RV Plumbing Tips – Cleaning RV Faucets, Sink Drains & Shower Wands

Read article : RV Plumbing Tips – Cleaning RV Faucets, Sink Drains & Shower Wands

The effects of hard water on RV sinks, faucets and drains can be an ongoing problem for RVers. This page describes a few tips for how we remove these pesky mineral deposit buildups from our bathroom and kitchen sinks in our fifth wheel trailer and keep the water flowing smoothly in our shower wand and RV toilet rinse sprayer.

RV plumbing tips for cleaning RV faucets and drains and removing mineral deposits" width="731" height="384" class="size-full wp-image-50990" />

RV plumbing tips for removing mineral deposits and cleaning RV faucets and drains.

We like the water to flow freely in our RV vanity sink faucet, kitchen sink faucet and in the shower and RV toilet sprayer wands, however, periodically these faucets begin to spray water in weird directions because their inner workings have gotten clogged up by mineral deposits from the hard water.

In our bathroom vanity, our first step is to remove and clean the screen filter in the faucet. Sometimes the faucet tip can be unscrewed by hand, but if we’ve let it go too long, we have to use a pair of pliers to break the faucet tip free due to corrosion that makes it impossible to unscrew.

RV faucet screen with pliers" width="701" height="515" class="size-full wp-image-50993" />

Remove the RV faucet screen (with pliers if it’s stuck!)

Then we unscrew the entire screen assembly from the faucet.

The faucet tip unscrews from the faucet.

RV faucet screen" width="681" height="518" class="size-full wp-image-50995" />

Ugh… the screen is pretty dirty. No wonder the water comes out funny!

This time the screen was very corroded. We remove the corrosion and mineral buildup by putting all the pieces in a bath of white vinegar for 20-30 minutes or so.

Prior to putting the pieces in the white vinegar bath, it is a good idea to make note of the order that these parts go into the faucet assembly!

After noting how the pieces go together, soak them in white vinegar.

After the bath, the bits of corrosion can be seen in the white vinegar!

Here are all the pieces. You can see the dirt that came off in the vinegar bath!

Using an old toothbrush, we scrub each piece until it is clean.

RV faucet screen" width="681" height="534" class="size-full wp-image-50997" />

Use a toothbrush to get the screen totally clean.

Scrub all the parts with the toothbrush.

Then we reassemble the pieces in the correct order and orientation.

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Reassemble the pieces.

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To make it easier to remove the faucet tip the next time we do this job, it helps to grease the threads with a marine PTEF lubricant prior to screwing the assembly back onto the faucet.

Lubricating the threads makes it easier to unscrew next time!

.

Screw it back into the faucet.

Ta da! Now the flow will be smooth and full.

Our trailer has white plastic sinks in the bathroom and kitchen, and these sinks often develop a skanky brown ring around the sink drain. For years, we relied on Comet to clean these sinks. We sprinkled it on the entire sink, let it sit for a bit, and then scrubbed.

We recently discovered that Baking Soda is just as effective!! The fantastic thing about Baking Soda is that it is non-toxic. This is wonderful not only for our gray water holding tanks but also for the RV dump stations as well as the septic fields and municipal waste water treatment systems that are downstream from them.

It’s also really cheap!

RV sink drain" width="751" height="394" class="size-full wp-image-51008" />

White plastic RV sinks are prone to getting ugly stains.

RV sink drain" width="701" height="511" class="size-full wp-image-51009" />

Yuck!

We simply sprinkle it on the sink and then scrub the sink with a damp Scotch-Brite scrubbing pad.

RV sink drain cleaning with baking soda" width="721" height="495" class="size-full wp-image-51010" />

Sprinkle the baking soda in the sink and scrub the stains with a damp scrubby pad.

What a great result — a wonderfully squeaky clean sink!

RV sink drain is sparkling clean" width="701" height="483" class="size-full wp-image-51011" />

Sparkling!

The drain plug also gets gummy, and we use an old toothbrush to scrub it clean with either baking soda and/or Murphy’s Oil Soap (a handy all around biodegradable cleanser).

In an RV that is used for dry camping a lot, like ours, the bathroom vanity sink drain can get really gross really quickly because in an effort to conserve fresh water not much clean water gets flushed down the drain.

This can result in foul odors in the sink drain, and it’s pretty unsightly too.

So, we do two things.

First, we scrub the inside of the bathroom sink drain with an old toothbrush. To get a longer reach down the drain, we taped our toothbrush to an old tent stake we had lying around. Anything long and narrow will work.

RV sink drain" width="800" height="256" class="size-full wp-image-51013" />

Tape an old toothbrush to a long stick to reach deep down the RV sink drain.

RV sink drain" width="721" height="481" class="size-full wp-image-51014" />

Scrub inside the sink drain.

