How often do you use your shower | Poll

[Janet H]

We are in the midst of a reno on a 1964 globetrotter (19 feet) and mulling over bathroom options. This current bathroom is in bad shape. The tub and sink would need extensive fiberglass work to repair, the black tank is toast and so we are considering pulling them out and starting over.

The current bath configuration is like this:


We are considering moving the toilet to the curb side so it's no longer in the direct line of sight down the center of the trailer and then turning the bathroom into a wet bath. (drain in floor, circular curtain, etc). Something like this:



Is a wet bath more nuisance to manage than a full shower? This is a small trailer and the trade offs for regained floor space and not having to stare at the throne are appealing and may be a fair trade for the hassle of gearing up for the occasional shower. Sink choices are to either go without one in the bath (the kitchen sink is 4 feet away) or add a small elevated corner sink tucked in behind the toilet.

How often do you actually use your shower?

[HowieE]

Daily

[idroba]

I use my shower every day I am out in the trailer. I never use "public" facilities. The bathroom and the dry shower are one of the most important parts of my Airstream.

[Gsmblue]

Daily. for both of us. A full bath was one of the firm criteria we both agreed on.

[Wingeezer]

When we first started with the AS - we rarely used it - pretty much only if we did not have full hookups and wanted to save our waste water capacity.

But it seems gradually we both have started using our own all the time - just a lot more convenient, and although there are exceptions now and then, likely a lot cleaner than the campground showers!

I generally wear flip-flops in campground showers! Don't really know if it aves me from catching anything, but it makes me feel that way!

Brian.

[Mrjkq]

Daily shower X2. We rarely use the public showers.

[PaulnGina]

We use our shower daily. No phobias that I know of, I just like the thought of using our own, known-clean facilities.


PaulnGina
1987 Avion 34W
1995 Ford F250 7.3L PowerStroke

Blessed and highly favored

[crispyboy]

Daily - very important to have. We are towing a house because we like the amenities if not I could just tow a pop-up or bring a tent.

[Lily&Me]

Only use the wet bath when nothing else is available, and that has always been our practice.

If nothing else is available, it is indispensable, and I wouldn't be without it.


Maggie

[Royce]

Every day that I am camped. Mostly boondock but even when in a campground I use my own shower. I don't think a properly designed wet bath would be that much worse but then I have never had to use one.

[ROBERT CROSS]

POI...we have never 'camped' while hooking up....hence, the conservation.

Shower.....as in spraying water while standing up, No.

Navy.....yes. Sitting in that little room with half a dishpan of warm water and a 2min limit on waving the cold nozzle.

Bob

[Janet H]

This 64 originally had no grey water storage. We will add a small grey tank. Probably about 15 gals. That would mean no showers or limited showers when camped without services. I've never had a wet bath before but there is some appeal - the tub footprint is huge and in our Overlander (same year with the same tub) we mostly store stuff in it.

What are the key features of a 'well designed' wet bath?

[Bruce B]

Our 2012 Bambi has a wet bath/shower. We use it daily. The only thing we really miss in it is a separate sink. No creative solutions have popped into my mind or there would be one there now...our space is simply too small.
If I were looking for ideas for a wet bath I'd be scouring books on 1960's, 1970's and slightly later sailboat designs as it seems that wet baths were plentiful in sailboats of those era's.
If you happen to run into a naval architect (Bob Perry or Chuck Paine?) buy them a drink or two and see if they have any advice!

[Foiled Again]

Why do you ask? Do I smell bad?
Now you're making me insecure...

Daily - Occasionally I'll use a campground's facilities if they are outstanding - and some are.

Paula

[Paddledipper]

We LOVE having our shower in the trailer and use it everyday!

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Janet

Is a wet bath more nuisance to manage than a full shower? This is a small trailer and the trade offs for regained floor space and not having to stare at the throne are appealing and may be a fair trade for the hassle of gearing up for the occasional shower. Sink choices are to either go without one in the bath (the kitchen sink is 4 feet away) or add a small elevated corner sink tucked in behind the toilet.

Janet,

I have a wet bath in my Cayo, and a conventional bath in my Airstream. In either rig we use the shower daily unless the unavailability of hookups dictates that we use campground facilities.

