Bestevaer 49ST

[Eleuthera 2014]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

What nighty?

OOOH... my kind of girl!! Good girls are so boring.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Well, I have done a little research on washer/dryer combos (I am not totally resistant to new ideas even if they involve more power usage ), but I have encountered a few stumbling blocks.

The first is that a suitable size can't be found. The space has been designed for a 3.5 kg front loading washing machine, as a larger washer is not necessary and with a solar based system one is not very viable.

Secondly, even if a small combo unit can be found, apparently the dryer capacity of these combo units is about half that of the washer's. That makes it 1.75 kg, an extremely small load. There is minimal benefit to small loads like this being dried when with a decent spin (which is available from a portable separate unit), items would dry very easily hung next to the Refleks. This seems like a first step if I have problems.

Thirdly, knowing what dryers are like in homes, they really need to be vented. A sudden load of moisture laden air in a small room will create awful dampness issues and with it mould (ick!). I don't particularly want extra holes cut in the cabin top to enable venting to the exterior. We do have a hatch in this area that the discharge hose could be stuck out of, but I think that is a sloppy, largely impracical solution.

Any comments on all this? Dockhead and Eleuthera, what units have you installed and how have you vented them?

If no good solution can be found at the moment and a dryer is found to be necessary in the future, the nice thing about having a monster sized storage area at the rear is that it can accommodate one. Some Bestevaers have in fact used this area for the washing machine. We have a suitable aluminium shelf being welded in on the port side of this area and there is provision for wires to be fed easily directly from the technical room/workshop.

Placing it there, dampness is not much of an issue, so no concerns about venting. It seems like a good option.

SWL

[olaf hart]

We recently bought a new front loader washer for home, the direct drive ones are an order of magnitude quieter than the old belt drives, and I suspect more energy efficient as well.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

We recently bought a new front loader washer for home, the direct drive ones are an order of magnitude quieter than the old belt drives, and I suspect more energy efficient as well.

Thanks for the feedback.
What model is the unit? I have had no success finding anything small enough (size is an issue, as well as power consumption).

SWL

[olaf hart]

It's a 7ish kg Electrolux, no sign of a 3.5 kg unit online.

Might be worth waiting till the last minute before you buy your one, the markets seems to be moving that direction.

[DreamerB]

Although not boat related my research into combo washer/drier for the home. You won't find such a small washer/drier. They also apparently draw more energy then a comparably sized drier only but that was a few years ago not sure if things have improved.


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[s/v Jedi]

Seaworthy, you will not find a unit in that size and can be glad because they are troublesome even in full size frontloaders. We have lived with them since 2002 and nothing but trouble. The condensing dryer types use your fresh water to cool the drum so are out, leaving the vented ones which just don't work with a drum so small. We always use the lifelines and when it rains, even then, we don't use the dryer but wash tomorrow instead.
We now have a new motorhome where we have stacked units and these do work well but you need much, much more room. They have an Aniston label.

[Eleuthera 2014]

Hello SL,

We have a Siemens WD14H462FF combi washer/dryer. It is very quiet but needs some "leccy" to keep it smiling. For us as liveaboards, we would not do without the full size machine.. but we had to compromise somewhat.

For instance, we installed it in the former wet locker, a function we rarely use as we have a hard dodger and an elaborate canvas bimini to protect from heat, cold and rain.

Was said before, the machine is very quiet and we made many women jealous (sorry... washing is done mostly by ladies here)... in fact some have thrown down the gauntlet to their male partner... For us, we would not be without it and it has been good value this winter as the cost for washing in this Marina is €3.50 per load and another €3.50 for the dryer. Assuming 1 1/2 load a week for 26 weeks... adds up.

(Note... we are not very energy misers.. good genset, shore power, we use the system)

PLUS THE CONVENIENCE!!

Enjoy your build.. I know KM and they'll do a fab job for you.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Seaworthy, you will not find a unit in that size and can be glad because they are troublesome even in full size frontloaders. We have lived with them since 2002 and nothing but trouble. The condensing dryer types use your fresh water to cool the drum so are out, leaving the vented ones which just don't work with a drum so small. We always use the lifelines and when it rains, even then, we don't use the dryer but wash tomorrow instead.
We now have a new motorhome where we have stacked units and these do work well but you need much, much more room. They have an Aniston label.

Thanks. Feedback from another user of a combo unit is very useful.

I have lived on board numerous winters now (albeit not anywhere where furry nighties are needed) and coped by washing and drying when conditions are good. Small items, like the microfibre towels we use, dry pretty easily inside regardless of weather.

If this proves inadequate we always have the option of installing a separate dryer in the huge under cockpit area. I will abandon searching further for combo units.

