Foot Powered Washing Machine - The Drumi

[american]

Looks like a solution that might work great on-deck:

This Pint-Sized Washing Machine Is Perfect For Small Spaces -- And Great For The Planet

The Drumi is foot-powered, and can clean about three days' worth of personal undergarments and shirts in about 5 minutes. It uses approximately 2 gallons of water per load and only a little soap, which according to Yirego is 80 percent less water and detergent than what's required by regular washing machines.

This machine was designed for people who usually go to laundromats, and should come in handy for who live in a compact urban homes or can't afford a traditional washer and dryer. Though it isn't intended to entirely eliminate laundromat outings or the use of a regular washing machine, it can replace frequent trips and multiple loads and help reduce a user's carbon footprint.

Here's a video of it in action:

[ErikFinn]

Looks like a great solution for your average cruiser!
Certainly beats arms in a bucket and I prefer this non-electric unit for boat use. I wonder if one could use sea water in that for washing, and rinse with fresh water...

[weavis]

$129 Canadian.

Inexpensive.

yirego

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by ErikFinn

Looks like a great solution for your average cruiser!
Certainly beats arms in a bucket and I prefer this non-electric unit for boat use. I wonder if one could use sea water in that for washing, and rinse with fresh water...

Why wouldn't you just drag the clothes behind the boat instead?

[american]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

Why wouldn't you just drag the clothes behind the boat instead?

Is that a thing?

[denverd0n]

Interesting idea, but it seems pretty expensive to me. It is three times as costly as this little hand-operated washer that has been around for years, and is generally well regarded. (Not to mention the fact that it is not actually even on the market yet.)
http://tinyurl.com/pbbzrzx

[bobnlesley]

The average small sailing yacht is a washing machine:


1.Buy a big bucket (>$10) and a roll of trash sacks ($1)
2. Secure the bucket onto either quarter of the boat, add about 3 gallons of fresh water, some liquid soap and a heap of dirty clothes; put a trash-bag over the top of the whole lot - this keeps fresh/soapy water in and salt water out.
3. Go sailing; any point of sail will do, though Lesley reckons that a broad reach is best - actually, that may be just because that's her favourite point of sail anyway?
4. When the urge takes you, dump the now dirty/soapy water, wring-out the clothes and return them to the bucket with some fresh water and rinse them out; this can be done at anchor as it doesn't need the same degree of agitation that the wash-cycle did.


Lesley reckons the bucket-under-sail washing machine performs as well/better than any of the fancy machines we owned during our lives ashore.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

Why wouldn't you just drag the clothes behind the boat instead?

One of my wife's friends asked her how she takes care of dirty laundry when we are on a cruise and away from home. That's just what she told her friend; "We put them in a mesh bag and drag them behind the boat." The friend believed her. Then she told her the truth, many marinas have laundry facilities so we just save up the dirty clothes until we stay at one.

I know that won't work for everyone but it works for us. Besides, we don't wear a lot of clothes cruising.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by rwidman

"We put them in a mesh bag and drag them behind the boat."

There are a lot of people who do exactly that. It gets the clothes clean enough that only a very small amount of rinsing in fresh water is necessary to finish the job.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

There are a lot of people who do exactly that. It gets the clothes clean enough that only a very small amount of rinsing in fresh water is necessary to finish the job.

I suspect that depends on where you are cruising. Open ocean would probably work. The AICW, not so much.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by bobnlesley

put a trash-bag over the top of the whole lot - this keeps fresh/soapy water in and salt water out.

A real question: how do you get the bag over the top of the bucket with the handle AND THE LINE BACK TO THE BOAT? I just don't understand the rig. Can you describe this a bit more in detail? Thanks.

[Franst8]

www.laundry-alternative.com/product/The-Wonderwash. I have one of these and it is great. It uses very little water and it could work with salt water soap and fresh rinse, although I haven't tried that. You can easily keep up with clean clothes and not have to lug loads of wash to a laundromat in a dinghy. I think it is a good alternative to the old "drag it behind the boat" method. If you are in a nice comfy anchorage and plan to stay for a number of days you don't have to take the boat out just to clean clothes.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Franst8

www.laundry-alternative.com/product/The-Wonderwash. I have one of these and it is great. It uses very little water and it could work with salt water soap and fresh rinse, although I haven't tried that. You can easily keep up with clean clothes and not have to lug loads of wash to a laundromat in a dinghy. I think it is a good alternative to the old "drag it behind the boat" method. If you are in a nice comfy anchorage and plan to stay for a number of days you don't have to take the boat out just to clean clothes.

I don't remember if my wife has ever done this or not, but if you just need clean underwear or just a few things, you could wash and rinse it in the kitchen sink. Or a bucket.

[Matt Johnson]

Or just save-up the cloths for your next port. Every port has someone that does laundry....washed, dry and folded for around $15. We go to the laundry about once a month while cruising.

Matt

[oceane]

i prefer elbow grease, way cheaper and reliable...
About Us

and maybe i should post photo of my own/panama version of the mobile washer .. a Ace hardware toilet plunger with a few holes drilled on all sides for 6.99$ and a five gallon bucket...

both work great....!!!!