Not got a boat, yet

[Athy]

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

Fixed seating is a thing of the Devil like crossbeds are. 

Our crossbed is also very comfy, in fact I averagely get a better night's sleep on the boat than I do at home. If one is very tall they might be less suitable, but I'm 5'10" and Mrs. Athy a few inches more diminutive.

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, Athy said:

We are not liveaboards, but a vote here for bench seating. We find ours (two well-upholstered longitudinal seats about 4 feet or so long) very comfortable in the evenings, and of course they have oodles of storage space beneath the seats.

Dont listen to Athy, bloomin Hobby boater. You dont need storage under seats if you save up and buy a whole boat there will be masses of cupboard storage 

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Well I half agree but I do like my Cross Bed, the lounge has a hinged table on one wall so flat when not in use and free standing recliner chairs.

Our Cross Bed took 30 seconds to 'assemble' and gave us a 'Super-King' sized bed at 6' wide x 6' 3" long.

[Athy]

3 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Dont listen to Athy, bloomin Hobby boater. You dont need storage under seats if you save up and buy a whole boat there will be masses of cupboard storage 

We did buy the whole boat at the same time , as it happens, otherwise it would have sunk while we were saving up for the bow section.

I seem to recall that working boat people, far from being hobby boaters, had crossbeds and a fixed bench in their cabins.

[LadyG]

9 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Dont listen to Athy, bloomin Hobby boater. You dont need storage under seats if you save up and buy a whole boat there will be masses of cupboard storage 

I'm only buying a 3/4 boat as I don't have a wife to do all the locks and mooring, toss the anchor over the side, or black the hull.

Bedwise, smaller the better, Arhthur is quite flexible.

Edited January 18, 2018 by LadyG

[Athy]

1 minute ago, LadyG said:

I'm only buying a 3/4 boat as I don't have a wife to do all the locks and mooring, tossing the anchor over the side, or black the hull.

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, Athy said:

We did buy the whole boat at the same time , as it happens, otherwise it would have sunk while we were saving up for the bow section.

I seem to recall that working boat people, far from being hobby boaters, had crossbeds and a fixed bench in their cabins.

and they didn't scurry off to a marina for the winter months

[mrsmelly]

Just now, LadyG said:

I'm only buying a 3/4 boat as I don't have a wife to do all the locks and mooring, tossing the anchor over the side, or black the hull.

3/4 will do for one  cross beds are great fun if you never want to move from one end of the boat to the other without mountain climbing.

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

and they didn't scurry off to a marina for the winter months

We have to do that as the stupid stoppages are on always in the winter and staying up and down short lengths of canal between stoppages is cming not ccing 

[Athy]

1 minute ago, mrsmelly said:

3/4 will do for one  cross beds are great fun if you never want to move from one end of the boat to the other without mountain climbing.

From your comment, I gather that you have never actually seen one. Ours has a mattress which folds two thirds/ one third, thus leaving the corridor free, with no need to remove the bedding before so folding it.

[LadyG]

6 minutes ago, Athy said:

From your comment, I gather that you have never actually seen one. Ours has a mattress which folds two thirds/ one third, thus leaving the corridor free, with no need to remove the bedding before so folding it.

Well its academic, as an old salt, I could never sleep E/W ....  N/S is natural.

However its not a deal breaker, and very few boats are transgender.. but I don't want to do any bedfolding either. No split matresses.

Edited January 18, 2018 by LadyG

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Athy said:

From your comment, I gather that you have never actually seen one. Ours has a mattress which folds two thirds/ one third, thus leaving the corridor free, with no need to remove the bedding before so folding it.

Brother in law has one and when its deployed as a bed ya have to crawl over it to travel up or down the boat. How do you pass yours then when its a bed?

[Athy]

Just now, mrsmelly said:

Brother in law has one and when its deployed as a bed ya have to crawl over it to travel up or down the boat. How do you pass yours then when its a bed?

I just told you. See post no. 584. 

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, Athy said:

I just told you. See post no. 584. 

Blimey how long is your cross bed? his goes ar across the boat so head under starboard gunwhale and feet under port qunwhale thus when someone in bed no way through the boat so how does yours allow passage?

[The Grumpy Triker]

3 hours ago, LadyG said:

OK,

I'm EIGHT MONTHS down the yellow brick road, and need a few opinions [ty Mike, just Keep Calm].

I've sorted out most of my needs and wants, but one thing I am just not 100% sure of,  namely, fitted bench seating v open saloon, I'm assuming it's usually going to be a fairly major job to switch over from bench seating to open saloon.

In fact I have seen one which has a nice settee, probably has the same flooring  all over, and I could live with that, but it has  no dining area.

Others require dismantling the bench,, taking it to the tip, etc etc. Of course some boats are so designed that both seating arrangements can be accomodated.

Do all liveaboards opt for open saloon and flexible seating?

PS no signs of the housing market heating up, must be the weather.

...and the opinion of a newbie....I had an l-shaped bench seating with table that dropped to make a double bed & have ripped that and everything else out from the front half of my boat and am putting in a diner style seating arrangement but which can convert to a more cosy seating arrangement and a bed....I am being influenced by needing to make sure my 3 kiddies can come aboard and everyone be comfortable ...but happy with my choices.

.....just have to build it now 

[LadyG]

11 minutes ago, The Grumpy Triker said:

...and the opinion of a newbie....I had an l-shaped bench seating with table that dropped to make a double bed & have ripped that and everything else out from the front half of my boat and am putting in a diner style seating arrangement but which can convert to a more cosy seating arrangement and a bed....I am being influenced by needing to make sure my 3 kiddies can come aboard and everyone be comfortable ...but happy with my choices.

