Ideas on space

[Bad Obsession]

I am about ready to take off on a cruise on my Compac 23. I am use to having more space since I just downsized last year.

Last year I took a cruise. I got really tired of moving my clothes duffel bag and my folding bike around. I kept them in the V-berth during the day and moved them out of there for sleeping. My head is also under the V-berth.

I do have some storage under the V-berth left. I bought some dry bags for my clothes, several of them, and I plan to pack them into the medium sized dry bags and store them in that area and other storage areas that I can find.

The bike is something I can't avoid. I thought about putting it in the dingy and tying it up but I don't think that is a good idea. It is worth taking the bike because of using it for getting around and going to the grocery store.

Anyone else have good storage ideas?

 

[Gunni]

One of the great things about Chesapeake bay marinas is that most of them keep a few bikes around for those supply runs. In Maryland, I am often offered a ride to the store. In many places down the east coast, the marina has a courtesy car. But most of the time I"m happy to get ashore and stretch my legs, or as the first mate says, Run Forrest Run.

I would lose the bike.

Freeze some dinners and use them to hold the cold in the reefer.

Tear off the boxes on food, just keep the pouch.

Sling a cargo net, otherwise known as a hammock and use it to hang your fresh foods.

Wrap stuff in bubble wrap and stuff it in the bilge.

Install a water filtration system, lose the jugs.

You don't need all those clothes. Really dear, you look great in a bathing suit.

I'm still working on a method to get draft ale aboard, don't laugh, I'm REAL close. Yeah Buddy!

 

[Bad Obsession]

I have a 13 gallon water tank. It is for dishes and cleaning...etc. It is also needed weight in the bow. I have plenty of storage for my cooler, food, and water bottles in the boat.

I don't go into marinas. The boat is set up for being on the hook. I have plenty of power with my 100 watts of solar on the bimini. This means that the bike is necessary. I take the dingy into shore and go form there.

Walking is always an option. Still, grocery store runs are tough because you have to haul all of those groceries back. The bike carries the weight.

Still, good ideas. Keep them coming.

 

[Johnb]

Get a folding bike and tie it on deck, maybe just aft of the mast. (We have 2 Dahon aluminum bikes).

Get a junk bike and tie it outside the stern rail.

How many on board?

 

[Bad Obsession]

Single handed. I have a folding bike. I just don't want it to get wet etc.

I thought about putting it in the dingy since I use the dingy to go to land. I worry that it would cause the dingy to be tipsy and also more drag.

 

[sesmith]

Tie an old orange life vest to the bike when you transport it in the dingy. You never know... Even if it doesn't manage to float, you'll at least see it down there.

 

[Stu Jackson]

BO, how often do you plan to use the bike on this cruise? Once a week? Every other day? Does it disassemble other than taking off the front wheel? What kind of bike is it? Have you considered other bikes: smaller (with less gears, simpler but harder to do hills), folding? One of the things I remember from our C22 and C25 days was the reality of having to deal with moving things to get to things. If all you have to deal with is the bike, then I submit you're not down below when you're sailing, so it can stay there, and when you pull into the anchorage, haul it up on deck. If rain is an issue, get a cover. [Those of us who know you understand that a bigger boat is out of the question.] I agree, the dinghy is not a good idea. Good luck.

 

[sesmith]

On the storage ideas, I'm usually lousy at packing the boat. My wife usually throws me out and carefully rearranges everything I've put away. That said, she came across these collapsible storage boxes here:

http://theboatgalley.com/clever-crates/

They look like a good idea. We'll probably pick up a couple ourselves.

 

[Bad Obsession]

I use the bike almost daily. When I pull into port that is usually how I get around.

I have a small Dahon Folding bike with 20" wheels. I have a bag for it and it stays in the bag, though the bag isn't water proof.

I use to keep two in my lazzerette in the Catalina 30. There is no place like that on my boat where it can go. I can put in the very front of the V berth during the day and it is sort of out of the way. I like having a place for everything though so storing my clothing will help a lot.

 

[gettinthere]

We cruise full time. As typical for cruisers, the boat is full.
We have 2 20" folders. We keep them on the rails about 10' back of the bow in custom sunbrella bags.

We fold down the handle bars, fold in the pedals and drop the seat down...BUT, we dont fold the bikes. Folding makes them real wide which blocks the side decks. Unfolded, they are long and skinny which is fine. They are the same height as the lifelines. Storing them in bags keeps the sea spray off and also prevents jib sheets from snagging.
This has worked well for us for 4 years so far.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

I didn't want to carry a bike so got a large wheel scooter. but you have to carry your stuff on your back

http://www.walmart.com/ip/24701888?...34815712&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=78294580472&veh=sem

ymmv

 

[Bad Obsession]

That scooter Idea is pretty cool. That and a large backpack would be interesting.

This has been a great thread with a lot of information.

The cruise I am taking is a 10 day Chesapeake Bay cruise. I leave a week from today.

Last year's cruise I had a lot of good things that I found. I have really done a lot to fix the small details to make it more livable.