We also scrub the sink drain plug.

Second, to keep the RV bathroom sink drain fresh smelling, we use Happy Camper Holding Tank Treatment which we’ve found is a particularly good deodorizer. We put scoop of powder in an old water bottle, fill it up with water and shake it well (the bottle gets warm as the enzymes get activated!), and then pour it down the drain.

Most of it goes into the gray water tank, but a small amount stays in the bathroom sink drain p-trap and does its magic there, killing off the offensive odors.

RV sink drain plut" width="721" height="481" class="size-full wp-image-51012" />

Scrub the sink drain plug with a toothbrush.

To keep our RV shower in tip-top shape, we clean the drain there as well. The biggest problem in our RV shower drain isn’t foul odors, because the shower drain gets flushed with lots of water everyday. Instead, the challenge with the RV shower drain is accumulated hair.

In a house, it’s easy enough to use a powerful cleanser like Drano to clean out any clogs caused by hair, but we don’t want strong chemicals like that sitting in our gray wastewater holding tank. Afterall, we want the enzymes and bacteria in the Happy Camper and Unique RV Digest-It holding tank treatment products we use to thrive and go to work breaking things down!

So, we use a long spring hook (and flashlight) to pull the hair out. It just takes a few minutes and then the drain is clear.

Some RV shower stalls may have drain components that can be removed for cleaning. Ours doesn’t.

RV shower drain" width="631" height="539" class="size-full wp-image-51015" />

Use a spring hook to pull hair out of the RV shower drain.

Periodically, the RV shower wand gets crudded up with mineral deposits just like our RV sink faucets do. Again, we rely on white vinegar to clean up the deposits clogging the spray holes in the shower nozzle.

First, we pour the white vinegar through the shower wand to let it soak from the inside.

RV shower wand" width="681" height="712" class="size-full wp-image-51016" />

The RV shower wand can be cleaned with white vinegar.

Then we soak the shower wand’s face in a bath of white vinegar.

RV shower wand" width="751" height="421" class="size-full wp-image-51017" />

Put the RV shower wand face down in a white vinegar bath to clean all the little holes.

If we’ve let a little too much time pass, we’ll also use a toothpick to clean out each hole in the shower head. We use bamboo toothpicks because they hold up well in water. Ordinary wooden toothpicks tend to disintegrate when they get wet. A scribe also works well.

The before-and-after difference in the flow of water through the shower wand is startling. When half of the little holes are blocked from mineral deposits and the other half have an impeded flow, the water can feel like needles on your skin. After cleaning the wand, it is more like a waterfall.

RV shower wand with a toothpick or scribe" width="681" height="516" class="size-full wp-image-51040" />

Use a toothpick or scribe to clean each hole in the shower wand.

Lots of RVers love the Oxygenics RV shower head. We don’t use it because it doesn’t work well with the low water pressure we use to conserve water since we dry camp every night, but for RVers who get water hookups a lot, these shower heads are extremely popular. Of course, in hard water areas, these shower heads will need periodic cleaning as well.

The RV toilet bowl rinsing wand is also subject to corrosion from mineral deposits, and after a while when we go to rinse the toilet bowl we find the water flow from the sprayer is restricted and funky.

RV toilet sprayer wand cleaning" width="721" height="481" class="size-full wp-image-51018" />

The RV toilet sprayer wand gets clogged with minerals too.

Again, it’s easy to unscrew the end of the toilet spay wand, put it in a white vinegar for 20-30 minutes, scrub it a bit with a toothbrush, and then put it back on the wand.

Unscrew the tip of the toilet rinsing wand and soak it in white vinegar to clean the holes.

As an aside, if you have energy leftover after cleaning all your RV sinks, faucets, drains and spray nozzles, a spray bottle filled with a water and white vinegar mixture is super for washing the windows. As I wrote this, some flies got in our trailer and Mark started spraying them when they landed on the window next to him using a spray bottle filled with water and white vinegar. Besides slowing them down and killing them, he was really impressed with how clean the window was when he finished!

So, these are a few of the things we do to keep our sinks and drains flowing smoothly in our life on the road in our RV.

We hope they help you too!

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Secrets of a Cheap Bathroom Remodel

Read article : Secrets of a Cheap Bathroom Remodel

Contrary to popular opinion, the cheap bathroom remodel is absolutely attainable.

It can be difficult to wrap your mind around this because we have become numb to mid-to-high five-figure bathroom remodels that begin by ripping everything down to the studs. For these,  ​everything must be tossed and replaced by the most premium materials.

Bathroom remodeling is second only to kitchen remodeling in terms of pain, misery, dust, cost, and unmet-timetables.

Given the sickeningly high cost of bathroom remodeling, it pays to think outside the box.

