Bigger Galley / Heads - Smaller Salon Please - Does It Exist ?

[shantycrew]

I'm a bit of a newbie to forums, but here goes.This is a question about the seating/berths in the salon. Me and Jackie have been looking for our first yacht, or saillboat as they call them across the pond. It will be between 32 and 38 feet and we'll be sailing in the Caribbean, mostly although we may sail the arc if we find a boat here in the uk/ europe. We intend to live aboard for maybe six months, with six months ashore in the Dominican republic.
We want a decent size heads, an ample sized galley and a large cockpit. As there will only be two of us aboard we don't need to be able to seat six or more people for dinner around the table in the salon. we vant to be alone.

What I want to know is, are there any boats that don't take up all that room a midships with seats but instead give you a bigger galley and larger heads and more storage, perhaps. Having a small area for perhaps ourselves and a couple of guests would be ideal, just 4 seats say. We are shopping at the low end of the market with at best $50,000. Oh and we don't want a project boat, seems to me after almost two years of browsing that this dream boat has never been made, but maybe you know different.

[sailorboy1]

Sorry but from my research over the years..............NO!

[speciald@ocens.]

Boat heads and galleys are built small purposely. While at sea, you ant to be supported by bulkheads so that you don't bounce around. You want to be able to lean against opposite walls that support you. If the space is too large you we bouncing around.

[Amapola]

The only way to get exactly what you want = $$$. We've found that buying a used boat means making compromises and concessions.

[roverhi]

The midship seating area also doubles as sea berths on most boats. That means 6' plus length. If you don't plan on sailing anywhere overnight or have a quarter berth, you could do away with that space.

Why do you want a spacious head?? Are you going to use it as a getaway location?? In the tropics, the last place you want to be is cooped up in an enclosed space. We showered on deck, though we spent so much time in the water seldom had to take showers, For the other necesssities, a small space ust wide enough for your butt works just fine an is safer at sea.

Look for a U shaped galley with the primary prep area that doesn't double as ice box access. Amazing at how you can get by with much less space in the galley on a boat. That should give you adequate working room. We washed our dishes in a bucket with salt water in the cockpit so dirty dishes didn't take up counter space.

Six feet plus of laying out space is adequate for a cockpit unless you plan on entertaining hordes. If you anticipate a lot of people on board, bet a multihull. People seem to gravitate to their spacious decks whether they want them or not.

To be comfortable at anchor in the tropics, you need shade. Make sure you know how you'll be able to spread an awning.

[SunDevil]

Used 1989 Gemini 3000, Palm Coast FL - 99318847 - BoatTrader.com

Get a catamaran. Still not the biggest head, but you probably only spend a few minutes a day in there anyway.

[shantycrew]

I get the bit about bouncing about in a large head, suppose that makes sense, and thats all we'll be wanting to use underway, don't envisage showering when sailing but if we stay some place for a while it would be nice to have just a bit more space to wash and shower. Some heads are so tiny and a bit claustrophobic, good job were both small people. Hey roverhi, I know that these seats are berths, but do we need them. Are you saying that that is the best place to kip down when on a passage, comfortwise, cause most boats we're looking at seem to have a quarter berth. Six feet in the cockpit would be fine for us were both pixies.

[Cheechako]

There are some, but mostly older. For quite a while, galleys were layed out along one side instead of in a tiny U shaped space. I like them along the side on some boats. Every blue water hard core offshore sailor wants a tiny space so that they dont get thrown around when cooking (instead they get scalded with hot water! :>) ) Let's face it, you are at anchor 90% of the time, and many people dont intend to sail around the world. Some of the Endeavor 37's had the side galley. Nice strong , good sailing boats too. Most anyboat you buy over 10 years old will be a project of sorts. But hopefully you can find something that is really sound as far as hull , deck , rigging, engine and tankage. and deal with the small stuff.... Good Luck!

[shantycrew]

Originally Posted by SunDevil

Used 1989 Gemini 3000, Palm Coast FL - 99318847 - BoatTrader.com

Get a catamaran. Still not the biggest head, but you probably only spend a few minutes a day in there anyway.

Hello sun devil, we've never sailed a cat, so don't know how we'ld go with that but I can see how you get the better deal with the layout. Thing is they all look a bit ugly or ostentatious to my eye. Saying that we did browse a few last week on the net but no next to nothing about these creatures, although we do see a lot of them in the DR.

[sailorboy1]

I got my first boat, a 1988 Cal-39, mostly due to the aft head it had that had enough room to sit and do paperwork. And for when it was at port/anchor/mooring had a shower one could really stand in.