I live in Tennessee, and never really plan to live aboard a sailboat, but i just wanted to tell you that your attitude about fixing things and creating solutions for problems that you run into really changed how i look at problems i run into while fixing things. i appreciate you and your channel. Thanks, man.
Two things. 1. The washer and dryer would probably benefit from adding some shock absorption pads. Think washer, pad, plywood, pad washer. I would imagine something made from silicone, possibly cut from a cheep pot holder but you can figure that out. 2. I would actually do away with the door and hang a privacy curtain. Better ventilation and no banging noise from less than ideal conditions. I'm looking forward to revisiting some of the things on the other boat and seeing what if anything you would do differently after all this time. 😎
My wife and I lived in RV's for many years. I agree that a single combined unit is not good. We now have two units and love them. My largest complaint on combined units was the dryer never really got our clothes fully dry. The load size is larger on our dual units as well. Worth every penny and space I contributed
on our boat, facing a similar problem, we placed the handle on the wall and the latch receiver on the door. Credit my father for this simple yet effective solution. Good luck- your videos are much enjoyed.
My house (built in 1902) has several (internal) sliding doors with recessed knobs on either side. Works like a charm. Also, a couple of yrs ago I built a new bathroom and the massive shower glass door came with a recessed knob, actually a through hole with a decorating frame. Also works like a charm. For a folding door on Athena I see no problems with either a recessed or a through hole knob. As a locking mechanism I suggest a hinged stainless flat bar (6-7cm) mounted in a frame (actually a tiny box) with thin walls recessed, glued and screwed in the door (the stile on port side). If the door thickness is 12 mm you leave 2 mm ply/wood on either side and you have 8 mm available for the inserted box. If the box's wall thickness is 1.5 mm (x 2) you will have 5 mm for the thickness of the steel bar (should be enough). The bar has a hock on the part that goes into the door fram and hocks over a recessed pin. The lifting mechanism is done by making an elongated and curved hole for 2 knobs mounted on either side of the bar. Ideally the bar should also have a sliding movement so it can be pushed all the way back and into the box/door and not be a hindrance poking out of the door stile. (Skjønner at dette er vanskelig å forklare, kan jeg sende deg en tegning Mads?).
A bi-fold closet style door would use an upper track to guide the door panels to their open (sandwich) position, and normally uses two recessed fingerpulls or knobs to open (when standing outside of the front cabin). For the inside a thin brass push pad and a brass finger pad to maneuver the door open using both hands. You could inset some magnets to hold the door open and closed. Love your project!
Combination washer / dryers are marketed to those who like wet laundry and enjoy waiting 2 1/2 hours for the cycle to complete. Damp clothes are a mandatory feature in the second floors of most homes.
I’m surprised you didn’t swing the door the other way, into the forward cabin. Not only does it look like there’s space for it, it would also prevent you from being trapped in there if something fell in front of the door and you were stuck inside. Also, as someone who’s spent all of my boat time in tropical climates, you’ll want to keep the drier. Nothing better than putting on actual fresh, crispy, dry clothes, when everything around you has been soaking in the soupy humidity all day, every day. A real luxurious feeling!
Here's a tip, Mads. To locate screws centrally in a hinge hole (or any other metal hole), hold the hinge in place and use a countersink bit in your drill in the holes in the hinge. It self-centres in the hole in the hinge, and leaves a cone-shaped depression in the wood behind into which you start drilling your hole. It's almost impossible to get wrong.
You made the right decision on your washere and dryer. We have the combo Splendide in our RV, here in the southeast US. It is a great unit if you are limited on space, BUT, it does use a lot of water. It also only holds a very small amount of laundry, and takes about 3 hours to wash and dry one small load. With the separate units, you will be able to dry while washing at the same time. If the time comes for us to replace ours, we will put in a separate washer and dryer like you did. Fantastic work you are doing.
A recessed finger hole handle fitted half way up on the left hand side of the right half of the door ,then you won't catch your clothing on it every time you walk through it , won't need one on the bedroom side because you just have to poke it in the middle and it will fold. Great job on the exhaust and washer and dryer .
Sliding door. Hollow out the wall next to the washer/drier or opposite side. Heavy duty tracks like the clothing shelf, and with small latch points so nothing creates sound in open/closed door position. It is slightly more work, but you will gain all of the space you crave for.
I think you should go with a pocket door arrangement. You could trim your drawers a little and then should have plenty of room to slide it behind. That would keep the door out of the way and allow a large opening when needed. Just a suggestion. 😊
For the folding door, in English they are referred to as a bifold door. Normally they have a track, and the non-hinged side has a pin with a roller that goes in the track. You may need a couple magnets on the cabin side of the door to keep the two halves together when open, and some more in the door jamb to keep the door from flopping open when under sail. They also usually have a normal drawer pull in the center of the non-hinged panel. I am more of a fan of putting the handle on the hinged panel, near the piano hinge. I find this gives the best leverage when opening the door. For the dryer, I may be mistaken, but it looks like a "ventless" dryer to me. If I am correct, that is the same style I have at my house. Double check your owners manual, as there should be a heat exchanger that will need regular cleaning. It will be located to the left of those perforations on the front, behind a cover. A shelf might interfere with opening that panel, so you might want to design the shelf to be removed easily. I have to clean mine once a month, with about 3-4 uses a week. They also have a sump pit/pump. You might keep an eye on it if drying while underway, as the water in the sump might spill out. I work as an maintenance technician for an apartment complex, so I just wanted to suggest a few spare parts I would recommend keeping on hand that I see go out a lot. For the dryer - belt (if it's not a direct drive), moisture sensor, sump pump, and temperature limit switches. For the washer - water pump, and door seal. Since it is a front loader, I would recommend leaving the door open when not in use. There is always a little water left inside, and you will develop mold if you always leave the door shut. I would also recommend applying rubber seal conditioner to the door seal monthly. This will greatly extend the life span of the seal, especially with being in a saltwater environment. Thanks for all your uploads, I look forward to watching them every Sunday. They have inspired me to tackle more of my own DIY projects around my house. You will have the spiffiest vessel when you are all finished.
Reverse the door to open forward to the starboard. Then in in the open position it will sit against the new clothing drawer unit and be out of the way. Great video! Long time patron. Love your work dude! Keep is spiffy!