The quick, easy, and cheap bathroom remodel detailed here and will not make you the star of cocktail conversations because you won't be able to brag about how you had to take out a second mortgage to afford the remodel. Instead, you'll have lots of money left over to spend on other parts of the house--or other parts of your life.

In the end, you will have a clean, bright, and functional bathroom. And more money in your bank account than homeowners who went the expensive route.

Cover and Re-Surface Instead of Replace

Briefly:  If the material still works, fix it up and reuse it.

This is the guiding principle of any surface-level renovation, with the caveat that you never want to cover anything because it needs to be replaced.

For example, in bathrooms, there is no better way to cover up the lower portion of walls than with easy-to-install wainscot.

Wainscot is a pre-fab board that extends as high as 48" and eliminates the need to fix any unfortunate wall dings and minor holes. But should that wallboard be speckled with mold and mildew, the last thing you want to do is cover it up. Unfortunately, you need to track down the source, stop it, and replace affected portions of wallboard.

Search for Low-Cost Substitutes

Briefly:  Often, cheap alternatives look amazingly like the real thing.

More and more, the less expensive alternatives are looking as good as the originals. Instead of real wood plank flooring, try luxury vinyl flooring. You only think you want that radiant-heat granite floor. But that purchase alone will blow your entire remodel budget.

Old-school vinyl is gone; things have changed. Vinyl now looks better than ever, with innovations such as luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) and plank vinyl that look fantastic.

Refinish Tub Instead of Replacing It

Briefly:  Consider total replacement of your bathtub to be the last thing you try. Instead, try relining or refinishing.

Bathtub or shower refinishing is a prime example of "cover, not replace." If the problem is mainly cosmetic--a yellowed surface and some cracks and nicks--you can refinish your shower or bathtub.

Alternatively, bathtub and shower liners--a staple of infomercials--are not as cheap as they seem. Never a permanent fix, they will carry you through a few years. Liners require professional installation. Refinishing, instead, is cheaper and looks better.

Install a Pre-Fab Shower Rather Than a Tiled Shower

Briefly:  Pre-fabricated shower units generally are cheaper than tiled showers.

Have you decided that your tub or shower is beyond refinishing?  The absolutely most expensive option is hiring tradesmen to build a unit out of tile from scratch.

Instead, consider pre-fabricated shower units. If you absolutely must have that tiled shower, fusing a poly shower pan with the tile saves some hassle and a little bit of cost.

Install Your Own Toilet

Briefly:  Save a few hundred dollars by installing your own toilet.

Do not call in the plumber to switch out the old toilet. Install your toilet yourself. It is much easier than you can imagine, the hardest part being physically moving the toilet into place. For that, get a cheap hand truck or enlist the services of a friend.

Paint Portions of Your Interior By Yourself

Briefly:  Interior painting can be accomplished by even the least skilled DIYer.

Do not use a painter. For whole-house painting, you may want to consider hiring a professional painter--due to the large scale.

But consider how little painting you need to do in bathrooms:  walls are taken up with mirrors, showers, tile, bathtubs. In the end, you only have a few square feet to paint. You can paint this by yourself in two days.

Resist the Urge to Move Major Plumbing

Briefly:  Save money by leaving toilet and bathing facilities where they are.

Do not move plumbing if at all humanly possible. Moving water supply and/or drainage immediately drives up the cost of any remodel project. If you want to move it, then pay close attention to the next step...

Consider Doing Some Plumbing By Yourself

Briefly:  Innovations like PEX plumbing pipes make it easier for homeowners to do their own plumbing.

If you hate calling upon the services of a plumber for remodeling work, stop for a minute and ask yourself if you possibly can do the plumbing by yourself.

Moving the sewer line:  maybe not. Moving the sink supply and drain lines a few feet:  sure.

With the advent of Tinkertoy-like PEX plumbing pipes and push-in Sharkbite fittings, even the least confident DIY plumber can do light plumbing tasks for a pittance.

If your notion of plumbing work is still rooted in the days of soldering copper pipes with an open flame (or even worse, working with galvanized pipes), give this one some extra thought. You just might find out that PEX and push-in fittings are perfect for your needs.

Install Your Own Bathroom Vanity and Top

Briefly:  Bathroom vanities and tops practically come assembled for you.

Because bathrooms are small, it is possible for you to buy nearly or fully assembled bathroom vanity units and vanity tops and have them in place within a couple of hours.

Vanity units come in certain sizes ranging from 24 inches to 60 inches wide. Coordinating tops (counters) can be purchased that even have sinks fused into them--no sink installation and caulking woes!

Design Your Bathroom Yourself

Briefly:  While bathroom designers are great, they also can break your bathroom remodel budget; consider doing it yourself.

