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St Francis |
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| Microwave | Clothes Washer | Scuba Tank Rack |
| Saloon Book Rack | Galley Counter & Sink | Aft Berth |
| File Drawers |
Last Updated 15 Dec 2010
Future Additions:
-SW Intake
-Hatch and Port Screens
-Main Cabin Window Replacement
-Provisions Stowage Lockers
-Hatch Antitheft Bars - See Security
Section
-Aft Under Bunk Stowage
-Shower Stowage Mods
-Galley Stowage Ideas
-Under Floor Stowage
-Settee Lee Cloths
-Aft Shower Curtains
Microwave
(1999) Looking for a place to permanently mount that
small microwave that's secure, accessible and doesn't take up counter
space? Try putting it tight up under the cockpit sole just aft of the
companionway steps. In order for it to be accessible from the galley it
must be mounted so that the door faces the galley to starboard. We had 1/8"
aluminum plate welded and bent into a U shape so that one side could be
screwed into the forward engine room bulkhead and the other into the short
vertical bulkhead just aft of the first companionway step under the
companionway sill. This arrangement supports the microwave inside the U and
keeps it protected and off the counter below. We painted it white and added
tie down holes before it went on. If you add a 110 v outlet or strip of
outlets on the adjoining galley bulkhead the electrical cord will easily
reach. Sounding the
fuel tank is a bit more of a challenge but doable with the use of a
flexible dip stick.
Clothes
Washer
(2000) This manual electric clothes washing machine is mounted in
the aft end of the V berth. The original fiberglass V berth insert
has been removed. The top of the controls is just flush with the bunk deck so a
strip of 1/4" plywood over it will provide protection from sleepers
in the berth. It is 120-240 volt electric, weighs about 20 pounds
and is only available outside the US. It washes and spins an 8 pound
load with 10 gallons of water and uses 8 AH of 12 volt current if
you run it through an inverter. The max draw is 210 watts at 120
volts. It is all plastic except the two
motors and cost only $175 US in Trinidad. We use it whenever
we are away from the US so we can control the washing process, not lose or
damage anything and save money (up to $6 US a load in some countries).
It also saves the big hassle of getting dirty clothes to a laundry ashore.
In 3rd world countries it is known as a manual electric Heier washing machine. (There are other brands, but if you google Heier, you can find what it looks like).
2010 Update: We get fairly frequent emails from cruisers asking about the washing machine. The brand name, where to find one, how well it works. Well, the truth is, we have removed it from Soggy Paws. Why? Basically because I've only used it once since we left the U.S. in 2007.
The main reason I don't use it--besides the
fact that it would take us 15 minutes of unpiling stuff from the V-berth to
use it, is that it only is just barely more convenient than doing it in
buckets. Some of this is the flavor of small washer we have, and some of it
is location and installation issues.
It is also that, we have opted to use shore-side services when they are
available, and both Dave and I are pretty careful with our clothes, so I
only have about 2 loads to do every 2 weeks. In South/Central America, you
can get a load done for $5-10, so it's not too bad every 2 weeks.
First, location & installation: ours is 'conveniently' installed in the
V-berth, but it isn't permanently hooked up to water or power, so part of
using it, after unpiling the V-berth, is connecting cords and hoses. We use
our V-berth as a 'garage', so it's normally got quite a bit of stuff stored
there. We also have a pair of scuba tanks mounted just in front of (behind)
the V-berth, which also have to be moved (you could leave them there, but
it's uncomfortable accessing the machine). Then, you are still leaning over
in a fairly uncomfortable position, back-wise.
Second it is 'mostly manual'. You put a small amount of clothes in, manually
fill it with water (have to sit there and watch the hose so it doesn't
over-fill), then set a timer for the agitation cycle. (this is when I'd be
enjoying the scenery outside, stomping in my buckets). When you are through
agitating, turn a valve to let the water drain out (wait for it to drain),
manually fill again (wait for it to fill), set the agitation timer and let
it agitate for 1st rinse. Do that again for 2nd rinse. Then hand-squeeze the
water out of the clothes and carefully move them to the 'spin' bucket. You
can't really spin a whole (tiny) load in the spin bucket, and it has to be
loaded pretty carefully to keep it from being unbalanced. But the spinner is
by far the BEST part of this whole process. When it's through spinning,
no-wringing and there's very little drippy water left. Then go hang it
(manually).
I find the manual wash-fill-rinse-fill-rinse-fill cycle and then the manual
process to put the clothes in small quantities into the spinner to be time
consuming, and it's hard to get anything else done because the between times
of agitation and spinning are just minutes (actually, you set how long using
a timer). So it is NOT as convenient as your 'home machine', where you dump
the clothes in, push a few buttons, and walk away, and come back later and
it's all done. And I HATE standing around in the V-berth on a nice day. I'd
just as soon be sitting outside with my buckets, watching the world go by.
There are machines available now that are much more automatic than this, but
they probably won't fit under the V-berth, they would certainly cost more,
take more hookup and installation, and most likely weigh more (this one is
pretty much all plastic). I've seen several over/under small apartment-style
washer/dryer combos that I would love to have, but you have to have the
space and the water and the power to support it.
