380: Washing machine?

[Andrew Grace]

I have installed the Daewoo mini and works fine at 3kg loads for2 people, I think there is a difference to cruising vs living and working full time onboard , when cruising on the boat we don't wear that much and main items are shorts and bedding .,,,

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

I certainly understand having a washer, but what about a dryer?

I've heard some of these new high quality washers can practically spin dry your clothes.

It depends on the climate.

In sunnier, warmer, drier places, a dryer is probably not that important.

Where we sail, it is more important than the washer, and a washer without a dryer would be almost pointless.

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

It depends on the climate.

In sunnier, warmer, drier places, a dryer is probably not that important.

Where we sail, it is more important than the washer, and a washer without a dryer would be almost pointless.

Thank you.

[ColdEH]

Just got my wood all done around the Splendide machine . Lots of work to make it look original .

Regards


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[barnakiel]

I think it is illegal to dump washing machine water within some limit offshore.

So please make sure you washing machine owners your grey water holding tanks are HUGE.

That's why launderettes are placed in nearly every marina.

b.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I think it is illegal to dump washing machine water within some limit offshore.

So please make sure you washing machine owners your grey water holding tanks are HUGE.

That's why launderettes are placed in nearly every marina.

b.

But.. but.. it can cost up to 10euro for a wash and dry..
If we install our own machine for X Boat$$$'s it free..
I mean.. !! 10 Euro a wash.. daylight robbery..

[a64pilot]

Washing clothes surely is similar to taking a shower discharge wise, my wife is allergic to everything put into normal clothes washing soap, so we have to buy the hypo allergenic, fragrance free etc stuff. I have no issues discharging it. I do not think it illegal in the US, don't know about anywhere else.
I've never seen a grey water tank in a boat, I'm sure they exist, just I've never seen one.


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[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Washing clothes surely is similar to taking a shower discharge wise, my wife is allergic to everything put into normal clothes washing soap, so we have to buy the hypo allergenic, fragrance free etc stuff. I have no issues discharging it. I do not think it illegal in the US, don't know about anywhere else.
I've never seen a grey water tank in a boat, I'm sure they exist, just I've never seen one.


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You may have no issues but it doesn't change the fact that it is illegal in the EC.

Next time I see anyone dumping their washing machine water in the marina or inshore I will AGAIN call the harbour police. I think the fine is roughly EUR 3000 here (Canary Islands).

And those who claim (IMHO righly) that USD 10 per load is a robbery please note you have two hands and you can wash your stuff by hand too. I can, I cannot see why others lost this once common skill.

If we want to make this world a better place, we must start somewhere. Why not right here.

b.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

You may have no issues but it doesn't change the fact that it is illegal in the EC.

Next time I see anyone dumping their washing machine water in the marina or inshore I will AGAIN call the harbour police. I think the fine is roughly EUR 3000 here (Canary Islands).

And those who claim (IMHO righly) that USD 10 per load is a robbery please note you have two hands and you can wash your stuff by hand too. I can, I cannot see why others lost this once common skill.

If we want to make this world a better place, we must start somewhere. Why not right here.

b.

I was not being serious.. I'm happy to pay that for clean, dry and nicely folded clothes.. everyone has to make a living..

[a64pilot]

You wash by hand, where you going to dump the water?


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[Tayana42]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You wash by hand, where you going to dump the water?

First you use it to shower with, then you make coffee with it, then you run it through your water maker. 😉


S/V B'Shert

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I think it is illegal to dump washing machine water within some limit offshore.

So please make sure you washing machine owners your grey water holding tanks are HUGE.

That's why launderettes are placed in nearly every marina.

b.

Where? I've never heard any rule about washing machine discharge being considered anything different from any other gray water.

[barnakiel]

I was not serious either, about reporting anyone. I simply walk to a boat like this and warn them the marina regulations do not permit dumping washing machine water inside the marina basin.

As for what you do with the water after hand washing: you dump it into the toilet bowl or a hand-washing basin, in the facilities block. From there it travels to the sewage treatment plant, from where it goes into the ocean (about 1 mile offshore in case of our island). 3 miles is not possible because of the depth here.