Whole-house remodels, additions, and kitchens can benefit from the expertise of a qualified designer. But what about bathrooms?

If you need to save money it is possible to design your own. One factor in your favor is that you are not moving fixtures around (see previous advice on this).

Bathroom designers are good at not just the "pretty stuff" but at powering through difficult logistical problems (door clearances, etc.).

So, half of your design burden is instantly lifted. You are left with a few of the more fun aspects of bathroom design:

40 Bathroom Hacks, Projects and Tips to Make it Clean, Tidy and Stylish - Page 2 of 4

Read article : 40 Bathroom Hacks, Projects and Tips to Make it Clean, Tidy and Stylish - Page 2 of 4

Bathtub Tray

Although I’m more of a shower person myself, I know there are many of you out there who really look forward to soaking in the tub after a long day. A bathtub tray is the perfect little project for you, then, so that you can rest your cup of tea (and by ‘tea’ I mean ‘wine’, of course), set your scented candle, and keep your book dry and safe.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  Lil’Luna and Instructables

Cup/Jar Organizer

In need of some more space for your cosmetics or other little bits? This wall-mounted cup or jar organizer is absolutely perfect! Not only does it utilize wasted space, but it looks so neat and clean – almost like a piece of minimalist modern art.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  ABeautifulMess and LovelyLittleDetails

Glass Top Vanity

I keep my cosmetics in a little chest of drawers in my bathroom, but the real issue is that I can’t always see everything I have, and this becomes a serious problem when I find myself in a mad Monday morning rush. This glass top vanity overcomes this issue wonderfully, and, despite all the visible products and tools, it actually looks neat instead of cluttered.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  LizMarieBlog

Hide Linoleum Floors

If you live in an older house you may be cursed with those unsightly vinyl or linoleum bathroom floors; it’s really not the fun kind of retro, unfortunately.  How do you save yourself from the ugliness everyday? Simply paint it! You can go neutral, or turn your bathroom floor into a real statement piece.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  ViewAlongTheWay

Coke Toilet Cleaner

Have you ever found yourself in a rather embarrassing bind where you notice that your toilet is looking a little dirty and you have people coming over, but no toilet cleaner around and you don’t have time to go buy some? Surprisingly—or maybe not so surprisingly—, Coca-Cola will come to the rescue!

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  WikiHow

No More Foggy Mirrors

Don’t you just hate how your mirrors fog up after a nice hot and steamy shower or bath? Wiping them just makes it even worse! Well this awesome little trick only requires a bar of soap to ensure that you can stare at your beautiful reflection the second you step out the shower.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  TheCreekLineHouse

Unclog Drains

We ladies are all too familiar with hair and products clogging our shower and bath drains; it’s an unfortunate, inescapable fact of life. Instead of dishing out on drain cleaner though, you can simply combine two common household ingredients to get that water flowing in no time.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  GiraffeLegs

Clean Your Shower Head

I’m not sure when you last inspected your shower head, but I’ll bet that once you do, you’ll feel a little grossed out by all those water deposit marks. Thankfully, this is really easy to clean with everyday household products… and no scrubbing!

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  FrugallySustainable and TheNYMelroseFamily

Pretty Towel Storage

Instead of simply folding or hanging your towels normally, why not make an interesting and pretty wall holder? This brilliant project uses decorated tin cans to house rolled up towels. And there’s even a bonus little project to hang your toilet rolls, too.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  Thewhoot

Mason Jar Soap Pump

I much prefer liquid soap to a bar of soap sitting by the sink, but if you want to make it look even prettier, ditch the boring plastic bottle and make your own refillable Mason jar soap dispenser. These jars are a DIYers dream, so why not make use of them all over your home?

DIY Instructions and Project Credit –  CreativeGreenLiving

Rainshow'r, Oceanside Glasstile, Gaiam, Syndecrete

Read article : Rainshow'r, Oceanside Glasstile, Gaiam, Syndecrete

Whether your bathroom serves the entire family or is your private mini-retreat center, make it a place that’s healthy for you and the environment by outfitting it with energy- and water-saving devices, nontoxic materials, and items of artisanal beauty.

1. Get creative with color using Oceanside Glasstile’s luxurious handmade tiles made from discarded recycled bottle glass. Shown are cobalt Tessera one-inch mosaic tiles, which contain up to 85 percent recycled content and come in iridescent or non-iridescent finishes. (760) 929-4000.

2. Your skin and lungs absorb the chemicals in shower droplets and steam—including chlorine, a possible carcinogen. Chlorinated water can also cause dry, itchy skin and scalp. The Rainshow’r CQ1000 Dechlorinating Shower Filter comes with a low-flow, massaging showerhead that conserves water and removes at least 90 percent of free chlorine. $45–$50; $17.50 for replacement cartridge. (800) 243-8775.

