The Compromise of the Convenience
The Ranger 25 has a real head, a sink and a standup shower with hot and cold water. This is rarely seen in a 25 foot boat and there is a reason for that; the factory has done a great job at packing a lot into a small space. It is a wonderful convenience and a compromise. The compromise is that is tight. The bigger the body, the tighter the fit. If you cannot live with the compromise, then look at a bigger boat.
The Head is for one person. Our marine head with its hand pump is perfectly adequate for us. It is simply and easy to use. The 30 gallon holding tank is also perfectly adequate for our uses. About the time, we need to get fresh water is about the time we need to empty the holding tank. A couple times a year, we add a cup of liquid soap and a 1/2 cup of Calgon water softener beads and fill the tank about 3/4 of the way. Then, drive to the marina or cruise around for half an hour; then pump it out. All sorts of sludge comes out. We flush the toilet sometimes with fresh water and a vinegar mix but that is about it.
The sink is adequate for washing hands and face. It is right above the hot water heater so there is no waste of water waiting for the hot water to arrive. The engine will heat the whole tank in about 30 minutes after it is warmed up. The hot water tank heats also with a 120 volt shore power in about 20 minutes or less. We conserve water by filling the sink bowl with water rather than letting the faucet run.
In our boat the shower is separate and in the corner. We now prefer using the boat's shower to most marina showers. But there is a sequence to do this effectively and easily. First, if we are not hooked into shore power, the hot water tank will keep the water hot for about 8 hours but the more you use, thus adding cold water to the tank, the quicker it is gone. So, if the boat is not plugged in, we take showers sooner than later.
Clear the shelves of anything you do not want to get wet. Everything in the cabinets will stay dry. Put the towels outside the Head. That means the curtains in the living area need to be closed because we use the hallway for final drying and getting dressed. Put the shower head in the sink and turn on the water, adjusting the temperature before putting it on you; this is a great way to avoid surprises. Get wet, turn off the water, soap up, rinse, get the hair wet, turn off the water, shampoo, and do a final rinse. We use microfiber towels because they dry the body fast and dry out fast.
In the hot places, we pass the shower head through the porthole and do a rinse off in the cockpit. Being scuba divers, the same tactic is used to rinse off the dive gear.
The last person who uses the shower, wipes everything down that got wet, thus cleaning the whole compartment.
To create the perspective of more space, we did a couple of things that made a huge difference:
we moved and replaced the curtain so it is closer to the wall and added the darkest limo tint to the inside of the window. During the day, no one can see in (photo on the left) but you can easily see out (photo in the center). During the day, we use the head and shower with the curtain open, creating more space. Don't do this during the night unless you want to be seen. The photo on the right shows the storage of the micro-fiber towels.
The Head is for one person. Our marine head with its hand pump is perfectly adequate for us. It is simply and easy to use. The 30 gallon holding tank is also perfectly adequate for our uses. About the time, we need to get fresh water is about the time we need to empty the holding tank. A couple times a year, we add a cup of liquid soap and a 1/2 cup of Calgon water softener beads and fill the tank about 3/4 of the way. Then, drive to the marina or cruise around for half an hour; then pump it out. All sorts of sludge comes out. We flush the toilet sometimes with fresh water and a vinegar mix but that is about it.
The sink is adequate for washing hands and face. It is right above the hot water heater so there is no waste of water waiting for the hot water to arrive. The engine will heat the whole tank in about 30 minutes after it is warmed up. The hot water tank heats also with a 120 volt shore power in about 20 minutes or less. We conserve water by filling the sink bowl with water rather than letting the faucet run.
In our boat the shower is separate and in the corner. We now prefer using the boat's shower to most marina showers. But there is a sequence to do this effectively and easily. First, if we are not hooked into shore power, the hot water tank will keep the water hot for about 8 hours but the more you use, thus adding cold water to the tank, the quicker it is gone. So, if the boat is not plugged in, we take showers sooner than later.
Clear the shelves of anything you do not want to get wet. Everything in the cabinets will stay dry. Put the towels outside the Head. That means the curtains in the living area need to be closed because we use the hallway for final drying and getting dressed. Put the shower head in the sink and turn on the water, adjusting the temperature before putting it on you; this is a great way to avoid surprises. Get wet, turn off the water, soap up, rinse, get the hair wet, turn off the water, shampoo, and do a final rinse. We use microfiber towels because they dry the body fast and dry out fast.
In the hot places, we pass the shower head through the porthole and do a rinse off in the cockpit. Being scuba divers, the same tactic is used to rinse off the dive gear.
The last person who uses the shower, wipes everything down that got wet, thus cleaning the whole compartment.
To create the perspective of more space, we did a couple of things that made a huge difference:
we moved and replaced the curtain so it is closer to the wall and added the darkest limo tint to the inside of the window. During the day, no one can see in (photo on the left) but you can easily see out (photo in the center). During the day, we use the head and shower with the curtain open, creating more space. Don't do this during the night unless you want to be seen. The photo on the right shows the storage of the micro-fiber towels.
