Probably the most critical piece of cruising gear, the one which we cannot do without, is the washing machine. (Okay, Steve would do without, but Linda is much more civilized.)<\/p>\n
For years we’ve used the Spendide washer\/drier combo on various boats we’ve built. The unit on Beowulf has 28,000 miles on it. Since the motion at sea is even harder on the innards than anything which happens in actual washing, it has finally been starting to show its age.<\/p>\n
We were forced to lift it out on deck a few weeks ago (a real struggle!), so we decided to see what was available in new gear. After visiting four appliance wholesalers and researching on the web, we ended up back with Splendide.<\/p>\n
They have been selling their machines in Europe for apartment usage for 30 years, and in the marine and RV field in the US for 20. The new models offer a much faster spin cycle, are still the most compact on the market, and run on 110 volts (everything else we looked at which would fit was 240).<\/p>\n
In checking with the service manager, Darrell, at Westland Sales, the US importer, we learned some interesting facts.<\/p>\n
First, the ideal is to have a vented model washer\/drier. However, it is important that the vent not be too long. You need to be able to clean it every three months or so (to avoid buildup of lint in the vent line), and if the vent is too long, this is difficult. If you’re not able to clean out the vent line, it’s better to get a non-vented model.<\/p>\n
Now Beowulf has an easily cleaned vent line. But seeing as how most boats do not have this luxury, we’ve ordered a non-vented unit, what they refer to as a “self-condensing” washer\/drier, to test. We’ll let you know how well this works in a few weeks.<\/p>\n
There are a couple of other issues to consider. These new models spin clothes at up to 1100 rpm – our older model is 400 to 500 rpm. As centrifugal force is a function of velocity squared, this means we’ll be getting clothes out of the wash cycle four times drier than before – a big help when hanging clothes outside or in the engine room to dry.<\/p>\n
Next, location of these machines within the boat is important. Ideally, they will be located on the pitch center where motion is minimized. On Beowulf ours is mounted at the forward end of the living area, where motion upwind is at its most extreme. The machine has stood the test of time, but it would be better if it were mounted closer to the center.<\/p>\n
Finally, if you have a unit mounted where pitch is an issue, Darrell recommends keeping the shipping brace with which the washer\/drier is shipped, and bolting that in place when you know you are going to have a tough slog uphill.<\/p>\n
If you want to get more data on these machines, check out their website – www.splendide.com<\/a> .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"