3. Who’s the fairest of them all? Faces in the mirror are doubly beautiful when framed by a Fair Trade, reclaimed-copper mirror from Susan Hebert Imports. Using discarded copper, artisans in central Mexico hand-forge works in the traditional way and receive a living wage. This 27- by 20-inch oval mirror is $340; other designs and sizes available. (503) 248-1111.

4. Clear the air of unpleasant scents and moisture that could lead to mold and mildew. The Solitaire Ultra-Silent Bath Fan from Broan contains a high-efficiency centrifugal blower, is safe for installing over tubs and showers, and is Energy Star rated, so it uses 65 percent less energy than most standard models. $212. (800) 558-1711.

5. End bathroom clutter with this over-the-door utility rack from Gaiam. The chrome-plated Bath Rack and Hamper has a shelf for toiletries, three towel rods, and an unbleached, undyed, cotton canvas hamper bag with a separate pocket for delicate items. Fits doors up to 11/2 inches thick. $39. (877) 989-6321.

6. If you’re looking for a unique tub for your bathroom, why not give an older model a second life? Check a local architectural salvage store or re-store for vintage or antique soaking or claw-foot tubs, vanity or pedestal sinks, and reusable bathroom fixtures.

7. Each home wastes thousands of gallons of water annually as people wait for the tap water to turn hot. The Taco D’Mand System delivers hot water and circulates the cool water that normally runs down the drain back to the water heater through the cold water line. The silent pump attaches easily under the sink; its heat sensor shuts off the unit when the water is hot. The 008-DM-PK model, including plumbing adapter kit (shown): $404. (401) 942-8000.

8. Conventional vanity tops are made of nonrenewable materials such as wood or stone, petroleum-based laminates, or high-embodied-energy cement. Syndecrete, however, incorporates 41 percent recycled or recovered industrial materials such as fly ash, recycled carpet fiber, metal shavings, plastic regrinds, and glass and wood chips into its concrete mixture. Natural pigments can be added; surfaces are finished with a nontoxic sealer. (310) 829-9932.

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2016 Bestevaer 45ST Pure Sail Boat For Sale

Read article : 2016 Bestevaer 45ST Pure Sail Boat For Sale

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Additional Specs, Equipment and Information:

Dimensions
Beam: 4.05 m
Maximum Draft: 2.15 m

Hull and deck

Aluminium hull, round bilge

Aluminium superstructure and pilot house

Above CWL 5-6mm, seawater resistant aluminium H321 5083

Below CWL 6-12mm, seawater resistant aluminium H321 5083

2x watertight bulkheads at bow and aft (= 3 compartments)

6x zinc annode (2x hull, 2x keel, 1x rudder, 1x propellor)

Fold down manually operated swimming platform

Welded chain plates, single bollards (6x), through hull fittings

Integrated diesel tanks (2x) and water (2x) tanks

Hull sanded for smooth finish

Keel and Rudder

Fixed keel with bulb

Bulb filled with lead ballast

Emergency steering in the cockpit

Single aluminium spade rudder

Rudder stock from aluminium

Rack and pinion steering system, JEFA

Paint and Decking

All horizontal (walking) areas painted with non-slip paint

Colour paint Grip Oyster White or Grey

Cockpit seats and coaming covered with cork

Anti-fouling, choice of red or black

Exterior Storage space

2x cockpit accessed lazarette lockers

1x storage locker beneath cockpit coaming, aft to starboard

1x foredeck storage locker

4x open storage in the cockpit seating backrests

1x gas locker, aft to port, for 4x 5kg (1x 5kg provided)

Sailing hardware

Manual winches in cockpit 2x 50 + 2x 46, Harken

Manual winch at mast 1x 46, Harken

2x winch handles, Harken

Deck hardware, Selden

Stoppers, Spinlock

Stainless steel stanchions, with double wired guardrail

Stainless steel push and pulpit

Stainless steel side boarding gates to port and starboard

Hatches and Windows

Pilot house 9x windows single glazed

Pilot house 2x opening Lewmar hatches, size 30

Superstructure 3x opening Lewmar hatches, size 60

Superstructure 2x opening Lewmar hatches, size 30

Superstructure 8x opening Lewmar hatches, size 3 portlight

Aft cabins 2x opening Lewmar hatches, size 5 portlight

Vertical and horizontal plexi glass entrance hatches

Deck openings

2x deck fillers for diesel and 2x deck fillers for water

1x deck discharge for black water tank

2x cockpit drain, 4x deck drain

Anchoring/Mooring

Anchor Delta 25 kg with anchor winch, Lewmar V3

Anchor chain 8 mm x 70m, galvanized, in chain box

Anchor locker forward, self draining

Anchor bow fitting with 2 anchor rollers

6x tube fenders with lines, black

4x 15m mooring lines, 16mm, black

Mast

Seldén aluminium mast, 2 spreader, deck stepped, anodised

Seldén aluminium boom, slab reefing, anodised

Seldén mast hardware

3 colour mast head light, steam, anchor and deck lights (LED)

