Rick Morel wrote:


Yes, to each their own. But honestly, how much space does one really
require? Another thing to think about is how that limited space is set
up.

Actually, adequate storage space for the "stuff"
as well as the boat equipment is the primary issue
for us.

For instance a place to sleep. Very important.
If you have to
squeeze in and contort life ain't gonna be pleasant. If it's hard
and/or wet a lot life ain't gonna be pleasant.

Even our Catalina 27 has two good places to sleep.
The aft quarterberth is quite large, and the
table/settee makes down into nice double bed for
two people who like to sleep close. The big
problem is storage space.

It seems
the manufacturers think it a big selling point to sleep many. The
Morgan stock sleeps 7. Now other than the space this takes up, where
in heck are you going to put 7 people on a 30-foot boat when they're
not sleeping?

Tell me about it. I'd rather have a boat that
sleeps four and has lots of well thought out
storage. But they don't make them like that.

Ya gotta eat. So that means you have to have a place to keep the food,
prepare and cook it. And something with which to cook it. A stove with
oven beats the heck out of a stove-top only. A gimbaled one with rails
and clamps beats a fixed one. I've left soup cooking on its own, in a
pressure cooker with the pressure thingy off, in 10-ft seas on the
latter. Oh yes, propane is the way to go. A microwave is nice. Yes it
takes about 100-AMPS at 12V from the inverter to run it, but it
doesn't run that long, so figure 10 to 20 AMP-Hours max per "cook".

I've been thinking about taking the propane system
out of the Irwin, and replacing the gimballed
propane 3-burner stove/oven with a gimbaled
electric stovetop and seperate electric oven along
with a built-in microwave. We would plan on
running the (very quiet) genset when necessary for
cooking. My theory is that fuel for the genset
will be easier to obtain than propane, and that we
will need the same fuel for the outboard anyway.
That way we don't have the possibility of a
propane leak in the cabin. We can dispense with
the propane detector, and just detect CO in the
cabin. We need the CO detector for the main motor
anyway.

Before you tell me that we won't be able to cook
when the genset is on the fritz, let me add that
I'm thinking of having two small 3KW gensets, and
an 110VAC generator slaved off of the propellor.
shaft to allow for cooking while underway without
using the genset.

This is still in the idea stage, so if you feel
I'm overlooking something please tell me.

Sufficient counter-top space. Actually kind of hard to obtain

That's one reason for the flat electric stovetop.
When the gimbal is locked it is just additional
counterspace. Right now we put a cutting board
over the Gas stovetop to get the same thing.

At home we've been doing almost all of our oven
cooking in a large toaster oven due to the fact
that we are currently remodeling the kitchen. You
know what? You can cook almost anything in that
little toaster oven that you can do in the big
oven, and it takes a _lot_ less space. We're not
talking about cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 12
here. Of course you need someplace to store your
pots and pans anyway...;-)


Had an icebox conversion
in the Coronado and plan to do the same in the Morgan. This takes up
less space. A stand-alone wouldn't be bad either if one has the space,
and it should be able to be found. Then one can use the icebox for
food or other stowage. In either case, space is limited so after a
while you will run out of things that need to be kept cold until the
next grocery stop. Of course that leaves more room for the fish and
stuff you catch. Anyway, all are doable in most cases.

Agreed. We've got a toploader fridge/freezer in
the Irwin right now. UGH! As soon as you pull
something out to use it, the other stuff falls
into the vacated space if the boat is moving
around at all. I've got to make some little
dividers or something...

Okay, now we get to repleshing that water we have to conserve. Once
someone asked us what we missed most about living ashore. My ex said,
"Not moving!", meaning of course the motion of the boat, not moving
from place to place. My answer was, "Being able to waste water!" There
are other things of course, but these were the honest number ONE for
each of us.

Well, again to each their own. The larger boat
allows space for the watermaker, and the genset
provides the power to run it when you need it.
The same power provides plenty of hot water. In
fact (heresy warning) we plan on running the air
conditioner from time to time if it is still too
hot in the evening. Got to make sure that the
genset is _really_ quiet.

To me a watermaker is worth
it's weight in gold. Good thing because they certainly seem to be
priced that way! snip

Agreed.

You still have to conserve water - you don't want to run the
thing 24/7 to keep up. Of course on a big boat with no concern for
energy conservation you can do it. IOW, if you're a member of the
$10,000-a-month crowd.

Our H2O tank is only 70 gallons. A 25 GPH reverse
osmosis watermaker should fill it from empty in 3
hours. While the genset is running the
watermaker, it is also making hot water, charging
the batteries, and providing power for cooking.
So, 3 hours at 1/3 gallon per hour and the typical
$5 per gallon means $5 per day for fuel when
anchored out. That is $150/month, and less than
our current slip fee, so not quite up to the
$10,000-a-month crowds costs yet. In fact, I'm
thinking it will typically be less than the bar
tab--until my wife turns on the air conditioner ;-)

Finally (Is it about time? I seem to get a bit windy, don't I?), you
have to have an energy source.

We have a wind generator, and plan on adding solar
panels as well. I've done the math though, and
that genset is going to have to run some. Better
it than the Yanmar though, because the Yanmar
makes a lot of noise and causes a fair amount of
vibration.

Yes, if you live aboard and especially live on the hook, there are
things in life you have to give up. But you also gain a lot more.
Maybe. The trick is to find what works for you and yours. If half of
the couple is doing it because the other half wants two, it'll turn
out really bad. No ifs, ands or buts. Well unless she or maybe even he
in those rare cases is a saint. If you've never really spend a lot
time aboard, do what you can, charter, borrow, whatever and try to
spend a couple weeks or preferably a month living aboard away from the
dock. If you return home with the urge to cruise make THE PlAN. If
either or both of you are so relieved to get back home you're in a
state of euphoria, then maybe life ashore with weekends aboard is the
life for you.

We're going to spend a month on the Irwin later
this year, and then we'll see. My spouse of 24
years has her doubts, but I'll wager she ends up
really liking it.

We're all different. Our choice of an ideal floating home is about a
75-foot motor yacht with all the bells and whistles, capable of
crossing oceans.

Make mine a 125 footer that will do 35kts and
carries a 23' tender you can water ski behind
Oh yeah, and a big offshore bank account to wire
the fuel money from. Nah... I think that would
spoil everything.

That ain't gonna happen, buddy! Not unless we win the
lottery. Chances of that are 1 in 45-million. If you buy a ticket. Our
chances are 0 in infinity because it ain't worth the buck with those
odds. The small boat we got. The suitcase full of money. Well not
quite. But I've done it before and I can do it again, by golly!

I like your attitude.

Rick

Don W.