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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2017 20:57:27 GMT
We enjoy a fairly spartan life whilst boating.
We have a 12 volt boat with a fridge, and a tv (rarely used). We have a radio and cd player, but tend to use the solar digital radio more. We have a genny to use when the vac or hair equipment or sander/drill is required.
We actually enjoy our simple boat life, which is significantly different from our life at home for the three months each year we are there.
However I was reading a thread on CWDF where people mentioned having washing machines, dish washers, tumble dryers, espresso makers, micro waves etc etc.
It got us discussing what we like about boating compared to what others choose, and also wondering if everybody has electrical gadgetry on board, and what's the most obscure gadget (electric tin opener anyone?)
Rog
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2017 21:02:50 GMT
Electric pheasant plucker.
Sorry!...
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Post by Mr Stabby on Aug 27, 2017 21:07:39 GMT
I have a fridge, a TV and DVD player, although I only ever watch TV when there is somebody along, I haven't watched it once on this trip. I do have a portable twin-tub washing machine which sits on the kitchen work surface when in use and acts as a table when it isn't, and that is probably one of the best things I have ever bought for the boat, it must have paid for itself many times over compared to going to the launderette.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2017 22:02:25 GMT
About the same as Rog and Stabby. Low wattage kettle and toaster for use when the Genny is in action. An unopened travel iron that Mrs Gazza flatly refuses to use. I have a Garmin eTrex with a lot fewer waypoints than it once had
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Post by Stumpy on Aug 27, 2017 22:28:59 GMT
Electric pheasant plucker. Sorry!... Who's a pleasant fucker ? I normally skin my birds. I did ponder about getting one a few years ago. Are they any good?
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Post by phil70 on Aug 28, 2017 0:18:47 GMT
We pretty much have the full monty, full size front loader, tumble dryer, larder fridge and a freezer both under counter models, hair dryer, TV, DVD, microwave, hoover, steam cleaner Pbil
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Post by naughtyfox on Aug 28, 2017 4:19:18 GMT
DEFA car fan heater for when we have 240v. Warms the kitchen up, which is far from the stove and affected by the draught coming in the back doors.
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Post by Telemachus on Aug 28, 2017 9:47:31 GMT
Washing machines, tumble dryers and coffee machines aren't gadgets. They are necessities! Well unless you feel things got too complicated when man moved out of caves!
We have gadgets too: where to start...
Recording HD satellite box - no arguments about what to watch, watch one thing and record the other for later. Mikuni heating controlled by text message (usually from Aberdeen when we are about to set off for the boat) A keyfob remote with 4 buttons that also controls the heating (1 fob kept by the bed so I can put the heating on from in bed) as well as some lighting, so we can wander along the towpath and put the welldeck lights on from 50yards (no need to turn them off, they are auto-off after 5 minutes) Tunnel lamp switch has a "not taking current" flashing red light. No need to check if the tunnel lamp is working, if you turn it on and the red light isn't flashing, it's working. "All lights on" button at the steering position, which puts all interior lights on for tunnels. Naturally the lights don't just all come on at once, that would be so crude. They come on in sequence over about 20 seconds front to rear. Ditto an "All lights off" button for when daylight resumes. Then we have a "going to the pub" button by the front door, which turns off all interior lights except a couple, to make the boat look occupied. The Master Switch is at the back in the engine room. The boat is exited from the front door. So when you switch off the master, the lights don't go off straight away but in a sequence rear to front so they go off behind you as you walk through the boat, the welldeck lights finally going off after we've locked up The shower has flow sensors in the pipes so when you turn the shower on, the Gulper starts up automatically. It turns off about 20 seconds after you turn off the shower. Under the gunnels we have red/green/blue LED tape that allows pretty much any colour lighting to be set, controlled via an app on our iPhones.
Well that's probably enough gadgets for now.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2017 9:56:42 GMT
So you go boating for the simple life too Rog
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Post by Telemachus on Aug 28, 2017 10:17:00 GMT
So you go boating for the simple life too Rog Yes. I just want things to happen wth minimal intervention. For example, one doesn't have to switch a shower pump on at home, so why have to think about it when on the boat? I don't see any virtue in making life more complicated than it needs to be.
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Post by JohnV on Aug 28, 2017 10:52:07 GMT
So you go boating for the simple life too Rog Yes. I just want things to happen wth minimal intervention. For example, one doesn't have to switch a shower pump on at home, so why have to think about it when on the boat? I don't see any virtue in making life more complicated than it needs to be. I was reading your list and thought to myself "You mean you don't have a dishwasher" then I remembered "It's a Hudson ...... you have a butler to take care of that" I do agree, washing machine, tumble dryer, are essential and IMO so is a dishwasher. can't be arsed with coffee maker/electric tin opener/coffee mill/sandwich maker/etc etc.....they're just clutter in the cupboards. I do find two things of great value on board though .... a slow cooker and a electric stacked steamer. Both are low current consumption and are ideal for use on the inverter when travelling single handed ...... dinner ready when you stop !!!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2017 11:29:48 GMT
I've got a smartphone.
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Post by tonyb on Aug 28, 2017 12:52:25 GMT
So you go boating for the simple life too Rog Yes. I just want things to happen wth minimal intervention. For example, one doesn't have to switch a shower pump on at home, so why have to think about it when on the boat? I don't see any virtue in making life more complicated than it needs to be. Seems to me as if gadgetry and needless complications are the order of the day to save a little bit of human energy. I'd rather have a simple switch controlling the shower pump so if it went wrong there is minimal fault fining and no electronics involve. Likewise I simply do not see what is so hard in switching individual lights on and off as required. It will be fun for a subsequent owner when a typical marina "electrician/engineer" is faced with that lot. Back on topic - We have DAB/FM car radio/cd player, 150W MSW inverter for charging those items that come with proprietor charging devices plus a hand held vacuum cleaner (Lidle), 12V fridge,water pump, Alde 2000 series gas central heating, 12v laptop power supply, LED bulbs in the most frequently used lamps with the rest fluorescent apart from 2 very rarely used 10W halogen capsules. Plus two mobile phones charged by a 12V adaptor. Real telephones, not any form of smart-phone. All happily working from a single 70 amp alternator and three 110Ah batteries. We also have a solid fuel stove. To hear some on here talk it seems that we should be feeling as if we are in the third world but we don't. We can remember a time before fridges and TVs in ordinary homes so are happy with a simple life. In fact apart from an electric kettle and freezer its not much different to living at home.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2017 13:40:20 GMT
We actually enjoy that it's a simpler life on the boat, it is part of the charm. We do have electric tooth brushes though, how posh and modern is that. But they're disposable battery ones. Nobody claiming a bread maker or electric tin opener yet Rog
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Post by Jim on Aug 28, 2017 14:09:40 GMT
All 12 voles, though I do have a genny I can bring and a 300w inverter. All led lights, manual gulper. Dab radio, bose bluetooth speaker, smartphone. I have a couple of 12v socket/5v usb combined fittings for the phone/bose/spare phone battery pack and a maplins 12v in, whatever out, laptop charger. I do get a sore blistered finger manually turning lights on and off! It's cheaper just to buy an elastoplast than all that wizardry. Just sold my old brompton bike and honda 10hp outboard, that will pay for 150w stickdown walk on solar and an mppt controller, hopefully they will arrive by the end of the week, going on a trip next week.
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