1. Power issue solved. I went to the GC2 batteries and 100 watt solar panel.
2. Small Water tank. I went to a 13 gallon water tank
3. Showering. I didn't have the budget to add the pressurized water and cockpit shower so I am still using a solar shower. This works okay.
4. Dishes: I did okay with this last year but the sink and faucet is a pain. I want to replace the faucet to the pressurized faucet. I haven't done this yet. I wish I had a deeper sink too. I may do that in the future.
5. Clothing bag. This was a pain because I was constantly moving it around. I hope that the dry bags fix this.
6. Cooler. I have a good cooler for the trip. I am a slave to the ice man but that is nothing new. I put a guide in the storage area under the stairway to keep the cooler from moving around. This now gives me more space to put water bottles and drinks as well. It opened up a lot of storage.
7. Bike. This is something unavoidable. I have a Dahon Folding Bike. During the day I push it to the front of the V berth. At night it sits in the main cabin area on a seat. This is something that will have to work because I can't see any other method. On deck storage is not an option.
8. Food Storage. I cleaned more areas out in the side shelves to put food and personal stuff. I keep my body wash, shampoo, tooth brush, tooth paste, razor, and those kinds of things there as well.
9. General storage. I have hammocks on each side of the V berth. I sleep to one side of the V berth so the other side I do put some stuff into. The one on the side I sleep I put things like my Carpal wrist brace and a flashlight there. I am constantly examining things that I have aboard the boat to evaluate the need for it. I have taken a lot of stuff off of the boat that the P/O had on there. This is a constant process and I am sure that I will figure out more adjustments on this trip.
10. Bedding. On the last trip I used a sleeping bag because it is cool. It will be warmer on this trip. I am thinking that I will be using a fitted sheet and a regular sheet this year with a blanket. During the day I will push the bedding up to the very front of the V berth to get it out of the way and make the head and other things accessible. I think that I need to find my old comforter from my old boat for the V-berth as well. Also, in the future, I will customize the sheets for the v berth.

http://www.verywellsalted.com/2014/08/making-v-berth-sheets.html

 

[Sailm8]

On the storage ideas, I'm usually lousy at packing the boat. My wife usually throws me out and carefully rearranges everything I've put away. That said, she came across these collapsible storage boxes here:

http://theboatgalley.com/clever-crates/

They look like a good idea. We'll probably pick up a couple ourselves.

We tried one of these and found that they still take up significant space when folded up. We do better with a bunch of canvas grocery bags/totes. They hold everything and fold to nothing and are 99 cents everywhere. YMMV

 

[Ron20324]

I found a good thing (if you will keep doing overnighters) is to get a king-size bed sheet and fold it in half length-wise. Sew it half way up the side. I left the foot open to poke my feet out if I get too warm, so you could use a contoured/elasticized top sheet for this. Thus, you can fold back the upper part to get in and out or to cool down some. It's a top AND bottom sheet and sleeping bag this way. Fold it up and put it in a pillow case.


If you'll be by yourself, and you you have a porta potty, you can move it from the VEE and just leave it in the salon. Worked great on my O'222.

 

[Ron20324]

When I was going to do a 16-day DelMarVa circle with 4 people, I spent alot of time sitting on the boat, looking at where I could put more storage. (I've posted SOME of them to Beneteau Boat Info/Owner mods/323. Here is a pic of a VEE shelf alot of people can probably use. It is the gray metal shelving from Home Depot:

 

[rgranger]

Sling a cargo net, otherwise known as a hammock and use it to hang your fresh foods.

:+1:

I cruise with my family and sometimes we are a crew of 5. So I have five cargo nets in my boat. Each person gets one for their personal stuff. They can hold a lot of stuff. I also have one of those retractable clotheslines. I really like it. I string wet towels and bathing suits there and they usually dry by the time we are ready to bunk down for the night. The clothesline is also GREAT for stringing the mosquito net over. If you are sailing in the Chessy, you WILL want a mosquito net. :neutral:

 

[Bad Obsession]

Yep.....I have sailed the Bay for the past 20 years. I know all to well about the Mosquitoes, black flies, and no see-ums. I would never leave home without screens for the boat. Especially if you go to the Eastern Shore, Tangier, or Smith Island.

As far as clothesline, I have always used the lifelines as a clothesline. Add a few clothespins and hang stuff over them and it is easy.

 

[rgranger]

Yep.....I have sailed the Bay for the past 20 years. I know all to well about the Mosquitoes, black flies, and no see-ums. I would never leave home without screens for the boat. Especially if you go to the Eastern Shore, Tangier, or Smith Island.

As far as clothesline, I have always used the lifelines as a clothesline. Add a few clothespins and hang stuff over them and it is easy.

I spent a night at Tangier two summers ago. We got lucky and a strong wind was blowing right on our nose all night so with the wind scoop, the mosquitoes were not a problem. But we had the netting handy just in case.

 

[Bad Obsession]

I have learned, through experience, to put the nets up as soon as the anchor is in the bottom. I leave them up most of the time, especially the front hatch.

If the wind switches or dies at night you may sleep through it. You wake up the next morning with bites all over the place and a cabin full of evil biting bugs.

 

[rgranger]

I have learned, through experience, to put the nets up as soon as the anchor is in the bottom. I leave them up most of the time, especially the front hatch.

If the wind switches or dies at night you may sleep through it. You wake up the next morning with bites all over the place and a cabin full of evil biting bugs.

I have long ago given up on trying to cover the cabin. I always leave some small opening or the wind blows the net off the hatch or some such mishap. I guess if I put enough effort into it, I could get it right but I'm lazy so instead, I just wrap myself (and the kids) up in the netting -- like a blanket. I wear a baseball cap to bed and the bill keeps the net off of my face. I also put some of those clip on mosquito repellers at the companionway and at the front hatch. Seems to do a decent job of keeping the majority of the bugs away and the net does the rest.