Boat or Home from Home,

[Mowjo]

A post from Robin about inverters got me thinking, what do you actualy want or need on a boat??

On my last boat I had heating but never used it! and can see no reason for an invertor, I've had pump out toilets on most of my boats my latest one has a porta potty type and we manage fine with it as we use marinas or public toilets where we can, we have no hot water on Kali so we put the kettle on, water to wash, warms the boat up, and a cuppa, we use marinas for showers, TV Radio and everything else is 12v but I do have 240v for charging or if we are on an electric point, I'll use it for the TV or electric kettle and toaster, there are things that I wouldn't mind on the boat but when I think about them I don't actually need them, we have someone mooring near us that takes electric blankets, and another that won't moor anywhere without electric as she can't cook and only uses a microwave, I'm a people watcher so sometimes I sit in the marina and it amazes me at some of the stuff people load onto their boats, and think if I wanted all that I'd stay at home, for me comfortably roughing it is a lot of the fun with boats, so what do you have on your boat that when you think about you don't actualy need or could do without, and what would you like on your boat,,,

Frank,,,,

[VetChugger]

Hmmmmm.... I've added an invertor, fancy charger to "Crackers" and wired up the solar panel, (although I'm not sure what it puts out/in?), tube heater and TV/DVD palyer!

The heater works very well!

[JawsOrca]

When we designed Orca's fit out I clearly defined three important things (excluding running gear), an electric pump out toilet which means the toilet issue isn't a concern, a good cooker and a good heater. It's the three core things which makes the boat more useable. Toilet is obvious. Heating means the boat can be used whatever the weather and a cooker makes the boat cheaper to use (although I've only used the cooker a few times!).

Obviously living on a boat elsewhere I can't just sit on the boat in the marina as it would be like being at home so it has to move. I also use the boat to get away from the stresses and strains so I don't want mod cons and certainly not 240v electric on board so I can't bring my laptop. Typically on the hireboats we have just fished in the evenings with a beer in hand and hardly watched TV so didn't want a TV. 

As we started using the boat out of the season, it was clear that the heating was well worth it and although Orca is well insulated we have used it a couple of times and found it to be much warmer than being at home! We also noticed we are getting stuck in the cabin earlier and ending up a bit bored so we brought a small TV and that seems to be helpful (although I doubt it would get used in the summer).

She doesn't have 240v systems and I can't find a need. We do carry an extension lead which we used on the weeks holiday but just to charge mobile phones (and upload pictures to the forum!).

Orca also has hot water and a shower and good lighting, obviously she's very comfortable but she's not overly modern so effectively a well equipped tent! Perfect! 

There's nothing I can think we will be adding other than safety equipment for the boat. I.e a fitted VHF, I still want a bow thruster and a remote control anchor winch!  I'm thinking of putting a solar panel up but only if it's needed. 

I've recently brought a mobile wifi unit although that's only so I can upload pictures to the forum! 

[LondonRascal]

When I see boats that are plugged into shore power, or indeed owners who make a plan based upon if they can ‘plug in’ and if find they cannot it is almost a disaster.  You then discover that the only item they needed it for was to run a small oil filled radiator I am left rather bemused.

There are three types of boaters:

• Those who like to have that ‘off grid feel’ and get away from it all.
• Those who want the home from home comforts on a boat and still get away from it.
• A Robin.

An ‘old school’ boater will be very content with the simple things in life, perhaps just a single hob to cook on; a battery operated single speaker radio and a sleeping bag will be quite sufficient for a warm kip at night. No need for a fancy electric toilet, and would rather sip a nice Brandy in the cockpit watching the sun set than have a telly on down below.

The ‘new age’ boater though prefers a little more luxurious time – they might not use all the things all the time but it is nice to have them available, from a toaster for breakfast, to a nice TV for a DVD at night.  But then they expand on the ideas, hairdryers, electric heaters, microwave oven a ‘pod coffee machine’ and so the list builds up – after all they can use it all when ‘hooked up’ to shore power. 

As long as you are happy, then I think anyone can do as they wish with their boat – but then there is ‘A Robin’.  

