V-berth Head Design (please critique)

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by drew.ward

BTW Sully, is your propane heater not vented outside? I was planning on it being enclosed and drawing fresh air from outside and venting back out. I'll have to think of a way to overcome the waves though. The other option is a point-of-use electric unit, but I don't like the idea of having to use electricity. It just seems that generating heat is such a waste.

I'll be using a propane grill and propane stove/oven. So the fuel is already there. I haven't decided yet if I'll look at a propane generator or a diesel one.

It's a fully vented propane heater - the Paloma brand. It has a chimney that doesn't seem to its job when the boat is closed up tight. If you have one drawing fresh from outside and then putting it back out through a chimney, you're probably all set. Mine relies on a chimney only, and the chimney wouldn't be the proper length to get a good draw if it were a wood stove. So... probably more of a problem with my particular heater.

[hellosailor]

There's an old saying that a real head is ALWAYS mounted athwartships. That's so you can use it, or ride it, reasonably comfortably no matter how the boat is tacking or pitching.

Mounted forward, it means anyone using the head has to traverse the whole cabin, and if you use it as a wet locker or come below from the wet, you'll trek water all the way through the cabin. (I was terribly impressed by a Sabre 38 that had the head starboard side, just forward of the companionway.)

So if you're comfortable with the issues of having the head where it will move the most and require the most getting to...the only change I'd make is to put the head all the way up in the bow, where you have the water heater. That way it will be athwartships.

I'd also suggest checking the venting requirements on the flash water heater--I know the guys and the boat where someone almost died from monoxide poisoning from one, that started the whole process of knocking them off the US marine market for a long time. And just missed going along on that ride.

[drew.ward]

OK, so I've decided to add a head (just a head and closet) amidship. This will provide an alternative if the waves are rocking.