Separate washer/dryer allows you to do laundry almost twice as fast if you have more than one load, if you have the power to spare to run two units at once. Also, faults on one unit does not affect use the other. BTW if Obelix was in North America, you wouldn’t have much problem with its sale since its refit was very well documented. 👍🙂
Dear Mads, I am a retired appliance repair MAN! Trust me, you do not want a washer dryer combo. You made the right choice. I have worked on a lot of yachts and those things are junk. Good choice. 🙂
If you go with the folding door a leather loop pretty much in the center would work just fine. If you set it up a tiny bit to the left and the hinges on the back, the door would fold up nicely and you still have the leather loop to unfold it again.
Down side to the folding door is that they are hard to keep closed/open while underway compared to a real door. In either open or closed positions, it also makes a bunch of noise unless perfectly secured. We have one of those folding doors, and we hate it. It may still be your best solution logistically, but if you do decide to go with it, make sure you can close it or keep it open very firmly.
A tab of leather bridging across the hinge with enough slack to accommodate for the expansion of the hinge opening while making a hump when closed allowing a comfortable grip.
Cut the door I half and make the halves swing separate ways. One into the forward cabin and the other into the galley section. They don't have to be the same size if that helps out. We had that solution on our boat and it worked really well and looked nice.
On the washer, wait until you have your boat in the water and have things the way you like it and then check and see if you can adjust the legs to level the washer to match the weight distribution of the boat. On the dryer make sure your vent is the correct size and not too long or short distance wise. This can affect the thermostats cutting the heat on and off too much. The timer will turn off the dryer before your clothes are dry.
I always watch these on Monday lunchtimes as they get me through the worst day of the week! Thanks Mads! As for the door, I actually like it as a solid door, bi-fold doors never seem to get entirely out of the way. Instead they're always awkward in both positions, difficult to open and to close.
I can't wait either! For you, I'll even provide the sandpaper ;) We'll have a meet-up for sure! Chances are we'll be pretty stationary during the late fall and winter. That should make it easy to plan a couple of meet-ups :)
@@SailLife Mads, when you come to the UK, "fall" will be "autumn". :) I hope you make it down the east coast into the estuaries of Essex and Suffolk. They're a hidden gem.
As for the folding door. A mechanism can be installed, in the half door that is attached to the jamb with the hinges, so that the bolts protrude from the top and bottom into the jamb. This way you can also set the door in place when it is open (with a small magnet that will make sure that the free half does not sway. Successfully.
The heater sounds so much better. For fan speed control, I suggest that you go with PWM control rather than just rheostats so that you use less electricity when you slow the fan speed down. I went the PWM route on my hydronic system and the improvement in 12v usage is fantastic. I used the Noctua NA-FC1, 4-Pin PWM Fan Controller but you could probably find something to put on your DIN systems as well.
I like that you went bare cels with separate BMS instead of individual pre-packaged “drop-ins” which cannot properly protect a battery as drop-ins usually lack external communication for alternators/chargers and therefore overcharge the cells.
Rubber washer around the bolt between the dryer and the shelf. Then rubber washer between the shelf and a washer that is under the head of the bolt. Then you have NVH isolation in all directions.
It would be a tad expensive, but I think a good replacement for those fans would be Noctua industrial fans. Noctua fans are renowned for being super quiet and reliable . The industrial ones come in IP67 and IP52 variants. You could do a bit of DIY PWM control to set the fans to whatever speed you want without having inefficient and unreliable potentiometers in the circuit.
You made right decision. We have 45' coach and had a combined unit. it did not use water to cool but was not very efficient . Small loads long periods to dry. You made the right decision. On our new coach instead of strap, simply a piece of wood across the tops at the front, unit can then not rock
You can just make a shaker style pull that will match your veneer and a recessed finger pull on the inside if you go with a bi-fold. Remember you lose opening clearance with those if they can't swing out of the way plus they are noisy, another option might be a restaurant style that swings both ways, one question I had do you need to allow for air flow with your forced heating and dryer requirements ? You can cut the bottom or install louvers if so. A tip for edge clamping is just use whatever clamps you have C-clamps work clamp to the flat surface and use wedges between the clampbody and edgeing. I still think you should look at those extremely thin radiant heating panels I mentioned before ,no noise, air movement low consumption would be great in harbor.
When selling Obelix there surely has to be a premium considering it was maintained and lived on by the world famous Mads? That alone has to be worth a couple extra doll hairs.
Since you built the drawers in the forward berth, just have the door swing into the forward berth so that it rests against the drawer cabinet in the open position. You can then mount a door catch on the drawer cabinet to hold the door in the open position when in a sea state. That way you don't need to bother with a fancy bifold door or french doors.
OK I'll put in my idea for a door knob. Assuming you want a bi-fold door, you can: 1) just drill a hole near the center hing to hook a finger into to open or close on either side. Use latch hook to 'lock' on either side witch could double as a means to lock open as well when underway. 2) drill a hole of about 50mm dia. and make a recessed turning knob for each side. In between make a metal or plastic hook that would swing down into a latch in the door frame. In the US sliding glass doors latch sort of like this. Your conditions could vary. Someone may sell something like this but it looks like your door is only about 20mm thick so I think finding a commercially available product would be a problem. Maybe look at window closures?
Maybe change the door so it swings in the other direction. That way, when it is open it is out of the way. It would by be next to the side of the cabinet of drawers. After all, you know the door is going to stay open almost all of the time.
Bryant, you took the words right out of my mouth. Mads can easily change the opening & closing direction of his 'wonky' cabin door. Even the style (type) of hindges to keep the door flush with the wall.
Absolutely agree - there is a dead space on the right that it would cover - even if it was hinged on the left, it would only impinge on the washing loading while it was open - either would be better than into the main cabin!!
I personally like the solid door, but if you wanted to do the piano hinge, I would put the hinge on the INSIDE of the door (cabin side) so that it is the door interior that folds in an outward direction. From the inside you can just push on the center of the door to exit (This allows for rapid and safe egress from the cabin. Just push on it and it pops open.) To close it, install a recessed ring pull handle just off the door centerline to pull it shut. This allows the door to fold flat as the ring handle is flush with the door surface. You can get them in several finishes to suit your taste.
