Do yourself a favor and watch this frustratingly funny video to not only laugh at us but also both avoid and learn from our mistakes! We bought a washing machine based upon the measurements provided to us by a third party in St. Lucia, had it shipped to Sint Maarten from the US and they were incorrect so we faced a dilemma: Give the machine up or find a way to make it fit! We were thrilled when we learned that with a good strategy and A LOT of effort, it was possible to get the washer into the forward head, but there would be a lot of heroics to do so.
First, we had to remove the hallway molding, the door to the forward berth, the door and molding to the head. It took us a whole morning of using a razor blade, heat gun, and leveraging plank to finally clear the pathway.
After all of this was done, a boater called Larry came to cut into our doorway, just enough to fit the washer through which was done quite easily. He then fixed the plumbing so the washer was directly fed water from our fresh water pump and the rinse cycle spit the water out the same fitting as the sink, straight into the ocean. After Larry finished his work, Terrell and his team ran wires to the head and installed an outlet for a direct plug in vs. an extension cord, making life so easy. After he finished, Brown came in and capped the lines to the shower so we didn't accidentally give the washer a wash-down.
The downside of the washer is that it uses 26 gallons of water to do a load of laundry. Granted, the load is quite large so potentially we would use the same amount with 2-3 smaller loads, but our water maker may have met its match. The upside is that our laundry is done quickly and without the need for a bucket and plunger. The manual labor saved on washing can be exerted in other areas of constant boat projects.
NEW TO OUR CHANNEL? We are Eileen and Brown Councill. Welcome to our channel and a glimpse into our life adventure! 2020 was a year of uncertainty and change (for all of us, right?), but we overcame the challenges and decided it was time to chase our dream, to sail around the world! Did I mention that we had very NO sailing experience? Before leaving Qingdao, China, our home of 4 years, we sold almost all of our earthly possessions and started our international search to find the right sailboat that we would call "home." After 5 months of unanticipated twists and turns, we found what we were looking for, a used Leopard 44' Catamaran located in St. Lucia.
So, here begins our journey, filled with unmatched excitement and honestly, a bit of trepidation as well. We have much to learn as we travel the world on our floating home and we intend to document that journey and share it with you. We are so glad you have decided to join us, and we hope that you will find our story so compelling that it will inspire you to chase your dreams too!
As a viewer, we consider you to be part of our family and look forward to getting to know you. Don't hesitate to comment on our videos and ask questions. We will do our best to answer every correspondence! All we ask is that you have patience with us as we work really hard to improve our camera/video techniques and ability to tell a story. Hopefully, you will be as BLOWN AWAY from watching, as we are in experiencing and producing our adventures!
HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT US? If you wish to support our video efforts, all we ask is that you SUBSCRIBE, give a THUMBS UP, SHARE our videos with your friends, AND COMMENT! WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET TO KNOW US MORE DEEPLY? It would be an honor and pleasure to deepen our relationship with you as a Patron. Please click on the following link to see how: https://www.patreon.com/sailingblownaway
We've got a huge problem right here.
This is a very trying project.
Move it.
Oh yeah!
Why am I doing all the heavy work and you're holding a blow dryer?
Burn it away!
Listen, if you like videos like this, give us a thumbs up, make some comments, subscribe.
We really appreciate it and share and above all, just be glad you aren't having to do
this yourself.
Take a look at this.
The Admiral has spoken and no other laundry solution will do.
Most cruising couples have like a big tub and it's limited water, limited space, limited
electricity so they will take and wash all their stuff and then hang it up.
Our boat is not going to be like that.
Our boat is going to be more like home and the Admiral has given specific orders that
we will have a washing machine.
Where is the washing machine going to go?
Everything is really tight on this boat.
Everything has a place and this puppy right here is 22 by 23 and it's just about an inch,
inch and a half too wide to get all the way down in here.
It's got to get between these two things and then once you get it down here, you've got
to turn it and you've got to get it between these two things.
And this molding will not come off because it's glued on.
And then if that's not difficult enough, taking it to the next level, you've got to get through
this thing and ultimately see right here and here and then turn it and stick it right in
here.
So we've got a big problem.
The people that were working on the boat measured incorrectly and we had this sent from the
States.
We should have measured ourselves, but we got just a little too ahead of ourselves.
Let that be a lesson to you.
And now we are faced with a predicament.
We have a $500 washing machine right here and we either have to take a loss on it and
find another solution.
We have to get this thing downstairs, right, sweetie?
Yep.
So I'm going to attempt to take this thing apart enough to get it down there and then
put it back together without destroying it.
First thing is we got to figure out, does this thing work?
We're going to plug it in.
All right.
We're already having problems.
On off button.
Let's hope for the best.
I see a light.
That's a good sign.
Unfortunately, looking at this, we have found out that instead of being a shell, this is
welded and these are little points where the drum hangs and it's more like a skeleton
than a shell, which is not good.
We're going to go measure again.
All right.
I'll put this thing back together because I don't think we're going to be able to use it.
Okay.