Sloop rigged (9/10)

Standing and Running Rigging

Seldén standing rigging of 1 x 19mm wire

Furlex fixed genoa stay with manual furling genoa

1x main halyard, 1x genoa halyard, 1x spi halyard

1x outhaul, 3x reef lines, topping lift

1x main sheet, 2x genoa sheets

Sails (Doyle)

Mainsail Dacron triple stiched, 3 reefs, 6 full-batten, tell-tales

and crosscut design 60m2

Furling genoa Dacron, 45m2

Mainsail cover marked ‘Bestevaer 45ST’

Safety

Self draining cockpit

Deep and sheltered cockpit

Cockpit enclosed on all sides

2x aluminium handrails on top of pilot house (welded)

2x aluminium grabrails on aft of pilot house (welded)

3x watertight compartment

2x watertight bulkhead

Engine is placed in watertight aft compartment

Aluminium spade rudder

Aluminium escape ladder at the stern

1x automatic bilge pump and 1x manual bilge pump

Raised bulwark/footrail for grip under heel

Handholds throughout interior

U-shaped galley for safe cooking whilst underway

Liferaft in bag, 6 person

3x foam extinguishers

1x extinguisher opening for engine room

Engine

Yanmar 54hp, 4JH5E

Yanmar saildrive SD60

Dieselfilter

Acoustic insulation

Twin pole electric installation

Cooling water system

3-blade fixed propellor

Engine throttle in cockpit

Engine service panel in pilot house

Engine access from port and starboard lazarette lockers

Electric systems

Twin pole 12V DC installation with hull leak meter

230V AC shore power with 25 m cable, 3 groups fused

1x 12V instrument panel at chart table

1x 12VDC switch panel in saloon

2x 100A-12V service battery, gel

1x 66Ah-12V engine battery, AMG

Battery charger 12V 30 Amp

Bilge pumps

1x electric pump in bilge in salon, 35 L/min

1x manual pump in lazarette/engine compartment

Fresh water

Presurised fresh water system

40L calorifier supplied from engine or shore power

Hot/cold water in galley

Hot/cold water in bathroom

Hot/cold water at deck shower

Waste water

Water from shower and shower sink pumped overboard

Waste from toilet direct to holding tank

Grey water from galley with gravity fall overboard

Interior

I. Styling

Floor in American Black Walnut

Woodwork of cabinets and furniture in light Bamboo

Floor to be screwed down shut

Off-white walls, bulkheads and ceiling

Fittings in matte chroom, design look

Doorhandles matte chroom, design look

Damixa, mixer tap fittings in galley and head

Ventilated lockers and storage spaces

Rounded corners on furniture below 120cm

II. Pilot house

Port and starboard seating, 1400mm long each

Starboard has flat worktop for charts, etc.

Open into galley to port

Footrest on port and starboard

2 steps from cockpit into pilot house

1 steps from pilot house to salon

Storage boxes beneath all steps

Large hatch in floor for storage

Small storage space behind back rests for pens, sunglasses.

