I’ve decided to go through the boat one section at a time and document the existing condition. This will allow me to find all the hidden storage areas, build an inventory of what’s on the boat (tossing anything not needed) and get an overall game plan on what to do. So today I went through the V-Berth (forward cabin) pulled everything out. The main purpose of this cabin is for sleeping when at anchor or at a marina. The front of the boat bounces too much when underway for it to be a good area to sleep in then.
V Berth Pictures
On the starboard side, there is a small hanging closet and a small closet with drawers and storage area underneath. The ugly yellow material on the top of the closets is going away. I’ve got the same stuff in the galley and all of it will be replaced with stone tile.
On the port side, we have a small storage well. Underneath is the mechanism for the holding tank and under the berth is the holding tank.
Under the main portion of the v-berth is the fresh water tank. It’s full which is a good thing as it means it doesn’t leak. But that water has been in there for at least 6 months. I’ll need to drain it and clean out the tank so it’s safe to use. There’s a small storage area above that which will probably be a good place to store the backup paper charts I have.
On the starboard side, there’s also a small storage well.
Above the berth on both sides are these storage areas. One thing I learned living in the jungle house in Hawai’i is to eliminate all of these enclosed areas as much as possible. In a high humidity environment, these become breeding grounds for mold and smells. I’ll cut out all the fiberglass on the front of these areas and turn them into shelves. I saw on another boat, the guy had bought some wicker baskets and these made a great way to store clothes on the shelves. I can put a net across the front when underway to hold the baskets in place. The open-air baskets will keep your clothes from getting a musky smell.
A simple wipe down with bleach and water, then a repaint and this cabin will be done until I get to cutting out the shelves.
Next up… The Head
