So, does anyone have any recommendations on a sailboat that does not require an extra elbow or arms that are super long or the joints of a contortionist in order to access, maintain, remove and/or replace the boat's system components?
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Yes it does its called a sunfish :laugher:laugher:laugher:laugherThat boat doesn't exist except in our dreams Dave.
To get this, we had to have it built semi-custom and pay close attention to the details. We agree, it's only a priority after you've owned and fixed a few boats. Like enough storage space, it's rarely a priority at the boat show.
And although I greatly appreciate the humor in the picture and the sentiment, it's not necessarily correlated with any size that most of us would consider. The bigger the boat, the more systems people try to squeeze in, and it's been our experience that someone still puts a hose, a wire, a pump, a stuffing box, or something in an inaccessible space even with boats in the 50 ft range.
Most boats are built, the systems are put in, then the deck goes on. Sometimes a drop pan liner as well. You cannot blame builders as it just makes sense, but it often leads to system that are buried deep, and it's hard to visualize how inaccessible they'll be until everything is buttoned up.
This thread strikes a nerve for me. It's caused more use of bad language on board than anything else, but you cannot blame the builders if most buyers aren't making this a priority, and opt for another state room rather than equipment space, and more and more and more systems.
Creates a good market for small, strong, highly flexible mechanics. Know any, I got this job....
And although I greatly appreciate the humor in the picture and the sentiment, it's not necessarily correlated with any size that most of us would consider. The bigger the boat, the more systems people try to squeeze in, and it's been our experience that someone still puts a hose, a wire, a pump, a stuffing box, or something in an inaccessible space even with boats in the 50 ft range.
Most boats are built, the systems are put in, then the deck goes on. Sometimes a drop pan liner as well. You cannot blame builders as it just makes sense, but it often leads to system that are buried deep, and it's hard to visualize how inaccessible they'll be until everything is buttoned up.
This thread strikes a nerve for me. It's caused more use of bad language on board than anything else, but you cannot blame the builders if most buyers aren't making this a priority, and opt for another state room rather than equipment space, and more and more and more systems.
Creates a good market for small, strong, highly flexible mechanics. Know any, I got this job....
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You don't mention what type of sailing you want to do so the recommendations aren't all over the place.
For what it's worth, we've found two boats for vastly different types of sailing. Easy access to systems was a bonus on our Catalina 30 and a requirement on Next Boat and one reason why we decided on buying a Malo for the next phase of our sailing.
Oddly, the engine access is very similar in both. Systems on both boats are simple, not overblown, and easy to get to. We particularly liked how the Malo we boarded had all the electrical wires running through conduit. That was the Next Boat bonus.
We chartered a boat and disliked how to get to the holding tank valve we had to climb down into the cockpit locker. The valve on the Catalina is behind the settee. The Malo valve is also easily reached without climbing into anything. The charter boat engine was near the refrigerator. That made no sense to us. Deck hardware wasn't easily accessible from below while the Malo has the headliner in sections.
For what it's worth, we've found two boats for vastly different types of sailing. Easy access to systems was a bonus on our Catalina 30 and a requirement on Next Boat and one reason why we decided on buying a Malo for the next phase of our sailing.
Oddly, the engine access is very similar in both. Systems on both boats are simple, not overblown, and easy to get to. We particularly liked how the Malo we boarded had all the electrical wires running through conduit. That was the Next Boat bonus.
We chartered a boat and disliked how to get to the holding tank valve we had to climb down into the cockpit locker. The valve on the Catalina is behind the settee. The Malo valve is also easily reached without climbing into anything. The charter boat engine was near the refrigerator. That made no sense to us. Deck hardware wasn't easily accessible from below while the Malo has the headliner in sections.
I think that's an excellent question. I would gladly give up aesthetics and even salon space for better access to systems.
I'm looking for a coastal cruiser with design emphasis in large, comfortable cockpit with easy swim access, a bed big enough for two lusty 74" tall people, and simple/robust systems that are easily accessible for maintenance and repair. A standup shower would be a great bonus. The minimum size of the boat would probably be determined by the bed size requirement. The maximum size would be determined by my small, but unspecific, budget.
I'm looking for a coastal cruiser with design emphasis in large, comfortable cockpit with easy swim access, a bed big enough for two lusty 74" tall people, and simple/robust systems that are easily accessible for maintenance and repair. A standup shower would be a great bonus. The minimum size of the boat would probably be determined by the bed size requirement. The maximum size would be determined by my small, but unspecific, budget.
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Hey,
IMHO you are asking for the impossible.
If you want things like an inboard engine, hot and cold pressure water, propane cooking, AC / DC electrical system, head(s) with holding tanks, overboard pumpout, and that sort of stuff, you are going to have lots of things that are difficult to reach. Manufacturers and customers want interiors that look nice, and having exposed and easy to access plumbing and electric lines don't allow that.
I supposed the other option would be to have boat look like a navy vessel with all the 'gear' running though the boat with signs and placards.
If you want a simple boat like a Catalina 22, then it's easy. But I like the creature comforts.
Barry
IMHO you are asking for the impossible.
If you want things like an inboard engine, hot and cold pressure water, propane cooking, AC / DC electrical system, head(s) with holding tanks, overboard pumpout, and that sort of stuff, you are going to have lots of things that are difficult to reach. Manufacturers and customers want interiors that look nice, and having exposed and easy to access plumbing and electric lines don't allow that.
I supposed the other option would be to have boat look like a navy vessel with all the 'gear' running though the boat with signs and placards.
If you want a simple boat like a Catalina 22, then it's easy. But I like the creature comforts.
Barry
You see, I've owned three sailboats now, an Omega 36, a Pearson 365 Ketch and an Islander Freeport 38C. Add to that I've recently started working as a maintenance technician at a yacht charter service with over 70 vessels (both sail and power) in their stable. I am amazed (daily, it seems) as to how little thought (or how low a priority) was given to maintaining and repairing the boat's systems. Some better than others but I've yet to be on a 30 to 40 foot boat that did not require a contortionist to get to some system that regularly needs attention. I was really hoping that someone out there had come across a well thought out sailboat where maintenance and upkeep were truly balanced against aesthetics and "space utilization".
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Even at a mere 28 feet our boat's engine room has a door that you walk through to a bench that you sit down on . Any sacrifices on our boat we haven't found any , cockpit sits 4 while sailing, at the dock it will sit 6 . Chow time ? Sits 5 easy, that's down below . Sleeps 5 . 6' vee birth 6' settee birth 6' quarter birth . Stand up shower . 99 gals. water 35 gal holding tank . 35 gal diesel tank . Did I mention that walk in sit down engine room ?
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Trust me there is so much gear and various valves that need attention on a navy vessel that you need to be double and even triple jointed just to get into the space they are in let alone actually working on it.
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Is your boat a TARDIS?
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A TARDIS . TARDIS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The TARDIS The TARDIS - The Doctor Who Site But then on the other hand they are the same thing , but one turns into the other . I think , I don't know I was just making a funny haha.
Actually I think TARDIS makes a good name for a boat . If you know what it means , which I didn't thank you Google . Back to the accessibility thing I was just pointing out some boats are and some aren't .
The TARDIS The TARDIS - The Doctor Who Site But then on the other hand they are the same thing , but one turns into the other . I think , I don't know I was just making a funny haha.
Actually I think TARDIS makes a good name for a boat . If you know what it means , which I didn't thank you Google . Back to the accessibility thing I was just pointing out some boats are and some aren't .
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