Jump to content

Questions as Usual from a New One


mattc

Featured Posts

 

The suspense is killing me Mike. Why?

 

 

Because they feel intuitively wrong, rather like bungalows do too :)

 

 

 

(To me it's always made sense that your most-used door, i.e. the one at the stern, should bring you directly into your most-used living space, i.e. the galley and saloon, with the bedroom being somewhere you go at bedtime rather than somewhere you trudge through continually in outdoor shoes.)

 

 

Ah but it isn't though, particularly if you have the best layout of all for a boat i.e. trad stern with a engine room amidships. Then the bow door becomes as heavily used as the stern. More so in fact.

 

Until you oewn a boat with a proper engine room you simply won't understand just how fekkin good it is to have one, on so many different levels... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We much prefer the reverse layout - it works for us!

 

I've lost count of the number of times we've had wet bedcovers on a few hired/borrowed boats after forgetting too late to close the hatch when it starts raining! I also hate walking sideways like a crab down a narrow walkway next to beds stuffed with quilts whilst wearing sopping wet outdoor clothes! It suits me also as I don't have to disturb anyone if I want to get up on deck early for a fishing session...beds at the pointy end/middle and I can make a brew/flask without disturbing anyone.

 

It's also so much easier when one of us is making a brew or lunch to remain within earshot of the steerer rather than them having to try and attract attention when you're half way down the boat and can't hear a chuffing thing.

 

Each to their own of course!

 

Janet

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ours is like this - semi trad back deck, big with lockers/ seats either side - add a narrow camping table outside and can seat four outside for food, steps down into back cabin, I keep this empty as its a space for yoga, or working ( folding desk) , or double bed ( made up with large high density foam floor cushions that I store under gunwhales in corridoor). In bad weather when we cruise, I shove a load of cardboard on thhe floor and thats where we throw our wet coats and boots, prevents the dirt being walked through. Then our bed cabin, narrow double and the dogs bed, then bathroom, galley and saloon,leading out to semi tug deck. Wouldn't want my lounge at the back as I like to sit in there with the double doors wide open on sunny days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Ah but it isn't though, particularly if you have the best layout of all for a boat i.e. trad stern with a engine room amidships. Then the bow door becomes as heavily used as the stern. More so in fact.

 

Until you oewn a boat with a proper engine room you simply won't understand just how fekkin good it is to have one, on so many different levels... smile.png

 

Alas, I'm about as likely to own a boat where the engine is prominently displayed as I am to relocate my combi boiler to the centre of my living room, so I fear I'm destined to die in ignorance.smile.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

My DIY skills are non-existent, but even if you're competent in everything from joinery to plumbing and electrics, fitting out a boat is a big, big job that will occupy you for many months (or more likely, years) when you could actually be boating, and you'll be paying for your mooring, license etc. that whole time. Fair enough if you positively relish the work itself, but pretty daunting if viewed simply as a means to an end.

 

Boats with two fixed bedrooms are certainly the exception rather than the rule, and reverse layouts with two fixed bedrooms will be rarer still, but there will be some out there (including ex-hireboats) if you keep your eyes peeled.

 

I noticed this boat on Apollo Duck the other day: fixed double plus fixed single, with the fixed single at the stern and the saloon at the bow:

 

http://narrowboats.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=416790

Yes, fitting out is a big & seemingly unending job. We bought ours as an unlined sailaway & have lived aboard since day 1. Some days we fit-out, some days we cruise, some days we just sits about enjoying life.

You don't have to have a fully finished boat before you can go boating.

Semi-trad stern widebeam, galley at the back, saloon, workroom, bathroom, bedroom at the front, neat & tidy front garden at the bow (beans, carrots, tomatoes & herbs)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why not hire a couple of times to see what you like.

We have a trad with a boatmans cabin so there is a double in there or a single. Plus a fixed double bedroom. Then the saloon can be made into a third double.

Another advantage is the engine room...warm, dry..easy to service the engine and all the other services..batteries, central heating etc.

A trad like ours is certainly not to everyone's taste but it can work at around 60feet. It's just another option but consider hiring before you buy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Im fitting out at the moment and let me say its not for the faint hearted doing it all my self im loving it but been going at it for nearly a year and im still probably 6 months off getting her in the water again will update my thread shortly

 

good luck with your search

 

Gary

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Logic told me reverse layout is optimum. So we hired one for a week and when we gave the keys back I resolved never again to let theory dictate. Mainly I think cos we like to look out the front of bote when relaxing. Not staring at nothing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Logic told me reverse layout is optimum. So we hired one for a week and when we gave the keys back I resolved never again to let theory dictate. Mainly I think cos we like to look out the front of bote when relaxing. Not staring at nothing.

 

Mark you've summed it up. THAT'S the problem with reverse layout.

 

Seems so obvious now you've said it!

Funny that, I'm slouching on my sofa looking out the back doors right now.

 

 

And of course by definition with reverse layout one cannot have a proper engine room...

 

But Philistines won't appreciate such niceties anyway...

 

;)

 

 

MtB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Mark you've summed it up. THAT'S the problem with reverse layout.

 

Seems so obvious now you've said it!

 

 

And of course by definition with reverse layout one cannot have a proper engine room...

 

But Philistines won't appreciate such niceties anyway...

 

wink.png

 

 

MtB

Ahh, but if I could afford a hobby boat,(or if I were single) it would most definitely have a proper engine room. And I wouldn't much care what the rest of the layout was.

Let me see, small cabin at the back, engine room, workshop, somewhere to unwrap takeaway, little boy's room, forward workshop, music room.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As someone alluded to earlier, the layout should be determined by which is your main entrance/access which is also probably your outside "socialising" space. On a proper trad you'll use the bow doors more so having the galley/lounge at the front makes sense. A reverse layout works better on a cruiser stern boat but you have to consider how much time you or your crew might spend inside with the engine running.

 

Semi trad could give you both options.

 

I agree the engine should logically be within the cabin, it makes sense in many ways. The only reason all boats don't have this arrangement is space, and if you want a cruiser stern boat you would waste even more room with a void under the cockpit deck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, went an looked at some more boats over the weekend. Went to a great marine after a long drive but well worth it and also got to chat about boats with a very knowledgeable gent.

 

So learnt alot, learnt what we could live with and what we couldn't and also what layouts would work for us.

 

So we keep on asking and keep on learning some more boats to look at in a couple of weeks. Now to sort out the cash and get this thing moving

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.