Put your thinking caps on

BobM · Sep 7, 2012

Line them with lots of shoes.

SenecaDaze · Sep 7, 2012

12 volt fan,ice water,surprise them with their favorite magazines.

kenn · Sep 7, 2012

Make sure the interior doesn't smell. Especially the cushions.
Exterior should look as nice as possible. The boat should inspire pride and confidence.
Evict spiders.
Clean the cabin inside as much as possible. No visible stains or dirt. If necessary, paint the visible sides a nice pastel.
Install little shelves wherever possible. In a little boat, it's impossible to have a place for everything, but try for as much visible organization as possible, so that people can put something "away" and be able to find it later.
Make screens so that the cabin can be ventilated properly at night but remain bug-free.
Much loose stuff can be organized into small clear stackable plastic containers that can be stacked and slid into a quarterberth
Replace or recover the interior cushions. With some encouragement, your wife might take this on herself.
Decent bedding. Bring pillows from home.
Good interior lighting that makes the space welcoming and cozy, but still possible to read or find things in the cabin at night. (bonus marks - get a dozen of those little LED fake flickering candles that could be scattered around the cabin and cockpit.)
Clean and odorless head/porta-pottie, if so equipped.
Waterless hand-sanitizer and/or wet wipes that are easy to reach

With a 19' boat, I speak from experience. It's really hard to control the disorganization when you're overnighting in a small boat, and this might be a big barrier to "comfort" but it's not impossible.

A friend of mine, who is more romantic and talented than i'll ever be, has succeeded in making the same type of small boat into a cozy romantic hideaway that his big-city fashionista girlfriend is happy to weekend in. it can be done!

CalebD · Sep 7, 2012

Bring along a small kayak or tender so you can get to shore to 'take care of business'?
Preferably at a shore side facility for the ladies.

Sumner · Sep 7, 2012

Think about Double Doodie/Wag bags...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/MacgregorTrips-3-Powell09/09-10-16-Powell-09.html

... instead of a full size porta-potty and look at all of the Venture 17 mods here...

http://forums.macgregor.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=135233

Good luck, I like those 17-20 foot boats and we might have one someday,

Sum

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Hollyweirdos · Sep 8, 2012

Hey Bill, sounds like we are on the same path. I have been fixing up my Venture 17 for the last year and am getting closer to the goal. A good source for ideas can be found here.
http://www.captnpauley.com/Optimize.html
The download version is the way to go. ($13.50)

Some other ideas are to make the boat as comfortable as possible. Start outside with running the lines back into the cockpit, add a tiller tamer or similar system, have a strong bording ladder, get a dependable 4 stroke outboard so that getting back is not an emergency, and install a bimini top. I am getting ready to build in wooden forms of rope bags to keep those halyards out of the way. Also get some cup holders inside and out.
Inside, I have a good size 12v battery that runs a small stereo, interior lights, exterior lights, and a nice quiet marine fan. I still need cushions and am thinking about buiilding a small galley.
Good luck! I am happy to help if needed.

kenn · Sep 8, 2012

A few I forgot:

nice curtains (easy to make)
a simple fabric companionway blocker that can be put up when someone needs to change, or a bit of privacy for a nap, etc. Something light or sheer is nice; you can put it up for privacy (people can't see in) but still get light and sort of see out. You can get away with just clipping up a towel, but something well-made that slips or snaps across the opening is classier.

The head issue... the Sandpiper comes with a small marine porta-pottie type head, (complete with vent and pumpout plumbing, which is required in Canada for some reason)... and I would state that it is just barely on the edge of "useable", all things considered. In such a small cabin it's a hassle and potentially embarrassing to use; the upside is that we can sail to and overnight just about anywhere. So... it's going to be that much more of a hassle in a smaller boat. Realistically, having 3 people on a 17' boat might mean overnighting only in close proximity to washrooms.

Fly_H23 · Sep 8, 2012

The good thing about a 17' cruiser is it makes it easy to justify upsizing to a 22-25' boat after a few weekends of daysailing and overnighting.

We went from a Potter 15' to an O'day 26' for about the same amount of money invested. Portability is the only advantage to a trailerable small boat.

finding41 · Sep 8, 2012

I'm with Fly. I was looking at a Sirus 17. It looks like fun! But by the time I get inside there isn't much room for anyone else. Really just too small inside for my liking.
I was even thinking that we could bring our tent for staying over on land. Well that stuff is too big for a small boat too. Our camping stuff just fits in the back of my truck with the flat top closed.

31seahorse · Sep 8, 2012

Hello Bill,

Great Ideas/Reminders in the posted responses!

Anchor: as large as you can handle/store plus several feet of chain and then good anchor line for your boat.

First cruise/overnight: does not need to be a long distance from launch. Choose a place with activities ashore if the crew gets restless

Food: drinks and snacks on board, but plan to eat at a restaurant ashore. (There is probably no room for cooking after installing all the suggestions you have received!)

kenn · Sep 8, 2012

Fly_H23 said:
The good thing about a 17' cruiser is it makes it easy to justify upsizing to a 22-25' boat after a few weekends of daysailing and overnighting.

I have to say that we lucked out... the 19' Sandpiper has proven to be just big enough for the two of us to do 2 to 4-day outings in comfort. Yes we are planning for a larger boat in the next few years, but there's so much we like about this boat that we don't plan to get rid of her. There's nothing like trailering quickly to a new lake for a weekend of exploring.

Fly_H23 · Sep 8, 2012

Kenn,

My perfect boat would actually be two sailboats (and my wife agrees). One moored in the water or slip that is comfortable enough to stay 2-4 days like our O'day 26. A second sailboat, trailer able daysailer or maybe mini-cruiser up to 20'. I'm saving up for a Suncat as our second boat!

All U Get · Sep 8, 2012

S'mores and ice cream, keep them cold untill after dinner. B & J's or some other ice cream ought to do it if frozen stiff before you leave. I'd tell them it was fishing bait for the trip.:Liar:

All U Get

rgranger · Sep 8, 2012

There was a guy on here (I think he is is Florida) who recently refurbished a Mac17. He did an excellent job and documented the steps. Do a search for that thread. You will get a lot of good ideas as well as some good product tips.

Put your thinking caps on

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