Cabin Design Must-Haves

[rorik]

Also under the v-berth, there used to be drawers. The drawer fronts are still there, but glued in place. By removing the actual drawer and building a shelf at the same level as the drawer bottoms that I can access from above by way of a lift out lid, I quadrupled the available space on each side of the forepeak.
Drawers are nice. ... But what a small boat really needs is storage.

Wow, that is really interesting, because I am doing the same to all the drawers in the Alberg 30.  The drawers waste a TON of available space.

Most of Mathilda's interior looks nothing like 1979....
We might have to swap pictures......  ;D

[CharlieJ]

LOL- Drawers-and I added two up in the fore cabin, one each side. We love 'em. Of course I built them to the shape of the hull in back, so they fit closely. But I can see the benefits of extra space that a bin gives- all else is shelf or bin storage aboard.

Some thoughts on the holding tank- Be SURE you can empty it yourself. There are zero pump out facillities in the Bahamas, except for one at Atlantis in Nassau. Also, we often went 7-8 days with a 5 gallon porta potti converted to pump out. On the boat alone I went 15-16 days. 20 gallons is a LOT.

[Captain Smollett]

LOL- Drawers-and I added two up in the fore cabin, one each side. We love 'em. Of course I built them to the shape of the hull in back, so they fit closely. But I can see the benefits of extra space that a bin gives- all else is shelf or bin storage aboard.

On our drawers, the backs are shaped to the hull.  But AROUND the drawers, bottom sides and top, there is a TON of wasted space.

Some thoughts on the holding tank- Be SURE you can empty it yourself. There are zero pump out facillities in the Bahamas, except for one at Atlantis in Nassau. Also, we often went 7-8 days with a 5 gallon porta potti converted to pump out. On the boat alone I went 15-16 days. 20 gallons is a LOT.

Additional data:

I put a 14 gallon holding tank on Gaelic Sea, and with four of us using it full time (no "shore trips"), we get a week or a bit more before needing to pump out.

With access to shore based facilities during the day and only using the head at night, we go 4-6 weeks between pump-outs.

(Interestingly, though, some other A-30 owners with the same tank report that for a couple aboard, they need a pump-out every 2-3 days.  I'm not sure why the discrepancy).

I plumbed the tank so it could be pumped overboard.  That is, rather than a Y to do overboard discharge where legal, the effluent ALWAYS goes into the tank.  Offshore, a full tank can be pumped overboard.  There's a Y after the holding tank; one leg goes to the manual overboard pump, the other to the pump-out deck fitting.

That's unconventional; it's not without its disadvantages, but seemed the best solution for us.

[rorik]

My head goes straight to the holding tank, then it  Y's and then through a bilge pump and out. Very easy. Lift the forepeak lid, reach in, turn the Y, pump, close it up.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Nice thread  :)

On the double sink - the easy answer is a washing up bowl that fits into the sink..........I only mention it because only dawned on me last year! (and I used one at home!).

In addition to what already mentioned, with crew aboard then I would add privacy - not so easy to acheive on small boat, especially if open plan, but even a curtain around a bunk or to seperate the forward V berth can be enough to create some "own space" - whether for dozing, reading or listening to music. I would say especially important the longer folk are on a boat........and IME the benefits are not simply having the "me time", but equally importantly you know you can.

and although not directly a Cabin thing, the extra space given by a cockpit enclosure is well worthwhile having to help avoid the living on top of each other feeling.

Having said that, I am probably on the more "not so good with people" end of the scale  ;D but IME rare folk who can live with others in a confined space 24/7 for extended periods - without strangling someone (in mind if not in reality!).

[JWalker]

We just came down the tenn-tom last month

You'll be motoring the tenn-tom...even if there is wind.

we did a little motor sailing.....but the river is amazingly narrow in most places, and under sail is not where you want to be when a barge tied three wide comes skidding around the corner at full speed. You hit the VHF and say "Northbound tow this is southbound sailboat, do you see me?"

but the tow hasent cleared the corner yet....so all you see are three wide barges barreling down on you, and finaly the tow's bridge comes around the corner and the tow captain usually seems surprised that you were hailing him, and not some other tow....and comes back on the VHF and says "yeah I'll see you on the one." and then you hit the tiller hard over to starboard and get as close to the bank as possible and the barges go past with more room than you thought, but your pulse is still elevated, and then the wake comes.

No no.....we didnt sail.

in some places we wondered if there was room for them and us.

also make SURE you have a good heater, and one you can use underway if your leaving that time of year.
we did ok.....but we had some cold days, REALLY cold days.....one day we switched out to 45 minute watches because
that was as long as one person could stay outside. That was November.

We used a kerosene lantern that puts out 8k btu, and that was a godsend....but we did not use it underway.

We are also using a MSD portapotti....it uses less water flushing than our previous head....so we can get as far on it as we did with a holding tank 3 times as large. Plus in florida apparently they have gotten a bit gestapo about heads, and board sailboats often to inspect and make sure that any overboard discharge is disabled. We havent been boarded yet....but thats what we are hearing.

