Sacrificing the V berth

The V berth is an institution on small boats.

However I'm thinking of doing away with the V berth on a small boat (say 23' to 24') and using it for storage, as well as a head with a stand-up shower. This would involve taking out the forward hatch and replacing it with a large pop-up hatch, that could be raised to take a shower, then lowered. It would have a canvas skirt for privacy and could it could be locked down tight from under neath. On at typical 24' sailboat this would reduce the sleeping accommodations from 5 people to 3. But if it is just you and your mate, having a shower and privacy in the head could be worth it. Whad'you think?

 

Welcome to the Forum Barnacle.
Do you have any particular make(s) of boat around 23' - 24' in mind for this conversion?
Not all boats of this size have vee berths, and some do have quite reasonable heads / shower compartments further aft.
Re your location 'in a hospital', I hope that this is just temporary - which country are you living in?
Some countries will have a much better selection of sailing boats of this size for sale, compared to others.

 

It has merit, but it probably means no stand up showers while you are sailing, as the jib would be impeded by the pop up.
But people have sit down showers all the time, especially with a flexible head.
If you built the shower plumbing fixture into the raising hatch, then maybe maintenance would be easy.

The biggest "gotcha" might be having to shift all the sails, ropes , fenders out of the way prior to showering. For a boat that size, there is not much storage.

 

On a small boat, the most practical shower is in the cockpit or on the deck. The gray water from showers, if it goes into the bilge ends up stinking and making a sticky mess.

 

Thanks guys. You all raise good points. I hadn't really thought about using it while sailing, that could get tricky. Being in any shower while Coming About, could be a bit challenging - 'one hand for thy shower, one hand for thy ship'.
I was thinking of using some type of holding tank when in port. I agree that the the deck or cockpit is the best place for a shower - but if you are at the dock or even if there are other boats around, someone could be embarrassed.
I was down at the dock today, looking at the forward hatch on several boats - most of them are already pretty large, It might be tricky to modify them. A San Juan has lots of flat space forward though. It is the age old battle, I want a large boat, but I don't want to have to tow a 'beached whale'. What I need is something like Doctor Who's Tardis - something that's bigger on the inside, than it is on the outside.

 

I see too many boats ruined by trying to fit yacht amenities into a small package. A tent in the cockpit has the same privacy as a tent on the forward hatch. However, your limiting factor for showers is water. I spend years cruising in smaller boats. The usual shower is with sea water and dishwasher and maybe a quart of fresh water to rinse. In the tropics, the heavy rains are the preferred shower time.

 

"Too many boats ruined by trying to fit yacht amenities into a small package." This is all too true ... and I have 'tisk-tisked' at many such "improvements" myself. But it seems to be in our nature to try; and we applaud the ones that are successful. A dodger over the cockpit, with snap-up sides would indeed make a large shower, plus having an advantage if the cockpit is self-draining. I have heard rumors of solar stills that make a fair amount of potable water, but I haven't seen any. And of course a trailer-sailor isn't limited to the briny blue.

 

I found this pic of a Cape Dory 25 with a forward head. I like the design.

 

Wanderer II, 20 ft
Wanderer III, 30 ft

Eric Hiscock, Wandering under Sail
Eric Hiscock, Cruising under Sail

 

The final question

The final question isn't problematic in a well-equipped port or while sailing on the high seas.

But it is essential and crucial if we are at anchor, to maintain certain boundaries of decorum, aesthetics, and respect for others. And there are two good solutions:

A) On the bow, following tradition, and as you rightly point out

B) In the cockpit under a tent awning, well-ventilated, and complying with the now-forgotten Geneva Convention regarding gas warfare.

 

The winner for the best comment is hands down the fella from Beer City. The biggest problem is water. Never enough for showers. Shower on deck or in the marina. The End.