View Single Post
Old 05-12-2013, 06:57 PM   #4
JAT
Guru
 
JAT's Avatar
 
Vessel Name: Just a Tinch
Vessel Model: Gulfstar 44 MC
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 595
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sterlau View Post
I appreciate the information. I am really trying to get information on solutions for the challenge of getting the units in and out of this particular model, the Gulfstar 44MC

Thanks,

Steve
Steve,

If you have the original unit in the boat... our 44' GS....had a Whirlpool unit with the dryer on top and the washer at the bottom... Here's the good news, it can be removed from the boat....bad news...you are going to have to dismantle the unit most of the way down. It will not go up the stairs...... in one piece. It will only go up in pieces. I figured out that the unit was put into the boat before the deck was put on.... I had to pull the unit out of its closet into the hall and start dismantling it.... Not that much to it, but if you have a drill with a nutdriver attachment it goes faster... Once you get the outer shell off of top and bottom you can separate the units and get whats left up the stairs.

I recommend that you pop the bungs out of the vertical trim piece on the right side of the closet...as you are facing the washer...and empty out the cabinet at the top of the stairs on your left as you go up the stairs. There will be screws at the back of the cabinet both high and low, and if yours is like mine at the bottom you need to unscrew the false bottom in the cabinet to take the screws out of the bottom sides and front. After you take the cabinet loose...carefully turn it away from the stairs... Ours has an electical outlet in it so it would only move so far. But you will have enough room to get the sections out of the boat.

Unless you have miraculously found a direct replacement for it....I suggest not spending time looking....I turned the world upside down trying to find one. All the current units like them are all too tall to fit in the closet, and some are too wide as well.

We replaced ours with two Whirlpool separates....that fasten together to make an up and down double unit. The washer is a WFC7500VW that is a high performance washer that front loads. The dryer is a front load dryer that goes on top LDR3822PQ that runs on 110V like the washer, and the only other thing you will need is the WP-001 kit for Whirlpool...its the attachment bracket to secure the two together.

The two new Whirpool units will go down the stairs and into the closet without any alterations or parts removed. I would leave the trim strip and cabinet loose until you put the new units...if you get the same ones.

I can tell you this...both units work very well, and the dryer holds a lot of clothes and works very well. The Admiral is very pleased with the units. We are full time liveaboards....

If you need anymore information...don't hesitate to message me. Ours is hull # 65 built in 1979.

Rob
JAT is offline   Reply With Quote