Today Was a Beautiful Day, then . . .

[otherthan]

We cleaned the boat and talked about our visions of voyage and life abord...all was find...that was befor I started remouving the hot water tank and the fridge...then our dream started to look like a nightmare...was ugly!!!
This should be posted in what women want?

truth is you want the world on a plater without any sacrifice????

[otherthan]

come on guys lighten up...this isnt a post about right or wrong...its not war of the sexes either...me and my girl have never argued, but I can see we have opposing views on living aboard...so pleas dance with me here!!!

what compromises have you been doing to be living the dream...and not living in a dream.
what men feel is unesasary in a boat??
what women think is mandatory for cruising??

ps. we discarded 2 hair dryers we fund in the boats lockers??? my view; who on earth would need a 1500w hair dryer on a boat?
her view; oh to bad they are a cheap brand!!

[4arch]

I wouldn't remove a refrigerator on a boat where it was already installed and working. In fact, I'd really rather not live without one. Planning an itinerary around ice availability gets aggravating and going without any perishables gets old fast. Fridge units are a lot more reliable than they used to be and aren't the energy hogs people make them out to be if you a.) right-size the fridge box to your needs by adding baffles or compartments to reduce the amount of cubic feet being cooled and b.) insulate the box as much as possible (which is a low dollar project that presumably you'd want to do for using ice as well).

The water heater is a tougher call. If it's tied into the engine coolant loop you'll have "free" hot water whenever you use the engine but I do feel having hot water available prompts one to use more water than they otherwise would. Wouldn't ditch mine but also wouldn't necessarily be in a rush to replace it if it bit the dust.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by jobi

ps. we discarded 2 hair dryers we fund in the boats lockers??? my view; who on earth would need a 1500w hair dryer on a boat?
her view; oh to bad they are a cheap brand!!

Those were not hair dryers. Those were tools, heat guns. Used to remove old varnish, drying out wet parts, all sorts of useful things.

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by 4arch

I wouldn't remove a refrigerator on a boat where it was already installed and working. In fact, I'd really rather not live without one. Planning an itinerary around ice availability gets aggravating and going without any perishables gets old fast. Fridge units are a lot more reliable than they used to be and aren't the energy hogs people make them out to be if you a.) right-size the fridge box to your needs by adding baffles or compartments to reduce the amount of cubic feet being cooled and b.) insulate the box as much as possible (which is a low dollar project that presumably you'd want to do for using ice as well).

The water heater is a tougher call. If it's tied into the engine coolant loop you'll have "free" hot water whenever you use the engine but I do feel having hot water available prompts one to use more water than they otherwise would. Wouldn't ditch mine but also wouldn't necessarily be in a rush to replace it if it bit the dust.

well I havent used a fridge in 2 years...nothing I eat needs it exept my beer so this my girlfriend agreed can go!!

The water heater is a diferent story...it may look usefull at the duck when shour power is avail...but we have no plans for marinas so it will slowly rust and become useless...my girlfriend says its a shame as we have such a nice shower...I love the shower bag idea...also there is a portlight in the shower so the bag can hang in the sun above the porthole and still be used in the shower...so the heater isnt that big a lost??

rgds

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Those were not hair dryers. Those were tools, heat guns. Used to remove old varnish, drying out wet parts, all sorts of useful things.

Thats what I said to here but she did not belive it

[perchance]

If the women ain't happy, nobody's happy.

[mrm]

Would not dispose of either, as both systems are already there.
Cooler can be disconnected and used as storage space. If it turns out it might be useful after all (think cold beer when sailing in tropics) it is already there.
Same for water heater. Nice to have an option if it is there. Besides, it probably occupies some remote, hard to reach space, which will be difficult to reuse.

[otherthan]

Originally Posted by mrm

Would not dispose of either, as both systems are already there.
Cooler can be disconnected and used as storage space. If it turns out it might be useful after all (think cold beer when sailing in tropics) it is already there.
Same for water heater. Nice to have an option if it is there. Besides, it probably occupies some remote, hard to reach space, which will be difficult to reuse.

the heater is well hidden but the fridge compressor is in the lazarette not practicle.

[Charlie]

I have a washing machine on my boat. Spent half a day fixing it (Oh yeah and another half a day learning how to fix it). I used it once. It is storage for dirty clothes. I have been asking the wife if we should take it out or not. After four years of not using it she agrees to take it out now.

[Hudson Force]

Nancie and I are in our 41st year of marriage and finishing our 39th year of liveaboard cruising. Everything is negotiable! Yes, we have a hair dryer. We use it to expand and soften the ends of hoses in order to shove them onto hose barbs and to dry our schipperke. Over the years our "needs" have changed. We spent our first twenty years aboard without a depthsounder or refrigeration and now we can't do without. We have some of the traditional role separations of couples,- I tend to all the mechanics and she tends to the decor and arrangements below. I do the laundry and the dishes,- she prepares the meals and cleans below. She excells at expressing desires,- I excell at smiling and nodding. Most importantly, we agree to cruise north in the summer and south in the winter. Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[Bash]

I'm no expert on what women want, but hot water and cold beer are certainly two things I want on my boat.

[Lowcountry]

If you're cruising at the right lattitudes, you won't need hot water for a shower. In fact, you will wish your water was cooler than it is because it is too hot outside. The fridge is another story. I wouldn't relish cruising without one. A cold drink of koolaid or a nice cold beer goes a long way in the tropics.

[dlockhart]

I'm more curious about living aboard in Montreal? I'm from 100 or so miles west upriver and it's seemingly way to cold to keep the boat warm. Boat is in the south, hot water isn't needed but nice when you want it, fridge and freezer are 12V power sucking gotta have things. Water maker is sweet in the Bahamas in lieu of paying up to .50 a gallon.