A Robin is the person who has solar panels, a wind generator, and also a duel 16Amp power feeds for shore power oh, and a large Generator.  The go anywhere for any possibility set up and the type of person when at a BBQ and someone says ‘it would be nice if we had a light so we can see what we are eating’ will say ‘wait a moment’ and seconds later not just pop out with one, but turn on the boats flood light system and light the bank up. If it is a possibility, A Robin will likely have it covered and if it is not yet installed will be shortly and woe betide anyone who asks ‘you can’t do that’ or ‘why do you you want that’ 

A Robin is a pain in the backside whose only friend is that of the Chandler or that friendly Chinese importer

Ps: If you want thrustsers on a boat - you need these bad boys 100% duty cycle - they can run till your batteries run flat:

Wesmar Thruster Brochure.pdf

[Gracie]

I'm with Frank and Jaws on this, we mainly hire older type of Boats, all we really need is a toilet, shower and cooker, the tv never goes on, much more important things to be doing than watching the box. Fishing, people watching visiting pubs and sitting outside until silly o clock with a drink and a rod in hand. Heating would be a must if we cruised in winter but that's about it for us. The really posh new build, floating apartment type Boats are very nice, don't get me wrong but for us roughing it a bit on a Boat makes for a better adventure, if I wanted microwaves, flat screen telly's and king sized beds I'd book a hotel. My best memories are of being on really old Boats with mum and dad and having so much fun making the beds up at night in the saloon and running engines for hot water (sorry) and want to give my own kids the same sort of experiences.

I remember one of my kids was having a conversation with his friend after a summers holiday, we had been on Major Gem 2 and his little friend had been to Spain in a hotel for a week and said how much fun it was being by a pool every day, my little one told him all about mooring up and having lunch in pubs, fishing and being allowed to sit outside the Boat in the dark, ducks, swans and otters etc, the friend turned to his mummy and said "I really want to go on a Boat next time" lol. I guess we are all different and want different things but for us it's a big old Boat every time

Grace

[Baitrunner]

I am amazed no one has mentioned the fridge? probably more important than a toilet, cooker or heating.

There are bushes and the river, sandwiches are fine and put another jumper on or snuggle up. But warm beer or white wine  -YUK.

[Mowjo]

I forgot the fridge! I did have a basic fridge on Kali but Oh no! judi wanted one of those quite Isotherm ones, £500 for something I had that already did the same job, new electric porta potty, Judi couldn't use the new one that came with the boat as someone else may have used it, new cooker as in Judi's words it was minging, honestly the one that came with it looked like it had never been used apart from boiling a kettle, the TV has a built in DVD but that would go if up to me, but Judi needs her soap fixes, did all the duvets but have gone back to good old sleeping bags, have a nice radio fitted with USB but I always end up using my little iPod thing as judi dosn't listen to music unless at home, have a little fan heater for when in the marina but when we are out we don't bother and just put the kettle on, mind you I'm lucky this boat is quite warm anyway, but if it's too cold we just put on jumpers, it still amazes me when I see microwaves and stuff on boats,all the 240v stuff running off inverters, just buy 12v stuff and your battery's will last longer, I even had a little 12v iron, I charge our phones, laptops, iPads, iPod, torch and everything else off my 12v USB sockets, I do have three domestic battery's though, thinking about it now if I had a washing machine it would be like being at home,    

[HakunaMatata]

I am fully with Robin.. 

but as mentioned before we all are different.. maybe someone needs some extras because of his/her state of health.

As mentioned at the Inverter thread after the 5th or 6th walk through the rain to a laundrette and maybe the dogs are a bit upsett for any reason, You will love it hearing the Rain on your roof and just turnaround and put all the bits and peaces in the machine. For a short break its not neccessary, but living on it for some month also during winter.. you might start thinking ...

Another advantage of this .. You are the Master of the Switch if you a Switch you Can push it,, if there is any switch you got no choice.

 

[Baz]

Hello Frank mate. I'm totally in agreement with you. All I want to do now with the boat, is to fix a Solar Panel on, purely to charge my starter battery when I'm not there, i.e. winter months. My sleeping arrangements are in the sharp end with my trusty sleeping bag, my toilet arrangements are in the using of a manual Port Potti. My water supply is mainly from out of bottles, as my water tank may be a bit iffy, cooking, well yes, I have a gas cooker, 2 rings, an oven and a grill, and I occasionally use a 12v tv, but I must say, I do prefer to just sit in the cockpit with my whisky and dry ginger, and to just listen and watch the world going to sleep. Heaven. Now, I can't wait to get back. lol.

