Are berth numbers a selling point ?

[rogerroger]

My First 27 has 6 berths - 2 in the forepeak, a fold out double in the saloon, a settee berth and pilot berth above it.

However, 6 people and their gear would be an impossibility and having 4 on board is a squash.

I'm thinking about converting the pilot berth into much needed stowage space with some additional lockers.

Do you think that when I come to sell the boat this will be a plus or minus point ? Should I try to build lockers that could be converted back into a pilot berth ?

cheers


Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Twister_Ken]

I suspect the builders put a pilot berth their for two reasons - firstly because its cheaper, and price is important in entry level boats. Secondly, if they hoped to sell it to charter fleets, or for full-on racing, there's a benefit to berths over stowage.

But now it's your boat, so if storage is more useful to you, then lose the pilot berth.

When (if) the time comes to sell, the liklihood is that the buyer will regard the storage as added value.

 

[Guest]

Re: A bit

I suspect that many see the absolute number of berths as a theoretical maximum, and sensibly lop off two or more for comfortable cruising.

If you're planning to keep it some time (and with the work you plan, you obviously are) then your idea of making the lockers so that it could be re-converted and keeping the spare bits of berth in the garage sounds a good idea. Also, it would powerfully demonstrate (to me at any rate) of what a thoughtful, enthusiastic and caring owner you had been with the boat...making it actually more attractive than either a 6 berth or a factory-made (unconvertible) 5-berth, in my humble opinion.

 

[chrisc]

is it possible to get 6 people SAFELY, in the cockpit of a
27 footer ? and steer ?

 

[tony_brighton]

When buying my first boat - a 26' Gibsea with 6 berths - I was (naively) impressed by the number of berths. Only once used a maximum of 4 berths in 4 years of usage; at that the boat was very full. I always used the pilot berth for stowage.

So I'd say build the storage you want and be prepared to offer a potential new owner the choice of leaving as is or converting back to 6 berth.

 

[bedouin]

Depends what sort of sailing you are going to be doing. Pilot berths tend to be much better sea-berths than those in the fore-peak. Also if you ever intend to race offshore then you will need one berth per crew-member. This is probably why the First 27 has 6 berths, since she would make a good offshore racer with 6 people on board.

But if you think that's bad, I once chartered a Feeling 286 (28') that had 8 berths! It was a good size for the two of us

 

[rogerroger]

not a chance !!

4 of us crossed to Alderney and I was actually pretty glad when 2 of my crew turned in after leaving the Needles !!

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[JamesS]

I think its a bit like selling a house - unless your mod is a definite improvement - always construct so the mod can be removed at time of sale.

Cheers