Is it reasonable to consider cruising for a week or two without a shower in the boat? My wife thinks not and I am hard pressed to argue with her. So, how much of a hardship is cruising without a shower? Should I just put it off until we have a boat with a shower? How do you handle it? thanks
Bathing while cruising
- Thread starter Stephen OBrien
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bathing
I agree with your wife that going a week without a shower is......well, not pleasant. We have a shower on our boat - but never use it. Luckily, we sail on the beautiful St. Lawrence and nothing like a quick dip in to refresh and clean you up. There are plenty of environmently friendly products out there to soap up with.
I agree with your wife that going a week without a shower is......well, not pleasant. We have a shower on our boat - but never use it. Luckily, we sail on the beautiful St. Lawrence and nothing like a quick dip in to refresh and clean you up. There are plenty of environmently friendly products out there to soap up with.
To shower or not to shower?
In an effort to keep the Admiral happy I would suggest you plan to stop at a marina every couple of days and shower. Most marinas offer the service. We usually fill the sink with hot water and use a body wash soap to clean up. It's not the same as a shower but it does take the pressure off until you have access to a shower.
In an effort to keep the Admiral happy I would suggest you plan to stop at a marina every couple of days and shower. Most marinas offer the service. We usually fill the sink with hot water and use a body wash soap to clean up. It's not the same as a shower but it does take the pressure off until you have access to a shower.
Sun Shower
You can buy a "sun shower" at camping stores-- Of course, they only work when the sun shines. I wish I had a stern shower so I could rinse off after a refreshing dip in the cool but fresh Great Lakes.
You can buy a "sun shower" at camping stores-- Of course, they only work when the sun shines. I wish I had a stern shower so I could rinse off after a refreshing dip in the cool but fresh Great Lakes.
Where there's a will...
We keep a spray bottle of soapy water (Dawn detergent) for doing dishes, and take cockpit showers with it and a wash cloth. While one spouse is washing down, the other is heating up water in a 2 quart pot. That can be added to cold water in a plant watering can and one spouse standing on a cockpit seat rinse the other with it. Or you can get fancy with one of those Coleman D-cell shower/pump setups. If the water you sail in is clean and not too cold, you can even immerse the pump into that. We don't have one, but Zodi makes something like a garden sprayer you can heat up on the stove, insert the pump/shower, pump to pressurize, then use. Owners seem to love 'em.
We keep a spray bottle of soapy water (Dawn detergent) for doing dishes, and take cockpit showers with it and a wash cloth. While one spouse is washing down, the other is heating up water in a 2 quart pot. That can be added to cold water in a plant watering can and one spouse standing on a cockpit seat rinse the other with it. Or you can get fancy with one of those Coleman D-cell shower/pump setups. If the water you sail in is clean and not too cold, you can even immerse the pump into that. We don't have one, but Zodi makes something like a garden sprayer you can heat up on the stove, insert the pump/shower, pump to pressurize, then use. Owners seem to love 'em.
A week is a long time . . .
. . . to go on a boat without a shower. Maybe you can use a small (2 gallon) garden sprayer (the kind you pump up). You could even heat up water if you wanted to. Hang it from the boom by the strap. Like suggested by another post, using the cockpit is a good idea, if you have a walk through transom, the "back deck" is even better. I suggest you use your soap/shampoo sparingly or you will never get it all off withoug using lots of water.
. . . to go on a boat without a shower. Maybe you can use a small (2 gallon) garden sprayer (the kind you pump up). You could even heat up water if you wanted to. Hang it from the boom by the strap. Like suggested by another post, using the cockpit is a good idea, if you have a walk through transom, the "back deck" is even better. I suggest you use your soap/shampoo sparingly or you will never get it all off withoug using lots of water.
