Space, the Final Frontier!

Ok, maybe its the bleach and simple green cleaners in enclosed spaces getting to me, but I've really started thinking about space issues on the boat.  Maybe it is just that I spent 2 days scraping and scrubbing in all the recesses of the boat, which made me realize how little space there really is.  I have some major reconstruction to take care of, but I have also been thinking about what I can do to get more useable storage space out of the same sized space.  This is always the question when it comes to micro-housing.  First, pictures!

If you were wondering why the boat was so cheap, take a look at the following pictures.  The first picture shows the precautions I had to take to clean the boat.  The entire boat WAS covered in mold, but it is no longer.  The second pictures is the port (left) bulkhead that the chain plate is bolted to.  This holds up the rigging (mast, sails, etc) so is very structurally important, and is VERY rotten.  There are large chunks missing that I pulled out with my bare hands.  That shows how structurally unsound the bulk head is.  It will be completely replaced, which will be quite the project. (Yes, pictures and how I did it will accompany that [or those] posts.)

The third picture is one of the bunks in the main cabin (port side).  As you see, the vertical surface is missing.  That was also removed very easily with bare hands.  This brings me back to space.  This bunk has to be rebuilt.  Obvious enough, yes?  But in the rebuild process, can the original design be modified to make more useable space?  I think so.  Since I will be living on the boat, and therefore cooking, eating, sleeping, etc. on the boat, I need some areas, for example, to cut up and prep food for cooking.  Currently, there is NO place to do this.  That also means that there is no space for a chart table for navigation, which is also important!  So, during the rebuild, I will maintain a bunk, but will modify it so it can be rearranged into a chart table/counter that extends off the side of the stove/ice box cabinetry for convenience.  Another thought popped into my head while I was working on sketching out my idea.  If I have a cutting board that bridges the gaps between the two galley (kitchen) cabinets, then I will have useable counter space there also.  As a bonus, should I be cooking under sail, by not allowing myself to stand between the galley cabinets, it is much less likely I will be scalded by a pot coming off the stove top due to a wave or excessive heeling (tipping) motion.  I will try to come up with a sketch that I can post so that it is easier to visualize what I mean.

In other news, I am done scraping paint and cleaning for the moment.  That means that I can move onto other projects, and not worry about getting sick from being in the boat.  Replacing the bulkhead is probably priority number one.  Building new hatches would be priority number two.  Rebuilding/modifying the bunk is a toss up for third priority with putting in new through hulls where I will be keeping them, and glassing over the places where I will not be.  Unfortunately, glassing is temperature dependent, and I think I used up the last of my good weather to clean the boat.  I might get lucky, but probably not.  It is Maine in November after all.

Yes, the floor is still a mess, and probably will be for a while, but as you can see, cleaning the rest of the boat made a BIG difference in the appearance of the interior.  I do have to say though, while it took me 2 days of cleaning and a day of scraping paint, I can tell you that I am VERY VERY glad that I only got a 26 foot boat, instead of a 36 or 46 foot boat.  Cleaning something just 10 feet longer would probably have doubled my cleaning time.  I have to thank my mother for that insight!

In my cleaning, I also found the manufacturer's I.D. plate.  So the boat Formerly Known As is hull 213 from Columbia Yachts.  I would like to see if I can find anything on her on the net or though an owner's forum or the like.  As you can also see, there was an option for an inboard engine, but this specific boat (and not many others of this design) did not have one.  They were a very expensive option, and as I found when I was boat hunting, very expensive to maintain.  I looked into several other boats with both gas and diesel engines, but all needed serious overhauls or total replacement.  That would start around $1,000 for an overhaul that was not very extensive, to $10,000+ for a brand new, drop in diesel, plumbing, tankage, etc.  By skipping the convenience of an inboard, I have saved myself thousands of dollars, and that makes it more reasonable to achieve this whole dream.

In case you were wondering, the drain hole was KEY to cleaning this weekend.  Here is the picture to prove it!