Congrats to Seawind.

[ed91e]

I’m thinking of going to the monohull forum and make my own guesses about a boat I never heard of but a lot of members seems to like.
I’m sure my opinion will be very valuable for a lot of people.
Hopefully it won’t me look ignorant and annoying.

Originally Posted by PortClydeMe

As I mentioned above, advertising is an art.

Personally, I don't need to be told by Cruising World - or anyone else - what the "best boat under 50 feet" is. Or over 50 feet, for that matter. Or any size, for that matter.

Ahhh, it's just me ... thinking out loud.

I used to wear Levi Strauss & Co. jeans.

In Maine, where Hinckley Yachts (founded in 1928) are constructed, the minimum wage was recently raised to $10 per hour. I expect Hinckley employees make more than that, and "gosh golly", they make some nice boats.

Speaking of Vietnam, I wonder what it actually costs to build a $500K boat THERE.

Something to think about, as well as other related things.

Before this thread, I had never before heard of Seawind, nor Corsair Marine. I had heard of Wal-Mart, and business "offshoring" (hahahaha).

Congratulations. Advertising is an art form.

[cyan]

Originally Posted by ssmoot

...For a 41' boat the galley is outstanding. Better than most boats at any size. Well ventilated. Sociable....

Great detail, but I’m curious about this one point.
The one deal-breaker in our search is the galley down in the hull. I realize there are two schools of thought here, but our search just will never include galley-down. The reason is indeed the “sociable” environment of galley-up layouts, probably even the main reason we are looking at cats for the next boat, instead of another mono where the cook is isolated from the fun out in the cockpit area. (Especially at anchor)
What did you find “sociable” about the galley on the 1260?

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by cyan

Great detail, but I’m curious about this one point.
The one deal-breaker in our search is the galley down in the hull. I realize there are two schools of thought here, but our search just will never include galley-down. The reason is indeed the “sociable” environment of galley-up layouts, probably even the main reason we are looking at cats for the next boat, instead of another mono where the cook is isolated from the fun out in the cockpit area. (Especially at anchor)
What did you find “sociable” about the galley on the 1260?

I've always been a fan of Seawinds, going back to the first many years ago, however once I married and my wife sailed with me, the galley down concept went out the window. I have to admit she spends more time there than me, and I respect the facts that she feels ill below when we're underway, and she likes having the galley up and a part of the open saloon/cockpit idea.

I contacted Seawind several times about moving the galley up, and they said they had no plans to do so until the 1600, thus removing the Seawind from our list of possibly purchases.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by cyan

Great detail, but I’m curious about this one point.
The one deal-breaker in our search is the galley down in the hull. I realize there are two schools of thought here, but our search just will never include galley-down. The reason is indeed the “sociable” environment of galley-up layouts, probably even the main reason we are looking at cats for the next boat, instead of another mono where the cook is isolated from the fun out in the cockpit area. (Especially at anchor)
What did you find “sociable” about the galley on the 1260?

Even though the galley is down, you're really not isolated from the cockpit, certainly nothing like a mono. From about chest height up, you're basically in the saloon, and the way the saloon opens into the cockpit means the cook is still able to interact with people in the cockpit.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Even though the galley is down, you're really not isolated from the cockpit, certainly nothing like a mono. From about chest height up, you're basically in the saloon, and the way the saloon opens into the cockpit means the cook is still able to interact with people in the cockpit.

You must both be tall! We’ve been aboard at two shows and my wife can’t see everybody in the saloon and nobody in the cockpit. Our other issue was that our grown kids and guests enjoy hanging out in/around the galley to help out, carry stuff and just talk. We must also be showing our age as we prefer not walking from the galley down back and forth to the cockpit. Just our preferences, though.

[cyan]

Originally Posted by LeeV

You must both be tall! We’ve been aboard at two shows and my wife can’t see everybody in the saloon and nobody in the cockpit. Our other issue was that our grown kids and guests enjoy hanging out in/around the galley to help out, carry stuff and just talk. We must also be showing our age as we prefer not walking from the galley down back and forth to the cockpit. Just our preferences, though.

