vacuum for boat

[gulfcoastcruiser]

Anyone have a recommendation for a good vacuum cleaner that will fit in a dock box or stow out of the way. I need a good one that will pick up dog hair. The compact vacuums I have tried do not work well and my wet/dry vacs only seem to last about a year before they quit working.

[jcalvinmarks]

If you're only using it for small jobs around the boat, why not get the smallest (usually 1 gallon) wet-dry vac they have at Wal-Mart or Target. I have one in the garage for small jobs, like vacuuming out the cars, and works just fine, even on pet hair. They're small, compact, relatively powerful, and they're only $20-30. Use it until it dies, then pitch it overboard.

(I'm just kidding about throwing it overboard. Don't do that. Do as I say, not as I do.)

[lydanynom]

What wet/dry vacs have you tried? One of those with a long hose (long enough so you can leave the canister on the dock -- buy central vac hose in bulk) was going to be my first suggestion. I love that setup.

I've just got a medium-sized Rigid from the Home Despot that has held up fine for 4 years now without any special treatment. I don't remember what I paid for it but I don't think it was much.

[gulfcoastcruiser]

I forget now which brand wet/dry vac I have but it is the 1 gallon from Wal-Mart. I guess I will just pitch it and buy another one. I will say it worked very well until recently. I have a feeling the pet hair led to an early demise.

I do like the idea of the long hose in theory, but then I have to store the hose somewhere.

[QuickMick]

this baby handles about anything i throw at it and its pretty small.

Shop-Vac® :: Vacs

[oceanscapt]

I'd recommend a wet-dry type like the Shop-Vac or it's clone. If you don't have an inverter, you may have to look for a 12VDC version but they don't seem readily available, seem to cost more, and don't seem as good.

I do not recommend the Dust Buster in any form.

[davester]

I use one of these and it works well.
dave

[QuickMick]

heck, seems that everything DeWalt makes is rock solid... why not a vac too? tnx, ill check it out next time im getting 'expert advice' at the home depot.... lol

[GraemeInCanada]

I just use a small battery powered vacuum like the dust buster in a sense. Works really well and gets rid of all the dust and stuff that manages to get in the boat.

For a bit more power though I would definitely move up to a small wet/dry vac. Storing it and powering it would be a pain and practically impossible at anchor unless you have an inverter. What on earth do you need to vacuum up at anchor that needs a wet/dry full powered vacuum though.

[montenido]

I use one of the small 1 gal shop vacs. I got it at Walmart. What I especially like about it is you can reverse the hose and use it to fill your inflatable dinghy in about a minute. Done with the dinghy? Now use it to vacate ALL the air, allowing it to be folded and rolled easily.

Oh, and it vacuums great also.

Bill