Interior layout...why?

[JakePev]

Hello everyone!
First time poster, long time creeper. At last, the burning question breaks my silence:

Why does every sailboat within the 25-ish to 35-ish range have roughly the EXACT same interior plan? I.e. Going bow to stern; V-Berth, port side head, starboard side locker/storage area, portside sette, starboard side galley or opposed couch, and then nav. station or galley usually dependent upon the side of the famous folding table... Is this just something that someone designed on a whim and it was simple and stuck? Or is there a deeper reason for this trend which facilitates the construction that I am clueless on? Like weight distribution, wiring, etc.

Reason for my question:
Like many poor slaves chained to the College Education system, I am a "student" about to graduate. I have this incredible itching fantasy of sailing the world (go ahead and bring on the comments, I can handle them) and I'd like to make that hopelessly romantic fantasy into a livable dream. I DESPISE the awkward interior arrangement of most mono's and dream of a custom boat (with all of its wonderful custom problems) that would have some type of OCD calming plan, symmetrical in design, allowing a crew of like minded dirtbags to suffer in said journey with me, all having equal sized bunks. I really thought of this after seeing a Swan 48, and its crew quarters with a head at the bow and access to the watertight bulkhead.

Is this possible to do on a smaller boat (Again, the word College should speak to my financial standing and reason why a 48 footer isnt in my backyard already) and would I run into any major issues by attempting to do this in a prefabricated glass hull? I foresee no real obstacles, but even the wisest of kings consults his council.

Thanks!

Here's a link to a decent video of the Swan 48, the part I mention begins at roughly 11:45.

2. Cabin Tour - Offshore Sailing on Bella Luna - Swan 48 sailboat - YouTube

[goboatingnow]

i find lying on your side, will prevent too much dreaming…..


dave

[Greenhand]

Headroom .

That is, in order to have a head, you probably want to be able to walk in upright, even if you do have to sit once inside.

[brantleychuck]

When a boat is new it is aimed at a very narrow market. They are designed to target that market. Especially smaller boats. No reason in the world you could not build a interior from scratch to suit you. Buy a boat with a wiped out interior and go for it. May want to sail a bit to get an idea as what layout might suit u.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by JakePev

...I have this incredible itching fantasy of sailing the world (go ahead and bring on the comments, I can handle them) and I'd like to make that hopelessly romantic fantasy into a livable dream. I DESPISE the awkward interior arrangement of most mono's and dream of a custom boat...

Hold off on the custom boat until you have some sailing experience and money. In the meantime try to put up with what the world's best naval architects and most experienced boaters have deemed necessary.

[forsailbyowner]

ive changed the layout on my last two boats to fit me. Im not into big open spaces, Im into a boat that doesnt sound like its coming apart in a seaway. I start with a proper framing plan using the tabbed in place interior joinery. The fore to aft pieces go from bulkhead to bulkhead. The bulkheads are full bulkheads, not stopping at the sole but tabbed all the way down to and across the keel. If you want a custom boat take a free or next to free hull and make it yours. No need to start from scratch.

[Benz]

there is no good reason for the standard layout; it is herd instinct in the builders, like Marconi rigs. by all means change the layout to something that pleases you. I did, and am perfectly happy.

[Stumble]

It's pretty easy to see why boats in this size fall this way. Basically what you start with is a pretty narrow tube. Bedrooms go at the far ends to provide as much privacy as possible. The salon needs the most room so that goes in the widest part of the hull, then you have to fit a head and a galley. Getting thrown around while using the head is disgusting, having a pot of boili water thrown around is a trip to the hospital so the kitchen goes in the back and the head in the bow.

As for mirror imaging and swapping port/starboard. There is no good reason I can think of. There is a slight (and I do mean very slight) advantage to having the head on the port side. Since boats have right of way while on starboard tack and it is easiest to use the head while it is downhill of you, it means that you maintain right of way while you are down a man. Frankly this is so subtle I doubt it has any impact on the way boats are designed, and I know plenty of boats with the head on the starboard side.

[delmarrey]

JakePev, welcome aboard.

Some of the older boats were pretty cramped but the newer ones are more livable, probably a throw back to the wooden boat days.

Myself, I changed everything except the sailing dynamics. Most of the hours I spent on my boat was interior work. Interiors are really hard to design since there are no square corners to measure from, in sailboats. The production builders build molds and patterns from the prototype and make modifications for improvements or special requests.

Other decisions are made on costs. Fees for the architect and cost of materials. What I hate are V-berths. The last place I'd want to be if the boat hits something in the middle of the night.

[psk125]

I heard galleys were put to port because the Newport-Bermuda Race is often a long starboard tack, and it makes cooking for a large crew easier to have it on the leeward side. (Talk about a narrow target market!) This would mean the Nav station would have to be to Starboard if it was near the hatchway. This would be a good thing because spray coming in the hatch would (mostly) miss the charts, radios, and other electronic equipment, which it would ruin, and might land in the soup, perhaps improving its flavor.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by psk125

I heard galleys were put to port because the Newport-Bermuda Race is often a long starboard tack, and it makes cooking for a large crew easier to have it on the leeward side. (Talk about a narrow target market!) This would mean the Nav station would have to be to Starboard if it was near the hatchway. This would be a good thing because spray coming in the hatch would (mostly) miss the charts, radios, and other electronic equipment, which it would ruin, and might land in the soup, perhaps improving its flavor.

I believe that the galley to port thing far outdates the N_B race.

What I was told long ago was that in the old days, folks who were at sea in harsh weather would heave to on Starboard tack (for the obvious reasons), and as mentioned, cooking is easier when spills fall away from the cook.

Since many modern boats don't heave to well, and most modern sailors don't know how or why to heave to, it is perhaps an outdated idea!

Jim

[Stu Jackson]

The layouts have come about based on a combination of form and function.

Find a book called Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Oceangoing Vessels, or something like that. It takes an entire book to explain it.

We like our boat because the builder was among the first to move the forward head compartment to midships, which makes a LOT more sense, no more sleeping two inches away from the head!

But basically, having a reasonable layout down below is constrained by maximizing certain features while allowing handholds for moving about in a seaway, whether you're on the ocean or on a lake.

There is a reason for that continuity, it's not herd instinct.

[bobconnie]

All Connie and I know for sure ! And that's a galley that runs length wise down the boat on one side or both sides is a pain in the rear to cook in when the winds blowing 30 knots or more !! Give me a u shaped galley on either side of the boat! at the foot of the entrance or anywhere as long as its u shaped and small !! LOL We cook everyday at least one hot meal ! no matter how rough it is ! And we use a belt to stay in place if we have to !! Just our 2 cents after 25 + years of messing about in sail boats ! The best thing we ever bought was a single burner propane gimbled stove we use for coffee or soup when it's REALLY Rough !

[krafthaus]

Welcome to CF JakePev & good luck in your adventures!

[SV Windrush II]

Every boat I have purchased, I have gutted and custom built out the interior to suit the way we wanted. which was usually vastly different than what was from the factory. Boats are usually built like a "one size fits all" mentality.

You just have to make sure that the strength gets built back into it and also the balance. Putting too much weight in the wrong places will make the boat list to much on one side or make it bow or stern heavy

for example, When I designed our main lounge in our motor yacht, I wanted settee that sat 6 plus 2 chairs for 8 total and a Hi-lo table so it could turn into a double birth