So you're probably asking why we're taking the door to the bathroom off because by taking
the bathroom door off, we had a carpenter come in and he said, not a problem.
We can make this work.
Just take the molding and the door off and we're going to shave a little of the sides.
Oh, you're so going to rock this.
Look at you.
It's good.
We're learning new things.
Almost got it done.
Is it wiggling free?
You got it from both sides.
No way.
Wow.
Don't stab me.
That's incredible.
All right.
So we need 20 and a third at least.
What are we at?
Almost 21.
No way.
Good job.
And how about right here?
Is this clear?
This is clear.
This is two feet.
So over there, you say that taking the moldings out is not enough.
Is that right?
We need to take both of these moldings off and then it's not going to be enough.
He thinks we have to shave it.
How much did he say?
He doesn't know, but he said he'll just shave the height of the machine so that you don't
lose the strength in the top and the bottom.
It's only the middle.
Move it.
Could you please withdraw your blade while I pass?
This morning we have a tall task.
We need to get the molding off of the door, the door frame.
So here and here to be able to start the process of getting the washing machine through the
door and into that spot there.
So we are trying leverage and we're trying to keep going.
This is a very trying project.
The funny thing is we say all this and we haven't really tried that hard, but this is
the final thing.
We don't have a chance if we don't get these off.
The people at Leopard, I'm sure, put this stuff together so that it's strong and they've
done a good job.
Now we're hoping that this heat gun, this is the first time we've used it, is going
to heat up the mastic and then the process right here is just gradually get it off.
So we've been working on it for about 15 minutes, no budging.
All right, we got some movement, about a quarter of an inch.
It's moving.
Go baby.
Oh, you're my hero.
Why am I doing all the heavy work and you're holding a blow dryer?
So we are focusing on moving the heat gun down a little bit.
We've made a few mistakes.
We've caused some damage right here.
It's not big, it's just cosmetic.
We're being smart and hopefully just allowing the heat gun to do most of the work before
we get in there and start banging away with the hammer again.
Wow.
There's daylight there.
Yeah.
Woo.
Yeah.
All right, I'm just going to pull gently on this.
Wow.
Yeah, baby.
Hold on.
Air guitar.
Wow.
Well, you know what music that is?
That's music by The Doors.
Oh my goodness.
Get it?
The Doors.
Oh yeah, you get everything here.
Now we know why this was so hard to come off.
Take a look at this.
Take a look at the mastic.
We got to get the other one off now.
Back to reality.
Click the like button.
Make sure you share.
Oh yes.
Yes.
Okay, we need to heat the rest of this before we break the molding off.
This is a thing that we never thought we were going to be able to do.
Right?
Yeah.
For sure.
Oh my gosh.
Stop it.
Something is breaking.
Oh yeah.
I think this thing
is going to fit right now without having to cut.
The mathematician disagrees.
We have 20 inches.
And so we have to
come up with the other third.
However, I think that this thing
has got a little flex to it.
Feel the flex.
The side has a flex, but the corners
don't have a flex.
He doesn't think so.
I think it's worth a try.
So we have a difference of a point of view.
First time that's ever happened in our marriage.
First time.
If it doesn't work, we'll just leave it down there.
No harm done, right?
Because we got to get it down there anyway.
Okay, let's do it.
I've got this.
Sorry, say that again.
I'll admit
maybe we
just aren't putting this in right.
Alright, it didn't fit.
But we tried at least.
You should just hand wash.
Oh man.
Half of us, those are fighting words there.
When the washing machine blows out,
it goes straight.
So it won't blow through your sink.
One, two, three.
This is for the inlet
for the washing machine.
So we've just broken into the main
cold water system here.
Put a T-piece in and it'll go straight to the machine.
You guys have a washing machine in your boat?
Yeah, a bucket.
Bucket in cold water.
I hear you.
And it keeps her bum in shape.
She has to stomp on it all day.
Nice.
There you go.
I can't get at you.
We want Larry to stay like this.
I hope there's a good cook on board.
This goes to your washing machine, man.
Got it.
So the washing machine's got constant pressure.
You're a star.
This is a huge moment right here
because laundry costs about 40 bucks a load.
What an amazing sound.
What we thought couldn't be done
has been done.
The electrical needs to be
finished as well as putting the door frames
back on, but that is just
so good.
So right now we
have the power
in
our bathroom
for the washing machine.
The last thing that we want is
wet alternating current
because then sparks are going to fly.
So what I need to do is take
this cold water line
and this line right there
and need to cap it off
with one of these.
These are compression fittings
and when you take off these
rings right here
then they pull out and then we're going to push them into here
and these two things
are called dead ends.
So when we cut back on the water pressure
we should have
no water coming out.
That's the plan.
Let's see what happens.
First time ever for this.
Well, this is a disaster.
I didn't get it on camera, but
everything's wet because somebody
cut back on the fresh water pump
and this thing just blew up in my face
and all over.
Too many people on the boat.
Okay, once again
we've done something new.
These are under pressure now.
They're doing their job.
Real thankful for that.
Good stuff!
We learned something else.
We're building up confidence.
Yay!
