2 cabin w locker or 3 cabin layout

[rubberduck]

Hi all!

Just wondering peoples views and thoughts on cabin configuration. Currently looking at a Jeanneau 389 (or similar) for blue water cruising (2 people). pros and cons of a 2 cabin w locker or a 3 cabin.

Cheers

[weavis]

The response is:

What do YOU want. What suits you?



Most women when buying a home, have already decided or make up their mind what they would like when they see it. Most men have a different perspective on things to do with boat, engine size, equipment etc........ Now me, I like privacy on a boat and room. My choices and requirements are to do with storage and guest facilities when and how they happen. Yours may very well be very different. I would have the extra room but it may conflict with something your or spouse wish to have.

It would be good to see who bought what and then changed their mind later.

[mausgras]

I bought a 3 cabin 1 head model because I figure it is easier to use a spare cabin for storage than a storage locker as a backup cabin.
Experience has shown me that was a wise decision.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Stu Jackson]

Some boats with a third cabin change the saloon layout significantly.

See what YOU like. What we like may differ greatly from your wants & needs.

[Eleuthera 2014]

I have 2 cabins... plus some foraging spaces. My take on it is that guests are on borrowed time; on day 2, I start evaluating who will be the first human sacrifice... 4 th day, I'm ready to kill...

Fewer cabins, fewer guests... my opinion...

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by rubberduck

Hi all!

Just wondering peoples views and thoughts on cabin configuration. Currently looking at a Jeanneau 389 (or similar) for blue water cruising (2 people). pros and cons of a 2 cabin w locker or a 3 cabin.

Cheers

All the boats that I'm currently interested in have FAR too many berths. It's primarily going to be for me and my wife, with the occasional guest or four. We want to "de-cabin", and use that space for other things.

Fish and guests start to stink after 3 days, so don't make your friends too comfortable.

[Clipper4730]

We struggled with that same decision. In the end we choose the two cabin layout for the additional space in the saloon as well as the huge locker aft. Our galley wraps around back into the area where the third cabin would be and provides a secure place to cook and prepare meals underway, and the added space in the saloon is fantastic. We bought the boat for us, not for entertaining multiple overnight couples. The only thing we would change is access to the guest head. You have to go into the aft cabin to use it and it would be nice to be able to access it directly from the saloon. Good luck with your search. Btw we choose the Beneteau 50 2004 vintage and it has been wonderful so far. Easy to handle by a couple pretty fast and comfy at anchor.

Cheerio
Will

[roverhi]

Unless you know you will have frequent guests, would stick with two cabins + stowage. The old adage that guests are like fish and begin to stink after a couple of days is true. We had two guests on our trip. One stayed for 6 weeks and ended a friendship. The other was aboard for only a week and worked out. That was all that showed up out of many friends, more than a few with free flight benefits, who said they'd come visit. Would never buy a boat with guests in mind unless you are the very social type with lots of friends of independent means who travel regularly and a desire to vacation in the cramped conditions of a boat.

Storage is way more important. An open cabin was way less efficient for stowage than shelves and drawers. If the second cabin is going to be used as stowage it becomes useless as guest quarters unless you have space to move the stuff that ends up there when guests arise.

[Mystic38]

100% of the time its storage above guests...

[rubberduck]

Thanks for all the insight and experience... it helps!