What Sailboat cabin doesn't feel like a hole?

[ShalomOrchard]

The one thing I don't like about most sailboats is that most have cabins that feel like you are in a hole.
There are at best only smallish portholes and nowhere you can sit in the cabin and look out.

I once saw a sailboat, I think it was a Pearson around 22 ft, but I could be wrong,
one part of the cabin was higher then usual, and had reasonable windows around a sette
on one side, and galley on the other side. Anyone know what model that was, or any sailboat
like that?

Thanks, Jim.

[ShalomOrchard]

After much searching, it may be the boat I saw was a Pearson 300, although I thought it was shorter.
These are quite old boats, and quite rare; only a couple hundred were produced. The only cabin pictures
I could find seem to be atypical. There seems to be two different types of windows in the Pearson Brochure.

Yes, it looks like a motorsailer; so sue me. Sitting at the dinette and being able to look out; I would love
that. I do think it looks better then most of the similar cabins; even the ones with larger windows are too deep
to be able to sit and look out.

But it doesn't look like it's trailer-able ramp-launchable with a full keel...

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/pearson-300

https://www.pearsonyachts.org/models/pearson-300.html

[skipperpete]

Well Jim a Swan 86 has room to swing a cat in the saloon and aft cabin but not much in the engine room. I’d be hard pressed to come up with a boat I’d been on that made me feel like I was in a hole.... snug , cosy perhaps on the smallest cruising yachts... never a hole. But then, I really like boats so a bit biased.

[ShalomOrchard]

Originally Posted by skipperpete

Well Jim a Swan 86 has room to swing a cat in the saloon and aft cabin but not much in the engine room. I’d be hard pressed to come up with a boat I’d been on that made me feel like I was in a hole.... snug , cosy perhaps on the smallest cruising yachts... never a hole. But then, I really like boats so a bit biased.

Yeah, WAY out of my league!

[pcmm]

Look at Moody 33, 43 Eclipse or a sceptre 41. deck saloons/pilot houses

[Gudgeon]

Look for a raise salon or pilot house. You don't say what size boat you are looking for. Yhe Tartan 4400 has a lot of light in the cabin. They no longer make it and a few do come on the market. They now make a similar boat as the 4700.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by ShalomOrchard

Yeah, WAY out of my league!

And mine too, I just fix em when the engine stops working..... but they are roomy.

[Sos]

Nearly any Catamaran

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Sos

Nearly any Catamaran

Beat me to it. Even the worst catamarans beat out most monohulls.

[Anders]

Most but not all deck saloons have full visibility from seated. Personally I will never buy a cave boat where you have to stand up to see anything outside.

[boatman61]

LM 27..

[wrwakefield]

What you describe is what led us to Nauticat monohull sailboats (after having owned several boats over several decades...)

Any of the Nauticat sailing vessels have nice pilothouse accommodations.

The smallest they make is a 32 footer...



We have a 43 S&S designed hull. (Links to manufacturer info on that post...)

Here is some documented suffering in our cave in winter...

In case this helps.

Cheers! Bill

PS: I saw a beautiful Baba 30 35 with a nice pilothouse once. Quite rare as I understand it... We also owned a Macgregor 26M when landlocked for a few years. Despite what those who have never owned one will tell you, these are great trailerable boats with excellent visibility when seated at the settee... Perfect for 2 adults.

[Sam Woodbridge]

Beneteau Oceanis 38.1

[somanyboats]

The Cal 36 has a raised dinette area and large windows, the islander 29 and so do most pilot houses. I'm sure there are many others but these I know from personal experience

[rbrazil]

Nauticat pilot house monohulls would fit your criteria. I’ve attached a couple pics of our Nauticat 43, Tally Ho.