Advantages & Disadvantages of a raised quarterdeck?

[Ilenart]

Seen a number of boat designs that include the aft deck being raised across the whole width of the boat. I believe it may also be referred as the poop deck. Have included a couple of photos that show the design feature I'm referring too. Quite like the feature, principly as it makes the back cabin very large and spacious, which is a feature the Admiral is looking for. However I am sure there must be some disadvantages as it appears a raised cabin trunk that does not go across the whole width of the boat is more common (ie see the photo of my boat in my profile to see what I mean).

Advantages I can see include

- larger back cabin
- raised position for better view forward
- better protection from waves
- good entertaining area

Disadvantages I can think of include:

- added wind resistance
- added height above the water making recovery / boarding dinghies harder
- extra step to trip over


Anyone have any other comments / advantages / disadvantages?

Ilenart

[CaptainForce]

Ilenart, What a beautiful ketch you have!

Here's one more advantage of the "poop" deck:


'no need to row the sea dog ashore. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

[sailingdog]

Ilenart—

IMHO, the added windage isn't that much of a problem, as it would be further forward, where it would make the boat much harder to tack...

It can interfere with making docklines fast and docking in general, since you're higher up, and it is a greater distance to the dock from the raised deck.

Also, if the raised cabintop goes the full width of the boat, it might make going aft less secure. If you're going aft on a boat that has a raised cabintop with sidedecks, the cabintop gives you some support, helps prevent you from sliding across the boat and off the low side, and helps shelter you from the water if you're on the high side of the boat.

BTW, I don't see the boat in your two photos as having a raised after deck really.

[Ilenart]

Thanks Dog, had'nt thought about moving around on an angle.

Know what you mean regarding describing the feature as quarterdecks and poop decks are really associated with sailing ships of old. "aft raised cabin top" is maybe a better description.

Ilenart

[Faster]

I think you get the spaciousness that comes with that sort of "flush deck" design (perhaps that's a better term for what you're looking at - flush after deck) Many of the Nauticat boats have that similar feature - but the deck is broken up by the vestigial cockpit.

It's true that large expanses of flush deck can make getting around when heeled more problematic than the normal arrangement ( we owned a flush decked 40 footer and we experienced that "problem" a time or two.) One thing that I've noticed is that some builders handle the transition from one deck level to another better - in those pics you posted the lifelines don't make that transition very nicely (to my eye)

But it gives certain types of boats that "shippy" look that so many like (as do you based on your current vessel!) That idea has also carried over into a number of trawler yacht lines as well, certainly due to the spaciousness achieved below... can you say trade-offs?

[InetRoadkill]

I'm currently stuck trying to decide how high to make the floor of the cockpit. Like many, I would like some room in the aft cabin. But the cockpit well is a rather annoying thing to have protruding into the cabin. I'm trying to find a compromise. Is there a preferred spacing between the aft cabin bunk and the ceiling above it? My preliminary sketches have the cockpit directly over the bunk with a space of about 30 inches. That seems a little claustrophobic. Unfortunately, to make more room means raising the cockpit which creates new problems (boom clearance, rope routing, having to climb way up to board from swimming, etc.).

I wish there was a marina around here. I'm curious how this problem is addressed in other designs.