WOW!!! Very Spiffy. Not sure about about that door....how about a Star Trek pocket door..👍👍💙. FANTASTIC idea for the washer and dryer. How about a couple of dimmer switches for the forward cabin..? Love your videos and passion.⛵⛵⛵⛵⚓🛌🚽
On the off-chance you were not aware of them yet, I'll mention Noctua brand fans. In the custom PC community they are very much considered to be the "gold standard" due to their high quality and extremely quiet operation. I believe they also make a line of fans suitable for industrial use, with extra resistance to moisture, dirt and corrosion, so perhaps those are worth looking into for your general air pushing needs.
Check out Major Hardware's channel where he 3D prints fan designs sent into him by his community, then tests them including noise and cooling performance. He uses a Noctua fan body and motor. Some of the designs come very close to Noctua's fan design in terms of performance, some are just so crazy you have to wonder how they spin at all (and some of those have surprisingly good performance too). m.ua-cam.com/play/PLHLn2U7i45M_EXIsnqUyI-nqCCk-wfCU9.html
Reverse The Door - to some degree you're trying to push a square peg into a round hole when considering the functional side of it. The simplest solution (in functional terms, not build time) is to reverse the door so it opens inward towards the washer and dryer space. No one is going to stand there for long periods of time - it is only a functional space for short periods of time and importantly you can securely latch the door open and in place when you're under sail - and the recess position above the washing machine gives space for a door handle to clear obstructions. Not sure if there is a step there or anything else stopping that opening action, but if it can be done, that would save you a lot of grief with bi-folding doors and access to the seating/galley areas. Just a thought.
Maybe you could fit the door deeper in the forward cabin, so if the door is opened it will cover the washing area and if you close it it will cover the forward cabin
maybe some rubber shims or something to act as a vibration isolator between the boat and the washer / drier. even the most fastidious washer and dryer operator cant stop vibrations from making it out of the machine.
My A/C boat compressor, the base inverted pan sits on a full 1 inch thick pad - reminds me of the mats used for yoga. Closed cell. Absorbs everything. And is firm enough not too hard or soft. He could make a second deck on it.
I think the idea of the door splitted in half is awesome. Have you thought of using several squared neodymium magnets across the frame and the door to keep it “closed” and also some other ones on the other side to keep it open?, with that you can have just a hole or something less protruding and the door can be kept closed or opened by the force of the magnets. I would imagine 10-15 magnets per side?, it really depends on how strong they are. Just an idea :-)
A pocket door eliminates it being in the way all together however takes a little bulkhead wall planning ahead of time. Another sheet of plywood to form a pocket isn’t going to take up much space at all. Should be a fairly easy install. Just a thought.
When I installed folding doors, two small round knobs served as handles. These were needed to steer and fold the door. This is the typical approach when there no upper track. We also used a pair of magnetic laches or ball latches to keep the door in the closed position, usually mounted at the top
Man, you're doing (have done) such a bang up job on Athena. It's really inspiring to myself and others to tackle larger projects than one would normally attempt. The amount of confidence each video instills in me makes me not only willing but eager to start my bigger jobs aboard my vessel "Jericho". Thank you so much!
If you cut the door in half and add a piano hinge the handle would be on the cabin (not bed) side so the doors would fold pretty dang flat as all you'd have between the two doors is the screw head. Use a counter sink and you don't even have that. From inside the V-birth you'd just push on the middle to open then fold out of the way. Another possibility would be some kind of a fabric pull loop where the hinge is but that might look too funky for your taste.
Think of your washer as an engine, you will end up with some sort of rubber grommet between those washers. A washer will vibrate weather you want it to or not. Better to accommodate.
Make sure the washer and dryer can be removed for service and repair without having to tear apart half the boat ! I build and service motorhomes and have had to replace many over the years , and some times have had to take them apart to remove them.
It's pretty simple. If you have a combined unit and it breaks, you potentially lose EVERYTHING. Having separate systems will allow you to keep functioning (albeit minimally either bucket wash or hanging dry) until the other unit can be repaired or replaced. I feel it's a good strategy. You have my permission to continue. :)
19:28 for the folding door just a hole would work as a handle ^.^ but I have a better idea, what about a sliding door? though it will require to add a second wall behind the bulkhead and change a drawers a bit to make a slot for sliding door. or you can try to flip the door frame to make door opens inside the forward cabin - then it wont be on the way when opened
To keep the door open:: Dill a few holes in the bottom of the door & install some neodymium magnets & screws few flat head screws in the floor to match.
After watching ALL or you videos!! I find it a neat coincidence that I caught up to you present day videos the episode you move off of Obelix. Congrats on your move aboard Athena👍
Hi Mads. The washer dryer you refered to use condensating principal with cold water. They are useless, take ages and use a lot of power and water too. But you already knew that. :-) Here is a suggestion for your door. It looks great as it is but if you go to a by-fold door you can use the push-pop button type used on modern production boats for cupboards and lockers. When the door is open and by-folded, you simply push the button as if it was locked and there is no handle. When the door is closed the button is also flush. It just takes a finger push to open and then you have a handle. Sail Safe mate. Ant, Cid & the pooch crew.
0:58 At first I understood "roughly 851 days"!!! :D :D :D Concerning the door handle, I would suggest just a leather strap and to use strong magnets to keep the door open/shut. Next to pocket doors, I think the variant you favoured is the best option indeed.
A bi-fold door might be a good fit for your application. Cut the door in half vertically and a simple pull installed MIDWAY (on the latch side) at 36" above floor will suffice. Pro: Provides more access room around opened door/ Con: Reduces opening size by about 1". Just a thought Cheers,
The standard answer from motor home world is a pocket door. That would entail a simple pull handle out of leather or something like that. Now putting in the pocket for the door to run in would have been best done before all the shelves and drawers. But that would have taken forsite. sigh. Also you might consider a cloth snap on a small bit of leather to act as a door latch. The latch can be made to hold the door either open or shut. Holding it shut while you are inside will be different from holding it shut while you are outside. The solution for that is two mechanisms. You might come up with a clever thing to let you do both. The in-home pocket doors have a simple latch but those doors are thicker, and those latches are not made for a healing sailboat.
