Small sailboat with head

[Gclay99]

Hello I'm new to the forum. I've tried searching and can't find what I need. I want to build a small boat that has enough headroom in the cabin for a head. It has to be trailer able and I only have a small suv. I'd like it to be light enough that 4 or 5 guys can flip the hull without using a crane or something. I have the plans for a glen-l 14, and I was looking at the hartley ts16, but there's not enough headroom by the looks of it I would appreciate any and all help you can provide.

Gerald

[massnspace]

You are not going to be able to find a trailerable boat with full standing headroom that you can tow with a “small SUV”. Unless you can perform magic.

We own a Hunter 23.5 that we tow with a “mid-sized SUV”. Absolutely nowhere near standing headroom, but it does have a head area.

We installed an electric flush, full height THETFORD porta-head. Unbelievably better than the small potti that came with the boat….but….if you leave the batteries in during the off season they will corrode….then you ruin the flush mechanism, and a new mechanism is basically the same price as a whole new head. So take out the batteries!

[Gclay99]

I was worried about that. I didn't want to have to crawl in to sit on the Porta potty. My suv only tows 2k pounds so like I said I'm limited.

[Nicholson58]

There are several camping type self contained portable-pots. Some have a chemical reservoir. Easily carried to a public toilet to dump. Most are low profile and may be bracketed down. Vevor or Dometic, others.

Google search porta potty camping

https://www.vevor.com/hygiene-sanita...iABEgLgovD_BwE

[Don C L]

First of all welcome to the forum! It sounds like you will need a boat that gains its stability from the hull form and not so much from ballast. My first thought went to a St. Pierre dory with a cabin. Dories are stable, relatively easy to build and MAY be light enough to meet your needs. When I was a kid I contemplated building one. Here is a photo of one with an engine, but perhaps you could figure out a good sailing arrangement for it and move the highest part of the house aft for covered standing headroom. It is good to keep the center of effort as low as possible so probably a ketch rig.
https://www.nexusmarine.com/st_pierre_launch.html
https://www.glen-l.com/dory-cabin-plans/

Seems like I have seen a dory with a junk rig and kind of a pilot house cabin aft. I'll keep looking.

Dories are remarkably stable too, and when you heel they dig in a hard chine and become a v-bottom. I nice big bronze centerboard might be nice too, but then you might be getting too heavy.

[Gclay99]

Thanks for the replies. I'll look into the Porta potties and I've seen someone add a taller cabin to a siren 17. I've also seen boats on YouTube with water ballast which might be an option. I'm just in the wish/dream stages so more research.

[massnspace]

Originally Posted by Gclay99

Thanks for the replies. I'll look into the Porta potties and I've seen someone add a taller cabin to a siren 17. I've also seen boats on YouTube with water ballast which might be an option. I'm just in the wish/dream stages so more research.

Hello

Our Hunter IS water ballast. This is a good system.

A word of caution, though. We pull with a vehicle rated at 3500 lbs., and it is barely adequate. I don’t think your 2000 lb. towing rating is going to work for anything of any reasonable size. Don’t forget you have to add the weight of the trailer (and motor, and anything else in the boat). It adds up quickly.

[cal40john]

West Wight Potter 14 was originally built in plywood, but I don't know if the plans are available. Sitting headroom, space for a porta potty.
https://www.spinsheet.com/boat-revie...ed-boat-review

[JimsCAL]

The ODay Mariner is 19 feet with pretty decent cuddy accomodations. Centerboard version tows easily. Not sure if all up it comes in at 2000 lbs or less. Boat displaces 1430 lbs so add trailer, engine and gear.

[peghall]

Welcome to cruisersforum.com, Gerald!



A portapotty is the only thing that makes sense on a small boat but there isn't enough headroom even to sit on one in on a boat that small. I knew someone who solved the problem very creatively by installing a hatch directly over it...users' heads poked out of it and they smiled back at everyone who waved at them! His boat was 26' but you might be able to make that work on a boat under 20'... I'll be watching to see what other members suggest.


--Peggie

[massnspace]

Originally Posted by peghall

Welcome to cruisersforum.com, Gerald!



A portapotty is the only thing that makes sense on a small boat but there isn't enough headroom even to sit on one in on a boat that small. I knew someone who solved the problem very creatively by installing a hatch directly over it...users' heads poked out of it and they smiled back at everyone who waved at them! His boat was 26' but you might be able to make that work on a boat under 20'... I'll be watching to see what other members suggest.


--Peggie

My boat is 23.5’, and there is plenty of headroom when you are sitting on the (extra tall) Thetford curve toilet. Not sure what type of 26’ boat does NOT have “sitting headroom”???

[Fore and Aft]

Gerald you could always do this on the transom. Plenty of head room!
Cheers

[purvisgs]

whether headroom or not, one of the most manageable small toilets (for those who insist on something with the smallest/tiniest "enclosed head" ) ...seems to be the "bag" portable type (more compact in real world usage than a bucket or portapoty or etc) hinged / fold up against the wall ideally for more elbow room https://cleanwaste.com/product/go-an...rtable-toilet/ just one example



I think "around that weight all-in" there would certainly be options along the lines of ww potter 16 style boats, with 'stooping' cabin headroom and enough space for "a head"- designs by bolger etc etc. upto 18-22ft (and why not beef things like weight distribution hitch &trailer brakes up -"overloading" that measly ~ 2000lbs, I probably wouldn't hesitate personally). I'd look at for example the jarcat (~18), designs by mike waller or team scarab, richard woods smaller tri's or his cat with the 'drop bottom'. But -I'm sure there are similar (ply) monohulls close to 1500lbs boat weight- either little flat bottoms with a boxy cabin, or whatever else checks off the most boxes , manly centerboarders etc.

[Fore and Aft]

Gerald how about this design? Looks like plenty of room around the head in the photos. If you search Penguin Trailer Sailer on Facebook, there is a fair bit of information available.

Cheers
https://jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/bo...sails/penguin/

[peghall]

Not sure what type of 26’ boat does NOT have “sitting headroom”???


A wooden hull Scott Defender that was old in the '70s when 4 of us had a lot of fun on it.


--Peggie