SWL

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by Eleuthera 2014

Hello SL,

We have a Siemens WD14H462FF combi washer/dryer. It is very quiet but needs some "leccy" to keep it smiling. For us as liveaboards, we would not do without the full size machine.. but we had to compromise somewhat.

For instance, we installed it in the former wet locker, a function we rarely use as we have a hard dodger and an elaborate canvas bimini to protect from heat, cold and rain.

Was said before, the machine is very quiet and we made many women jealous (sorry... washing is done mostly by ladies here)... in fact some have thrown down the gauntlet to their male partner... For us, we would not be without it and it has been good value this winter as the cost for washing in this Marina is €3.50 per load and another €3.50 for the dryer. Assuming 1 1/2 load a week for 26 weeks... adds up.

(Note... we are not very energy misers.. good genset, shore power, we use the system)

PLUS THE CONVENIENCE!!

Enjoy your build.. I know KM and they'll do a fab job for you.

Washing is done mostly by a lady here too . I think I kissed my washing machine on our first trip back home . I have adapted well on board now and would not say that even a washing machine is essential, but having one on the new boat will be a nice luxury.

Thanks for your advice and good wishes.

SWL

[Matt Johnson]

Like this?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Well, I have done a little research on washer/dryer combos (I am not totally resistant to new ideas even if they involve more power usage ), but I have encountered a few stumbling blocks.

The first is that a suitable size can't be found. The space has been designed for a 3.5 kg front loading washing machine, as a larger washer is not necessary and with a solar based system one is not very viable.

Secondly, even if a small combo unit can be found, apparently the dryer capacity of these combo units is about half that of the washer's. That makes it 1.75 kg, an extremely small load. There is minimal benefit to small loads like this being dried when with a decent spin (which is available from a portable separate unit), items would dry very easily hung next to the Refleks. This seems like a first step if I have problems.

Thirdly, knowing what dryers are like in homes, they really need to be vented. A sudden load of moisture laden air in a small room will create awful dampness issues and with it mould (ick!). I don't particularly want extra holes cut in the cabin top to enable venting to the exterior. We do have a hatch in this area that the discharge hose could be stuck out of, but I think that is a sloppy, largely impracical solution.

Any comments on all this? Dockhead and Eleuthera, what units have you installed and how have you vented them?

If no good solution can be found at the moment and a dryer is found to be necessary in the future, the nice thing about having a monster sized storage area at the rear is that it can accommodate one. Some Bestevaers have in fact used this area for the washing machine. We have a suitable aluminium shelf being welded in on the port side of this area and there is provision for wires to be fed easily directly from the technical room/workshop.

Placing it there, dampness is not much of an issue, so no concerns about venting. It seems like a good option.

SWL

Mine is a Eudora/Eumenia Sparmeister 802, and it was installed as part of the original built. That is, the boat was built around it.

This is a 3.5kg narrow unit of an odd size, so would be quite hard to replace it. Fortunately it's built like a brickhouse and still working well.

As Nick said, forget condensing dryers on a boat. My Eudora vents straight into the room, which is suboptimal, but there is an opening port just above it which helps. One of these days I will fabricate an adapter to get a vent hose connected to it, which can be led out of the port.

In my opinion it would be silly to have a washing machine without a dryer -- the dryer is the more useful of the two functions. It's not that hard to wash clothes without a machine, but just try drying them in wet weather or underway etc.

A dryer requires more drum volume per kg of clothes processed, so it's in the nature of things that a combo unit will have less dryer capacity, than washer capacity. In fact you can push the rating a bit if you don't mind a little longer drying time.

3.5kg is a small load, and it can be tedious washing bedding and clothes for 5 or 6 people, as it requires many loads, but it's still an absolute Godsend compared to hauling it around looking for laundromats.

[TeddyDiver]

Considering the issue of drying, not just laundry but foul weather gear too, I have a compartment beside the companion way tripling as a shower, a sauna and a wetlocker. To dry gear out an airdryer will be installed. That'll turn it into a big condensing dryer room.

BR Teddy

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Seaworthy, you will not find a unit in that size and can be glad because they are troublesome even in full size frontloaders. We have lived with them since 2002 and nothing but trouble. The condensing dryer types use your fresh water to cool the drum so are out, leaving the vented ones which just don't work with a drum so small.

There are condensing driers that use a heat pump to condense the moisture out of the air, and then reheat it. They don't need water, don't need a vent and they use less energy. But they are not cheap...
I had one in my previous home.



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[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Like this?

Precisely .
That was fitted in Albatross I think. I am becoming intimately acquainted with all the Bestevaers KM have built .

SWL