LeeV, I am in the same boat, so to speak. Thanks for providing the Seawind response. 1600, hmmm...
EVERY modern home going up in my neighborhood has the kitchen open to the living space for the same reason, with families all hanging out in and around the meal preparation.
At anchor on a mono, we try to use the BBQ for evening meals for the same reason. Cooking is always group project and part of the fun for us. Sentencing someone below decks to make food for the laughing, drinking gang above is simply not acceptable for us.

I have to admit that the beautiful 1260 has a nice galley with big windows to the sea, though I don't see how this is sociable. There is no WAY my group of sailors would accept this, no matter the price or sailing performance.
Different strokes...

[smj]

As y’all say, different strokes. Having had both we prefer galley down. I’m guessing the larger the catamaran the more viable galley up becomes. In the size catamaran we prefer the galley takes up to much usable salon space while the galley down versions seem to use wasted space in the hull.

[ssmoot]

Originally Posted by cyan

LeeV, I am in the same boat, so to speak. Thanks for providing the Seawind response. 1600, hmmm...
EVERY modern home going up in my neighborhood has the kitchen open to the living space for the same reason, with families all hanging out in and around the meal preparation.
At anchor on a mono, we try to use the BBQ for evening meals for the same reason. Cooking is always group project and part of the fun for us. Sentencing someone below decks to make food for the laughing, drinking gang above is simply not acceptable for us.

I have to admit that the beautiful 1260 has a nice galley with big windows to the sea, though I don't see how this is sociable. There is no WAY my group of sailors would accept this, no matter the price or sailing performance.
Different strokes...

I guess to me it's sociable because it's not like some older galley down configurations on larger boats like a Lagoon 560 (IIRC), which is really more of an isolated crew-galley than for owners.

The galley on the 1260 is open at the top. You're in the same "room" at all times. You just don't have a direct line of sight because of a cabinet.

Yes, open concept kitchens are nice. Our 70's home doesn't have one. It's a fairly large kitchen, but the living room is on the other side of a wall with the refrigerator and pantry on it.

I don't consider it isolated though. It's not on the other end of the house. There's no doors. You can still hear everyone. Just a wall to step around.

I kinda think of the 1160/1260 the same. You're at most 10' from anyone in the salon at any time. You're always within earshot with only a cabinet blocking a direct line of sight. A couple steps over to the stairs and you've got a direct line of sight to anyone in the salon.

It's probably not for everyone. But it's a very happy medium for me. I find the galleys on most boats (especially in it's size range) to be pretty lacking. More similar to the kitchens in travel trailers than the ones in small apartments. And I'm the cook more often than not so that's important to me.

Besides, I'm not a good enough cook to want people crowding around me if I'm working on an hour-long prep & meal. If I've got a few minutes of breathing room between timers I'm only 5 or 6 steps away from plopping my butt in a salon seat.

So there's levels of "sociability" for sure. And maybe the 1260 isn't at the absolute top, but for me, it's so close it's not an issue at that point and concerns about counter space and layout become much more important.

[Matt Johnson]

If they'd remove the cabinet and rear to the starboard settee, you would have a view right into the salon. It's done often on pilothouse monohulls.

Matt

[cyan]

Originally Posted by ssmoot

I guess to me it's sociable because it's not like some older galley down configurations on larger boats like a Lagoon 560 (IIRC), which is really more of an isolated crew-galley than for owners.

The galley on the 1260 is open at the top. You're in the same "room" at all times. You just don't have a direct line of sight because of a cabinet.

Yes, open concept kitchens are nice. Our 70's home doesn't have one. It's a fairly large kitchen, but the living room is on the other side of a wall with the refrigerator and pantry on it.

I don't consider it isolated though. It's not on the other end of the house. There's no doors. You can still hear everyone. Just a wall to step around.

