Bathroom advice

[Peter009]

Hi everyone, 

 

We are at the stage where we are going to start fitting the bathroom in our boat, there has never been a bathroom in there before,  Can anyone advise on the best solution for a shower, clearly the water cant drain to the bottom really would appreciate some advice on what is the best solution and whether we need to get a particular shower unit to enable draining of the water out of the side etc.

 

Very new to this so before we go any further with this would really like to take some advice from this forum on this.

 

The plumbing is in the bathroom for the water but there is absolutely nothing in there other than a tank for sanitary waste.

 

Unfortunately we dont have the money to get someone to do this for us so we are going to have to do it ourselves but dont want to get this wrong....

 

Also merry Christmas to you all 

 

 

[Mike Hurley]

Install a Whale Gulper pump on the shower waste, pumped out via a skin fitting in the hull side.

[system 4-50]

A forum search should help.  Try searching for "upstand", "sump", "gulper", "wetroom", "shower", etc

[NB Lola]

We fitted a standard cook and Lewis shower from B &Q with a gulper.  Works fine.

[Peter009]

Thanks I was wondering whether a standard shower would be OK, does the pump get installed under the tray, sorry for my lack of knowledge just trying to understand how it all works so I can get a plan together as I was going to buy a shower from B & Q but held off until I asked you guys as I have already made a few mistakes with the boat so being a bit more cautious now ..  thanks

[Tony Brooks]

12 minutes ago, Peter009 said:

Thanks I was wondering whether a standard shower would be OK, does the pump get installed under the tray, sorry for my lack of knowledge just trying to understand how it all works so I can get a plan together as I was going to buy a shower from B & Q but held off until I asked you guys as I have already made a few mistakes with the boat so being a bit more cautious now ..  thanks

Usually not, probably no because to get a standard height shower into a boat may well require the tray to be set below floor level. The pump usually goes in a close by cupboard or suchlike.

 

Elbow/bend on shower outlet, hose to pump, another hose form pump to skin fitting.

Edited December 21, 2018 by Tony Brooks

[frahkn]

57 minutes ago, Peter009 said:

Thanks I was wondering whether a standard shower would be OK, does the pump get installed under the tray, sorry for my lack of knowledge just trying to understand how it all works so I can get a plan together as I was going to buy a shower from B & Q but held off until I asked you guys as I have already made a few mistakes with the boat so being a bit more cautious now ..  thanks

 

Our pump is in a cupboard and is about six feet from the shower drain and at least a foot above it.

 

It is a Jabsco pump but I will replace it with a Whale gulper next time. I was a little worried that the pump was below the waterline but so far, this has caused no problems.

 

I think it is important to have access to the area immediately below the shower drain, even if this means raising the tray a little. Shorter than normal doors and sides are commercially available to facilitate this.

[Boater Sam]

Make the waste hose from the tray waste to the pump a good bit longer than the hose from the pump to the skin fitting. Then the run back will not come up into the shower tray.

[BEngo]

Make sure that the shower waste goes overboard at least 250 mm above water or if that not possible run the shower drain pipe up to just under the gunwale and then down again.

Use a Whale gulper as the shower drain pump then you do not have to worry about blockages, hair etc.

 

Think carefully about where the waste hole in the shower tray needs to be to suit your boat layout, trim etc. Central waste holes are often not the answer.

 

Custom made shower cubicles can be eye wateringly expensive.

N

[Peter009]

Out of interest does anyone know of any canalboat bathroom fitters near Chichester at all, that is where our boat is at the moment until we move it when it is finished

2 hours ago, BEngo said:

Make sure that the shower waste goes overboard at least 250 mm above water or if that not possible run the shower drain pipe up to just under the gunwale and then down again.

Use a Whale gulper as the shower drain pump then you do not have to worry about blockages, hair etc.

 

Think carefully about where the waste hole in the shower tray needs to be to suit your boat layout, trim etc. Central waste holes are often not the answer.

 

Custom made shower cubicles can be eye wateringly expensive.

N

Thanks for this, I think I may need to try to find someone especially for the shower as quite worried about making sure there is no mistake, unfortunately we are not near the main canals at the moment but will be in the future so there is a lack of expertise where we are in canalboats 

[Trento]

If your at all handy and comfortable using fibreglass and resin, may I suggest that you cover the floor and up 6 inch of the bathroom walls with a coat of fibreglass before you install any equipment.

This will ensure a sealed bathroom requiring only a floor drain and window vent.

Not wood rot or blemishes and a sweet smelling location.

??

[dmr]

Assuming that you have no major mobility problems I suggest getting a hip bath. It might lack the wow factor but makes a hugely practical shower base. No chance of overflowing and great for washing the dog. Also good for washing clothes when the washing machine breaks and as an occasional emergency water store. You can even sit in it but that is nowhere near as good as a proper bath.

Obviously drained with a Whale Gulper.

 

..............Dave

[Chewbacka]

I used a low profile tray sat on the plywood boat floor.  Don’t use a standard waste fitting as you don’t need or want a trap - too high.  Waste fitting with a right angle outlet  connected by flexible pipe - I used 19mm - to a gulper then to a high up skin fitting.  

 

Added - by using a low profile tray on the deck near to the centre line of the boat gave enough height to fit a glass folding door from eBay with only a small amount of work on the roof at one end.  Not a difficult job, but needs careful measuring etc if it is all to fit easily and not leak.

Edited December 21, 2018 by Chewbacka

[DHutch]

We actually have a (small) bath and pump. But said said, one of the more common options is a standard domestic tray with a pump such as the very popular gulper. 

 

You can use tiles with good flexible adhesive onto the right substrate, but I would use something like the plastic shower wall sheets on a boat.

 

 

Daniel

[ditchcrawler]

Take a look here https://www.asap-supplies.com/sanitation/sink-shower-waste-outlets/sink-shower-outlets

[BWM]

There are a fair number of shower wastes available now that are both low profile and allow access from the top in case of blockage, well worth fitting something like that. As others have said, fit a gulper somewhere other than under or behind the shower, as even though the gulper is super reliable it may need servicing at some point - i have only had to do so when a hair clip or similar works its way into the pump.