What I would like is just the spinner part that I could take out and hook up
on deck with an extension cord, at a height that is back-friendly. I'm
working on that as a replacement. They exist, just have to locate one.
Meanwhile, I don't mind doing the buckets on the back deck where I can see
what's going on in the harbor. I usually use our (fresh water) washdown hose
to fill my 3 5-gal buckets (wash, rinse, rinse). And a nearby
shoulder-height cross-piece on the arch serves as my 'partner' in the
wringing process (wrap the T-shirt once around something, bring the 2 ends
together, and wring like that).
Scuba Tank Rack in V-Berth
(1999)Also shown in the photo above is a two scuba tank
rack (we carry 4 more and a gasoline powered compressor in the shower, now dive/sail
locker). The compressor is capable of charging an 80 cu foot tank in
about 20 minutes-500 to 3000 PSI. The cabinet doors port and starboard replace the four
drawers to open up much wasted storage space outboard. (top)
Salon Book Rack
(2000) This view of the forward main cabin bulkhead
shows the new book, TV, chart and electronics/computer storage. The
TV shelf has a swivel mount and is secure in any seas. The higher
part of the two part box on top of the athwart ships settee holds
300 hundred folded charts upright. Since first built we have
added an entertainment center with flat screen 15" TV, DVD player
and CD player where the knot board is shown here.
The lower section of cabinets are a large secure place to stow the computer and
other related electronic equipment. The all important fishing rods
and spear guns are mounted across the overhead. (top)
Galley Counter & Sink
(2000) The galley sink counter has recently been covered
with a one piece Wilsonart acrylic countertop. The SS sink is set
between the 1/2" thick acrylic and plywood underneath. This
eliminates water rot problems and allows use of a folding dish
drainer without a bulky pan underneath. We use a relatively shallow
large sink, a macerator powered drain system, a high single lever faucet,
a Seagull
filter for drinking water and a saltwater spigot on a foot pump. The two
head sink counters and the other galley counter were also done in
the same material. (We have upgraded the countertops in Soggy Paws.
That project was "BMT" (before my time), so I don't know the
details, other than I really like them. Not super fancy, but very
functional.
Our countertops are done in 1/2" off white Wilsonart acrylic. The
material comes in sheets, and after cutting, the trim and backsplash
was glued on and faired in so it all looks to be one piece. Each top
was caulked in place over the original ply counter top with silicone
caulk so they could be easily removed if necessary. No screws.
They were made in Trinidad in 1999, but as Wilsonart is a big
company the material is probably available in the US. Total cost for
galley and two heads was $500 installed and finished.
top)
Aft Berth
(1998)
It
didn't take long sleeping in our athwart ships double bunk aft for
me to realize that there had to be a better arrangement for at anchor
and import sleeping. Not long afterwards we found the solution-a
convertible king sized bunk.
These two photos show the modification made to
the aft double berth to allow sleeping fore and aft as well as athwart ships.
Oak ledger strips are mounted on the top drawers port and
starboard and on the face of the forward bunk bulkhead such that a
piece of 3/4" plywood cut to fit can be laid loose on top. A new
cushion is then laid on top of the plywood. Sleeping fore and aft is
much more comfortable and convenient; it also affords a huge
sleeping area (over 80") wide at the shoulders and hips.
When
not in use the new cushion stows on the original bunk and the
plywood upright behind the aft cabin door secured with bungee cord
or on the bunk. Our aft bunk cushions are 5" latex foam that
is very comfortable but heavy and expensive.
To set it up, we add a removable 3/4"
plywood platform between the two banks of drawers just forward of
the bunk. By screwing three oak ledger boards one each into the
upper drawers and one across the bunk forward bulkhead at a suitable
height, the plywood piece would lay on them and fill the space so a
rectangular piece of foam could lay on top of it. Now we had a bed
that either of us could get into or out of without disturbing the
other and measured 80"X80"! We each have plenty of room and
normally sleep fore and aft while at anchor/dock and athwart ships
while underway and heeled in reasonable weather. We have our own separate top
sheets The 4" thick latex foam mattress on the original bunk is
very comfortable and split down the middle fore and aft so we can
easily move it around when needed. The new rectangular mattress
piece with its own pillowcase shaped sheet and the plywood are
removed and stored on the bunk during the day so we have more room
and access to the drawers. It takes less than a minute to set it up
for sleeping at night. There's no reason not to be comfortable when
conditions allow, which is most of the time while cruising.
(top)
(2000) Despite having cut our dock lines loose from home, maintaining basic correspondence and reference files are a must even while cruising. We started out with our files and other paper work in plastic file boxes. These took up valuable space and were a pain to get to in the bottom of the hanging locker. Since we think that we have far too many drawers anyway, four of the standard drawers have been converted to cabinets, and three to file drawers.
While in Trinidad we had two file
drawers installed, one about 16" and the other 18" long. One is located in
place of the top drawer on the starboard side of the forward cabin bank of
three drawers. The other is located in place of two drawers just aft of the
entry door on the starboard side of the aft cabin. These sure make our life
easier when it comes time to find that elusive instruction manual or that
piece of paper we received 6 months ago. They also make a positive
contribution to our port list. (top)