I kinda think of the 1160/1260 the same. You're at most 10' from anyone in the salon at any time. You're always within earshot with only a cabinet blocking a direct line of sight. A couple steps over to the stairs and you've got a direct line of sight to anyone in the salon.

It's probably not for everyone. But it's a very happy medium for me. I find the galleys on most boats (especially in it's size range) to be pretty lacking. More similar to the kitchens in travel trailers than the ones in small apartments. And I'm the cook more often than not so that's important to me.

Besides, I'm not a good enough cook to want people crowding around me if I'm working on an hour-long prep & meal. If I've got a few minutes of breathing room between timers I'm only 5 or 6 steps away from plopping my butt in a salon seat.

So there's levels of "sociability" for sure. And maybe the 1260 isn't at the absolute top, but for me, it's so close it's not an issue at that point and concerns about counter space and layout become much more important.

Those are good points, I think.
For our needs, the galley interaction would ideally be with the aft cockpit- not just the saloon. In the tropical evenings, dinner is in the cockpit for us. My wife (and chef by profession) declared the Lagoon 380 to be ideal on our smallish cat search list. I was shocked, as it has the SMALLEST excuse for a galley among the others in that range. At one boat show, she just leaned over the L380's butcher block sink-cover (not even a real counter), put two hands on the wooden bar spanning the very wide opening to the cockpit, and declared: "this is perfect".
I have friends who really like their Seawind 1160 galley-down while underway. I respect that, but it seems meals during passages are not numerous compared to those at anchor. Plus, we don't plan on staying anywhere near restaurants for very long.

Waiting to see the Seawind 1600 one day...

[tp12]

Originally Posted by smj

As y’all say, different strokes. Having had both we prefer galley down. I’m guessing the larger the catamaran the more viable galley up becomes. In the size catamaran we prefer the galley takes up to much usable salon space while the galley down versions seem to use wasted space in the hull.

I think this is it for me, too, in terms of process. As someone who likes to cook I can't imagine cooking in some of the pokey looking galleys I see on smaller boats tucked into a corner of the salon. They remind me of the single burner cupboard 'kitchen' you might find in a tiny studio flat! If I ended up getting a smaller boat I'd be looking for a galley down so you have decent room to cook. Understanding as well that it's more than likely, imperative perhaps, to have a bbq on the bridgedeck. So you get options. On a larger design, where a reasonable galley can be had without ruining the salon space, I'd definitely have it up for all the reasons mentioned.

If you're not really interested in cooking and see food as just fuel, then it's probably not even a consideration. If eating is often an occasion for you or you just simply enjoy the creative process of cooking then there's probably a minimum galley size you'd consider and then it becomes a bit easier to consider designs with that knowledge. That's pretty much the process I went through in looking at various designs.

I've been on all the Seawinds except the 1600 and they're great galleys and a really good design for a boat that length.

[cyan]

Originally Posted by tp12

...If eating is often an occasion for you or you just simply enjoy the creative process of cooking then there's probably a minimum galley size you'd consider and then it becomes a bit easier to consider designs with that knowledge...

These very important occasions (meals) for us demand group participation during preparation. A galley-down would negate this.
But I totally agree about the minimum galley size.
Also BBQ is key.

[tp12]

Originally Posted by cyan

These very important occasions (meals) for us demand group participation during preparation. A galley-down would negate this.
But I totally agree about the minimum galley size.
Also BBQ is key.

I think you've very carefully considered your requirements and have come up with an excellent solution. I could not agree with you any more about a bbq. Should have one on every boat! In my opinion, of course.

[smj]

Originally Posted by tp12

I think you've very carefully considered your requirements and have come up with an excellent solution. I could not agree with you any more about a bbq. Should have one on every boat! In my opinion, of course.

And having owned 2 Seawind 1000’s, the location of the bbq is unbeatable!

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by LeeV

You must both be tall!.

I'm tall, 6'8 but Tania's only 6'1.