Conversion ex-charter Heads

[barnakiel]

I would just remove the heads and put a teak bench there.

I think the idea of converting some in a storage is very good - at a time we all find we need more storage.

b.

[yardie]

Originally Posted by rabbi

Every time you make significant modifications keep in mind what the next buyer will think of it. Your improvements may cost a lot of money and reduce resale value at the same time.
You simply no longer have a stock model but something social and you will need a special buyer.

Possibly, if the buyer was planning to do that type of modification anyway than it will either work in your favour or be a neutral position. Outside of chartering I can't see where 4 berths and 4 heads would be something any cruiser or liveaboard would fret over.

[SeaKing]

We bought an ex charter boat(briefly chartered) that the previous owner had modified a fwd head into storage. He had two daughters that shared that side of the boat.

My wife has bugged me since 2005 to put a head back in so our guests would not be inconvienced. I have held out this long but I think this is the year. She asked our friend to take the shelves out for her so she could "clean". A toilet has not been ordered yet, but the shelves did not go back in.

[jostalli]

So no charter Lagoon 410's or even Lagoon 440's have taken the toilets out for full shower or storage? I'm surprised. There is no reason why an owner would want four heads in a 410. The 440 four head version has heads just as small as the 410. Removing the toilet is all I would do. This would only improve the resale value since you can show it as private head and private shower.

[Ozbullwinkle]

SeaKing - I agree with your wife on this one.

It really comes down to personal preference. In my case I would never buy an owners version and the higher price that they command would have nothing to do with it. I would much prefer each berth to have its own head and shower and that's exactly what guests on board like as well.

Why do you think the charter versions have these - because that's what people want - they do not want to share facilities or have to wait for someone else to come out of the shower or toilet, people like the privacy that their own shower & toilet gives them. It is also good during passage making where a lot of boats have 4 on board for everyone to have their own berth & space.

A lot of the owners versions are also very impractical in my opinion. For instance those which put a lounge amidships between the owners stateroom and the forward head. Who would ever want to actually sit on this lounge for any reason other than to put on their shoes? These lounges are virtually useless and storage cabinets would be a much better use of the space.

[jostalli]

People on charter may want their own head and perhaps it would be nice if you were crew on a delivery but we are talking about owning this boat. You are maintaining four heads, which is not ideal. Also, the 410 (and even 440) charter versions have very tight spaces in each head. I have taken my wife to a few boat shows and to look at a lot of catamarans as we are in the market. She hated the heads on the 410 and 440 we saw. She liked the Mahe 36 better because of the expansive head and separate shower!

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by jostalli

People on charter may want their own head and perhaps it would be nice if you were crew on a delivery but we are talking about owning this boat. You are maintaining four heads, which is not ideal. Also, the 410 (and even 440) charter versions have very tight spaces in each head. I have taken my wife to a few boat shows and to look at a lot of catamarans as we are in the market. She hated the heads on the 410 and 440 we saw. She liked the Mahe 36 better because of the expansive head and separate shower!

Yeah, as I said it just comes down to personal preference. I have sailed a lot on a Lavezzi owners version which has that stupid lounge amidships on the STB owners side. Everyone on board agreed that they much preferred the layout on the port side and felt that the owners side layout was an impractical and ineffective use of the space. Whatever rocks your boat and keeps the wife happy.

[chad.lawie]

My wife and I are looking at an ex-charter purchase this summer and plan to convert 2 of the 4 heads into dedicated showers or some kind of storage.

Cutting out two heads reduces weight which can be replaced with other gear. It's also two less things to go wrong.