Have you considered a pocket door lock? They can be recessed into the door, and have the latch inside the jamb. You may try a similar lock to secure the central hinge section as well, to prevent it from flapping while the door is latched. I'd also place a hinge in the middle of the door to prevent the warping that will come with time, and hinge bind the door.
I love the look of wood but I reckon a white door would look better there. A big slab of dark wood would suck up the light in the cabin but a white door with a dark wood frame would look really spiffy. Maybe it time to test the look in sketchup
Good choice going with LiFePO4 for the lithium cells. They don't experience thermal runaway until much higher temperatures than other lithium battery chemistries. You do lose a little energy density, but the trade off is well worth it.
Madds have you considered mounting that door in a sliding configuration so that when it is open it is concealed in a cavity within the wall to one side? That should also negate any movement of the door resulting in knocking noises otherwise you might want to consider any free play present in features like hinged doors and contrive ways of negating that aspect with padding? I suspect that if you do not, constant little knocking sounds resulting from boat movement might eventually wear on the nerves of someone who is bothered by the admittedly more prominent buzz of a combustion heater.
door handle idea - I used a Stainless Steel 304 Recessed Install Cup Door Pull. I found them on Amazon. They are only 27 Doll Hairs, and they worked out great! Just search my description and they should pop right up!
Well done Mads on achieving a most significant milestone.👍 I think rubber washers on the mounting feet would help isolate the washing machine from structure and reduce vibration into the boat. Use of the washing machine machine will need to be fairly strategic (even with a water maker), like 2 days prior to getting into a Marina sort of thing.😉⛵️
Change the swing as already mentioned,Id swing left so when open it only blocks the washer,then use whatever handle you want,Id use flush handles so I dont get knocked into it on windy days
I think your washer and dryer combo is a great luxury to have! Me and my family (3 of us total) have been using one of those cheap washer and spin dryer models, and it is fantastic for us. Our space is a bit more limited (since we didn't a do a full refit and change the layout to suit our needs exactly as you did :P) and the spin dryer pulls out most of the water. After that we just hang dry. Great option for those of us that may have space for a really small washer, but not a dryer as well.
Just add one (or two smaller) Lead Acid batteries to your Lithium system - Emily and Clark's Adventures has a great explanation and reason to do so (including preventing a broken alternator from frying everything).
I never imagined the heater would make any noise at all, but having watched this video I can see why your neighbors might have a problem :D ... that exhaust sounds like a turbo prop engine running! The muffler was a really good idea.
My suggestion is a bit late but swing that door into the forward cabin so it's against the wall where you built the storage drawers. It will be out of the way but fixes all bi-fold door problems you are facing. Good Luck
Mads, I have been watching your progress with interest, well done. Did you put electrical cable grommets on the oven/oven holder instead of the self-amalgamating tape? The last I saw it was self-amalgamating tape. I might be a bit late on the door, but if you want to use a bi-fold door and the central hinge is on the side of the saloon, the main hinge has to be away from the vertical post by the thickness of the door so it can be folded on itself and then opened fully against the sofa. The alternative is the central hinge is on the fore-cabin side, so it operates like domestic patio "bi-fold" doors. That way the first bit lies flush against the sofa and the second bit is flush against that. For door handles, might I suggest "pull ring" handles. There then comes the question - how to keep the door closed when you are in the fore cabin and open when open if you see what I mean.
Hi Mads, I've worked professionally with thundersky aka Winston back in 2007 when they just started making these LiFePO4 cells. They have modest quality, not the best not the worst. If you take good care of them (not discharging to 0% and not charging when temp is
Folding door is the way to go, Mads, and any that I have installed have round recessed door handles. Being on a boat you could also mount some magnets in the seam to ensure that it stays closed in rough weather.
I don’t know if you have the bulkhead space, but a sliding pocket door would definitely solve the problem of having the door causing space issues when it’s open.
Sad to see Obelix empty, I started watching before you sold your house and moved aboard. I lusted for a ballad and finally bought one neary 5 years ago, Obelix make someone a fine boat.
Said it many times before. a CURTAIN! It works for our doors. Its just you and Ava. You have your reasons. Cheers
I live in Tennessee, and never really plan to live aboard a sailboat, but i just wanted to tell you that your attitude about fixing things and creating solutions for problems that you run into really changed how i look at problems i run into while fixing things. i appreciate you and your channel. Thanks, man.
Two things.
1. The washer and dryer would probably benefit from adding some shock absorption pads. Think washer, pad, plywood, pad washer. I would imagine something made from silicone, possibly cut from a cheep pot holder but you can figure that out.
2. I would actually do away with the door and hang a privacy curtain. Better ventilation and no banging noise from less than ideal conditions.
I'm looking forward to revisiting some of the things on the other boat and seeing what if anything you would do differently after all this time. 😎
Two separate units, a washer/dryer, are generally found on luxury yachts. Congrats, you have a luxurious yacht.
My wife and I lived in RV's for many years. I agree that a single combined unit is not good. We now have two units and love them. My largest complaint on combined units was the dryer never really got our clothes fully dry. The load size is larger on our dual units as well. Worth every penny and space I contributed
“Of course, a door works waayy better with hinges” .... oh, Mads - these are the life-hack gems I relish each week. 💯💥👌🏽🤣👍🏼
on our boat, facing a similar problem, we placed the handle on the wall and the latch receiver on the door. Credit my father for this simple yet effective solution. Good luck- your videos are much enjoyed.
My house (built in 1902) has several (internal) sliding doors with recessed knobs on either side. Works like a charm. Also, a couple of yrs ago I built a new bathroom and the massive shower glass door came with a recessed knob, actually a through hole with a decorating frame. Also works like a charm.
For a folding door on Athena I see no problems with either a recessed or a through hole knob.