Liquid Joy
Joy is better than any other liquid dish soap in salt water. Like the others have said, don't use too much soap or it will be tough to wash off. Obviously, if you are in warm water, just jump in. If you are in cold water, then just get yourself wet, use soap, jump in and scramble out, or get a sun shower. They come in different sizes. Even if they don't get really hot, they are still warmer than jumping it. Two weeks is pretty long, and you both will get pretty ripe. Figure out a way to take a shower every few days, and go for the cruise. No need to put it off.
Joy is better than any other liquid dish soap in salt water. Like the others have said, don't use too much soap or it will be tough to wash off. Obviously, if you are in warm water, just jump in. If you are in cold water, then just get yourself wet, use soap, jump in and scramble out, or get a sun shower. They come in different sizes. Even if they don't get really hot, they are still warmer than jumping it. Two weeks is pretty long, and you both will get pretty ripe. Figure out a way to take a shower every few days, and go for the cruise. No need to put it off.
Cockpit shower
If you sit low in the cockpit and using a sunshower or garden sprayer, you can shower off in the cockpit w/o popping eyes ammong the other boats in the anchorage. The Admiral, however, doesn't like it. Something to do with "upper body visibility" while in the cockpit. As a guy, I've found it not to be problem. I say, just scrunch lower down in the cockpit...
If you sit low in the cockpit and using a sunshower or garden sprayer, you can shower off in the cockpit w/o popping eyes ammong the other boats in the anchorage. The Admiral, however, doesn't like it. Something to do with "upper body visibility" while in the cockpit. As a guy, I've found it not to be problem. I say, just scrunch lower down in the cockpit...
I'd post a picture
but then the site would be shutdown by the thought control police... ;d;d Actually, what kind of boat do you have. I wish everyone would post their boats so the rest wouldn't have to guess. Mine has a built-in shower on the transom and I almost always shower there - neighbors beware. Jim S/V Java
but then the site would be shutdown by the thought control police... ;d;d Actually, what kind of boat do you have. I wish everyone would post their boats so the rest wouldn't have to guess. Mine has a built-in shower on the transom and I almost always shower there - neighbors beware. Jim S/V Java
Try baby wipes
I suggest an inexpensive box or two of baby wipes. They work extremely well, and make you smell adorable, so says me lass. A week is simple, sailor! A month...I don't know.
I suggest an inexpensive box or two of baby wipes. They work extremely well, and make you smell adorable, so says me lass. A week is simple, sailor! A month...I don't know.
Most Harbors have Public Showers
Stephen, Depending on where you are cruising to - most harbors have some type of shower facility available - public or private. We never have had a problem finding one while cruising throughout New England. Call around and you will be surprised how common they are. Good Luck! Rob
Stephen, Depending on where you are cruising to - most harbors have some type of shower facility available - public or private. We never have had a problem finding one while cruising throughout New England. Call around and you will be surprised how common they are. Good Luck! Rob
cheap shower
We have a zodi and a solar, both work great but not long ago I saw a cheap shower that was pretty amazing. A garden sprayer with a shower head bought in the RV section of wal-mart along with a longer hose, heat the water to desired temp. Pour the heated water in pump it up presto instant shower.
We have a zodi and a solar, both work great but not long ago I saw a cheap shower that was pretty amazing. A garden sprayer with a shower head bought in the RV section of wal-mart along with a longer hose, heat the water to desired temp. Pour the heated water in pump it up presto instant shower.
Yep....try two months
I've been two months in the desert without a shower. You kind of get used to it. Each person had a pint of water to do a "whore bath" with using a canteen and a wash cloth. It kept us clean but our uniform was a different story. That we just had to rub in the dirt and lot and then shake a lot. It kept the smell down but that's about all. Now we were mostly guys but out of our 15 man unit, we did have a female along with us and she never complained. BUT....if she is the type who is already looking for excuses not to go such as how to keep clean, then maybe she isn't the type of woman who enjoys roughing it.
