Galley Up, in Saloon, or Down, in Hull?

[Rickardrr]

Will order "one of" catamaran 45ft , personal experience is only kitchen up in the saloon, but there are some of cats were the kitchen is down in the hull! a large free saloon if you are many on board may be nice, but sad for those who are in the kitchen? or just nice to get away? consider the pros and cons? your thoughts and ideas around the kitchen if you had the chance to choose?

[multihullsailor6]

I think it depends a lot on your sailing plans: where you plan to sail, with how many people on board for which time of length, your general boat layout requirements etc.

For me personally, I want a large open space saloon with the galley and the indoors eating area down. I will have a large portlight to the cockpit so that food and drinks can be passed up for outdoor living directly from the galley.

One of the nicest galley-down set-ups I have seen is on the Chris White Atlantic 48, it's very open to the saloon with the effect that the cook has contact with anyone in the saloon.

[lancelots]

I was a firm Galley up man until the setout of the Lightwave 45 caught my eye now I’m questioning myself on this one

[Rickardrr]

if I think at home! I would not hang out in the kitchen, but happy about "hanging" in dinner place/living place so i vote for galley down in the hull!

[Talbot]

Very dependent on how you intend to use the boat, design of the saloon, and also length and width of the boat.

Below 40ft - no contest - Galley down

Above 46ft - owner choice (space to do what you want!)

40-46ft if saloon is designed to allow person in below galley to be a part of what is happening (e.g. privilege 37), blue water (easier to wedge yourself at the Galley) - galley down

however, if you are going to be permanently in west indies hanging on a hook, then having the galley up is also nice.

[Factor]

Always down for me, I dont have the kitchen in the middle of my lounge room at home. Dont need it there on the boat. But hey - they make them in up or down so the choice is yours, in fact in some boats you can have your choice of up or down, e.g. Lightwave 38/45.

[Lucky]

Galley up for me, love the possibility of being in the galley while under way. Our Belize 43 has the galley located so that I can prepare food or just heat water for coffee.

We both love to have the kitchen integrated with the living area in our future house we're just planning to build.

The galley down is good for added space and storage. However we got enough space for our purposes, and be mindful of the possibility to overload a cat!

Good luck on your cat hunt!

Happy lead free sailin'

[barnakiel]

In the bridge - the cook gets the view!

Unless you have a slave (note - slavery has been abolished in the USA).

b.

[Rickardrr]

I'm the slave

[VERTIGO]

I burn water so I need galley up. Wife might get mad when I fill the bedrooms with smoke.

[maxcpt]

Galley up Well ventilated as well as being able to see what is going on in the cockpit. With 2 kids sitting in the saloon and me in the galley I am able to see what they are up to. Also having windows all round when underway makes it very light and airy.

[Canibul]

How does having the galley up affect the center of gravity of the boat?

[barnakiel]

Well it all depends on the weight of the cook... but generally it moves the COG up.

Otherwise, the stove is just 40 pounds. And why should it matter in a cat???

b.

[Southern Star]

Actually, moving the center of gravity up matters a great deal in a cat - it increases the risk of capsize. It is also not merely the weight of the stove, but of counters, the refrigeration unit/s and contents, the dishes, pots and pans, cutlery and stores. It is the heaviest part of the accomdation in the boat and hence, is better lower rather than higher.

In addition, a galley down has the following advantages:

1. it tends, especially in boats under 40 feet, to provide for more counter and storage space.
2. it provides a secure space for wedging in the cook while underway (and yes, even cats move around a good deal in a seaway).
3. it can provide equal ventilation (mine has overhead vents, an overhead hatch and an opening portlight as well as fixed windows) while keeping some of the heat out of the main saloon.
4. it keeps the 'mess' of meal preparation out of the main saloon.
5. it adds additional space to the main saloon for lounging (particularly important in cats of about 40 feet or less, as has already been pointed out).
6. it permits space in the bridgedeck accomodation, where it belongs, for a full-size, sit-down navigation station.

If designed properly, the galley down can remain open to the main saloon (mine is except in the area of the freezer/microwave oven): the area with the sinks, stove/oven. glass storage, front-load refrigerator and the principle counter space is all open with a pass-through shelf to the main saloon. This enables the cook to remain part of the activity/conversation in the main saloon.

The only negative, in my opinion, is that there is no pass-through to the cockpit area. I believe that Talbot has it right - once over about 46 feet, you have enough space in the bridgedeck accomodation to do pretty much whatever you want. Below that (and especially below 40 feet), situating the galley in the bridgedeck tends to compromise a great deal of space that can be better used for lounging and navigation. Furthermore, for purposes other than the charter industry, it makes better use of the narrow space in one of the hulls than adding another couple of small head compartments, or a narrow lounge with a settee facing a wall in a tunnel-like owner's stateroom.

Brad

[kiapa]

been thru this debate recently. you guys are over-intellectualizing it.
it goes wherever the wife wants it!