1x white/red chart light

2x reading lights on aft bulkhead

2x ceiling lights white/red

III. Galley

One and a half stainless steel sinks

Corian or equal marble work top

Force 10 Oven with 3 burners

4x storage lockers above worktop

2x storage lockers besides oven

1x storage drawer besides oven

1x storage locker underneath oven

1x utensil drawer opening toward salon table

2x lockers opening toward salon table

1x rubbish bin under sink

1x storage locker under sink

1x storage drawer above refridgerator

1x frontloading refridgerator 100L

1x storage space for bottles behind worktop/oven

1x aluminium anodised vertical handgrip on worktop

1x double socket 220V

IV. Salon

Starboard and port salon seating 2000mm long

Storage behind and under the salon seating

2x lockers above couch to port

2x lockers above couch to starboard

1x book shelf at bulkhead, white with wooden trim

Port bulkhead storage box for bottles

Starboard bulkhead storage box for bottles

Mast support at bulkhead

Dining table 120x140cm

Both sides of dining table fold down

3x LED reading lights

2x LED ceiling lights white/red

1x double socket 220V

V. Aft cabins

Large shelf at foot of bed, white with wooden trim

Small shelf at bed head, white with wooden trim

1x mattress 120mm foam core

2x ventilated bunk tops

Storage space beneath mattress

Starboard cabin 1x drawer under bed, front access

Starboard cabin has 1x hanging locker

Starboard cabin has 1x shelf locker

Starboard cabin has floor space and door for privacy

Starboard cabin has 2x LED reading lights

Starboard cabin has 1x LED ceiling light white/red

Starboard cabin has 1x single socket 220V

Port cabin alternative use as storage room

Port cabin 1x drawer under bed, front access

Port cabin has the entrance from the galley, with no

seperate floor space for standing

Port cabin has 1x LED reading lights + 1x LED ceiling light

Port cabin has 1x single socket 220V

VI. Owner cabin

Large bookshelf at foot of bed, white with wooden trim

Small shelf at port, white with wooden trim

1x mattress 120mm foam core

2x ventilated bunk tops

Storage space beneath mattress

3x lockers under bed, side access

1x hanging locker at bulkhead

1x shelf locker to starboard

1x vanity unit between lockers with fiddle

2x storage locker sat vanity unit, top access

2x LED reading lights head of berth

2x LED ceiling light white/red

1x single socket 220V

VII. Toilet compartment

1x manual Jabsco toilet

1x wall mounted full shower, thermostatic mixer tap,

Damixa

1x shower curtain on roller

Floor of customized aluminium grid

1x shower drain pump with manual switch

Walls of waterresistant off-white laminate

1x stainless steel sink with mixer tap, Damixa

1x washbasin with storage under sink + storage locker,

white, from water resistant material

1x Lewmar hatch in ceiling for ventilation and light

1x Lewmar hatch in coaming for ventilation and light

1x blackwater tank ca. 60L with 3/4 full indicator light

1x ceiling LED white/red

1x single 220V socket

Options

HULL & DECK

Upgrade from tiller to wheel steering (change of cockpit) €6.250

Centreboard (1,40 - 2,95m) with twin aluminium rudders €28.450

Round portholes in the hull, with reinforced glass (per piece) €2.500

Radar support pole, anodised aluminium, at stern (excl radar) €2.250

Solid railing from stainless steel at stern, to the side gates €3.480

Fixed davits at stern, max load 150 kg, stainless steel €2.650

Painted hull from waterline upto freeboards €28.000

Paint on the sides of the inside cockpit area €2.450

Esthec on walking areas deck + cockpit floor/seats €21.450

Replace cork with Esthec in the cockpit €5.525

Teak on walking areas deck + cockpit floor/seats €17.450

Upgrade to thermopane layered windows in pilot house (9x) €5.500

Deck wash pump in foredeck compartment €1.250

ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

Upgrade engine from 54 hp to 75 hp Yanmar 4JHE HTE €5.775

Extra diesel tank (only possible with fixed keel) €2.850

Automatic fire extinguishing system in engine room €720

Water generator Watt&Sea 300W (8 amp @ 9kn) €6.400

Wind generator Superwind €5.450

Solar panels total 250W from 3 pieces €3.275

Lithium-Ion 12V/5kW battery pack €2.850

Bow thruster fixed tunnel, Sidepower 185 mm 6kw €6.400

Mastervolt Cruising Package: MASS GI 3,5 kW + MV combi

100A 2500W including Masterview easy panel €4.290

120 Amp second alternator €2.650

Flex-O-Fold folding propeller 22” €3.785

B&G Nav/Comm package as below:

VHF+ sp/wd/dpt meter + autopilot + radar + plotter + AIS €14.595

INTERIOR

Upgrade to French bed (centered) in front (owner) cabin €4.950

Heating Webasto air heater 5kW, 3 exits €3.480

Heating Webasto air heater 5kW, 5 exits €5.980

Dickinson diesel oven heater 4kw €5.790

Oceanair sky screens and musquito screens (at 7 hatches) €4.200

Upgrade to electric toilet Planus €1.400

Fusion radio + DVD player (iPhone/iPod compatible) €675

Manual pump for fresh water in galley €480

Freezer/fridge combo Isotherm 40L top loader (auto-pumping) €1.945

RIGGING

Aluminium mast painted white €5.950

Carbon mast, Selden €42.500

‘Lazy Rack’ system mounted on boom, unpainted aluminium €2.950

Gybe preventer €1.400

Cutter rig with manual Furlex 200S (excl. sails) €7.195

Upgrade to removable cutter stay, with wichard tensioners €2.450

(excl furler, sail and deckgear)

Removable furling Selden unit to fit inner jib, code-O and

gennaker, including sails, make Doyle €16.500

Spinnaker equipment w/jib boom, stored at mast €2.850

Upgrade to 2 electrical winches, size 50, Harken €2.130

Windvane self steering: Windpilot Pacific €4.465

SAIL PACKAGES DOYLE

Cruising Laminate radial cut package €9.225

• Mainsail
• Furling Genoa 125%
• Cutter jib 23,5m2

Hydranet Radial High performace package €13.975

• Mainsail
• Furling Genoa 110%
• Cutter jib 23,5m2

Disclaimer

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

Our new house in Palatine, Illinois

Read article : Our new house in Palatine, Illinois

You guys, remember when I said that I wasn't going to settle on our new house this time?  Well, maybe I didn't say that on this blog, but I definitely did in real life.  Turns out we are buying exactly what I didn't want....a raised ranch with the annoying double stairway going up and down right after walking in the front door. 

