Do you utilize a Hanging Locker?

[SailingAdrift]

Hi Cruisers and Liveaboards:

Do you use your hanging locker or would you allocate that space differently?
We are designing and refitting our aft cabin and I am curious if anyone uses the hanging bar or if have converted it or use it for a different form of stowage.

Do you love your locker?! Sharing a picture and design ideas would be awesome! Thanks much in advance

[robert sailor]

If you are a weekend cruiser you may not use it that much but if you are going to cruise you will really need hanging lockers.

[Franziska]

It really depends on what you are up to. But I do miss enough hanging space frequently. It's very easy to access and easier to see what's in there.
We put some bars over the aft bunks and have space there, but it makes the space in the bunks small.
So yes, hanging lockers are great to have. Use thin hangers to get more in.

[SailingAdrift]

Awesome! Do you guys find that the stuff stays put pretty well just hanging on a bar?

[sailormed]

I equipped nearly all hanging lockers with shelves. If you have wet foulies hang them in the shower. I sail in the med in the summer months, no high latitudes.

[sailjumanji]

We have hooks for wet foulies in the shower. We also have hanging lockers in each of the cabins as well, and those tend to be used for jackets. They typically are only about 6 inches of depth.

[Cheechako]

I like hanging lockers. So yes. Also handy was one of those canvas shoe hanging things that hangs in a hanging locker for shoes and other stuff. Stuff stays well on the bar. Small open weave plastic tubs below the hanging stuff on the bottom.

[LLCoolDave]

Originally Posted by SailingAdrift

Awesome! Do you guys find that the stuff stays put pretty well just hanging on a bar?

If you fit a length of ribbed hose over the hanging bar it will help keep things in place.

If you are living on the boat and want to go out for a night on the town it's nice to have clothes that aren't wrinkled and that's when it's nice to have a locker.

[JPA Cate]

Hello, Sailing Adrift,

We are long full time offshore cruisers. We have two hanging lockers, and they are needed for long stuff, as well as clothing and weather gear">foul weather gear. There's a shoe bag in there.

Used to have a spare roll of sail cloth for repairs in there. When it's your house, and storage shed, it tends to get a bit chock a block. Not so much for coastal cruising, vacation and weekend use. We've some friends who converted a hanging locker in the head to shelves, and found that more useful, so I think it depends on what you need to have. We need to have all season wear, as well as travelling clothes for international travel. What you need will depend on what you like to do.

I wouldn't convert them right away, if the boat is new to you. Just see what you use the space for, then decide what will work best.

For us, the hanging lockers are essential.

Ann

[SVHarmonie]

One thing is to be sure the clothes don’t swing as the boat rocks. They will chafe right on through before you get to wear them! A bit of bungee keeps them confined, or a reall full hanging bar...

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by SailingAdrift

Awesome! Do you guys find that the stuff stays put pretty well just hanging on a bar?

If your wife is like mine there is no room for anything to move as they are really snug...code for lots of clothing
Well maybe that's a bit of exaggeration but let's just say we have some clothes aboard and ladies like to dress up every now and then.

[Franziska]

Absolutely. It's also helpful if you need less wrinkles and we have a separate hanging area which is well vented for anything wet, like oilskins..

Originally Posted by SailingAdrift

Awesome! Do you guys find that the stuff stays put pretty well just hanging on a bar?

[Woodland Hills]

We use our closets on the boat just like we did the ones in our land home. We live full time onboard and know that you are not welcome everywhere in tee-shirt and shorts. Like at weddings and funerals or even at nice restaurants. Of course with Covid we aren’t doing any of that, but life will resume in 12 to 18 months and we will again.

[Pete7]

Ripped one of ours out and replaced with a freezer. However, it was very shallow front to back so the rail ran front to back. I did try to turn the rail round only to find a standard coat hangar didn't fit, too wide, so out it came.

The other locker is deeper so we keep dry foulies, wetsuit etc in there.

Pete

[SV__Grace]

Chris and Kell, congratulations on your N38, from the photos on your website you have a lot to do!

Nauticats are built to be comfortable for living aboard and on our N43 we have two hanging lockers in our aft cabin owners stateroom that we use for his and her closets, for clothes and shoes, just like in a house. In the PNW it really helps to hang a Damp Rid to keep the locker and clothes dry and fresh.

The hanging locker in the forward stateroom I use as a rope locker for all my spare and special purpose lines. The closet rod is useful in any hanging locker and I'm not sure about your question or hesitancy about using the rod to hang stuff. The doors have a catch and everything stays in there nicely while under way.

Since, like us, you appear to be in PNW, you might be interested in my latest project to insulate the aft cabin ceiling. This past winter was our first here in WA (we arrived from CA in June 2019) and the condensation in our sleeping quarters was way too much. We live on the hook and as frugally as possible, so we don't run dehumidifers or keep our heat on all the time. We're here because we LIKE the weather and would rather be cold than hot. My Nauticat guru has a sister ship N43, is in Alaska and has been invaluable in providing advice for adapting to cold weather environments and guided my insulation efforts. Since you're working on your boat up here you might add insulation while everything is apart, especially in the ceiling between the headliner and the deck.

Another tip from my guru was to use window film to shrink wrap the windows, hatches and ports.

We were having condensation drip from every window, hatch and port and the window film eliminated that like magic. It has the added benefit of increasing the insulation of the windows as well. For 8 bucks it's affordable and easy to apply to prep for winter, and remove in spring.

We spent two years re-fitting our N43 before taking off to become full time PNW cruisers. I've been through every inch of our boat, have worked on every system and have learned a lot! Feel free to reach out with your questions as you did here.

We have a great Nauticat forum for sharing information and support and I invite you to join us. There are quite a few of us in PNW, makes sense as Nauticats are built for these conditions.

My best to you!