I've been two months in the desert without a shower. You kind of get used to it. Each person had a pint of water to do a "whore bath" with using a canteen and a wash cloth. It kept us clean but our uniform was a different story. That we just had to rub in the dirt and lot and then shake a lot. It kept the smell down but that's about all. Now we were mostly guys but out of our 15 man unit, we did have a female along with us and she never complained. BUT....if she is the type who is already looking for excuses not to go such as how to keep clean, then maybe she isn't the type of woman who enjoys roughing it.
Half way to Bermuda
we took the best shower imaginable after 3 days at sea during the Marion-Bermuda race of 03. Not only we lightened Ipanema, but felt grrreat and reduced the smell in the cabin significantly. Harness and safety strap was mandatory!!! Note (the faces have been covered to protect the crew's identity from the likely crowd of admirers.
we took the best shower imaginable after 3 days at sea during the Marion-Bermuda race of 03. Not only we lightened Ipanema, but felt grrreat and reduced the smell in the cabin significantly. Harness and safety strap was mandatory!!! Note (the faces have been covered to protect the crew's identity from the likely crowd of admirers.
If you are shy
You can always get a shower curtain for the cockpit. They have custom made ones that is a long vertical tube, and you stand on the inside, naked and shower away. A cheapo normal shower curtain from a five-n-dime would do just as well. Get a short 8' section of garden hose, connect it to itself, end-to-end, to form a circle. hang the sheapo shower curtain from it, and hang the whole thing from the haylard, and you got a shower curtain on the cabintop. Just don't buy a clear shower curtain. *box ;D
You can always get a shower curtain for the cockpit. They have custom made ones that is a long vertical tube, and you stand on the inside, naked and shower away. A cheapo normal shower curtain from a five-n-dime would do just as well. Get a short 8' section of garden hose, connect it to itself, end-to-end, to form a circle. hang the sheapo shower curtain from it, and hang the whole thing from the haylard, and you got a shower curtain on the cabintop. Just don't buy a clear shower curtain. *box ;D
Garden sprayer sounds great
FYI, my boat is a 1981 Hunter 27. All these suggestions are great. The garden sprayer sounds like a great idea. Last weekend I was spraying stain on my house using a plastic pressure sprayer -- you put in the stain, pump the handle, and the stain sprays out. Seems like it would work for showers -- put in some water heated on the stove mixed with cold water from the sink, pump the handle, and instant shower. All I need is one of those big plastic storage bins that you see at Walmart to serve as the tub and maybe rig up a shower curtain suspended from the cabin top.
FYI, my boat is a 1981 Hunter 27. All these suggestions are great. The garden sprayer sounds like a great idea. Last weekend I was spraying stain on my house using a plastic pressure sprayer -- you put in the stain, pump the handle, and the stain sprays out. Seems like it would work for showers -- put in some water heated on the stove mixed with cold water from the sink, pump the handle, and instant shower. All I need is one of those big plastic storage bins that you see at Walmart to serve as the tub and maybe rig up a shower curtain suspended from the cabin top.
Cheap $10 Coleman Sun Shower
On my last trip on Lake Michigan, we used one of those low cost Coleman sun showers, bought from K-Mart I think. If you have some sun, you can heat up enough water for three showers in a few hours. Once it's heated, hang it from a halyard and you are good to go. With three people on a small boat, its a necessity. In the past, we just did a quick dip with a little biodegradable soap to clean up. It's definitely a quick one when Lake Michigan is in the upper 50's or low 60's. *pop Dave s/v Hakuna Matata O'Day 222
On my last trip on Lake Michigan, we used one of those low cost Coleman sun showers, bought from K-Mart I think. If you have some sun, you can heat up enough water for three showers in a few hours. Once it's heated, hang it from a halyard and you are good to go. With three people on a small boat, its a necessity. In the past, we just did a quick dip with a little biodegradable soap to clean up. It's definitely a quick one when Lake Michigan is in the upper 50's or low 60's. *pop Dave s/v Hakuna Matata O'Day 222
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