 

All the best Frank/Judi, see you around eh.

[BroadScot]

3 minutes ago, Baz said:

I do prefer to just sit in the cockpit with my whisky and dry ginger,

Now there IS someone with class! 

Iain

[Baz]

Nothing like it eh Iain.

 

[BroadScot]

Chill the dry ginger ale a tad, it will bring out even more flavour in your Whisky. Enjoy!

Iain

[CheshireCat]

Well we are out most weekends spent 11 days over Christmas on the boat got all the mod cons but there is nothing better on a freezing cold night wood burner going a nice BIG glass of scotch and watch the world go by you can keep all the other mod cons as long as I can keep that ... 

[LizG]

I grew up on a boat with no mod cons so still don't expect too much however, there are a few  little pleasures that have got added.

However, in no particular order I do like

1. A good toilet - having endured the revolting piece of plastic this is sheer luxury

2. A nice cooker that does a superb roast loin of pork for about 8 people at Barton Regatta

3. A good fridge (despite being quite compact) that chills wine to my liking and freezes cold blocks so you can keep the tonic chilled as well and other food stuffs.

Modern luxury is an inverter so I can charge my phone battery, laptop and camera batteries and on some occasions enabled me to run my moth trap in the middle of nowhere (although it is noisy)

What I don't miss is hot water or a shower - I can survive without. Washing hair over the side of the boat isn't that hard.

Would I like heating, well I suppose I would be able to use the boat more but hey ho, never had had it.  Maybe at 2 or 3 in the morning on Three Rivers guard ship duties it might be pleasant but it might send you to sleep as a boat slips past unnoticed!

There are two types of boating, mainly traditional and many of us love it and modern boating with things we have grown used to and can't live without.

And of course WR does have electric lighting something we just take for granted

Liz

 

[Guest]

I have whatever luxuries on board that are needed to keep the boss happy.... if she's happy then life is much easier for me...

[SteveO]

Nowadays I am an unashamed "all home comforts" boater.  We use our boat 9 months of the year as a floating holiday home. We have shore power for the TV, fridge, kettle, microwave and toaster, we have warm air heating, hot water via engine and immersion heater, a proper shower and an inverter. It was all on the boat when we bought her and we enjoy using it. We can still do the simple stuff, wild mooring and sitting under the stars with the canopy open on a warm summer evening with a glass of something chilled, but it is nice to know that the comforts are 20-odd years ago, we holidayed as a family of four in a Freeman 22 with hand pumped cold water and only lighting by way of "mod cons". Enjoyed that enormously too, but things move on.

Steve

 

[Baz]

A couple of ice cubes bought from the shops I think Iain, and guess what, I'm right out and having to drink Tea. What's the world coming to !!!

[BroadScot]

21 minutes ago, Baz said:

A couple of ice cubes bought from the shops I think Iain, and guess what, I'm right out and having to drink Tea. What's the world coming to !!!

Aye, ice cube or cubes for the Malt Whisky, but do try my suggestion when drinking the blended drams.

Iain

[Polly]

Brilliant has her mod cons mostly hidden away. On shore power the toaster, kettle and induction hob can come out of a locker and be used, as can a small infrared heater.. Mostly when off our mooring we are off shore power, so then we are back to basics but  iPads and phones charge on the hidden 12v sockets, and we have a 12v cool box, which comes aboard. There is a gas cooker and that is a concession to modernity, admittedly; maybe an Origo might be more in keeping with her 1930s fit-out; actually, I liked the meths cooker on our old boat, if meths ovens existed, gas would be off the boat.

What  makes her homely are oil lamps and beams in the cabin ceiling, it's lovely to wake up in a wooden cabin. Snuggly duvets and new mattresses mean that  late breakfasts on Brilliant  are the rule. 

As she is 1930s and built for relatively wealthy hirers, there is a wine cooler in the bilges that adds to the comfort and very is well-used!

