A Complete Rookie with a 28' Aluminium Hull and an Obsession with Living Aboard

[squirrel]

Sabre my thoughts exactly on the quarter berth, id rather have a hammock if i need extra sleeping space. Think ill use space thats under the cockpit for an extra fuel or water tank, and have a chart table/nav station and chair at the other end. I think im going to be mainly using a laptop for navigation, so not sure if i wanna risk having it on the same counter as any kinda liquid (3 laptops died in my possession through drowning so not a good track record)... Cheers for the confirmation on insulation, no pun intended

DeepFrz found the article, Passagemaker indeed, April 2008. Will have a read but the first 2 paragraphs aren't exactly flattering. Thanks for the info!

Incase anyone else is interested:
Kanter 56 -Text-only Version - April 2008 - PassageMaker Magazine

[ruthless]

I agree with you that wheels look great but you'll be hard pressed to find space in the Sarum cockpit for one. This website;
Morgan's Cloud|Offshore Sailboat Voyaging|Attainable Adventure Cruising
has a lot of pratical advice for aluminium boat owners, they say that insulation is a must! The most important thing as many people have pointed out is galvanic corrosion, some aluminium boat owners won't let copper coins on board in case they get lost in the bilges (though that may be a little extreme!) There is an ongoing argument about bronze vs plastic through hull fittings for aluminium hulls which is just as polarised as wheel vs tiller! Let us know how you get on.

[Ahnlaashock]

On the one argument, forget plastic. My father was given a boat. A tune up and a check list. Everything fine. No leaks at all. All systems go. Jumped it up on plane and took about a three mile shakedown.
When I slowed down, the boat started to feel sluggish very quickly. Water started coming up through the cockpit drain. I had my three passengers on the nose holding it down enough to keep going when we got to the ramp. The batteries and fuel tank were under water when we got the trailer under it.
The boat had been stored for years. Every plastic thru-hull was broken. They don't age well apparently.
No plastic thru-hulls on any boat that can sink in my opinion, not if I am going to be on it very far from shore anyway.
I am a complete newcomer, but I learned that lesson in one sitting, and it has stuck with me.