Not to mention the downward sloping driveway with garage under the home.  And the hideous front door, paneling, and oaky railings. 

BUT, the house is very large and we just couldn't pass up the living space here.  The main (upper) level is over 1500 sq ft, has four good sized bedrooms, a master bath and a main bath, and a large living room. 

The kitchen is TINY and while it's 'updated' I pretty much hate it.  The maple cabinets, the enormous soffit with can lighting above the sink, the speckled granite, the stone backsplash....I would love to rip it all out and start over, but we can't do that. 

There is only three drawers in the entire kitchen, so we are going to use the L-shaped eat in area for more cabinetry instead.  I struggle with this because with kids, I love a place to eat in the kitchen...but the dining room is right there, so I don't think we'd miss it. 

The kitchen door walks out to a decent sized deck. 

Our grill and patio table will fit nicely here.  I don't typically like raised decks because there is no privacy, but there are ways to help that and I plan to get creative!  The backyard is also nice and big.

 We plan to fence in this side of the yard.

And I'm not sure what we will do to cover the awful chain link and white vinyl on this side.  We might ask the neighbors in back of us if we can remove the vinyl and replace with wood, since the only fence on their property is this little piece. 

The great thing is that this house was built in 1967 and has original hardwood floors under the carpet throughout the main level. 

The main bathroom is also original, with blue tub, retro floor and wall tile, and swirly shell counter tops. 

I am really happy that this bathroom is original, because it means I can do what I want in here when we have the funds.  For now, I plan to just paint the vanity, remove the silly brass shower doors, and work with the tile. 

I just can't escape the seashell sinks.  Since this bathroom has no window, I'm hoping to add a skylight or solar tube at some point. 

The secondary bedrooms are all 10x13, which feels so much bigger than the 9x11 rooms we have in our current house. 

I actually love the wood wall in this room! 

However, this fake paneling is gone. 

The master has two windows which I love, but only two average closets, so I'm a little worried about losing my walk in.  I'm thinking of ways to incorporate more storage into the other rooms for all my stuff.

The master bath is totally not my style and impossibly tiny, but it's much better than not having one. 

Luckily, the shower is bigger than our current one, and the window is amazing compared to our current dark master bath. 

The lower level family room is huge, and I love that it has three large windows and doesn't feel like a basement. 

We plan to rip out all the paneling and ceiling in this room so we can add recessed lighting and new drywall.  Since the carpet is in good shape, we will have to be careful to cover that up while we work.  There is also really nice original wood parquet down here and a cool little dry bar that I forgot to photograph. 

Also down here, a large laundry room with window, laundry tub and storage.  And a half bath with a window!

And another bedroom with two windows. 

Check out that sweet carpet and gun cabinet!  For now, this room is going to be a storage area because we are losing our large crawl space and bigger garage with rafters.  Lucky for us, the attic in this house is large and actually usable once we take care of some ventilation and accessibility issues.  Before we move in, we are having all the hardwoods refinished, all the trim replaced, and possibly a new railing installed.

And we will try to remove as much of the paneling as possible, everything is so much easier when you don't have your furniture in the way.  I don't have any great photos of the railing, but I really hate it.  I don't want to try to update it with the traditional white spindles/stained handrail because I don't feel it fits in this retro style house. 

No thanks.   

I'm hoping to install a simple metal railing with wood top like one of these:

I also like the wrought iron without any wood.  It just has to be simple and fit the era of the house.

 One reason I want to replace the railing right away is because I'm not sure how our floor guy will refinish the floors around the existing one.  I am just not sure we can afford a new one at this point.  We also have to replace the rusty ugly outdoor railing at some point. 

So, that is the house.  We do have some major issues to take care of right away.  The main chimney pipe is corroded and needs to be replaced.  The electrical is 50 amp service with a ton of questionable DIY work that is not to code.  The bathroom sinks and tub all are missing the pop up drain mechanism so we can't even stop the water.  The master bath toilet is not attached properly to the floor.  Several outlets are wired incorrectly and the list goes on.  Luckily, the sellers have agreed to a 3k credit to cover some of these issues.  We close on September 3, so I will keep you posted as soon as we get in there and get to work!