Jump to content

Small Bath Options? - People's thoughts and experiences, please?


Featured Posts

Our thoughts are starting to turn to what our options are for refitting the bathroom on our "Flamingo".

Initially we were proposing to rip out the massive and ridiculous bath that is a legacy of the previous owner, and replace with just a shower.

However, even now we have reduced the total bathroom length by around 3 feet, we still have more than adequate space that we could fit a much smaller bath if we choose to.

Ideally this would be not much more than about 1.2 metres (approx 4 feet) long.

Available baths seem to be either those that are just a small tub, like this....

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1598/product/wd-022.aspx

or those that are "sit" baths, like this........

https://www.qssupplies.co.uk/bathroom-furniture-shower-taps/87293.htm?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9PLql6al2QIVBSjTCh2THAQTEAQYAiABEgL7BPD_BwE

I have no practical experience of either on a narrow boat, (though they bring back memories of Travelodge stays in the past, before that outfit started ripping them out in favour of showers).

Could I ask people who have either type fitted, or have at least tried to use them, what they think the possible advantages and disadvantages might be of each.

Im 6', and my son is considerably taller.  I can't quite work out how practical trying to fully sit down in the "non shelf" version might be.

(I suspect that much of the time it would just be used as a shower tray, but we think it might be useful to have the"small bath" option available also.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had one of the first type in our last boat. Of course it was not as comfy as a full-length one but it served its purpose and, of course, it would fit sideways in the bathroom while still allowing space for a corridor.

The second, hip bath type is/was, i think, a standard fitting in the CanalTime boats built by SW Durham, of which I think some are still in service (though the company has reorganised and I think they now bear a different fleet name: Canal Breaks?) So if you can find one of their bases you may be able top inspect one in situ.

Edited by Athy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have the (MC) type, although it is steel, fitted across the boat. The novelty wore off using it as a bath in the first year,and is now only used for showers.It took ages to fill, and used loads of water (obviously)

I am 6'3" and whilst usable as a bath, your knees obviously never get covered,.so I went around with dirty knees for the first year 

 

ETA.Its great for washing my wetsuit in though!

Edited by rusty69
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are not rushing into this, but for the past ten years or so we have been planning refitting our bathroom.

We need to investigate the removal of the toilet holding tank, then remove the toilet and placing a cassette in another area of the floor space, We have played around with the thought of replacing pumpout tank with fresh water tank, this then allows for a bath sized bath. 

But we both feel that a Bath isn't really required for our needs as a shower will do. There have been times when the 'need' for a bath has been desired, but in all honesty the idea of a bath soak is not as exciting in reality. 

So, the plan,unless changed, is to fit the cassette as above and fit a nice quadrant shower tray with glass or other material screens. Getting rid of the, 'bloody cold curtain sticking to nether regions,' scenario. Having taken out the double seat hip Bath will allow for more floor space and an opportunity to have either a towel storage cupboard or shelves. 

Alan, this doesn't help you situation but I just wanted to put in my two pennarth. 

To sumerise, we wouldn't have a bath. There, I've said it!

Edited by Nightwatch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Much as I love a good soak in a proper bath I find this practical and better than a conventional shower, even though we use it as a shower.

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1596/product/wd-003.aspx

1. You can sit down rather than stand up and get wrapped up in wet shower curtain.

2. Its far easier to wash your feet - no trying to stand on one leg!

3. It uses the same amount of water as a shower but can hold it at a greater depth the the similar MC bath as shown above.

In my view the best of a bad job where space is at a premium.

  • Greenie 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The showertub style was very popular 30 years or so ago and there are still many left. You can fill up past the seat so can sit to soak feet and was legs without balancing. It is relatively economical with water when used thus. Ours is used most of the time as a shower tray and is wide enough to allow a curtain to not wrap itself around you. It is also very useful to use as a washer for sheets and bath towels using the feet 'a la grape pressing' style. It also allows more than adequate rinsing in the same manner.

We don't have a washing machine!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've a 4' bath.  