.....just have to build it now 

yep, somehow I imagine you are living in a bit of a bomb site much of the time, but when you are finished it will be perfect! We need be4 and after photos.

My main concern is to end up with a comfortable and cosy living room, and not a caravan or camping style. Its amazing that some 50footers can fit in a dinette, yet others end up with everything jam packed in to a ten foot saloon.

I've seen one owner fit out where, after twelve years, he has given up. The reverse layout galley is OK, but about 24 inches too long, so after buying a shower cabinet from BandQ Clearance, fitting it trapzoid style, with a Thetford C200 tight alongside, he then discovers there is still no room [or money], for a bedroom without impinging on a window.

 

 

Edited January 18, 2018 by LadyG

[The Grumpy Triker]

Just now, LadyG said:

yep, somehow I imagine you are living in a bit of a bomb site much of the time, but when you are finished it will be perfect! We need be4 and after photos.

My main concern is to end up with a comfortable and cosy living room, and not a caravan or camping style. Its amazing that some 50footers can fit in a dinette, yet others end up with eveything crammed in to a ten foot saloon.

 

It is 

Yep ...always confused me but then eventually you see where the compromise was....I wanted a slightly jibber kitchen but more importantly a more homely feel so all will be worth it...just need very slightly warmer weather to start the rebuild (will make my own furniture except for cupboard doors) ....it could end up a right mess, but it will be mine 

Good luck young lady and keep us posted!....I will do a blog site or similar when I can get my act together but loads of photos ....and yes a real bomb site....living in bed sit land on my double bed in the middle....fortunately I work around the country a bit so hotels give me an option but loving the boat and the cramped conditions....just good fun.

[haggis]

3 hours ago, LadyG said:

OK,

I'm EIGHT MONTHS down the yellow brick road, and need a few opinions [ty Mike, just Keep Calm].

I've sorted out most of my needs and wants, but one thing I am just not 100% sure of,  namely, fitted bench seating v open saloon, I'm assuming it's usually going to be a fairly major job to switch over from bench seating to open saloon.

 

having shared a boat for many years which had L shaped bench seating I found it the most uncomfortable thing I have sever sat on. With the seat and the back being at right angles, even with a cushion at my back I couldn't get comfortable and I ended up always taking a camping chair with us to the boat.  The lack of a dining area can be easily fixed by having a drop down table attached to the side of the boat and a stool or small chair of the right height to sit at it. 

haggis

[ditchcrawler]

3 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Blimey how long is your cross bed? his goes ar across the boat so head under starboard gunwhale and feet under port qunwhale thus when someone in bed no way through the boat so how does yours allow passage?

Well if I have to climb over our bed it would be to pee out of the back door and I don't tend to do that

 

[ditchcrawler]

6 minutes ago, haggis said:

having shared a boat for many years which had L shaped bench seating I found it the most uncomfortable thing I have sever sat on. With the seat and the back being at right angles, even with a cushion at my back I couldn't get comfortable and I ended up always taking a camping chair with us to the boat.  The lack of a dining area can be easily fixed by having a drop down table attached to the side of the boat and a stool or small chair of the right height to sit at it. 

haggis

This is our table out in use and stored away

[haggis]

Thanks, Brian, I was sure you had made a drop down table. Looks good and functional.

haggis

[mrsmelly]

1 hour ago, The Grumpy Triker said:

...and the opinion of a newbie....I had an l-shaped bench seating with table that dropped to make a double bed & have ripped that and everything else out from the front half of my boat and am putting in a diner style seating arrangement but which can convert to a more cosy seating arrangement and a bed....I am being influenced by needing to make sure my 3 kiddies can come aboard and everyone be comfortable ...but happy with my choices.

.....just have to build it now 

Heres some top advice worth heeding. We have five" Kiddies" and nine " Grand kiddies " our boat is only 68 feet long so has room only for the ONE double bed. If you make it comfy they will visit and want to stop overnight!! 

[ditchcrawler]

41 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Heres some top advice worth heeding. We have five" Kiddies" and nine " Grand kiddies " our boat is only 68 feet long so has room only for the ONE double bed. If you make it comfy they will visit and want to stop overnight!! 

I go along with that.

On the other hand I have friends who had a boat built, he wanted a trad with an engine room but she wanted 6 berth so kids and grandkids could stay, you can guess who won, but in the past 10 years they have stayed for just 1 week as they don't like it.

[Athy]

5 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Blimey how long is your cross bed? his goes ar across the boat so head under starboard gunwhale and feet under port qunwhale thus when someone in bed no way through the boat so how does yours allow passage?

It's 6'3".

As I have explained, the mattress folds up to allow access to the back. I cannot think of any circumstances in which one crew member would be in bed while the boat is under way.

[Alan de Enfield]

8 minutes ago, Athy said:

I cannot think of any circumstances in which one crew member would be in bed while the boat is under way.

Sickness

Sunstroke

Overhung

Off-watch

We had a cross bed and it isn't a problem. There is only two of us so if one is in bed the other is at the helm so no one needs to 'climb over' the bed.

If necessary, as the bed is 6 foot wide,(bow to stern, & it is 6 foot 3 inches long - side to side when made up) it can be used as a 'small double' lengthways, without adding the filler, so leaving a 'normal' corridor.

Edited January 18, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[Naughty Cal]

9 hours ago, Athy said:

It's 6'3".

As I have explained, the mattress folds up to allow access to the back. I cannot think of any circumstances in which one crew member would be in bed while the boat is under way.

Neither of you has been ill while the boat is underway then?

Over the past 10 years there has been occasion when Liam has been ill in bed whilst I have been at the helm and vice versa.