Storage preferance

[2divers]

For those who have been out cruising, do you prefer hanging lockers if you can get them or storage under/ behind things in more cabinet/ cubby hole type spaces.

The more boats I look at that are 'blue water' the more I see ( and more of) hanging locker style storage for things like... oh, weather gear">foul weather gear, not that it ever rains in paradise or on sailors

Most of the coastal boats I've seen just have "Lots of storage space" mostly behind cushions and in galley drawers, etc., but very little for hanging cloths?

which is more useful in a practical sense?

[Harriet]

For full-time liveaboard purposes, I think you need both. Having said that, however, I can fold what's in the hanging locker (other than our foulies) and put it on a shelf or in a cubby hole. I can't do that in reverse. So if I had to choose one or the other, I would opt for more cabinet space than hanging space. That's just my 2 cents.

[roverhi]

Your assumption that cruisers need hanging lockers liveaboards small spaces is just about totally opposite of what we experienced. Except for foul weather gear, hanging lockers are virtually useless at sea. Big spaces that can't be efficiently used and can wear out the contents. They also encourage stacking things many layers deep. Of course, what you need will always be at the bottom so you have to tear the whole space apart to get at it.

I'm a lover of drawers. Not the most efficient use of space but the most efficient way to make space usable. With drawers you can get at all areas of the storage space so all the space is accessable. They are also way better to use at sea. You can open a drawer and, as long as you don't let it get out of control, rummage through it without the contents escaping. Shelves and Cubby holes are notorious for allowing their contents to escape when you open the door.

You need all types of storage but I'd lean more toward smaller spaces or larger spaces broken up by shelving and partitions and lots of drawers.

Aloha
Peter O.

[swagman]

Funny how we all have differing views - maybe goes to show its what you want that counts in your boat.

We love drawers and smaller lockers for the reasons already given. Gear so packed it does not move.

But we hate storing stuff we may need often under bunks etc. I see that type of space as 'long term' storage as its such a pain to get stuff out - if one can find it.

And we also find hanging space really useful. Apart for hanging wet weather gear which is about the only stuff we take for such hanging lockers when underway, we find hanging is better for normal 'good' clothes like trousers / shirts / dresses. They all keep better when hung - as opposed to folding flat into a locker or drawer.

So you've now got multiple views..........so hope you resolve what suits you.

Cheers
JOHN

[2divers]

Thank you all for your input!

So I gather that it really more the quality and accessability of the storage than it's orientation. Everyone seems to agree that the foulies get stored upright for drip and drying purposes. I suppose if one purchased a boat with more vertical storage than needed it wouldn't be hard to install shelves or drawers.

[Jon D]

We converted our hanging lockers to shelves. The ones we kept as hanging are for wet gear, foulies, lifejackets etc. only.

Everything was made out of cedar to kepe the clothes fresh etc. Really gave us significantly more storage from a practical sense. Not like we're going to have lots of suits, ties or fancy dresses when out cruising

[Euro Cruiser]

2divers:

I think cockpit storage is a good analogy when answering your Q. Inevitably, we all find we need space for bulk storage (spare line, sails, deflated dink et al.) yet we also need dedicated storage areas so everything in a locker doesn't just become one big pile and therefore dysfunctional from a retrieval standpoint.

The same is true in large storage areas belowdecks. Under-berth stowage (V-berth, Q-berth, settee seat back areas) become more practical when the cushions and supporting bin covers are cut to allow incremental access, and when partitions, containers and a bit of light are employed so that one can somewhat discretely find and remove one item, perhaps by only having to shift a few items, rather than rooting thru everything in the dark.

I think the same applies to hanging locker storage. Some such storage is very useful (altho' the last thing I'd use it for is foul weather gear), e.g. if you need to carry a single dressy jacket (men's or women's) and other such items. (Several times we've only been able to access once-in-a-lifetime events because we could 'dress up'; only due to Patricia's initial insistence did we have the formal clothes to take advantage of these events). Just as Jon relates, we've converted most hanging locker spaces to either machinery spaces or bulk storage (one is my tool locker). However, keeping one hanging locker to serve as such has proven useful...but then, WHOOSH did offer us choices. On the last boat, with only one hanging locker, it was all converted over to shelves out of necessity.

We keep foul weather gear hanging behind the forward cabin door when in port, where it can air out. When underway, it hangs in the shower - a good place for it inbetween wet weather periods. We keep it separate from 'real' clothes because the inevitable salt (and eventually, some amount of mold) will contaminate clothing. It also doesn't breathe as well in a closet.

Drawers are very functional but not optimally efficient. We have a lot of them but, in a few cases I found it more useful to whack off the drawer front, add some hinges, and use the interior space as a locker vs. keeping the drawer. This results in more useable volume and, when drawers are smaller to begin with, reasonable access to what's in the locker.

Lots of choices, none of them absolute 'good' or 'bad' ones.

Jack

[gosstyla]

With hanging lockers just be careful of chafe.

It is amazing how fast clothes will chafe if there are any rough spots in the locker or they are allowed to "swing about".

[Euro Cruiser]

Multiple garments placed inside a plastic garbage bag, hangar hooks sticking out the top, solves the chafe problem. If lots of garments, use several bags.

Jack