do who have a space that doesn't want to be sprayed by water and soap residue, but without room for a shower curtain. Are you just careful with where you spray and you wipe things down when you're done?

I don't really see much else to do.

[grantmc]

I'd install a wraparound plastic curtain of some kind in preference to watching myself shower in the mirror.

[CaptTom]

Moving from a "wet head" to a proper shower was one of the reasons we went looking for a new boat last time. Even with a molded fiberglass head, we still had to be sure everything was put away and stowage doors were closed tightly before showering. We generally had to dry the whole head afterward. The one good thing was that the head got cleaned with every shower.

[dlj]

I have two heads with showers, both have wrap-around curtains.

That said, I've never used either one. I use the shower in my cockpit as has everyone that joined me on trips.

If I didn't have a cockpit shower, I would likely have put in one of those black bags you hang and shower under.

FWIW

dj

[cram]

Just wipe it down when you're done.... done this on many many boats...

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by Foswick

The boat we are buying (Fuji 32) has a shower. It occurs to me that I have never used the shower on a boat except where the head was a bit larger, allowing for a part of the head that could be curtained off. Or, the head was all plastic and gel coat, so it didn't matter where water got to.

But, on this boat, the doors (yes there are two doors to the head) are solid teak, there is teak trim throughout, and there is a large mirror (though I don't think the mirror is original equipment). The ceiling is too low to stand up and shower. I'm used to that.

My question is, what do other folks do who have a space that doesn't want to be sprayed by water and soap residue, but without room for a shower curtain. Are you just careful with where you spray and you wipe things down when you're done?

I don't really see much else to do.

The sole in my head/shower is molded fiberglass and the bulkheads and door are varnished teak. I have a teak grating seat which folds down over the head. I have a shower wand which can be placed in a fixed mount or hand held so I can either stand or sit, I always sit. It’s safer and I direct the spray on me, there’s very little overspray on anything else. My shower and head sink drain into a sump separate from the bilge and it has its own pump to empty it.
Since there is very little overspray a quick wipe is all it takes to keep the area ship-shape.

[Mike OReilly]

Easy... Cockpit shower.

My boat is set up with a wet head (shower) as well. We've never used it. So much easier to shower in the cockpit.

[Jammer]

Use waterproof finishes on wood and make other things waterproof. I put a gasket on the medicine cabinet door in an RV once. Keep a soft squeegee in the head and use it to wipe everything down when finished, then go over with a towel, this will all reduce spotting and humidity.

[Cheechako]

Just install a 'wrap around curtain' on a track or just hooks near the ceiling that covers everything. It works fine.
Another hint: avoid plastic unwoven curtains, the ones woven of polyester or etc dry fast and dont mold near so bad.
Yu dont want to be showering in the cockpit in the Pacific Northwest except maybe August!

[Foswick]

Our current boat is set up for a cockpit shower. Fine for rinsing off feet, but, as Cheechako points out, of limited use in my neighborhood. We will do something similar on the new boat for rinsing off saltwater after a swim. (My wife open-water swims even though water temperature hovers around mid-40s to mid-50s F ... don't ask me why.)

But, most of the time, it is either too cold, too public, or both to shower in the cockpit. So, even though we could, we tend to wait until we are at a marina, and we carry a big cup full of quarters.

As I mentioned, there isn't really a lot of room to install a regular shower curtain with a track. But, I think I might just put a few snaps on the walls near the ceiling and snap the curtain in place so that it lays flat against the walls/doors. This way I wouldn't lose any elbow room and, when not in use, the only thing left in the head would be a few unobtrusive snaps.

[Grattaway]

Foswick I would use a couple of pieces of velcro on the wall or door and curtain -or domes as you suggest.
That way curtain can simply be removed or clipped up or down if you also put a velcro strip on the bottom

[Cheechako]

Small brass hooks on the ceiling with split rings on the curtain worked well on one boat for us. No track, easily removed or grouped in one place when not in use. You only need a few, not one for every hole in the curtain.

[pbmaise]

I had a huge shower aboard. Albeit only after sunset. Sometimes I needed a shower after cleaning the bottom of the boat during the day. I tried to time it between speed boats passing with tourists. Although I recall one occasion I got a few whistles because they approach so dang fast.

[Ike]

Yu dont want to be showering in the cockpit in the Pacific Northwest except maybe August!

brrrrrrrrrrrr. Pneumonia here I come.

My wife and I lived in an 35 foot RV for 17 years. Having a shower was a necessity for her, even though we stayed in a lot of RV parks that had shower facilities. The other thing we always checked for was a laundry. No way would she stay where there was no laundry.

If I had told her she had to shower outside it would have been bye bye real quick, even when we we in Key West where it never got below 70. She just isn't the outdoor type. I have known a lot of people who go cruising with boats that are "minimalist". Its fine for some people. But not for others. Most people like their modern conveniences. Just look at how many cruisers and just boaters who want to have TV, Internet, cell phones, and all the other tech stuff on their boats.