As a locking mechanism I suggest a hinged stainless flat bar (6-7cm) mounted in a frame (actually a tiny box) with thin walls recessed, glued and screwed in the door (the stile on port side). If the door thickness is 12 mm you leave 2 mm ply/wood on either side and you have 8 mm available for the inserted box. If the box's wall thickness is 1.5 mm (x 2) you will have 5 mm for the thickness of the steel bar (should be enough). The bar has a hock on the part that goes into the door fram and hocks over a recessed pin. The lifting mechanism is done by making an elongated and curved hole for 2 knobs mounted on either side of the bar. Ideally the bar should also have a sliding movement so it can be pushed all the way back and into the box/door and not be a hindrance poking out of the door stile.
(Skjønner at dette er vanskelig å forklare, kan jeg sende deg en tegning Mads?).
A bi-fold closet style door would use an upper track to guide the door panels to their open (sandwich) position, and normally uses two recessed fingerpulls or knobs to open (when standing outside of the front cabin). For the inside a thin brass push pad and a brass finger pad to maneuver the door open using both hands. You could inset some magnets to hold the door open and closed. Love your project!
Combination washer / dryers are marketed to those who like wet laundry and enjoy waiting 2 1/2 hours for the cycle to complete. Damp clothes are a mandatory feature in the second floors of most homes.
I’m surprised you didn’t swing the door the other way, into the forward cabin. Not only does it look like there’s space for it, it would also prevent you from being trapped in there if something fell in front of the door and you were stuck inside.
Also, as someone who’s spent all of my boat time in tropical climates, you’ll want to keep the drier. Nothing better than putting on actual fresh, crispy, dry clothes, when everything around you has been soaking in the soupy humidity all day, every day. A real luxurious feeling!
Yes, re-do the door and frame so it swings open into the forward cabin. That’s the only idea that makes sense.
I was thinking the same thing. It looks like it would swing in and be able to sit against the new locker.
Here's a tip, Mads. To locate screws centrally in a hinge hole (or any other metal hole), hold the hinge in place and use a countersink bit in your drill in the holes in the hinge. It self-centres in the hole in the hinge, and leaves a cone-shaped depression in the wood behind into which you start drilling your hole. It's almost impossible to get wrong.
There is also a selfcentering hinge drill bit. I have 2 from my years as a union carpenter.
Thank you! This has been a constant problem for me and this is a perfect solution
You made the right decision on your washere and dryer. We have the combo Splendide in our RV, here in the southeast US. It is a great unit if you are limited on space, BUT, it does use a lot of water. It also only holds a very small amount of laundry, and takes about 3 hours to wash and dry one small load. With the separate units, you will be able to dry while washing at the same time. If the time comes for us to replace ours, we will put in a separate washer and dryer like you did.
Fantastic work you are doing.
Am I the only one getting an Ace Ventura vibe?
Really enjoy your videos. Looking forward to your journey!
You picked the right type! Washer and dryer in 2 units is much much better!
A recessed finger hole handle fitted half way up on the left hand side of the right half of the door ,then you won't catch your clothing on it every time you walk through it , won't need one on the bedroom side because you just have to poke it in the middle and it will fold. Great job on the exhaust and washer and dryer .
Sliding door. Hollow out the wall next to the washer/drier or opposite side. Heavy duty tracks like the clothing shelf, and with small latch points so nothing creates sound in open/closed door position. It is slightly more work, but you will gain all of the space you crave for.
I think you should go with a pocket door arrangement. You could trim your drawers a little and then should have plenty of room to slide it behind. That would keep the door out of the way and allow a large opening when needed. Just a suggestion. 😊
For the folding door, in English they are referred to as a bifold door. Normally they have a track, and the non-hinged side has a pin with a roller that goes in the track. You may need a couple magnets on the cabin side of the door to keep the two halves together when open, and some more in the door jamb to keep the door from flopping open when under sail. They also usually have a normal drawer pull in the center of the non-hinged panel. I am more of a fan of putting the handle on the hinged panel, near the piano hinge. I find this gives the best leverage when opening the door.
For the dryer, I may be mistaken, but it looks like a "ventless" dryer to me. If I am correct, that is the same style I have at my house. Double check your owners manual, as there should be a heat exchanger that will need regular cleaning. It will be located to the left of those perforations on the front, behind a cover. A shelf might interfere with opening that panel, so you might want to design the shelf to be removed easily. I have to clean mine once a month, with about 3-4 uses a week.
They also have a sump pit/pump. You might keep an eye on it if drying while underway, as the water in the sump might spill out.
I work as an maintenance technician for an apartment complex, so I just wanted to suggest a few spare parts I would recommend keeping on hand that I see go out a lot.
For the dryer - belt (if it's not a direct drive), moisture sensor, sump pump, and temperature limit switches.
For the washer - water pump, and door seal. Since it is a front loader, I would recommend leaving the door open when not in use. There is always a little water left inside, and you will develop mold if you always leave the door shut. I would also recommend applying rubber seal conditioner to the door seal monthly. This will greatly extend the life span of the seal, especially with being in a saltwater environment.
Thanks for all your uploads, I look forward to watching them every Sunday. They have inspired me to tackle more of my own DIY projects around my house. You will have the spiffiest vessel when you are all finished.
Reverse the door to open forward to the starboard. Then in in the open position it will sit against the new clothing drawer unit and be out of the way.
Great video! Long time patron. Love your work dude! Keep is spiffy!
Separate washer/dryer allows you to do laundry almost twice as fast if you have more than one load, if you have the power to spare to run two units at once. Also, faults on one unit does not affect use the other. BTW if Obelix was in North America, you wouldn’t have much problem with its sale since its refit was very well documented. 👍🙂
Maybe a leather strap for the door as a handle...
The boat is becoming really cool 👌
An external elbow pointing down while in the marina may help with sound levels. Even snap in temporary while at the dock.
Yes the before heater sounds like the Battle of Britain!
Dear Mads, I am a retired appliance repair MAN! Trust me, you do not want a washer dryer combo. You made the right choice. I have worked on a lot of yachts and those things are junk. Good choice. 🙂
If you're going with the folding door, all you need is a flush ring pull. This will allow the two door panels to sit face to face.
If you go with the folding door a leather loop pretty much in the center would work just fine. If you set it up a tiny bit to the left and the hinges on the back, the door would fold up nicely and you still have the leather loop to unfold it again.
Down side to the folding door is that they are hard to keep closed/open while underway compared to a real door. In either open or closed positions, it also makes a bunch of noise unless perfectly secured. We have one of those folding doors, and we hate it. It may still be your best solution logistically, but if you do decide to go with it, make sure you can close it or keep it open very firmly.
