Headroom

[ccannan]

I''d like to hear experienced liveaboard and/or cruising sailors'' opinion about interior headroom. The latest boat I looked at doesn''t have headroom for me in the head/shower, the master stateroom (forward), and the passageway leading to them both. I would have to duck quite a bit to make it through the passageway, and bend my neck in the head and stateroom while standing. Most other spaces (salon, galley, a small area forward of the aft quarterberth stateroom) have sufficient headroom. The navigation station on the port side is under the cockpit so it doesn''t have sufficient headroom either, but I figure that''s OK because I would probably be seated when at the navigation station.

Does this situation sound untenable for living aboard, and cruising? or am I worrying about something that doesn''t make a real difference over time?

Chip

[jnj]

Chip,
Being 6''3.5" tall I am cursedly sizing the headroom in boats larger than my budget. Take it from someone who grew up in a house whose father designed the basement headroom to meet his height of 6'', you never get used to the constant crouching nor the forehead bashing. In the past four months I have been aboard literally scores of 27'' to 32'' boats and just one, a 1983 Catalina 30, has tolerable headroom specifically in the middle of the salon floor.
If it''s only a matter of momentary ducking from one comfortable space to a short term use area consider it exercize and and an improvement on your needed flexibility topside. By the way, I''d like to hear from other sailors if there are used boats, similar to the one mentioned above, with true 6''5 head room.

[parrothead1957]

I don''t know about used ones but the Catalina 350 has 6''6" headroom in the salon (where you will probably be spending most of your time anyway). The older ones (35) are comparable. I''m like you though, looking at boats out of my budget range (like the Catalina 470 - 7''4" headroom)

[bellr]

I have been living aboard for several years.
I''m 6 ft 1" tall ...I own a Rawson 30 which has sufficient headroom for me and plenty of space sleep front berth.(no ducking head required)
I have known people living aboard a 26ft columbia and it is a problem...which takes getting use too.

[pirateofcapeann]

A buddy of mine has a Columbia 34 and that thing is like a basketball court below! I''m not sure of the actual dimensions, but I know that their relatively cheep and available.

[m33oi]

Look at Morgan Out Islands. We live on our 33OI and it has about 6''5" headroom from bow to stern.

[toucantook]

I''ve had boats with both standing and crouching headroom. I can honestly say that it makes no real difference, actually. Most of the time you sit anyway. Is it really worth the money for a boat that you can stand up in so you can move 10 feet? Take the difference and use it to go cruise for two or three years.