Stern Extension

[SV Liberty]

So here is an idea I kick around in my head a bit. I've lived aboard and sailed a Morgan 416 Out Island, more than 6 years and 25k nm. I like the boat, but admiral doesn't like the athwartship berth in the aft cabin. Would it be feasible to cut off the stern and add and 18-24" extension, above the waterline. An overhang, so to speak. Would get some aft deck space as well as the room to reorient the berth to centerline. I appreciate that the construction would have to be sturdy enough to keep the new stern section from being ripped off the boat in the worst of conditions. But query, can this be done properly and safely?

Thanks in advance.

SV Liberty

[jimbunyard]

If this is what your stern looks like



sure it could be done. Would be best to follow the existing hull lines to their logical conclusion, making sure that your internal modifications will fit within the parameters designated by following of those lines, and if they do why not?


Will be expensive to do right, especially if you hire all the work out and involve marine architect services, or include rig stresses in the addition...

[SV.Maverick]

I have considered extending my stern for a swim platform however as you know prices in the Seabrook area are high to have that kinda of work done I may wait to go to Florida.

[hellosailor]

Anything can be done properly and safely. Recreational and commercial boats, ships, aircraft, stretch limos...done all the time. The question is, is it economically feasible? For the price of finding a reputable yard, and having proper structural and finishing work done, would it be cheaper to just buy a different boat? (Bearing in mind, your semi-custom may also take a big hit on resale price because it no longer is "normal".)

[snotter]

Get a custom made swim platform made. Go to a good marine fabricator.

[Cheechako]

Anything can be done, but to do properly this is going to be very expensive. No way to rotate the berth as is? Repainting the topsides and deck to match after the work is going to be what... $15-20K alone?
I'm sure you can see info on extending on line maybe google it. I have seen a boat yard purchase a 60+ ft new motor yacht that was dropped by the crane removing it from a freighter, cut off the entire stern/back deck aft of the cabin, extend it 12 ft and add a hot tub.
Also saw a Lagoon 50+ cat in a yard in FLorida a guy was doing the same thing without the hot tub.

[Hudson Force]

I've made alterations to the aft cabin of my 1973 Morgan 413 to accommodate changes in berths and space. Mine was with the Walk over instead of the "hallway" access, but the aft cabin space is essentially identical. My original aft berth was a huge U-shape that would allow a choice of athwartship double or separate quarter berths. When our children, Son and Daughter, were seven and nine, we decided to split our aft cabin into two separate private spaces.

I put in a dividing wall that was removable for the application of the emergency tiller if needed. This wall was supported by two "back-to-back" computer hutches. All this was changed back to the original design when our children moved off the boat as adults.

Is it just the two of you cruising? If so, what about taking out the aft cabin head and hanging locker in order to increase the size of the aft cabin bed space? You can fit the centerline bed and recoup the hanging locker space in the forward corners.

There's a huge space in that Out Island to allow for some reconfiguration without changing the outside form, but if you decide to put an extension on the stern it would not likely weigh more than a dinghy extended on stern davits.

[leboyd]

Call me crazy, but this doesn't seem to be a really difficult modification for a professional. I would sketch it up and take it to some professionals for bids and comments. Once you have some of that information, you can decide whether it's worth it to you.

Very interesting idea.

[pcmm]

There is enough space on the OI41 to switch the aft berth into a fore-aft orientation. it will cost you most of the floor space though.

[micheck]

On a less serious note, depending on the humans vertical dimensions, could one not accomplish the desired change mostly by rotating the bedding 90 degrees?