Interiors

[Ross]

Higgs, Do what I did and buy a boat with the shape

and size you want. Then gut it out and make it the way you want it. I bought a 30 foot boat for $5000 with sails and spars and completely remodeled it. Changed the size and location of the windows, raised the companionway, added water tanks, installed a new holding tank and head, built in storage as I needed it, rewired the ac and dc systems, and installed a new engine, and that is just about half of the work that I did.

 

[larry w]

sea berth

On our Bene 40 we keep the dinette table in the down position 99% of the time and it made a great sea berth when we went to La Paz. We use the fore(her) and aft(me) cabins when at anchor or on a mooring. Almost everyone I know with a boat leaves the table down pretty much all the time and those with a center table already have the sea berth.

 

[higgs]

I have been educated

Interesting replies to this thread and some excellent points. Sailortony makes a great one when he says that there are plenty of designs out there for sailors to choose that suits their needs Also , Sailortoney - your boat has sea berths - the low side settee works just fine - many boats nowdays do not have a suitable low side settee on both tacks - my complaint. Phil from Seattle: I am curious. Your title, Yawn, would indicate to me you find my thread not very interesting, which is fine. I find a lot of posts that don't interest me. My question to you is why did you bother to answer if it is not of interest to you?I have been convinced from responses, that what people want is what is offered in production boats and apparently most owners are not making over night passages where sea berths are needed. I guess I better keep my present boat as it fits my needs. A good boat is the one that fits the users needs.

 

[Bill]

I'm still wondering...

Hey Higgs...I agree that modern cruising boat design is a stinker, but for different reasons. I'm confused about what boats you're looking at."many boats nowdays do not have a suitable low side settee on both tacks - my complaint."a 6' lee cloth is 50 bucks. Not many people make constant sea passages in boats this size- Thus cruising boats aren't set up this way. Racing boats are: check there. Beneteau's first series, Farr yachts, sabres, c&c's, etc...Not sure what the issue is. Lots of boats that can be set up with low side berths on both tacks.Or put in pipe berths.B

 

[sailingseadragon]

Every boat is a near prefect layout

for some number of people. It is interesting (but not surprising,) as I follow these threads, how happy almost everyone is with the boat they sail. And at some level, they are a little confused (in very nice way) why everyone does not sail the same boat :') and as someone mentioned "there is a boat design for everyone".I am curious why you chose the boat you sail and how it meets your needs.I'll start by offer the following:http://www.sailingseadragon.com/DesirableCharacter.htmThese threads are always interesting and informativeThank you

 

[Franklin]

Of course

people are happy with their boat. Before paying such a high price, people tend to shop around to find what they like. If later they find out that it's not what they wanted, they sell it and get a different one but they don't voice the displeasure with it because that hurts their chance of selling it. If they don't find things they don't like, then their love for the boat grows as they enjoy sailing. If they find out that they don't enjoy sailing, they sell it.