The acid test of 'home from home' is maybe that the cat really loves the boat-except when we are sailing!

 

[Wildfuzz]

Changed our boat three seasons ago just so SWMBO could have a pump out toilet. Bless her, she will wash with water from a kettle (deck shower in the summer) cook on a camping stove, and fish and drink into the night. but, hanging over the side, or using the bushes was just too much after a few seasons. I must admit I didn't help by shouting "all clear" as a stag boat approached round the corner, or worse accelerated at inopportune moments.

 

However we still go off grid, with no heating only cold running water and the trusty camping stove. Nothing better, but the toilet was a small concession for her to put up with yours truly.

[ChrisB]

2 hours ago, Polly said:

Brilliant has her mod cons mostly hidden away. On shore power the toaster, kettle and induction hob can come out of a locker and be used, as can a small infrared heater.. Mostly when off our mooring we are off shore power, so then we are back to basics but  iPads and phones charge on the hidden 12v sockets, and we have a 12v cool box, which comes aboard. There is a gas cooker and that is a concession to modernity, admittedly; maybe an Origo might be more in keeping with her 1930s fit-out; actually, I liked the meths cooker on our old boat, if meths ovens existed, gas would be off the boat.

What  makes her homely are oil lamps and beams in the cabin ceiling, it's lovely to wake up in a wooden cabin. Snuggly duvets and new mattresses mean that  late breakfasts on Brilliant  are the rule. 

As she is 1930s and built for relatively wealthy hirers, there is a wine cooler in the bilges that adds to the comfort and very is well-used!

The acid test of 'home from home' is maybe that the cat really loves the boat-except when we are sailing!

 

You can with an Origo 6000. The oven even has a thermometer built in.

 

http://www.foxsmarineandcountry.com/products/origo-6000-alcohol-oven-stove-cooker-es5758?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=428030197&gclid=CLGmw8Hs7MoCFSwW0wodLlUNGw

[ChrisB]

Should anyone wish to purchase an Origo product my advice would be try Ely Chandlers first. I saved over £40 on a Heat Pal.

[vanessan]

I think a lot depends on the age and mobility of the boater. You might have been boating for 30+ years but, as time goes on, one's ageing body responds to a bit more comfort and gadgets that make life easier. There are many boaters that spend weeks at a time out on the rivers, why continually rough it when you can have more mod cons? Plugging in allows use of a microwave, kettle and toaster, that saves the gas for other times. If you don't want to move too far one day, plugging in will keep the batteries charged without running the engine and, if you have an immersion, will heat the water and run heaters. I have no problem with boiling kettles for washing etc and can't understand why people have to run engines at moorings for water for washing up and showers.

I don't think you can slot people into set categories, we all want and enjoy different things from our boating. 

[Mowjo]

Van! thats what I'm trying to find out! do our needs change or do we have this stuff just because we can? I'm 65 and Judi is 68 but we are actually finding we need less on the boat now than we did thirty years ago, if anyone would want all the whizzy bits it would be Judi, we had air heating on Kali when we bought her I wanted to fit new heating but she said why we never use it, same with having hot water, I was going fit fit a calorifier, she said why whats wrong with the kettle, with the porta potta I said i'll fit a pump out one, she said if you don't mind emptying it I'm not bothered, (that one is still in my plans) I've now had seven boats some like home from home with everything on a some just basic, now we are just sort of kettle, cooker and fridge type of boaters and we are out around 150 days a year, I'm like it with my cars! air con, why just open the window,,   

[TheQ]

35 years ago, I couldn't sit up straight in the cabin, in the morning my arm reached out to the cooker, and lit it, with kettle already full awaiting. Turned on portable radio, arm retreated into sleeping bag as I watched the frost melting on the inside of the cabin windows. In the locker outside the cabin was a bucket....

 When I finish the current boat, diesel heater, microwave, electric hob, fridge toilet, shower / toilet , two sinks, generator, TV for SWMBO), built in radio and then I can sit in the cockpit with a whisky (with out being spoilt by dilution).

The difference between the two.... 35 years of saving....plus ....Old age and decrepitude is already upon me and I can't stand the cold....