Overall we've been happy with each setup. An often unrecognized advantage of a wet bath is that it is typically larger than the shower space in a conventional setup. I've done quite a bit of rework on the bath in the Cayo, and all surfaces are covered in marine epoxy, spar varnish, or some other finish that is suitable for use in a wet environment. The main disadvantage as we see it is that everything gets wet, so towels, TP, and anything else absorbent has to be stored in the hall closet or moved there before using the shower.

There are some intriguing waterproof TP dispensers out there, but our layout didn't have space for one. They are recessed which complicates placement.

In either bath we squeegee the walls and floor when done, something that isn't very time consuming and not a big deal for most people. We usually put a mat on the floor of the wet bath when not using the shower.

[TCwheels]

Originally Posted by Paddledipper

We LOVE having our shower in the trailer and use it everyday!

Ditto ditto ditto. Dry bath was a must for us.

One thing that draws me to the vintage Airstreams is that shower/tub combo. We had a 1968 Phoenix Caribbean (back in '68) with a similar layout that I loved. If the DW would ever consider letting me do a reno I would look for a trailer with that configuration.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Janet

What are the key features of a 'well designed' wet bath?

Janet, my first Airstream was a 2005 22 FB - the one that had all of the frame issues. I actually LOVED that wet bath. It was a large and comfortable either as a shower or as the "oval office". And it wasn't icky because it shared the space. In my current split bath picking up a dropped bar of soap is doable but tight, and easy for the door to fly open when you're bent over... Ditto for the side so side room on the throne. It is possible to cleanse one's behind with the door closed... but if you're alone in the trailer, you aren't closing the door. (Some replace it with a curtain just for the flexibility.)

Hopefully you'll be able to find a picture or two that shows how well designed that wet bath was. The bath was located in the roadside rear corner - and had a desk on the opposite side - which was a good place for makeup, etc. The entire thing was molded fiberglass and it was almost 4' x 4'. There were a few flaws that needed to be fixed but they were very minor - the hanger for the shower head was non functional and needed to be replaced, and the shower curtain - which kept the toilet and tp dry was cheap and poorly fitted, and the little medicine cabinet had an inadequate velcro closure - two more strips of velcro fixed that. The good parts: A small round stainless bar sink in the front corner against the outside wall - molded into a fiberglass surround - that you could fill with warm water and soap up before running the shower. And it was at the right height to use comfortably. If I'm boondocking I use a bucket to conserve water, but it sits at knee level and cools off almost instantly - Stayed hot in the 22.

I could completely wash (even my hair) with about half a gallon of water. The sink faucet pulled out and became the shower head. I mostly used it in hand held mode - and there was plenty of elbow room to rinse completely and quickly, saving more water. The toilet was in the back curve and once I replaced the curtain I could easily shave legs, etc using the covered toilet lid as a footrest. The size of the bath would make it comfortable for people a lot taller than I am, which is a problem in most side bath units. I never felt like I was showering OVER a toilet... but it was sure handy. The best thing was... having a "head" with floor drain. Clean the bathroom? Some liquid cleanser and a squeegee and even yellow streaks on the outside of the toilet were gone - rinsed away without having to be touched! No one with male children would fail to understand that benefit!

If I ever live in brick and mortar again there will be a floor drains in the bathroom just for ease of cleaning, and the kitchen and laundry room would be candidates for one too.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Jammer

In either bath we squeegee the walls and floor when done, something that isn't very time consuming and not a big deal for most people.

A handy hint I got from a book on sailboat maintenance… wax your wet bath or fiberglass shower stall. Spray wax is easier to use than paste wax, but either one works. Water just beads up and rolls right down the walls, so no need to spend time with a squeegee after each use; depending on how often you use the shower, you might only need to wax once a year, but even with heavy use once a quarter is plenty. Don't wax the wet bath floor, though!

I even do this in my tiled shower enclosure at home, but for a different reason; the wax blocks the pores in the grout and prevents the growth of mildew in the grout— which is a perennial problem in the New Orleans area.

[moosetags]

We use our shower in the Airstream every day that we are on the road. For the last five years we have been towing the Airstream with our Outfitter truck camper rig. The truck camper has a wet bath which we have used a number of times over the years.

I will admit that we prefer dry bath shower in the Airstream. The wet bath in the truck camper is a little more difficult to use and clean up, but not a big deal. The wet bath does afford the opportunity for the ultimate in multi-tasking. You can actually go to the bathroom while shaving and showering all at the same time. And if that is not impressive enough, you also have an ad hoc bidet.

Brian