The big items I simply put in the launderette. One load is 8 EUR here. A compact washing machine is 800 EUR (E.g. Candy 3.5 Kg). I get 100 loads of laundry before the cost of the machine balances out. The machines here are 8 and 10 kg. This makes 12 loads a year equals 9 years of launderette use (time value of money allowed for).

Big yacht with children onboard may want a laundry machine if doing a lot of offshore miles. Otherwise I cannot see any reason to drag land based equipment into our floating caravans.

b.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I was not serious either, about reporting anyone. I simply walk to a boat like this and warn them the marina regulations do not permit dumping washing machine water inside the marina basin.

As for what you do with the water after hand washing: you dump it into the toilet bowl or a hand-washing basin, in the facilities block. From there it travels to the sewage treatment plant, from where it goes into the ocean (about 1 mile offshore in case of our island). 3 miles is not possible because of the depth here.

The big items I simply put in the launderette. One load is 8 EUR here. A compact washing machine is 800 EUR (E.g. Candy 3.5 Kg). I get 100 loads of laundry before the cost of the machine balances out. The machines here are 8 and 10 kg. This makes 12 loads a year equals 9 years of launderette use (time value of money allowed for).

Big yacht with children onboard may want a laundry machine if doing a lot of offshore miles. Otherwise I cannot see any reason to drag land based equipment into our floating caravans.

b.

OK, that's good to know. Any marina is free, of course, to make up any rules it wants, but according to my information there are no legal restrictions on the discharge of gray water anywhere in Europe except Turkey. There is some question that the general prohibition about "causing pollution" in Spain might be used against gray water discharges, but apparently there are no cases.


Different people use their boats in different ways. People living on board, especially with children but not only, people spending much time on the hook or offshore or away from civilization, may find hauling laundry to a laundromat difficult or impossible. A washing machine on board can be a Godsend. Much less so for people who mostly sail weekends or short holidays. So one group should not judge the other group, which may have very different needs. My boat is not a "floating caravan"; it's a floating home and office -- very different.


I use Ecover phosphate-free washing powder (when I can get it), and don't worry about the discharge. AFAIK, phosphates are the only thing in gray water which could be harmful to any significant extent, because they cause algae blooms, and only then in stagnant water which doesn't flush out much.

Here on the Northern European Atlantic coasts, the tidal flushing is extremely strong, and we don't worry about any discharges of any kind, and certainly not gray water. Going into the Baltic of course is a different story, which requires different habits. My black water tank gets a lot more use there.

[a64pilot]

I don't know why, that is the wife's area of expertise and I know the answer if I question anything, but I believe we use the humongous US washing machine pretty much daily, I guess mostly towels and sheets etc., but again I do not dare ask.
But my intent once we begin cruising is several fold,
1. we aren't camping, she doesn't like that, her idea of camping was our 36' fifth wheel with triple slides, not a tent. If I make it like camping, she won't enjoy it, ergo I won't enjoy it. I got enough camping in in my Military career, nothing like the Army to ruin things for you.
2. we are not as young as we used to be, I'm not schlepping Jerry cans of water, and I'm not going to ask her to schlep laundry baskets either.
3. I intend to go places where there is little if any modern infrastructure, and I don't want my time there predicated on needing to travel to where there is infrastructure, nor do I want to get into rationing.
4. I'm working now, and have money I can spend now, but when we begin cruising next Summer, it is Retirement for us, meaning of course what we have, is what we have, might ought to watch our expenses, so I can spend $$ now on a washing machine which is no where near $800 much less 800 EUR, but don't want to spend $10 a load, plus as said earlier I want to go where there are few if any washing machines.

Phosphates were banned in laundry detergent in the US in 1993 I think, but are still in use in parts of Europe? Phosphates are the major issue pollution wise and are not removed by waste water treatment I don't think.

Seems little washing machines run from on average from about $100 US to about $300 for the one I think I want, if so assuming a twice a week use break even point isn't so bad. They are little machines, so surely it wouldn't compare to a $10 shoreside load, I assume it would take three loads or so of a portable to equal one shoreside one?

On edit, I don't expect to use it in a Marina, but then hopefully we won't be in Marina's all that often and I hope to treat that time as sort of vacation time, that's when we will go out to eat often and I'll pay someone else to do the laundry etc.