I sit and shower in it. I dont have head room to stand comfortably. 

 I'll use it from time to time if washing clothes by hand, letting items soak. 

I'd prefer just a shower space with headroom and the extra space for storage or whatever. 

There was a time when I had a large board on the bath to increase storage space but it became irritating, moving stuff each time I wanted to shower. 

I personally would prefer a 'proper' shower because one day I will get stuck in the bath tub owing to obesity and old age. 

Edited by Goliath
A
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had a plasticy bath in Owl - usual Midland Chandlery type.  OK but prone to discoloration and was easily marked.

In Hampton we have a steel Bette Labette bath.  It has a much better, solid feel to it.  We can dunk the dogs in it without fear of scratching it.

(NB We didn't really have the option of fitting a stand-up shower in a boat with an undercloth conversion.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nothing new to add, so merely echoing the above.

When we hired - usually from Teddesley (of happy memories) and before we too the plunge (sic) to build our own boat most of their boats had the hip bath type fitted athwart ship. That worked well as a shower but we never made much use of them as a bath. For me, I couldn't be bothered to wait for it to fill; their arrangement was fill from the shower head. I suppose their principal advantage is that you don't have to keep the pump running and there's less risk of water overflowing onto the floor. As folks nowadays fit tanked in bathrooms nowadays (can't remember the correct term) - I don't suppose that's a consideration.

However, the experience of the above and shower trays led me to fit a bath which has served us well. The Management can use the bath if needed (she dislikes showers) and I'm content with it as a shower. As it's not a liveaboard we put the twin tub in said bath with a mat under as  it has no drain fitted. The result is a light and airy bathroom with plenty of room for all functions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have a plastic bath like this one

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1598/product/wd-022.aspx

it is mounded across the boat in a off corridor bathroom, going from the cor rider to the side of the boat.  It does get used as a bath quite a bit, but with not a massive amount of water in it, so the water usage is not a killer, but is goes tend to use up the hot water so that the water is only warm afterwards.  We also have a shower mounted over the bath.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could always try building your own. I built a laminated pine bath for ‘Gilgie’, 4’x2’, deep enough to float in. You can’t see much of it for all the stuff Gilly stores in it, unfortunately. It can be used with the hand shower if a bath not wanted [high fixed mount for it, currently used as bag-hook, RHS], and has copper bar-jets as well [or as option], to match the heated towel rail opposite. Mirrored walls make everything feel more spacious [when the clobber is removed, anyway].

Wooden bath.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have a MC 4ft x 2ft 'sit bath' which we use with the shower.  As we don't have a large water tank we have to be economical with the water.  So sit down, get wet, turn off water and have a scrub. Stand up for the other bits. Rinse off.  Much easier than a shower tray with being economical with the water which stays in the bath bit, well insulated underneath.  Pump out with a gulper when finished.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks all - some useful input, and most of it much in line with what I guessed people might say, though it's good to hear actual experiences.

Thanks to Tony for also pointing out this type....

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1596/product/wd-003.aspx

 

7012_450_450.jpg

.....which I was also aware of.

Perhaps I have just been unlucky, but where I have seen that type the installation has generally not looked very nice.  Lacking any kind of "roll over" edge, they have often been left with that hard edge showing and looking unattractive.

Has anybody managed to integrate these in a way that looks tidy?  Any chance of some pictures?

I must admit they smack a bit of hospital or care home facilities, (not wishing to be rude to those having them!).

Is this the type you say are prone to damage and discolouration, please, Jim?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Thanks all - some useful input, and most of it much in line with what I guessed people might say, though it's good to hear actual experiences.

Thanks to Tony for also pointing out this type....

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1596/product/wd-003.aspx

 

7012_450_450.jpg

.....which I was also aware of.

Perhaps I have just been unlucky, but where I have seen that type the installation has generally not looked very nice.  Lacking any kind of "roll over" edge, they have often been left with that hard edge showing and looking unattractive.

