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Building our own boat

Discussion in 'Yacht Renderings & Plans' started by laviedansante, Feb 5, 2011.

  1. laviedansante

    laviedansante New Member

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    My husband and I are building a steel Roberts 44. Yes, we're crazy, but its too late for regrets! While he's welding away, I'm pondering interior choices. Any recommendations are welcome, but I'm particularly trying to decide whether to have one head or two; what constitutes a good wet locker; whether a combination washer/dryer is a good idea. We plan to be warm weather cruisers--Caribbean then hopefully on to the Pacific. Thanks to all
  2. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    And you're the wife asking whether to have 2 heads. Wow. My wife's immediate response would be 'Hell Yeah".:D I remember reading in P&MY a couple of years back, the story of another fellow who did a similar project. It took ingenuity and a lot of sweat, but he turned out a nice boat and had a great experience. Welcome to YF, and good luck.
  3. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    That's a good choice for a short handed cruiser, I have been in very heavy weather on one in the Coral Sea and she was a testament to good construction and design.

    Keep it simple will help your cruising life. The less automated power hungry equipment you have the less long term hassles you will have mid Sth Pacific where amongst other strange things 60 Hz equipment is not the shore based standard appliance.
  4. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    If you're planning on spending long periods of time aboard, you want to make your daily life as comfortable as you can. I vote for separate washer and dryer. I also suggest two heads (they're better than one, right? :D ) Wet locker needs good ventilation, a fan if appropriate, and also nice to have a "shower" floor with a drain into a bilge.

    Make sure your BR plans allow for enough head room once you figure in vent work, piping, wiring, etc. Speaking of plans, weren't they drawn with the preferred # of heads? Careful if you start making changes without modifications approved by NA.

    Good luck and keep us posted on progress.

    Judy Waldman
  5. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    2 heads are much better then 1, even if the 2nd head is only a day head. I've seen too many toilets fail alone, so it would be nice to have 2. It's also nice to have a place to brush teeth or use the bathroom, that isn't full of moisture because someone just took a shower 5 minutes ago.

    I would recommend the shower drains into a shower sump that is then pumped overboard and not the bilge, to keep bilge odor and debris down.

    I'd also recommend a seperate washer and dryer if space allows, however if not then a all in one is better then none.

    Also recommend a nice sized water and holding tank. Keep in mind you'll be chewing through a lot of water if living aboard, and doing laundry and this and that, and a watermaker can be noisy. I like to oversize the watermaker so to speak, so that it will fill the entire water tank in 5 hours or less. So if you're water tank is 150 gallons, a 30 gph is nice.......whereas a 15gph would take 10 hours and then some because if you have guests it may only keep up with demand and not keep up with the usage.......
  6. laviedansante

    laviedansante New Member

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    Yes, He's the one pushing for a single head. But I really want a wet locker, and it seems if we put in a wet locker with drainage, etc, we may as well make it a small head. Thanks for the encouragement.
  7. laviedansante

    laviedansante New Member

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    That's good to hear! The boat will definitely be strong, but balancing comfort and space and maintainence is, of course, a challenge.
  8. laviedansante

    laviedansante New Member

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    Thanks Judy. The plans show several interior variations, and we're in frequent contact with a BR marine architect. At least one version shows 2 heads, but on the same side of the boat. If we do decide on 2, we want one on either side. Have you had less than great experience with the combo washer/dryer? I like the space saving aspect, but read that the dryer portion isn't too effective.
  9. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    The combo unit is best if it is vented; nonetheless, the combo is a compromise. Besides the convenience of having a load in the dryer while washing another, the single units offer more capacity and far superior efficiency in drying. If energy use or space don't allow for individual units, aside from making sure your unit is vented, you'll get used to smaller loads and air drying towels to finish.

    Judy
  10. laviedansante

    laviedansante New Member

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    Thanks, Capt J. Hate to show my ignorance, but what is a "day head"? I agree--on our previous boat most everything failed one time or another, and I'm thinking a working toilet is a high priority (we had 2 then, but it was a bigger boat). I was trying to adjust to the idea of less upkeep and maintenance but forum advice is re-enforcing my gut feelings. No pun intended!
  11. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    A day head is like a 1/2 bath in a house......everything but the shower......
  12. Self building

    ____

    Sounds crazy indeed but it makes me jealous as well. It's a men's(and now first time I see women) dream for many.

    The proudness seeing her ready later will be not to compare with any other yacht bought with just money.

    Is it possible that you share so now and then pictures of the progress here with us?

    For the rest: when you get out that far...yes, 2 heads and never I will use a combined machine whenever I could find the space one way or another to build in 2 separate machines for dry and wash.

    I sold them for many years and the combined machine from many brands were all the same..... quit OK for both jobs, nothing more then that but especially drying is the problem. And that is exactly my idea why I want these machines on board.

    The wet locker? I've never gave it a real thought so no advice from my side.
    I saw already reply on that but ventilation in there is major thing to have in good order.

    Good luck guys
  13. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Having two heads is nice obviously and redundancy is always a big plus so if you have room I d go for it..

    For a couple onan44 footer a VENTED combo is hard to beat. I ve had a Splendid for 6 years now and love it. I gained a lot of valuable stirage by Removing the old stackable washer / dryer. Extensive cruising requires a lot of storage! With a combo you just do laundry more often, no big deal but stay away from the non vented models

    I d size water maker capacity on needs not tank size. Large tanks give you flexibility but they don't have to be refilled daily. For a couple 50 to 60 gallons a day should be plenty so a 10 to 15 gph WM is fine

    Good luck! Exciting project!
  14. Rolf

    Rolf New Member

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    Having two heads means twice the chance of one breaking down, and twice the chance of finding yourself up to your elbows in feces trying to fix it. I know this from experience. :mad:
  15. bernd1972

    bernd1972 Senior Member

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    Rolf, you´re right. If you have 2 toilets you have one more that could break down. But imagine the inconvinence of having only one disfunctional toilet when you desperately need one. If one toilet fails that´s bad luck, if both fail at the same time it could be that you got a pretty sh**ty karma that day.
    So I´d vote for 2, just in case...
    :D :D :D
  16. Rolf

    Rolf New Member

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    If you're that desperate a cedar bucket is all the redundancy you need. Not glamorous, I know, but let's be realistic. Besides, the space is better used for stores anyway.
  17. bernd1972

    bernd1972 Senior Member

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    Allright. Well, a bucket might do it anyway. Nevertheless you don´t decide for a second head, building tht wet locker as a usable separate shower with a dry place for yout clothes would be nice. After all luxury starts when you are independent from shower, laundry and such things in marinas. And at 44ft. for only 2 people the boat can indeed be (and should be) a floating home with all you need.