How do you do the Laundry?

[MarkJ]

Instalation and running cost low, but can be quite high maintenance!

[Zanshin]

All joking aside, I always thought that both dishwashers and washing machines were useless luxury items aboard a sailboat. While my personal jury is still in deliberations regarding the dishwasher, I've got a washing machine aboard "Zanshin" now and find it wonderful. It isn't just the ability to clean clothing, linens and towels; but the ability to really dry them. Although wind-dried laundry from the lifelines is clean, it never really gets as dry and fresh smelling as it does with the washer/drier. Although the wash uses surprisingly little water and is energy-efficient, drying takes quite a bit of power, but I do the drying while running the genset and charging the batteries, and since the charging current is low towards the end of the charge cycle the generator would otherwise run at idle so using the dryer (and water-maker) isn't actually wasteful of energy.

[matauwhi]

Cheers

[Capt RonB]

Just a few ideas here

Cruise in warm countries i.e. Bahamas where fewer clothes are required.

Use light weight clothes made of fibers that don't hold water and dry fast. Microfiber fabrics are great.

Keep the kids in swim suits. A quick fresh water rinse and a few hours on the lifelines is all they need.

Don't use towels if it can be avoided. Hang out to dry.

Give everyone their own towel and use them several times before washing.

We took a load a week into a local laundry. They charge by the pound so again light weight articles pay off.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

We have seen many cruisers with units like these:
Haier 1.46 cu. ft. Pulsator Washing Machine-HLP23E at The Home Depot

That is the type I was talking about. In the Caribbean, they have off-brands of that style for $100. I suspect they are all made in the same China factory and the difference in price is due to the labeling and country sold in.

Mark

[zeehag]

they got ones that look like an old norge but newer here in mexico-- and cheap....i be looking into that for summer usage..lol.....

and after i replace my already gone honda 2k with another noisemaker, i can use it in winter also..lol....

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Capt RonB

Don't use towels if it can be avoided.

We have microfiber towels. They are very thin and light, yet absorb amazing quantities of water. After using them, they dry out within minutes. Really. You can almost completely dry them by simply twirling them around in the air for a bit.

These towels are sold to the swim teams and are made in Canada. I don't remember the company's name, but those words should work in google.

Mark

[SailFastTri]

Not full-time cruisers, but during our multi-week vacation cruises we plan for laundry ashore about once a week. A guest mooring at a yacht club, or even if anchored a dinghy trip to a marina that has laundry works well for us. We usually don't use slips because of the cost but if we have a rainy day we might pay to be dockside, preferably in a harbor that has laundry and other activities ashore. It helps avoid "cabin fever".

[Tim R.]

Wonderwash and spinner both from Clothes Dryers, Washers & Dryers, Portable & Compact Washing Machines

[mrohr]

I have ,and do, use a rectangular (stows better) that is long enough to get my bare foot in and use as an agitator. There is a particular rocking and rhythmic motion that W. Indian women use that works a treat,but just my clumsy up and down stomping also serves.
To go even more basic ,I have heard of garments being towed astern while sailing and of course best is a fresh water rinse afterwards, but even here ,a more basic is available when water is not : hang your salty wash up in a spanking breeze and when dry do not remove from your lifelines ,but rather let the continued flapping shake out much of the salt crystals that form.
The technique described above works quite well with nylon and synthetic fibers , while a tropical sun and trade wind can finish the job in short order. This can provide a fine excuse to head your boat down to the low latitudes , just tell your family (boss?) that you need to do the laundry.

..................Still love most of you.................mike.......................... ...............

[Celestialsailor]

So far, this has worked for me. Although here in La Paz, a bag of laundry to have done for you is 50 pesos($4us). That includes folding. Or 20 pesos($1.60us), if you do it yourself. But if I do it by hand every 3 days or so when there are not many items, it works out well.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by zeehag

sooooooo tempted... same with a fridge..lol..... only for summers......winters i use flap n folds.....

Flap n folds are great. A good one is the liveaboard's best friend.

[Mike OReilly]

Have avoided the whole kid thing, so probably not applicable, but the two of us do just fine with this fancy plunger. Heck, we use it on board, and on land .

[onestepcsy37]

watertender 9.4 doubles as dinghy and washing machine.

at anchor, wait for a good heavy rain one evening. you will wake up with a dinghy full of fresh rainwater, isolated in two compartments.

put laundry soap in one compartment and wash the clothes there.

rinse them in the other compartment.

hand them up to the captain to be hung everywhere.

[bobconnie]

We always use a nylon net laundry bag, a hunk of salt water soap, and 30-40 ft of line and drag it behind the boat for a couple of hours!! works great and ya still need only a small amount of fresh water to rinse the salt out and line dry! Works for us and is easy !! It may be the OLD way but it's still a good way !!