A tab of leather bridging across the hinge with enough slack to accommodate for the expansion of the hinge opening while making a hump when closed allowing a comfortable grip.
Cut the door I half and make the halves swing separate ways. One into the forward cabin and the other into the galley section.
They don't have to be the same size if that helps out.
We had that solution on our boat and it worked really well and looked nice.
On the washer, wait until you have your boat in the water and have things the way you like it and then check and see if you can adjust the legs to level the washer to match the weight distribution of the boat.
On the dryer make sure your vent is the correct size and not too long or short distance wise. This can affect the thermostats cutting the heat on and off too much. The timer will turn off the dryer before your clothes are dry.
I always watch these on Monday lunchtimes as they get me through the worst day of the week! Thanks Mads!
As for the door, I actually like it as a solid door, bi-fold doors never seem to get entirely out of the way. Instead they're always awkward in both positions, difficult to open and to close.
Can't wait for you to come to the UK at the end of the year. Would love to come to a meet-up - will bring my own sand paper
I can't wait either! For you, I'll even provide the sandpaper ;) We'll have a meet-up for sure! Chances are we'll be pretty stationary during the late fall and winter. That should make it easy to plan a couple of meet-ups :)
@@SailLife I hope you meet up with the lovely Sailing Cadoha crew on the Hamble River, Southampton... another Warrior 38
@@SailLife Mads, when you come to the UK, "fall" will be "autumn". :)
I hope you make it down the east coast into the estuaries of Essex and Suffolk. They're a hidden gem.
@@MikeAG333 Yeah, it is just like you UK people to go and mess up English with your own peculiar words for things...
As for the folding door.
A mechanism can be installed, in the half door that is attached to the jamb with the hinges, so that the bolts protrude from the top and bottom into the jamb.
This way you can also set the door in place when it is open (with a small magnet that will make sure that the free half does not sway.
Successfully.
The heater sounds so much better. For fan speed control, I suggest that you go with PWM control rather than just rheostats so that you use less electricity when you slow the fan speed down. I went the PWM route on my hydronic system and the improvement in 12v usage is fantastic. I used the Noctua NA-FC1, 4-Pin PWM Fan Controller but you could probably find something to put on your DIN systems as well.
I like that you went bare cels with separate BMS instead of individual pre-packaged “drop-ins” which cannot properly protect a battery as drop-ins usually lack external communication for alternators/chargers and therefore overcharge the cells.
Rubber washer around the bolt between the dryer and the shelf. Then rubber washer between the shelf and a washer that is under the head of the bolt. Then you have NVH isolation in all directions.
It would be a tad expensive, but I think a good replacement for those fans would be Noctua industrial fans. Noctua fans are renowned for being super quiet and reliable . The industrial ones come in IP67 and IP52 variants. You could do a bit of DIY PWM control to set the fans to whatever speed you want without having inefficient and unreliable potentiometers in the circuit.
You made right decision. We have 45' coach and had a combined unit. it did not use water to cool but was not very efficient . Small loads long periods to dry. You made the right decision. On our new coach instead of strap, simply a piece of wood across the tops at the front, unit can then not rock
For the door handle you could use a sloth on the galley side covered by a small rectangular lip on the cabin side
You can just make a shaker style pull that will match your veneer and a recessed finger pull on the inside if you go with a bi-fold. Remember you lose opening clearance with those if they can't swing out of the way plus they are noisy, another option might be a restaurant style that swings both ways, one question I had do you need to allow for air flow with your forced heating and dryer requirements ? You can cut the bottom or install louvers if so. A tip for edge clamping is just use whatever clamps you have C-clamps work clamp to the flat surface and use wedges between the clampbody and edgeing. I still think you should look at those extremely thin radiant heating panels I mentioned before ,no noise, air movement low consumption would be great in harbor.
When selling Obelix there surely has to be a premium considering it was maintained and lived on by the world famous Mads? That alone has to be worth a couple extra doll hairs.
There will be a premium simply because the boat market is red hot right now. He should make bank on the sale.
There should be an auction, imagine the hype
Suggest you keep the single slab door and put a lite (window) in it so you can see into the salon from the cabin. Security and awareness.
I think the door should swing in, across the washer drier etc. out of the way. Great vid, cheers.
Looking forward to seeing you both in Ireland 🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
Since you built the drawers in the forward berth, just have the door swing into the forward berth so that it rests against the drawer cabinet in the open position. You can then mount a door catch on the drawer cabinet to hold the door in the open position when in a sea state. That way you don't need to bother with a fancy bifold door or french doors.
Is it not a possibility for a pocket type door. Would solve multiple issues . You are the hardest working man in the refit biz.!!!!!
OK I'll put in my idea for a door knob. Assuming you want a bi-fold door, you can: 1) just drill a hole near the center hing to hook a finger into to open or close on either side. Use latch hook to 'lock' on either side witch could double as a means to lock open as well when underway. 2) drill a hole of about 50mm dia. and make a recessed turning knob for each side. In between make a metal or plastic hook that would swing down into a latch in the door frame. In the US sliding glass doors latch sort of like this. Your conditions could vary. Someone may sell something like this but it looks like your door is only about 20mm thick so I think finding a commercially available product would be a problem. Maybe look at window closures?
Maybe change the door so it swings in the other direction. That way, when it is open it is out of the way. It would by be next to the side of the cabinet of drawers. After all, you know the door is going to stay open almost all of the time.
Amen Bryant. "Dead Wall for Doors"!
The small step down prevents that, thats why he think the fench door would be a bad idea
Bryant, you took the words right out of my mouth. Mads can easily change the opening & closing direction of his 'wonky' cabin door. Even the style (type) of hindges to keep the door flush with the wall.
So, FatPanda, Mads would have to trim a small portion off the door bottom to fit, but he would still have privacy and added ventilation.
Absolutely agree - there is a dead space on the right that it would cover - even if it was hinged on the left, it would only impinge on the washing loading while it was open - either would be better than into the main cabin!!
