We were in Annapolis looking at some brokerage boats during the boat show last weekend. Let me just say that to someone who lives on the Great Lakes where the variety of boats is limited Annapolis is a sailboat buyer's paradise.
Anyway, we looked at a Hood 38 MK I with the companionway outside of the cockpit. I kind of liked this setup as I always seem to want to lean on the sliding companion hatch in a standard setup and the hatch slides open which drives me crazy. Additionally, I like the layout of this boat and the solid bulkhead in the cockpit instead of the companionway.
My wife however is not so hot about this setup. She does like the Mk I interior layout however as opposed to the Hood MK II, and the fact that a MK I can be had for $20,000 less.
Has anyone here owned one of these boats or a Swan with this "submarine style" companionway? Are there any huge disadvantages to this setup? I can see the advantage to not having a gaping hole in the cockpit, but I would really like to hear from someone who has owned or extensively sailed a similar boat and hated this style of companionway.
Thanks in advance.
Gary
Anyway, we looked at a Hood 38 MK I with the companionway outside of the cockpit. I kind of liked this setup as I always seem to want to lean on the sliding companion hatch in a standard setup and the hatch slides open which drives me crazy. Additionally, I like the layout of this boat and the solid bulkhead in the cockpit instead of the companionway.
My wife however is not so hot about this setup. She does like the Mk I interior layout however as opposed to the Hood MK II, and the fact that a MK I can be had for $20,000 less.
Has anyone here owned one of these boats or a Swan with this "submarine style" companionway? Are there any huge disadvantages to this setup? I can see the advantage to not having a gaping hole in the cockpit, but I would really like to hear from someone who has owned or extensively sailed a similar boat and hated this style of companionway.
Thanks in advance.
Gary