Has anybody managed to integrate these in a way that looks tidy?  Any chance of some pictures?

I must admit they smack a bit of hospital or care home facilities, (not wishing to be rude to those having them!).

Is this the type you say are prone to damage and discolouration, please, Jim?

 

IMG_1563.JPG

IMG_1564.JPG

IMG_1565.JPG

Excuse the laundry basket. Also just noticed I've told a lie. We have a single seat Bath thingy.

Edited by Nightwatch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Thanks all - some useful input, and most of it much in line with what I guessed people might say, though it's good to hear actual experiences.

Thanks to Tony for also pointing out this type....

https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/store/category/1596/product/wd-003.aspx

 

7012_450_450.jpg

.....which I was also aware of.

Perhaps I have just been unlucky, but where I have seen that type the installation has generally not looked very nice.  Lacking any kind of "roll over" edge, they have often been left with that hard edge showing and looking unattractive.

Has anybody managed to integrate these in a way that looks tidy?  Any chance of some pictures?

I must admit they smack a bit of hospital or care home facilities, (not wishing to be rude to those having them!).

Is this the type you say are prone to damage and discolouration, please, Jim?

This is the best I can do right now. "Bath" on extreme left partially obscured by door.

The "front" in boxed in by probably 1/2" ply faced with some form of laminate to match the rest in the room.  The back and tow sides are caped with machined wooden trim to cover the top raw edges of the moulding.

Similar moulding only horizontal this time cap the front. I have re-varnished these trims just once about 9 years ago.

Ours was probably installed in the boat when it was built in 1991 so is rather old. It does have a creamish tinge about it and the gelcoat in the bottom is starting to craze but it is  watertight. I think it is caused by lack of support. If I were to install it now I think I squirt some spray foam into any gaps between floor and tub to help spread the load.

PS If you wonder about the line of screw heads you can just about see that is partially hidden by the door they secure a rectangle of white Perspex to the bath so I could make a neat job of fitting a new shower mixer. This is about 5 years old and by comparing it with the bath gives some idea about the degree of discolouring.

bathroom.jpg

Edited by Tony Brooks
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

 
Is this the type you say are prone to damage and discolouration, please, Jim?

No, but I think the material is the same. 

This was our plastic bath.  Not a very clear picture, but you can just discern the marks.  The steel on in Hampton is of a much higher quality.

I also knocked the rim of the plastic bath and it chipped.

5a846129dfc0f_bath1(1).jpg.76f870353fba21a0a47144c49e12887b.jpg

Edited by koukouvagia
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the pictures everybody.

I guess I'm quite surprised that (presumably) varnished wood appears as often as it does in areas that are clearly going to get wet if the bath is used as a shower.

None looks in poor condition in the photos, I'll admit, and I note Tony's comments about rarely needing to renovate it, but we didn't find varnished wood survived that well in areas that got wet.  Perhaps there are more resistant varnishes than what had been used in our old boat?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

  Perhaps there are more resistant varnishes than what had been used in our old boat?

The bath and floor on 'Gilgie' was coated in thick 2-pack clear 'fibreglass' resin instead of varnish. It has withstood the last 15 years. Were I to do it again, I would add fibreglass tissue, though the absence of it has not, in this instance, affected the result.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Thanks for the pictures everybody.

I guess I'm quite surprised that (presumably) varnished wood appears as often as it does in areas that are clearly going to get wet if the bath is used as a shower.

None looks in poor condition in the photos, I'll admit, and I note Tony's comments about rarely needing to renovate it, but we didn't find varnished wood survived that well in areas that got wet.  Perhaps there are more resistant varnishes than what had been used in our old boat?

Yes I am surprised that ours has lasted as well as it has done.  We do always dry it off after a bath or shower.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Yes I am surprised that ours has lasted as well as it has done.  We do always dry it off after a bath or shower.

Ditto. Recently varnished, but it was solid and okay before. Hardwood? Yacht Varnish, that's all. I'd expect it is the oringinal from 1991-2. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.