Cada,

You mentioned that you ran your engine, presumably at anchor, to heat water. These days, with fuel so much more expensive than in the past (notwithstanding the current, temporary price drop), that may be an extravagance for some long-term cruisers. Also, I’ve heard from more than one mechanic that it’s bad for a diesel engine to run so often without a load.

On my last cruising boat I had a Wolter on-demand propane water heater. It was great! Apparently, though, there were some safety issues with those and they went out of production. There is now a new version being manufactured that I checked out online last year. It seemed like a very good unit, but pricey. Since my boat came to me with a virtually new, standard-type water heater, I could not justify the expense at this time.

We all know about sun shower bags, of course, but here’s a lesser known alternative. Buy a large insecticide spray can at Home Depot, plus a few feet of additional hose and a hand-operated spray nozzle. I use the kind typically found around kitchen sinks. Fill the container 1/2- to 3/4-full with cold water, add a kettle of boiling water from the stove, close the lid and pump up the pressure. Presto, you’ve got an excellent, pressurized hot shower. And it’s mobile, too. Use it in the shower stall, the cockpit – wherever you want. Alternatively, you can paint the canister black, fill it with water, and set it in the sun on warm afternoons for your evening ablutions.

When I’ve got hot water in the boat’s system, I use it. When I don’t and the sun will heat up a sun shower for me, life is good. But when I’ve got none of the above, the insecticide can provides a fine, portable boat shower. Even on grey days, it costs only one kettle’s-worth of propane and 5 minutes to make it a hot shower.

Tor
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Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
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