Where did we go wrong?

I salute you viking. My kinda rig. Only preference different for me is no stainless steel. I've had stainless galleys on ships and tugs for years. Fridges, counters, stove, cabinets, all stainless. Polish them with a little oil of wintergreen, and the galley is mint fresh and the stainless shines beautifully. Untill somebody touches it, then you have finger prints, hand prints, not pretty anymore. I prefer ceramic floor tile laid in a varnished wooden frame, but not glued. Lift out to clean under. Proof against hot pots and sharp knives. Decorative. Corrosion proof. IMHO

 

I love the stuff-- cutting it --welding it ---polishing it --other than gold one of my favourite metals-- Geo.

 

I definitely understand the yen for a little space in a head. The bathroom in my motor home has enough room side to side. But leaning forward to wipe one's bottom usually involves bouncing a forehead off the door, if it's closed.

Since I stay in the motor home alone when I'm working, my solution is to just leave the bathroom door open. But if I had other people staying with me, it would get tossed and be replaced with a heavy curtain.

 

Thats why I made the diminutive aft cabin a generous sized head instead of a claustraphobic bunk space. And for privacy, and because I wanted more space in fore cabin, and cause I want what I want when I want it. Women ain't he only ones gets PMS...AND IT AIN"T DAMNED FUNNY!

 

Ya I've got the sun shower set up myself for the Yellowstone trips. Works great and you can hang it anywhere. Not sure its going to work in the PNW but up there fresh waters not a problem. Rains every day.

The galley can be simple and effective. Doing without one would be impossible for me at least. But I think there's an argument to be made for a fridge and freezer. I don't think I could do without either, but I can see a lot of folks who could.

 

Yah..by economizing on galley and food eating space you can generate more useful space in the boat. The head is a classic ...obnoxious to use a cramped head at sea. Engine rooms are another...great big saloon leeds to cramped engine room. This week Im re belting the MTU. The space is so cramped that this is a painful FORTY HOUR job. It would be impossible to accomplish at sea.......... you would have to simply float around out there , enjoying the nice saloon seating with a disabled engine .

 

Ok boys you've given me an idea for a new product--and i'm open for partenership-- a marine bidot---, S--t man we can't fail--
Being serious, the head in a boat and the bathroom in a small to med. RV are possibly the most neglected areas of both. When i built the RV my priorities were the same as that of my boat--no shower, concentrate on a better functioning bathroom space. Yes i know in many designs the shower occupies the same space. Have you ever seen the mess it makes not to mention the human oil skum that builds up on every surface and cranney of the bathroom, no not for me. One thought I am playing around with is actually designing my cockpit to function as a bath tub. Doing so, one could simply pump sea water thru a filter to fill it, take a saltwater bath, then rinse off with the boom shower unit. My other priority, a proper boom tent would provide all the privacy required. ----

 

Difficult to build a proper shower on a small craft. Sit down on the head is about the only solution. Electric flush household heads are much easier to keep clean and tidy

 

count me in. i was planning a bidet in the aft cabin in opposite corner from toilet. i have a type 1 msd macerator chlorinater unit with a tank capacity of about 5 gallons and a Y valve. a bidet could direct overboard discharge, but can't look like a toilet. i was thinking a homestyle ceramic lavatory mounted low enough to squat on, with a phone shower and a whale pump connected to the drain discharging above the water line, say a foot below gunnel. if coast guard asked why it was mounted low, i'd reply for my wife to wash her hair while seated...because it would be usefull for that as well. not a lie, just an omission.

 

Good toilets from the residential sector are made by Actana. Seems the company got taken over. These toilets are dc powered and meant for household applications with no drainage. I think this is the link

http://www.sfa.fr/

 

As long as we're discussing toilets, I'll share this. The MSD I acquired with my boat was expensive to replace, well constructed of thick gauge polyethelene. Age unknown, but the macerator unit was rusted up, frozen. A replacement was $170 for the macerator which was a motor with a cutter blade protruding from bottom.
I bought a cheap 12volt electric drill, removed it's motor and installed in the motor housing of the macerater using epoxy putty to mount it. looks like and works, cost $30

 

why no Vee berths? not good for adults?

I've only slept in them when I was under 6' and other person was too.

Foot space is like arm rest on airliner?

Would it be OK if Vee berth was big and long enough for full size people?

 

Problem with Vee berths is they're trying to be seats and berths both in a tight space. If they're low enough to sit on, they come to a Vee in the stem. If you raise the altitude a foot, the flare of the bow widens sufficiently to provide wide berth/s with generous foot space.
Seats are more comfortable if they are angled. Berths need to be flat.
I found most comfortable seat for me has a 7 degree bottom rake and the back 15 degrees.
It's more expensive, but you can have low, narrow, raked seating with a footwell, and a wide, flip/fold down, wall-to-wall, flat level bunk a foot higher above it, in the Vee berth area of the bow.

I have a rough plywood mock up in my boat. I bought the cushions (used)first and then designed the seats and bunk to fit.

 

Great idea! And if Mrs. Yobarnacle gets tired of the color, they are easy to swap out.

 

I agree. Very good observations - designers, take your notes.