Swim deck shower use

[Wayloncle]

I was wondering, for those that have a shower on their boats and are only in fresh water, how often do you use the shower?

For those fresh water people that don't have a shower, how often have you ever thought "dang, wish I had a shower"?

I have a Yamaha kit that I got last year but never installed, now that I'm moving and will be in fresh water I wonder if I would ever use it?

 

[Andy S]

I was wondering, for those that have a shower on their boats and are only in fresh water, how often do you use the shower?

For those fresh water people that don't have a shower, how often have you ever thought "dang, wish I had a shower"?

I have a Yamaha kit that I got last year but never installed, now that I'm moving and will be in fresh water I wonder if I would ever use it?

I primarily boat in fresh water and never had the thought a fresh water shower would be needed. I just use a cup or bucket to grab some fresh water that I'm floating on and pour it where needed. If the fresh water where I boated was relatively dirty water then a fresh water shower might be helpful.

The only time I have every thought a fresh water shower would be useful is on the Bimini trip. The wife has asked a few times about a fresh water shower for the trip but so far that mod keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list.

 

[sysinu]

Always. Depending on the lake, what you bring on boat on your feet from shore can vary. We have a couple lakes where the mud is hard to get off, even sitting on the platform shaking your feet in the water. If I'm not in 3+' of water, without the freshwater pump it can be difficult to really get clean.

Another thing... I'm not in FL, so this is kind of completely off topic, but in the summer, we use the fresh water tank as a "warm up" when we are in higher elevation lakes. Our fresh water tank usually heats up to about 80 degree water, so people will get out of a lake (60-64 degrees) and then blast themselves with water for fun to get warm before they towel off.

 

[Wayloncle]

I didn't really think about muddy feet, guess it would useful for that.
I thought about selling it (I got a really good deal on it) but I may hang on to it and install it. I'm moving to the San Antonio area, so there's a chance I may go down to the gulf every now and then.

 

[Zarrella]

I could count on one hand....how many times we have used it.

 

[Ronnie]

I boat mostly in brackish water (mix of salt and fresh water, mostly fresh in my case). We use the shower to cool off on long trips when we don't want to get in. If you've seen or been in the waters of the delta you'd understand. We also use it to wash off the utensils after grilling and of course to wash off our feet before we get back in. I rather have it the not.

 

[dancathy]

I flushed mine out with some bleach and clean water and we put 6 bottles of different flavored pucker in it. Apple,grape,cherry, etc. have cordless blender and cooler of ice on the swim platform. Was a hell of party starter! It was a little bit of a pain to pour in I took the hose off the tank and used a hose and funnel to pour the booze in.

 

[Big Shasta]

I have the Yamaha Kit installed on my boat Waylon. One word of caution, the hose they give you is terrible, find an all vinyl hose to replace it before it rusts. and the switch they give you rust quickly also I replaced it twice, even the "marine switch I bought rusted up and doesn't work now. Now maybe in fresh water you won't have an issue, but I'd look for better before spending the time to use them. I wish I wouldn't have used the little trap door that comes with the kit. It looks nice and it replaced the swim deck radio controls that didn't work but I'd rather just have the hose in the side compartment for using the shower while standing on the deck. I should have just made a small bracket to mount at the top for the switch.

It's nice is salt water for sure and we used it on lakes too when you come off an island with red clay feet. You might not use it often but it's nice when you need it.

 

[Evildwarf]

Have never used it.
It might not even work.
Maybe I should use it once.

 

[Ronnie]

It sounds like the kit is different from the one that came installed on my boat. Mine does not have a trap door and the switch is on the dash/helm. The hose may be all vinyl on mine as well, not sure but it is just a plain white hose, no metal sheath or anything like that.

 

[MIDLIFECRISIS]

Use ours to clean the feet, and the swim deck when the girls use it as a lunch table.

 

[justason]

Good chat. I'm 100% with @andy07sx230ho last year in Bimini I was wishing we had a shower, I just stayed wet instead. I started ot look into one after someone did a great writeup on a shower kit. Combined with being able to tie in with my blast bags pump it was becoming a no-brainer. As I thought it thru I could not find any other time I would use it.

we may start towing to the coast more often in the future. If that becomes a reality I'd add one...Otherwise I'll keep the space for that "stuff"

 

[PEARCE]

Don't have one and never thought of the need to have one. If we ever decide to venture to the coast or maybe Bimini some day then I might have to figure out an alternative.

 

[jfkraus]

We have never used ours, although it would be helpful for muddy feet. We boat mostly in fresh water. I can see rinsing off salt water if we ever do that. I can also see the point raised above about water temperatures. A lot of the lakes and rivers around here are pretty cold.

 

[ArmyChief]

I'm thinking of building one from a 10 gallon container like posted on this forum for our trip to Bimini.

 

[Bruce]

We use ours almost if not every time we go out. It gets used for washing water shoes or feet when boarding, hands before eating, washing cooking utinsels, washing off the swim deck, etc. In salt water it allows us to stay out all day without getting itchy.

Ours is located out of the way in the engine compartment.



You can barely see it on the left in this picture.

 

[Glassman]

I use it to squirt people on other boats when we raft up. It pisses them off and makes me happy.
I'm simple that way.

 

[PEARCE]

I'm thinking of building one from a 10 gallon container like posted on this forum for our trip to Bimini.

If you do build it please post pics. I'd love to see what you come up with.

 

[ArmyChief]

Put lemonade in it and pretend your drunk and pee'ing

 

[txav8r]

I could see the benefit even on fresh water. But the hassle of cleaning/winterizing/and repair keeps me from the mod. I can use a 32oz cup I keep in the clean out tray to rinse the swim deck, feet, utensils, and boat. I carry water I would consider much fresher, in terms of drinking for us or chester.