Wauquiez 40 and 41 Pilot Saloon - Owners Feedback

[Zontani]

First time post, apologies for any broken rules in advance. Looking to get input from any current or past owners of Wauquiez 40 and 41 Pilot Saloons. I’ve owned a 41 PS for a year now, living aboard full time, and love the boat, but have also discovered many interesting quirks. Hoping to find other owners to discuss ownership, modifications, sailing techniques, and the like.

Some initial items I’ve discovered which I’d like to hear if others have encountered, and if so, how they’ve handled.

1. Weight distribution: Due to the boat layout having vast majority of storage, water tanks, waste holding tanks all on the starboard, has anyone had any issues with listing? Due to adding several new systems adding weight to starboard, I’m debating adding ballast to port. Curious if others have done similar.

2. HVAC installation: Has anyone added (or had factory installed) a single AC/Heat unit in the saloon with vent runs to the forward and aft cabins? I’m in the process of adding an HVAC unit and haven’t found a way to route a line to the vberth yet.

3. Washer/dryer installation: If anyone has added a washer dryer unit in the lower cabinet of their saloon, where did you run the dryer vent line? My best solution so far has been to run it into the forward head, close the door, and open up the hatch.

4. Window tint: The massive windows in the saloon are great for viewing all around, but during sunny California days it can get incredibly bright and hot inside! Due to the valance covering the lower part of the windows and the curved shape, it’s tricky to install typical window shade fabric on the exterior. Had any one tried a window tint film?

If anyone has questions also, glad to share knowledge I’ve learned on the boat so far, including how to connect Yanmar engine into the Raymarine headunit, a cheap solution for peeling black film around window edges, wire tracing various dead electrical runs on the boat, installing a bow thruster, and experience with cutting down jib sail from 135 to 110.

[Jamai]

Hey Zontani,

nobody replied you until today, so i will do it (-:

We have a PS40 and at this time i make also some refit works on our boat.
For the question of balancing: I think all together 4 tanks (3x200l water and 1x200l diesel) was an option, i am the second owner. But it is right, that more of them are on starboard. I always try to empty first the starboardside. Also i put bigger LiFEPo4 Batteries on port near the navigate table so its a bit more balanced. But there are way more storage possibilities on starboard so i think there is no chance to keep balance totaly. Maybe put heavier things in the storage of front cabin and the big, rear storage on cockpit.

About AC: I install at the moment a AC (Sinclair ASB 24A) it fits perfektly with the pump in one of the storages under the seatbank behind the table. For me perfect place, because there it is not easy to have acess because of the table and so i put them in there.

Water Out i connected with the shower out from front cabin with "onewayvalves". Water in i will make a new valve in the front of the keel unter the floor. It is located in the last part of saloon before the door to forward cabin. More hard is the air of course. I think i found a way to the front cabin. I have to drill 125 mm for the isolated tube. There is a little space unter the sink in front toilet, come from the bigger space (cabinett) in saloon where you can step in it. - When you look up in the small door under the sink there is on right site up free space to drill the hole. Than the tube will go straight forward for 60 cm than down. I cut allready a bigger hole in the plastic Cover from the waste tank. Between the bottom of this cover and the waste tank bottom it will be arround 12 cm. It is not a lot space, but i think the only way to make a clean, covered way trough the toilet.

From down the tank it goes straight to the small, not very usefull storage right behind the bed down. There i removed the wood in the middle. Until now i did not drill the hole trough this space an the tank cover, but i think it will work. After i make the airoutlet i a extra woodcover and close this storage completely.

In the rear cabin i just looked out a way trough the engine room, under the dry space behind the steps. I will look more, iam not that happy to go trough the engine room, but i think it will be also the only way to keep it "minimal invasiv".

For the washer i thought maybe also use a top loader unter the seatbank more front. The idea to. keep that big space free in cabinet is nice. But i have not any experience with washer/dryer. I try to find some, but they all very different....

For the windows we have some black but "lookable" covers out, connectet with some of them "press buttons". Experienced companies for Bimini, Sprayhood,... can do it i think so?! But was not that cheap and much more easy when you have allready old ones (-:

So this all about your questions from my side. - The wire tracing will be interesting just in case, the bow thruster a very nice option which i think often. But until now iam tried without. Questions for me now is about changing the Rig wires. I will have adjustable backwires. So i think to make it from the seperated wires, to one in the top and with one block up to 200-250 cm over the cockpit back to the two original fixingpoints on rearside. I did not saw a PS 40/41 with this. Also the hydraulic part will be very expensive. I have to think.

Also one question is to find a hole where seawater enters inside the boat from the front (ankerstorage). Last year in heavier conditions the ankersorage was full of water i think and it went somewhere in to the bilge trough the front cabin. I searched but did not found the hole. I have to fill up the ankerstorage again, maybe i find it in this way. Have somebody made the same experience?

Anyway, iam happy to talk about possibilities and problems on the PS40/41 it will help each other. So let us keep talking. Pictures i have, i will find out how i can put it in here....

Best wishes from Greece!

Michael

[Anders]

The nav table seems to be rather low. Can you actually pilot the boat from there?
Is the view from the settee good enough to keep watch from?
Tankage is only around 200l if boat ads are to be believed. Is there space to add more tanks?

[Jamai]

We look arround directly from the seats arround the table because its a little bit higher. Also when you move normaly in the floor it is the same level of view. From the navigation seat you have to stand up, because its more down on the level from rear cabin. But even, its a very good view arround.

The owner befor told me he had the choice to put 2 tanks with diesel and 2 with water or 3 tanks with water and one with diesel. It depends on the area. Here and for the moment its better for us to have more water space. With a watermaker i think it is also possible to change one watertank into a fueltank. All together there are 4x200l in my boat.