Creative layouts

[Hard A Lee]

I'm looking for boats with some different layouts, meaning something other than the usual salon area with a v-berth up front. My wife and I are looking for a cruising boat to live aboard full or part time with a small child. I grew up sailing and never really thought the v-berth was all that practical for sleeping. They're difficult to get in and out of and if your feet are toward the bow it can feel like your head is downhill. That's my opinion anyway. Making the dining table area into a bed is alright, but we don't want to be putting the table up and down all the time.

One that has caught my eye is the endeavor 37 plan a. I just don't know how usable the quarter berth would be for two adults.

We're trying to stay in the 36 to 40 foot range and hope to be cruising around the Caribbean and mostly island hopping but I'd like a solid cruiser that could take us anywhere if we decided.

Thanks!

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[barnaclejim]

Sailing from Utah to the Caribbean? I guess there is salt in the air there too. Depending on the v berth you can often modify with a removable bridge to make it larger. Many boat layouts are awkward and made to maximize berths for charter. In all warm weather sailing look at the cockpit and how comfortable you can make that for sleeping and spending most of your time. We have an aft stateroom with a big berth which I thought was so very cool when we bought the boat, But! , underway its noisy with steering and engine noises and even with lots of ventilation its warm and we sleep in the cockpit that we modified, by extending the bench on one side. best of luck

[wristwister]

Have as look at the Islander 36 Freeport B. Big head up front where a V-berth usually is, nice double bed mid-ships, bright galley and salon under a semi-pilot house. That's the one my wife and I will be shopping for when we're ready to step up.

[RKsailsolo]

Island Packet, Oceanis 38 offer alternatives, to name a few.

[belizesailor]

Tartan Tock is a very different layout. Always thought one would make a great liveaboard/cruiser.

http://www.tartanownersweb.org/model...kprofile.phtml

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Hard A Lee

...

One that has caught my eye is the endeavor 37 plan a. I just don't know how usable the quarter berth would be for two adults.
...

I've sailed Endeavour 37 center cockpits which had nice comfy aft cabins why jam into a quarter berth?

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Hard A Lee

I'm looking for boats with some different layouts, meaning something other than the usual salon area with a v-berth up front. My wife and I are looking for a cruising boat to live aboard full or part time with a small child. I grew up sailing and never really thought the v-berth was all that practical for sleeping. They're difficult to get in and out of and if your feet are toward the bow it can feel like your head is downhill. That's my opinion anyway. Making the dining table area into a bed is alright, but we don't want to be putting the table up and down all the time.

One that has caught my eye is the endeavor 37 plan a. I just don't know how usable the quarter berth would be for two adults.

We're trying to stay in the 36 to 40 foot range and hope to be cruising around the Caribbean and mostly island hopping but I'd like a solid cruiser that could take us anywhere if we decided.

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Hi.

I like this topic and am glad you started the thread. I hope others offer interesting or creative or different layouts.

One thing you did not mention that I think is essential to know prior to recommending boats for a specific purpose or need, is "What is the Budget?"

IF you clearly state the budget (the asking price range) then it will help others help you.
__________________

Open Plan = Feeling of Openness
Bulkheads = More Privacy, Smaller Spaces, More "Walls"

Since you have a small child, your need for "privacy" for adults may not be as important as others' needs.

I happen to like some of the "Open Plan" designed boats I have seen, with most coming from French yards/designers. To me, they offer more openness and a better feeling of "space" inside the boat. I am not referring to the recent "wide body wedge hulled" boats and some recent models which appear very wide inside.

What do I mean by "open?"
I am referring to the lack of typical bulkheads and doors which separate cabin space. The "open" boats usually are designed to have an open view from companion way to Vberth and may have just curtains for some privacy.
__________________

Regarding the Endeavour 37 A Plan:
I sailed on one for 30 day ocean passage from Hawaii to California. I slept on the settee in the forward part of the boat. It is not a typical "Vberth." The drop leaf saloon table is there. In general I found the boat comfortable at anchor and while cruising and on ocean passage and sea kindly (we experienced heavy weather).

IF choosing between an Endeavour 37 A or B plan for a couple with a small child, I would go with the A plan, as the B plan has the typical Vberth and loses inside space to a larger aft sail locker. I think the A Plan "master's stateroom" (with door for privacy) is adequate for a couple (if young) and as good as most on boats this size.

