Frugal Cruising Idea Exchange

[seandepagnier]

I can catch all the water landing on my deck. There is a thru hole on the low point and hose inside. I let it settle in containers then syphon to get what floats and sinks out, then filter it once through a cloth. I syphon with a small hose to control flow rate, and the cloth draped over a bucket. This is good water for washing clothes, and it's plenty of water. No hauling water needed.


I want to get a 10-20 gallon gallon sealable container. The idea is to plastic weld, or rivet and seal 4 helical fins a few inches wide to the outside. Inside will have straight fins to make baffles. From there, tow it behind the boat or put it in the water in a current at anchor, and let it spin, it needs a good bearing, not sure anchor swivel is ideal. Then it can be washing the clothes in fresh water inside. Will it work?

Could it be mounted on the deck with a windshield wiper motor geared to a belt to rotate it? Those motors draw less than 2 amps, so it's no problem to run it a few hours off solar. It may take 2-3 hours to wash since it's turning slowly, on sunny days doesn't matter.

It could also have a belt to a large 6ft diameter windmill with 6 or more blades to turn it possibly. Then there are ways to make it work with wave action either hanging in the rigging, in the water. even possible to anchor it in breakers

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

?? I don’t have a washing machine on my boat. But most marinas and towns I’ve been to do.

Btw - being frugal means having enough underwear to last a few weeks so you can combine washing with other trips into a marina.

Damn thats a lot of storage space..
I make do with clothes pegs and hang my knickers on the wire fence.
At anything up to €20 for a wash and dry thats reserved for bedding and smart wear.

[JPA Cate]

I don't know about you, Phil, but my "smart wear," is just about a figment of my imagination!



Ann

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by thinwater

What cracks me up is how "modern the design concept is. These go back over 100 years, but they were tin-plated then. Hey, if it works....

And they still make them, unchanged.
https://www.readymaderesources.com/p...free-shipping/

Very true. I looked at the metal versions, but thought the plastic would be more durable. I’ve had ours for must be 10 years now. Works great. Laundry days are fun and relaxing. What could be better.

We also use the laundromat when we hit shore, which isn’t that often. Frugality means having enough underwear to last for a while, but not too much that it overflows the drawers. It’s all about balance .

ADD: And that balance includes staying matched with your spouse. Bad things happen when we get out of synch with our laundry, or our bathing for that matter.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Damn thats a lot of storage space..
I make do with clothes pegs and hang my knickers on the wire fence.
At anything up to €20 for a wash and dry thats reserved for bedding and smart wear.

Smart wear? That’s your problem right there.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Smart wear? That’s your problem right there.

The girls in the office get uptight if I show up in my boxers..

[406Columbia]

Originally Posted by boatman61

The girls in the office get uptight if I show up in my boxers..

Shame

[406Columbia]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Smart wear? That’s your problem right there.

Fact!

[sailorchic34]

I have used marina washer and dryers sometimes. Generally it takes 3 trips to the laundry, first to wash, then to move to dryer and then to fold. That assumes someone else is not washing ahead of you. Plus the 1.2 miles (3 trips at .4 miles round trip) walking to the marina laundry. That's nearly two hours out of the day.

Then other times, if I'm out and about, I'll get a bucket of river water and plunge the heck out of the clothes, rinse in another bucket of fresh and "mostly" clean river water and hang them on the clothes line (life lines), for that natural UV sanitizing. Takes about 20 minutes of washing and rinsing and it's free or nearly so.

Both options work, though I like the bucket method a bit more, as I'm just naturally lazy.

[Kenomac]

Having an onboard washing machine is another item which pays for itself very quickly by saving money (frugal), time and hassle. We haven’t spent even a penny on laundromats over the past six years of cruising. Don’t even need to buy as many clothes because the ones we have (including underwear) are easily washed instead of stockpiled.

Sometimes you gotta spend a little in order to save a lot.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Having an onboard washing machine is another item which pays for itself very quickly by saving money (frugal) and time and hassle. We haven’t spent even a penny on laundromats over the past six years of cruising. Don’t even need to buy as many clothes because the ones we have (including underwear) are easily washed instead of stockpiled.

Sometimes you gotta spend a little in order to save a lot.

Especially in places like Greece where it can be up to €15 per load wash and dried. And we're talking small loads that fit in a domestic machine.

There is no chance of catching rainwater in the Med. It's full of saharan sand. The decks of boats are practically orange any time a southerly blows, or if there is a little rain.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by mikedefieslife

Especially in places like Greece where it can be up to €15 per load wash and dried. And we're talking small loads that fit in a domestic machine.

There is no chance of catching rainwater in the Med. It's full of saharan sand. The decks of boats are practically orange any time a southerly blows, or if there is a little rain.

You’re absolutely correct... zero chance of collecting rainwater anywhere in the Med. Last year we had three rain days during a four month stretch, and yes.... the sahara sand is nearly everywhere except here in the northern Adriatic, and it will stain everything red.

[Boatguy30]

Ken,
Too bad no one's going to want that little boat of your's. It's clear the real savings starts at 60'!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Ken,
Too bad no one's going to want that little boat of your's. It's clear the real savings starts at 60'!

I know you’re just joking around. But the point I’m trying to make is that being frugal doesn’t only come from the minimalist viewpoint. Some of the weathiest people I know, became weathly by being some of the most frugal people I know. They spent their money wisely always looking ahead for increased value and future savings.

Sometimes you gotta spend a little to save a lot. And if you don’t have a little to spend, maybe sometimes it’s more worthwihile to earn some money, then spend it on things that’ll save money and make life easier in the future.

[BlackHeron]

You are supposed to wash clothes regularly? You guys don't just let them air out and have the UV do the work of sterilizing them? Just hose them off when they get too crusty or toss them into the rag box and pick up "new" clothes at the thrift store.

That is MUCH cheaper than paying for laundry. I can usually find nice tech/drip-dry shirts and shorts for about $3 each with hardly any wear or stains on them. Sometimes I can find rayon and even silk Hawaiian shirts with loud, bold colors that don't even show dirt or stains for that same price. Just wear them until they fall apart after a few months and then simply get new ones.

Next I bet you are going to say that I'm supposed to take a bath more than once a year. A hot washcloth on the face, pits and down the crotch is all you need.