Considering moving aboard

[Bgonzalez262]

Hey all! Was hoping to run something by all of you and get some opinions or pointers. My wife and i currently have a Nautilus 36 pilothouse, and our somewhat near future plans (3-5 years) is to buy a much larger boat and prepare to sail away. We are anxious to simplify and move aboard but hesitant with our current boat. This nautilus is a pilothouse with 2 quarter berths and a vberth. My wife and I have a 5 month old but by the time we move aboard she would be nearly one and a half. What are your thoughts about this size of boats and modifications that would make life easier to live on? Also, has anyone ever turned a quarter berth into a semi closed stateroom, or something similar? If so im hoping youre willing to share some pointers! I will be updating everything, storage, lighting, heating and of course, upholstery for the wife. But Im really just trying to think of how i can give our daughter her own space. Any positive feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, B.

[Kit_L]

Re. modifying an existing boat ("Also, has anyone ever turned a quarter berth into a semi closed stateroom, or something similar?"): doable, of course.

I am in a similar position; my partner and I own a mini-game fishing boat (8 metres, aluminium, cabin and pilot house) that we bought to to modify along similar lines, but we have decided to sell and get another boat. At present, it's an extremely good fishing boat, but it slams in chop (like all of these essentially flat bottom metal boats do) and is not in any way a comfortable boat. We feel that if we were to proceed with the modifications, it would be very expensive and we would end up with something that's not particularly good at anything.

We have decided that a bigger (50' plus) displacement boat with a big, lazy diesel, is the way to go and we are favouring timber.

[Bgonzalez262]

My wife and I also decided on a 50+ footer for the long cruise, but recently Ive been exploring options to outfit our 37 and ive actually come up with some pretty good ideas. Just hoping that my skills are good enough to do the refit! Its a beautiful boat with a lot of character and I think if it was done right we might not need another boat.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Bgonzalez262

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But Im really just trying to think of how i can give our daughter her own space. >>>>>>>>>>>

Since she'll only be a year & a half old, have you considered curtains? She won't know what her friends on land do with their own "rooms" with doors until she's much older. And doors on boats don't do much anyway. That'll give you more time to keep thinkin'. Good luck.

[Bgonzalez262]

Stu, thanks! I think I convinced my wife into an upgrade that'll work regarding the quarter berth. Using curtains of course ! Gunna be a lot of work but I can do all of it myself . This nautilus will be amazing when I'm finished with it . Heck ! We might even stay with it if get it nice enough . Although , I'm pretty sure we will want something a little bit bigger to circumnavigate ..

[GILow]

The names are escaping me at the moment, but a while back I read some VERY good blogs written by cruising families, and a least a couple of the blogs specifically addressed making the boats baby/toddler-friendly.

I remember being quite surprised at how well they made it all work.

I'd do a quick google of cruising family blogs or the like, you'll find the info in there.

For what it is worth, the more time I spend on my boat, the fewer doors are left in it.

But I do concede a place on the boat which you can make reasonably quiet and dark for a young child would be good. In my experience they sleep through darn near anything at night, but when those daytime naps are slowly losing frequency, a quiet space dark will keep them going just that little bit longer.

Matt

[JPA Cate]

but when those daytime naps are slowly losing frequency, a quiet space dark will keep them going just that little bit longer.

Funny you should write that, GILow, I noticed the same fact!

Ann