On the A Plan, the head was comfortably sized. On my voyage a large (280+#) sailor slept in the quarter berth (comfortably for him) so that would be a good place for the child, as it is always visible and easy to see from the galley. The boat seems "roomy" compared to many other boats that are of that LOA and that era (older boats from 1980s) . It has many opening ports (good for tropics), more than a lot of boats that size.

The cockpit on that boat is very large with long seats (as I recall) and becomes a very nice outdoor space (get a good Bimini to cover it). The cockpit coaming is high and the cockpit feels "secure" compared to many other boats. The design of the coaming from the cabin makes it a drier boat from spray. As I recall the freeboard was a bit high, so I would add a swim deck and securely mounted steps to get in the water and most importantly out of the water. Our boat had a Monitor wind vane on the stern, but for shorter voyages I don't see a need, would use a good autopilot and use the swim step (or dinghy davits) on the stern instead.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

I've sailed Endeavour 37 center cockpits which had nice comfy aft cabins why jam into a quarter berth?

Looks like my memory was a foot short. Apparently only the 38' was built as a CC.

http://www.endeavourowners.com/dscsn.../e38sale4.html

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Hard A Lee

We're trying to stay in the 36 to 40 foot range and hope to be cruising around the Caribbean and mostly island hopping but I'd like a solid cruiser that could take us anywhere if we decided.

Many, many great layouts in that size range for a couple from Hunter/Beneteau/Catalina. Open up you mind some and get a boat that is going to make you happy to be on.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Here is a photo to show what I mean by Open Plan (no bulkhead separates forward Vberth area from saloon).

I think this makes a very nice large "family room" for a couple with small children (or a great room for those without childen). The boat is of moderate size (about 38' LOA as I recall).

[Island Time O25]

A friend had Niagara 35 which had a work room instead in the v-berth and 2 decent size quaterberths. There is also a 42ft model which has unconventioan v-berth layout which I think is easier to use than a regular one.
35'

-----------------------------
42'

[JPA Cate]

Friends have an Adams Nought 40. It has two doubles aft, a medium saloon, pullman berth to port, and the pointy end is devoted to line stowage, & c. The main cabin is graced by a good sized fridge/freezer, ~ 4' x 4' x 3'. With that kind of layout, the child can have a whole cabin.

Down side is that there is only one "sea berth," the settee, and not everyone can sleep forward of the mast on passage.

Personallly, not a fan of the all the way forward head. Just awful to use when beating into 25+. But that's me.

[sobraon]

I personally love the innovations that the Gozzard's have with the drop down bulkhead openings and small dinette. The new 37', 41' and 44' Ketch all feature this design as well as the older 36'.

I would have loved this on our own boat as we rarely use the front cabin at anchor on in harbour. We only use the fwd cabin when we have guests or when on a port tack when sleeping on the starboard berth. The bulkhead opening and the configuation of the Gozzard is great design and utilises the space brilliantly.



And this below is a 1987 Gozzard 36'.



Ted Gozzard was a very quiet achiever.

Utilisation of space on a sail boat is important. I am amazed other designers haven't copied some of his innovations.

The smaller Gozzards rely on the front area as their primary cabin as area under the cockpit is limited. When folded in the seats become a very user friendly walk around island berth.




And did I mention his boats are also 'very pretty' to boot.




Garry

sv Spirit of Sobraon
Home Page - www.sobraon.com

[RainDog]

Quite a few boats have a fore-peak head and a Pullman berth behind it. Examples:

Passport 40
Caliber 40
Catalina 42
Island Packet 38

There are also several boats that have a v-berth, but also another preferred berth. Examples:

Pearson 385
Freedom 40 (aft-cockpit)

[Stu Jackson]

Creative layouts also may (aka could be) defined as to when they were introduced. Gerry Douglas put an AFT/midships head in our Catalina 34 in 986, one of the first, if not the first, production boat builders to do so.

Regardless of the rest of the layout features, we find the aft head to be about the best feature on any boat. I enjoyed the post about not enjoying a forward head at the extreme pointy end, but feel the same about the more traditional location just aft of the V berth forward of the saloon.

That's the front end, too, AFIK, when trying to use it in a seaway.