[Sunset]

Interesting, I read your blog J, the cold weather traveling is not something I care for at all. But until I can get my wife to skip the holidays and leave in October it's something will have to deal with. We where planning to have a dodger that can be connected to the Bimini. I believe after one winter trip we'll be wishing we made the Bimini with a total incloser option.
My brother was in a hurry to get to the keys also, they made it to Boot Key Harbor on Chrismas eve. They love it there.
I think the small cabin on their Coronado 25 tries their patience with oneother.
We will call Beta marine and see if a cabin heater is available for their small diesels and if not, can one be setup.
I believe a cabin heater will end up being one of our top five must-haves for the type of cruising where planning every year.

I think we'll stick with installing a regular marine head at this point. I hated the job of dumping and cleaning the flusable porta potty. But on the other hand I'm sure I won't like working on the marine head ether.

Scott

[CharlieJ]

.

I think we'll stick with installing a regular marine head at this point. I hated the job of dumping and cleaning the flusable porta potty. But on the other hand I'm sure I won't like working on the marine head ether.

Scott

A point to bear in mind- Boot Key Harbor gives you seven days if you don't have pump out capability- then you gotta leave. I found the pump-able MSD (plumbed Porta-potti) to be  the best of both worlds. Glad I did it.,

Modified to add-

The Porta-Potti was the best solution for Tehani, as there was simply no space for a holding tank. Not with two aboard, pretty much full time. That space was sorely needed for clothes, stores, etc

[rorik]

......We will call Beta marine and see if a cabin heater is available for their small diesels and if not, can one be setup.
I believe a cabin heater will end up being one of our top five must-haves for the type of cruising where planning every year............

Scott

You can get one of these, or a different brand, at most marine stores.......
http://www.suremarineservice.com/search.aspx?find=real
I bought my propane tank set up from them. They were pretty good.

[JWalker]

Yeah the cold was cold...real cold.  Especially when we wanted to be south and were not.

The other thing we didnt realize is that while you can run all day....you simply can not run every day. So it took us considerably longer to get south than we anticipated. For instance we just spent a good week making around the bend in the gulf....we got to clearwater and have been here for three days.....sleeping. We were just worn out.

We had originally thought we would take the boat back up the tenn-tom and put her in either guntersville or all the way back to knoxville, then sail her back down next winter.

It didnt take long for us to realize that we will be leaving her somewhere in FL this summer while we have to be back in TN.

I didnt set out to cruise rivers....I want to see the bottom.....so it makes more sense to us to have the boat where we want to be and maximize our time cruising.

That said, in a future boat I want a heater that can run 24/7 in the cabin....even if I'm cruising on the equator!

[s/v The`]

What I don't have. I live on a 22' sailboat year round in the Pacific North West.  Before this boat I lived aboard an Allegra 24, Flicka 20, and Westerly Cirrus 22.
I don't have a head, I use a bucket, the marina bathroom and wagg bags.  I have never found this to be an issue and while I am single I have had many girls aboard and it takes them about 10 seconds to get used to it.
I don't have a built in water tank, I have 10, 5 gallon movable jugs and a 2.5 gallon gravity system.  At some point I'm sure Ill add a real tank but it really is not a big deal.
I don't have any form of shower, I swim in the ocean and dry off before the salt water can evaporate, its the evaporation that makes you itch.  If its too cold I take a marina shower.
I don't have any electronics on the boat and don't miss them.
I don't have an oven, I use a single burner stove and make bread in a cast iron skillet.
its really all what you make of it.  Before I lived aboard I paid about $3,000.00 per month to live in a house, now I pay $238.00 slip rent and own the boat.  I honestly cant see ever living in a house again.  Just my 2 cents which is all its worth.

[Jim_ME]

What I don't have. ... Just my 2 cents which is all its worth.

Well, that 2 cents will get you a grog.  :)

Interesting website/blog you have there, Alan.

-Jim

[Sunset]

This not a must have by any means but I thought it might be nice.
If the forward bulkhead configuration would allow it. I was thinking why not have a 14 inch flat screen TV with a disc player built in. And mount it in a cutout in the bulkhead so it could be turned from the main cabin to the v berth area by simply unlocking a pin and swiveling the direction you wish.
I'm not a big fan of wasting time in front of the tube but do like a good movie every once in a while.

[SeaHusky]

This not a must have by any means but I thought it might be nice.
If the forward bulkhead configuration would allow it. I was thinking why not have a 14 inch flat screen TV with a disc player built in. And mount it in a cutout in the bulkhead so it could be turned from the main cabin to the v berth area by simply unlocking a pin and swiveling the direction you wish.
I'm not a big fan of wasting time in front of the tube but do like a good movie every once in a while.

Perhaps one of these...
http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php/topic,3523.0.html

[rorik]

This not a must have by any means but I thought it might be nice.
If the forward bulkhead configuration would allow it. I was thinking why not have a 14 inch flat screen TV with a disc player built in. And mount it in a cutout in the bulkhead so it could be turned from the main cabin to the v berth area by simply unlocking a pin and swiveling the direction you wish.
I'm not a big fan of wasting time in front of the tube but do like a good movie every once in a while.

Perhaps one of these...
http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php/topic,3523.0.html

In the interest of keeping things simple, why not just watch movies on the same laptop you do everything else with? I do it all the time....works great, even if it is only a 15" screen.
And no hole in the bulkhead.