I personally like the solid door, but if you wanted to do the piano hinge, I would put the hinge on the INSIDE of the door (cabin side) so that it is the door interior that folds in an outward direction. From the inside you can just push on the center of the door to exit (This allows for rapid and safe egress from the cabin. Just push on it and it pops open.) To close it, install a recessed ring pull handle just off the door centerline to pull it shut. This allows the door to fold flat as the ring handle is flush with the door surface. You can get them in several finishes to suit your taste.
WOW!!! Very Spiffy. Not sure about about that door....how about a Star Trek pocket door..👍👍💙. FANTASTIC idea for the washer and dryer. How about a couple of dimmer switches for the forward cabin..? Love your videos and passion.⛵⛵⛵⛵⚓🛌🚽
On the off-chance you were not aware of them yet, I'll mention Noctua brand fans. In the custom PC community they are very much considered to be the "gold standard" due to their high quality and extremely quiet operation. I believe they also make a line of fans suitable for industrial use, with extra resistance to moisture, dirt and corrosion, so perhaps those are worth looking into for your general air pushing needs.
I second noctua fans. Great airflow and bearings, much quieter
Check out Major Hardware's channel where he 3D prints fan designs sent into him by his community, then tests them including noise and cooling performance.
He uses a Noctua fan body and motor.
Some of the designs come very close to Noctua's fan design in terms of performance, some are just so crazy you have to wonder how they spin at all (and some of those have surprisingly good performance too).
m.ua-cam.com/play/PLHLn2U7i45M_EXIsnqUyI-nqCCk-wfCU9.html
I absolutely agree. Noctua's are super quiet with great airflow.
Agreed, I put them in my editing workstation. Super quiet!
I have one cooling the refridgerator in my boat. It's impossible to hear it running.
Reverse The Door - to some degree you're trying to push a square peg into a round hole when considering the functional side of it. The simplest solution (in functional terms, not build time) is to reverse the door so it opens inward towards the washer and dryer space. No one is going to stand there for long periods of time - it is only a functional space for short periods of time and importantly you can securely latch the door open and in place when you're under sail - and the recess position above the washing machine gives space for a door handle to clear obstructions. Not sure if there is a step there or anything else stopping that opening action, but if it can be done, that would save you a lot of grief with bi-folding doors and access to the seating/galley areas. Just a thought.
Maybe you could fit the door deeper in the forward cabin, so if the door is opened it will cover the washing area and if you close it it will cover the forward cabin
maybe some rubber shims or something to act as a vibration isolator between the boat and the washer / drier. even the most fastidious washer and dryer operator cant stop vibrations from making it out of the machine.
My A/C boat compressor, the base inverted pan sits on a full 1 inch thick pad - reminds me of the mats used for yoga. Closed cell. Absorbs everything. And is firm enough not too hard or soft. He could make a second deck on it.
I think the idea of the door splitted in half is awesome.
Have you thought of using several squared neodymium magnets across the frame and the door to keep it “closed” and also some other ones on the other side to keep it open?, with that you can have just a hole or something less protruding and the door can be kept closed or opened by the force of the magnets. I would imagine 10-15 magnets per side?, it really depends on how strong they are. Just an idea :-)
A pocket door eliminates it being in the way all together however takes a little bulkhead wall planning ahead of time. Another sheet of plywood to form a pocket isn’t going to take up much space at all. Should be a fairly easy install. Just a thought.
When I installed folding doors, two small round knobs served as handles. These were needed to steer and fold the door. This is the typical approach when there no upper track. We also used a pair of magnetic laches or ball latches to keep the door in the closed position, usually mounted at the top
Man, you're doing (have done) such a bang up job on Athena. It's really inspiring to myself and others to tackle larger projects than one would normally attempt. The amount of confidence each video instills in me makes me not only willing but eager to start my bigger jobs aboard my vessel "Jericho". Thank you so much!
If you cut the door in half and add a piano hinge the handle would be on the cabin (not bed) side so the doors would fold pretty dang flat as all you'd have between the two doors is the screw head. Use a counter sink and you don't even have that. From inside the V-birth you'd just push on the middle to open then fold out of the way. Another possibility would be some kind of a fabric pull loop where the hinge is but that might look too funky for your taste.
Think of your washer as an engine, you will end up with some sort of rubber grommet between those washers. A washer will vibrate weather you want it to or not. Better to accommodate.
Make sure the washer and dryer can be removed for service and repair without having to tear apart half the boat ! I build and service motorhomes and have had to replace many over the years , and some times have had to take them apart to remove them.
It's pretty simple. If you have a combined unit and it breaks, you potentially lose EVERYTHING. Having separate systems will allow you to keep functioning (albeit minimally either bucket wash or hanging dry) until the other unit can be repaired or replaced. I feel it's a good strategy. You have my permission to continue. :)
19:28 for the folding door just a hole would work as a handle ^.^ but I have a better idea, what about a sliding door? though it will require to add a second wall behind the bulkhead and change a drawers a bit to make a slot for sliding door.
or you can try to flip the door frame to make door opens inside the forward cabin - then it wont be on the way when opened
I think that level of excitement over a door was justified 😁
To keep the door open:: Dill a few holes in the bottom of the door & install some neodymium magnets & screws few flat head screws in the floor to match.
Hi. Been watching you for a few years now. Always interesting watching your videos.
After watching ALL or you videos!! I find it a neat coincidence that I caught up to you present day videos the episode you move off of Obelix. Congrats on your move aboard Athena👍
Hi Mads. The washer dryer you refered to use condensating principal with cold water. They are useless, take ages and use a lot of power and water too. But you already knew that. :-) Here is a suggestion for your door. It looks great as it is but if you go to a by-fold door you can use the push-pop button type used on modern production boats for cupboards and lockers. When the door is open and by-folded, you simply push the button as if it was locked and there is no handle. When the door is closed the button is also flush. It just takes a finger push to open and then you have a handle. Sail Safe mate. Ant, Cid & the pooch crew.
0:58 At first I understood "roughly 851 days"!!! :D :D :D
Concerning the door handle, I would suggest just a leather strap and to use strong magnets to keep the door open/shut. Next to pocket doors, I think the variant you favoured is the best option indeed.
A bi-fold door might be a good fit for your application.
