How Exactly Do You Iron on a Boat?!

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We only have a 1600w inverter and most irons are over 2000w!

Not only that, but we don't have shoreline either....hmmmm! Anyway, call me old fashioned, but I still like to iron the bedding - still feels dirty if its not been ironed!




So for liveaboard boaters, there's 2 options (actuallyo maybe 3!)

Your options are as follows:-

1. Continue to use a normal household iron on a 1600w inverter and hope that you don't suddenly hear a *bang* when you hear the inverter bleeping that its been overloaded.

2. Buy a £10 travel iron which are smaller and consume less watts and probably live with half ironed clothes and bedding ( maybe travel irons are better these days?)

3. Go and find someone who does ironing and will pick up and drop back - but have the downside of paying £1 per item and £5 for a double duvet cover :)

We go with option 1 at the moment.... And I literally cringe the whole time the iron is plugged in. It kind of goes like this:

* Switch iron on and cringe

* Listen to inverter start bleeping and cringe again

* Iron faster

* Each time iron needs to reheat, listen to inverter bleep again
and engine go into a haunting dull drone.

* Cringe

* Iron faster

* ... and faster

* Complete ironing, switch iron off and thank god that nothing
blew up, set on fire, lit up or killed me!

....

Gawd!!! Don't even get me started on ironing boards!

We have to do something - and I think a travel iron is the way forward. Does anyone out there have any recommendations??

On and that isn't an invite to Morphy Richards for free advertising space :)

Earlier this evening I also had a group of hooligans on the towpath outside the boat shouting! It only turned out to be Geoff from Seyella, Moore 2 Life and Rock n Roll. There was also a crew member from Mickey J(?)

It was great to see you all, although very briefly and hopefully I'll see you all again or even have a coffee with you all!

Comments

  1. Unknown9 April 2013 at 19:40

    Try a dry iron ....... they're usually under 1800 watts and not expensive either. Hope this helps.
    Ross

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown9 April 2013 at 19:41

    that should read under 1600 w

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dave,Beryl Bradshaw9 April 2013 at 20:49

    What about the Old fashioned way with a dry Iron on top of the Wood burner Junk shop Hunting I think.Dave & Beryl

    ReplyDelete
  4. Paul and El9 April 2013 at 23:12

    How to Iron on a narrowboat, easy.....dont!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dave NB Patricia J9 April 2013 at 23:12

    We have an 1800w inverter and we use a tesco value steam iron which is only 1200 watts & is excellent and cost a mere £4.86

    Great Blog guys keep it up

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unknown10 April 2013 at 11:12

    A hand held steamer? Sorry have no idea of their wattage or a dry iron and a spray bottle. Or you could buy some bedding which is crease free, although in my experience they are not entirely crease free but I don't iron my bedding as I don't like to lose the 'dried outdoors' smell and crease free is much better

    ReplyDelete
  7. Brian and Diana on NB Harnser10 April 2013 at 19:39

    You do realise that your iron is dragging over 100Amps out of your batteries. That will flatten one battery in half an hour

    ReplyDelete
  8. One Thing After Another10 April 2013 at 22:21

    Thanks for the comments guys - not sure I want to go down the route of an iron on top of the stove.

    Think I will go for the tesco one - I will see if its still about!

    Best - not sure if you mean just an iron that has no 'steam' function?

    Brian and Diana - we always have the engine in when we iron so it usually takes nothing from the batts as we have a 170amp alt. I think if I used without the engine on, the batts would die in about 5 minutes!

    ReplyDelete

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