Bath or shower?

[alistair1537]

Hi all - trying to sort a shower pan during lock down - It got me to thinking - I have space for a bath - so any thoughts on a bath with a shower? Yes no? How much would a bath get used?

 

Cheers

 

Alistair

[Tracy D'arth]

Bath on a boat is great for keeping the coal in.

 

How much water do you think a bath needs? And how do you heat it when not cruising? Are you permanently on shore power?

[Onewheeler]

We have a "hip bath". At one time we could get two small children in it. It's now a large shower tray.

[sharpness]

When you get old & less bendy, a shower is much easier to get in & out of, don't ask me how we know.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

Our boat came with a bath fitted and overhead shower. Shower gets used on a regular basis, haven't used the bath since we've had the boat (7 years). One bath would probably empty the calorifier and quarter empty the water tank, despite Tom Rolt apparently being keen on having a bath on his boat, I've never felt them to be practical.

[ditchcrawler]

We have a shower over a bath, I like  the space it gives but never used it as a bath, have used it for wash  laundry 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by ditchcrawler

[dor]

1 hour ago, Onewheeler said:

We have a "hip bath". At one time we could get two small children in it. It's now a large shower tray.

I fitted one as well when I did my fitout.  Although it is used as a shower 99+% of the time, there are times when it is useful to be able to use the bath bit, which is only about the size of a standard shower tray if you disregard the seat (but a lot deeper of course).  But when you are using it as a shower, you have a lot more space than you have in a 600x600 standard shower.

It is very economical when it comes to water usage when used as a shower, with the advantage that you have some water there if you need an extra rinse or whatever.

 

If I was to fit out another boat, I would be tempted to go the same way.

[Rickent]

If you want or need a bath, house dwelling's for you.

[canals are us?]

I needed to buy a bath as my window and door layout excluded the room for a free standing shower.

 

There was a shower cubicle originally but I ripped it and the dividing wall  to make a walk through bathroom. Shower tray originally 700x700 

 

Someone was removing an old "bette" 4ft bath and it was just what I needed to fit the space. It was free, so even better. I use it as a shower tray, but useful to sit on the built in seat to clean my feet.

 

If the layout had suited I would of fitted a shower cubicle. I have since raised the woodwork on the loo wall.

 

James

Edited May 10, 2020 by canals are us?

[john6767]

Our boat came with a bath and slower over.  The batch gets used as a bath but of course with limited water, but it works fine.

 

Thw bath is also useful for washing cloths if you don’t have a washing machine.

[system 4-50]

I fitted a 760 x 1000 shower so that I could save water by showering with a friend.  This saving has not in practice been achieved very often.  The spacious shower was one of my "essential features" for my boat.

[Movin' on]

We've had all 5 options!

A large bath sized shower tray, a normal shower tray with a good cubicle, a hip bath and a normal bath - if living aboard 100% of the time I would have the bath every time, then the hip bath (both with shower fittings obviously) then the proper shower with a good cubicle but not the double shower tray (this to me was a waste of a space which could have housed a small washer).

If you are a leisure cruiser a good shower with sensible sized tray and good enclosure would be my preferred option

Zulu has a full wet room which is another (5th) option - it works really well but I don't think its my favourite - the shower that is, not the boat, which is definitely my favourite - although we have been lucky enough to own some nice boats on the way with only a couple of fails.

Edited May 10, 2020 by Halsey

[Movin' on]

8 hours ago, canals are us? said:

I needed to buy a bath as my window and door layout excluded the room for a free standing shower.

 

There was a shower cubicle originally but I ripped it and the dividing wall  to make a walk through bathroom. Shower tray originally 700x700 

 

Someone was removing an old "bette" 4ft bath and it was just what I needed to fit the space. It was free, so even better. I use it as a shower tray, but useful to sit on the built in seat to clean my feet.

 

If the layout had suited I would of fitted a shower cubicle. I have since raised the woodwork on the loo wall.

 

James

Better door stop in the second pic! ?

[mrsmelly]

When I fitted my new shell out twenty years ago I thought I would like a bath so I fitted a full size bath with shower over. I also fitted a large cauliflower so could have a reasonable amount of water in it, I spose a paloma etc would work better. Water is no problem if ccing you pass taps daily and if in a marina its on hand. However I found I could rarely be arsed with the bath and rarely used it. Its personal choice but I have just been unlucky enough to spend two months in a house with two bathrooms, one with a bath and one with a shower. I used the bath only once as I know always prefer to shower.

[smiler]

I quite like the idea of a sunken bath.

[OldGoat]

10 minutes ago, smiler said:

I quite like the idea of a sunken bath.

The thought of a fully sunken bath on a 'normal'  canal boat or even a wider one 'makes I larf' - where would it go? - You've only got a few inches between the hull bottom and the floor....

 

That said, we do have a sunken bath and that make getting in and out easier and the shower head is high enough to stand under. The bath is a 'caravan' type, thus only four foot long so to fully immerse oneself you have to bend - ze - knees.

Tried hip baths when hiring - 'orrible, you have to reach over to get in. The seat's too small to sit comfortably. IMO the worst of all alternatives.

[peterboat]

I have a full sized bath in my widebeam has a shower over as well,  I do use the bath as water is not an issue with a couple of tons on board.  I agree though that in narrowboats it's more of a problem 

[Ex Brummie]

We have the 'hip' bath, but it only gets filled for laundry, which you can do 'grape treading' style.

Back home, we have both, but the shower only really gets used for hair washing. When you don't need to worry about water supplies, you can't beat a leisurely soak in a bath.

[Nightwatch]

On the rare occasion I have a bath, the idea is far more exciting than the reality, I tend to have a shower afterwards to clean all the dirty water off.

 

So shower every time.

[Movin' on]

17 minutes ago, peterboat said:

I have a full sized bath in my widebeam has a shower over as well,  I do use the bath as water is not an issue with a couple of tons on board.  I agree though that in narrowboats it's more of a problem 

 

Naaaaaaaah - still not a reason to buy a "widie" though??

[Edders]

Had a 5ft bath on one of our boats (admittedly 71'6"). Personally, I prefer and use the shower but my wife likes the bath. No problem with water as we had a relatively large water tank and a very big calorifier.

[system 4-50]

Its not the size of the water tanks that bother me, its the time taken to fill.  At the moment 1hr 20min to fill 800L approx.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

18 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Its not the size of the water tanks that bother me, its the time taken to fill.  At the moment 1hr 20min to fill 800L approx.

I know of some water points where it would take a lot longer than that to put 800 litres in (Thrupp immediately springs to mind).

Edited May 10, 2020 by Wanderer Vagabond

[mrsmelly]

33 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I know of some water points where it would take a lot longer than that to put 800 litres in (Thrupp immediately springs to mind).

Lower Heyford is even worse 

[mrsmelly]

2 hours ago, Nightwatch said:

On the rare occasion I have a bath, the idea is far more exciting than the reality, I tend to have a shower afterwards to clean all the dirty water off.

 

So shower every time.

The reason is that like myself you were " Trained " to use showers and not to waste too much water as the ship had to remove the salt from it first innitt and there were a lot of us getting showered every day. Remember what happened if you tried to go without a shower for even one day!!