Cut the door in half vertically and a simple pull installed MIDWAY (on the latch side) at 36" above floor will suffice.
Pro: Provides more access room around opened door/
Con: Reduces opening size by about 1".
Just a thought
Cheers,
I think a swinging dutch door would make a great cabin door...change configuration so doors open to the inside.
The standard answer from motor home world is a pocket door. That would entail a simple pull handle out of leather or something like that. Now putting in the pocket for the door to run in would have been best done before all the shelves and drawers. But that would have taken forsite. sigh. Also you might consider a cloth snap on a small bit of leather to act as a door latch. The latch can be made to hold the door either open or shut. Holding it shut while you are inside will be different from holding it shut while you are outside. The solution for that is two mechanisms. You might come up with a clever thing to let you do both. The in-home pocket doors have a simple latch but those doors are thicker, and those latches are not made for a healing sailboat.
Have you considered a pocket door lock? They can be recessed into the door, and have the latch inside the jamb. You may try a similar lock to secure the central hinge section as well, to prevent it from flapping while the door is latched.
I'd also place a hinge in the middle of the door to prevent the warping that will come with time, and hinge bind the door.
Suggest to add a third hinge and to consider a bi-fold door with upper guiding track.
As someone who grew up on the gulf coast, you want a dryer in warmer climates.
Problem is ... heat and humidity in the boat. Likely to be very unpleasant if on board.
@@rhubarbcrumble3792 should be easy enough to vent out.
Thinking the same - a dryer will remove the humidity from clothes
I love the look of wood but I reckon a white door would look better there. A big slab of dark wood would suck up the light in the cabin but a white door with a dark wood frame would look really spiffy. Maybe it time to test the look in sketchup
Good choice going with LiFePO4 for the lithium cells. They don't experience thermal runaway until much higher temperatures than other lithium battery chemistries. You do lose a little energy density, but the trade off is well worth it.
Somehow, you manage to make a humble door something interesting and amusing!! Brilliant.
Madds have you considered mounting that door in a sliding configuration so that when it is open it is concealed in a cavity within the wall to one side?
That should also negate any movement of the door resulting in knocking noises otherwise you might want to consider any free play present in features like hinged doors and contrive ways of negating that aspect with padding?
I suspect that if you do not, constant little knocking sounds resulting from boat movement might eventually wear on the nerves of someone who is bothered by the admittedly more prominent buzz of a combustion heater.
door handle idea - I used a Stainless Steel 304 Recessed Install Cup Door Pull. I found them on Amazon. They are only 27 Doll Hairs, and they worked out great! Just search my description and they should pop right up!
I second the request for "Where is Jökull", I sure hope he is doing well.
If you keep the door in place with a magnet, you could just mount a flush pull handle on the opening side.
Small paired magnets would work good and you could add magnets under the vineer snd the nesr wall to hold the door open.
A more positive finger latch, magnet catches can too easily be knocked off.
Well done Mads on achieving a most significant milestone.👍 I think rubber washers on the mounting feet would help isolate the washing machine from structure and reduce vibration into the boat. Use of the washing machine machine will need to be fairly strategic (even with a water maker), like 2 days prior to getting into a Marina sort of thing.😉⛵️
See you next week.
Fans for the heating. If your after silent ones have a look for pc ones. They are 12v, and you can get some high flow silent ones.
Change the swing as already mentioned,Id swing left so when open it only blocks the washer,then use whatever handle you want,Id use flush handles so I dont get knocked into it on windy days
Rubber mount the heater. Rigid mounts are probably making the boat act like an amplifier for it. Great videos! I look forward to each one.
I think your washer and dryer combo is a great luxury to have! Me and my family (3 of us total) have been using one of those cheap washer and spin dryer models, and it is fantastic for us. Our space is a bit more limited (since we didn't a do a full refit and change the layout to suit our needs exactly as you did :P) and the spin dryer pulls out most of the water. After that we just hang dry. Great option for those of us that may have space for a really small washer, but not a dryer as well.
You could put the handle in the middle of the door to the right of the piano hinge.
Just add one (or two smaller) Lead Acid batteries to your Lithium system - Emily and Clark's Adventures has a great explanation and reason to do so (including preventing a broken alternator from frying everything).
I never imagined the heater would make any noise at all, but having watched this video I can see why your neighbors might have a problem :D ... that exhaust sounds like a turbo prop engine running! The muffler was a really good idea.
Another installment by Mads always makes my day. Well done. Now you only need to open the door to go the the work site.
My suggestion is a bit late but swing that door into the forward cabin so it's against the wall where you built the storage drawers. It will be out of the way but fixes all bi-fold door problems you are facing. Good Luck
Mads, I have been watching your progress with interest, well done. Did you put electrical cable grommets on the oven/oven holder instead of the self-amalgamating tape? The last I saw it was self-amalgamating tape. I might be a bit late on the door, but if you want to use a bi-fold door and the central hinge is on the side of the saloon, the main hinge has to be away from the vertical post by the thickness of the door so it can be folded on itself and then opened fully against the sofa. The alternative is the central hinge is on the fore-cabin side, so it operates like domestic patio "bi-fold" doors. That way the first bit lies flush against the sofa and the second bit is flush against that. For door handles, might I suggest "pull ring" handles. There then comes the question - how to keep the door closed when you are in the fore cabin and open when open if you see what I mean.
Hi Mads, I've worked professionally with thundersky aka Winston back in 2007 when they just started making these LiFePO4 cells. They have modest quality, not the best not the worst. If you take good care of them (not discharging to 0% and not charging when temp is
Folding door is the way to go, Mads, and any that I have installed have round recessed door handles. Being on a boat you could also mount some magnets in the seam to ensure that it stays closed in rough weather.
I don’t know if you have the bulkhead space, but a sliding pocket door would definitely solve the problem of having the door causing space issues when it’s open.
I was thinking the same thing.. pocket doors are brilliant. An for folding door use the lil cut out an find flush handles!!
Me too!
You are looking for a Pocket Door Lock if you want a flat door handle. Excited to see you moving in, its been such a long journey!
Sad to see Obelix empty, I started watching before you sold your house and moved aboard. I lusted for a ballad and finally bought one neary 5 years ago, Obelix make someone a fine boat.