Vacuum cleaners?

[clockwork orange]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

My wife used to walk about below decks with masking tape wrapped around her feet,- sticky side out. We were always low-tech and saving our amps.

Masking tape is rather expensive although I have been known to use it to pick up what the dust pan missed.

[clockwork orange]

Originally Posted by HopCar

I use Ryobi battery powered tools. A few weeks ago I bought their tool box vacuum. I’m pretty impressed. It is a wet/dry vac. If you have battery powered tools see if they make a tool box sized vacuum that will use your existing batteries.

I had their previous model which was great but was taller so not as stable and had several switch failures. Still working though.

[Sailing Drummer]

We use a Craftsman 1 1/2 hp 2 gal wet/dry 120v, and a no name 12v car vac.

[Cowpoos]

I have makita cordless tools. Does anyone have experience with their cordless vans?

[CaptTom]

I bought the boat 3 states away, and went there weekends to clean and prep for the transit home. Picked up a cheap ($20) "stick" style vac at the local WalMart. The stick comes off to make it a hand-held.

Long story short: We still have it aboard. We bought two more for home. One for near the front door, one near the back. I have another out in my shop. They're just so much more convenient than a full-sized vac.

It runs fine off the inverter. No need to pull our old 12VDC vac out of storage, fuss with hoses and look for a 12V outlet. The stick vac stays plugged in, leaning up against the bulkhead near the door.

I also have a "bucket head" wet-dry vac in the engine room. Great for sucking the bilges dry or any time I need to remove water. And since I already keep a couple of buckets aboard, the vac "head" takes up very little extra space.

I find those mini wet-dry vacs they sell for cars and RVs useless. They don't hold much water before it starts to spew from the outlet.

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by Cowpoos

I have makita cordless tools. Does anyone have experience with their cordless vans?

Mikita has a good reputation and they make a hepa rated wet/dry tool box vac. If I had Makita batteries I’d buy it. It is a little pricey but it looks better than my Ryobi and my Ryobi is great.
https://www.amazon.com/Makita-XCV11Z...032347560&th=1

[DeValency]

By all means, one of my most important tools on board, is a small ShopVac (dry and wet). I use it for everything, including cleaning wet bilge compartments, engine drying after power spraying of cleaners and degreasers and so much more. Bought separately a longer more durable hose and a set of tips, including some narrow long ends that could get anything from hidden places that I believe never cleaned before.

[Simi 60]

We have a wet and dry shop vac but that rarely gets used now as its a bit bulky so is down in the storage room

Now we use one of these, small cheap and sucks the pattern out of carpet.
https://www.kmart.com.au/product/200...vacuum/2446831

[Fortytwo]

https://images.homedepot-static.com/...1h-e1_1000.jpg

I do have other 20v DeWalt tools, so it did help with my choice. The 20v vacuum is noticeably better the the 18v.

[Jim Woodall]

Does anyone use a central vacuum? Dirt devil and other manufacturers have some very compact models with hoses that stretch to 35’. My wife and I have a 42 foot catamaran and are looking at central vacuums as an option.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Jim Woodall

Does anyone use a central vacuum? Dirt devil and other manufacturers have some very compact models with hoses that stretch to 35’. My wife and I have a 42 foot catamaran and are looking at central vacuums as an option.

We have one in our motorhome and I can’t recommend them. Invest in a Dyson V10 or V11 and you’ll spend less and never look back. You get better performance at a tenfold of convenience

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Cowpoos

What are you and other boaties you have met using for day to day vacuuming on live aboard boats? I have a vacuum cleaner that works with my sander that I won't be taking with me out of the boat yard as a full size vacuum takes up two much room.

Nilfisk, 900 Watt house vac. Very good suction, doesn't freak out the inverter or deplete the house battery bank. Downside is it uses those dreadful disposable bags.

[rslifkin]

Disposable vacuum bags are annoying, but I usually get a full season out of one on the boat, so I don't find it a big deal. The dirt volume just isn't all that high due to the small-ish space involved.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Disposable vacuum bags are annoying, but I usually get a full season out of one on the boat, so I don't find it a big deal. The dirt volume just isn't all that high due to the small-ish space involved.

Very true. Also, I find I can get two or three uses out of each bag before I lose too much suction. After that... not so good.

[SV DINGO]

Dyson stick pintched from our home and never looked back.