What design features make life aboard comfortable & practical for females?

Here's food for thought Wilma. I am fairly hard core and don't need much to be happy on living on a boat, simply living on the water makes me quite satisfied. But there is one luxury I have to admit I miss on board, I'm really trying to find a way to figure this one out. I'm afraid to say the one thing I miss on boats is the bathtub. I'm not huge and am considering, sorry Will, a half size tub. If I could make a two step short tub, it wouldn't take a huge amount of space and could squeeze close to the turn of the bilge. I figure two feet by three would be just fine to sit in. The shallow half would be the seat and deep side were the feet are with a slight angle for the back rest side. Not sure if the picture is clear. Lets imagine a deep basin with an L shape profile, so when sitting in it your like on a short chair instead of crouched in a bucket. The biggest issue for me is the hot water but I guess I can get my husband running back and forth between the tub and the wood stove.
Should I mention the idea is to use it in harbour only. Oh and to make it not so much a waste of space it doubles as the basin of wet locker or even better the tub you fill with ice when there is need for cold beer.

 

Just For the record, I do the dishes 98% of the time ! This really isn't a 'women issue' as small sinks just suck. The problem is fitting a real sink in a small boat.

Cheers,
Mark Ovenden

 

Step ahead of you there Murielle! I have drawn bathtubs of various shape and size into a number of boats. I think you're right in that the space needs to double as something else - the shower at least.
Water usage is certainly an issue and comes down to how the entire boat is set up. If for instance you accept the need for a genset, or even to run the main engine for some time each day, then a watermaker becomes a practical possibility.
Of course, if you plan on only using it in port, then is generally not an issue at all.

Personally, I always rather fancied the idea of a hot tub!
Not an on deck job, but an inflatable ring with heated salt or fresh water. Obviously not something that could be used underway! They are commercially available - but aren't really set up with the ocean-voyaging sailboat in mind

 

Form should always follow function! Safety firdt! Be prepared! KISS!
Do those things first. There are reasons for how a cruising boat is different from a bay queen or island hopper. The places you want to go are fraugt with "possible" danger. You and yours will need to adjust and compromise to a design that is up to the task you ask of your boat.
Make no decision now, read stories of those that have done it, those that tried and what features of those boats were challanged most. By the time you have read a dozen books and 100 articles on cruising, you will have a COMPLETELY different view of what you want on a boat for bluewaters. THEN you can self-design what's left.
Galleys are small so someone can stay yhere long enough to fix a meal for a frightened crew who hasn't had time to eat anything during a storm that has raged all night.
Portlights don"t let in whole waves like those big pretty picture windows. Small spaces between bulkheads keep you from being thrown the lenbth of the boat. The bulkheads strengthen the hull. Narrow berths let you tie yourself in and get some rest
ETC, ERC. All will become clear as to why things are the way they are on a SERIOUS CRUISER. rEAD AWAY.

 

Tub and Jacuzzi ?

Hallo Will, M&M Ovenden, Wilma and everybody..
I do really like the idea of a hot bath tub or a small Jacuzzi onboard but at times thought it is too lavish..is a tub design for home usage are good enough for this ? We are very keen to purchase this hot tub cum jacuzzi that can seat 4 at one time. The material is epoxy/fibre. We are not hard core sailors just a family on tour to see the world. I had seen Jacuzzi located at high up on the top deck like on Lady Ingeborg, prefered to locate ours at lower level.

 

It's not so much that it's too lavish Ari, just that other compromises must be made in order to accomodate it.
If I understand you correctly though - you're talking about installing a domestic 4-person jacuzzi into a boat, and that's a whole different story. You wouldn't normally consider such a thing on anything much less than a superyacht. Though I did once see an article about a powerboat about 40ft long that featured one in the aft of the cockpit. It was a timber boat - very flashy, Branson or something was it's name. It was on the cover of the US Motorboat & Sailing at the time, probably early 80's or so.

There are some pretty serious things to consider with a thing like that. Not least the fact that it's heavy when full - and the weight isn't cointained. Also it requires a lot of energy to heat it....

 

Hallo Will,
Our boat size can accomodate the tub we have in mind, or we can trim to smaller size tub.Is the tub normally custom built?This tub is to be used when at anchorage or in very calm inter island waters.

 

I imagine it would vary Ari - again depends on the total package. If you have mains power (220 / 240 / 120 AC) available, and the space, I see no reason why you could install a standard one. But remeber what I said about the weight. You don't want a couple of thousand litres of water spilling out and sloshing around inside the boat! Remember too that it will take some time to heat up

 

We have main power.Actually this is the only specific request by mdm.I still can deny her but if there is ways to full fill it I'll do it.The water will weighted at about two tonne. I knew the effect of having this amount of water sloshing around ! We used to ballast for our boat trim when it is empty with containers filled up with water. I intend to bargain and get away with only hot water shower not circulating hot water tub.Is it a necessity to have this hot water system onboard while cruising in Australia or New Zealand during winter ?.I had experienced winter in western Australia but that is on shore.

 

Wilma if you're still hooked on the idea of using charts on the bed, try this. Take a chart & put it on your bed & try to plot a few positions on it. Even on land this will prove difficult. At sea ....

 

Chart table. Wilma you're right, the issue is about dedicated chart table, not about abandoning paper charts altogether, or paper versus electronic. Some of the comments suggest that one or two people have abandoned paper charts altogether, others seem to be suggesting they are just for emergency.
However, I believe paper charts are an important part of routine navigation (together with any electronic aid at my disposal). On short passages at least once an hour, or stretch it to two hours on longer passages if safe, I plot my position on the chart. Therefore while on passage I will have the relevant chart on the chart table all the time.

Based on the premise that this is a sensible way to navigate my main arguments for a dedicated chart table (30" x 24") are;
A) spillages, ring marks, and other stains on the chart will ruin it. Similarly, when changing an oil filter I won't put my used one on a food preparation surface.
B) I can't plot a position if the chart table is in use as a galley worktop. Or if I'm to use the saloon table, I'll still be competing with other functions going on in the boat.
C) Finally, around the chart table I organise all my charts, kit, instruments, displays, etc. so that everything is together. (Some of this is in the cockpit where practical instead/as well).

 

Wilma do you have a cockpit? then you have a tub! Rig awnings around it for privacy and splash away to your hearts content (big bucket/ kettle on the stove will give you hot water)! Only problem will be the soap suds in the cockpit afterwards, so hows about a canvas liner?

Using the bunk as a chart table - no problem surprised no one has thought of it - take a quality plywood board put some stiffening under it make it big enough to fit the bunk (or better still slightly wider then you can use it like a drawing board with a slight slope on it) kneel on deck at your "chart table", hoist it up to the deckhead (pin your chart to it) when you need the bunk! ssss'easy.

Oh yes full size domestic sink is THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

 

Bath tub - Slocum used his dinghy

 

Yipster - that sounds fun! up there close to the sun you wouldn't need heating would you? Yeah, right!