Dinettes - the downsides...question for current or ex-dinette owners

Some boats with dinettes will have a settee berth opposite, but the problem with any dinette is there is at most, room for one person to "flop" and there is at the most, room for four people to eat. This will suit some people but we found that we soon grew out of the boat when we had one one with dinette.
 
If I could change one thing about the layout of my current boat, it would be to convert the starboard settee into a two-person dinette. Even if my boat was wide enough I don't think I'd want a four person one. It worked well in my old VW Camper Van, but space is a LOT more limited there.
 
" it keeps off watch people out of the way of the crew and the cook "


Thats what I think as well, but I like the C shaped jobs.

There might be just enough room to fit backrests and a short bench seat, cutting down the table to half size. Or, more correctly, knocking up a smaller table. Nothing too fancy, tho you could add a flap for a bit more room.

This allows the crew to stretch (her) legs out when reading in a little snuggery. Or just recline doing nothing, one of my favourite marine occupations. The table should still be big enough for two to dine or one to use a laptop. With a little ingenuity the smaller table can still form the base for a double berth; I have cut down the big, silly table on my boat.
 
dylanwinter said:
The old style A layout Centaurs seem to be cheaper than the B and the C

is this just age - or is there another reason?

I rather like the dinette arrangement so that you can see out of the window when eating or working at the table

and it keeps off watch people out of the way of the crew and the cook

http://imt.boatwizard.com/images/1/50/78/3835078_-1_20120126061002_11_0.jpg

http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/westerly-centaur/m311104-saloon-wa-fwd1.jpg

Jill prefers the other ones with the bench - better for chatting down below apparently

plus the spade rudder leaves more room for Centaur Surgery
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This might be a stupid question, but it seems to be massive inside with loads of headroom. Does this not affect performance?

I have an old 23 footer and it has about 4'10 headroom. How do you get more headroom without making it a bad sailing boat? More like a floating caravan.

FWIW, I like the B layout better!

Regards

Carl
 
carl170 said:
This might be a stupid question, but it seems to be massive inside with loads of headroom. Does this not affect performance?

I have an old 23 footer and it has about 4'10 headroom. How do you get more headroom without making it a bad sailing boat? More like a floating caravan.

FWIW, I like the B layout better!

Regards

Carl
Click to expand...

never sailed one myself...

I have seen lots of them doing really rather well

but I will tell you in the blogs

.........

assuming I find the right boat

D
 
carl170 said:
This might be a stupid question, but it seems to be massive inside with loads of headroom. Does this not affect performance?

I have an old 23 footer and it has about 4'10 headroom. How do you get more headroom without making it a bad sailing boat? More like a floating caravan.

FWIW, I like the B layout better!

Regards

Carl
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Centaur and performance do not usually go in the same sentence.

Stately progress is the order of the day, and off the wind they perform quite well with a spinny or chute.

I sailed one for a friend and we did quite well in handicapped club events.

Centaurs with the big engine will do 8.5 knots under power, stern dips a bit and the wake is prodigious.
 
But there are those of us for whom it's not all about performance. My Eventide was hopeless in terms of speed and upwind performance but it was never built for that - it was built for sae, predictable family cruising with masses of useable liveable space. I for one was always happy with that. It seems to me that Centaurs could be similarly classified..?
 
I have sailed and sat about extensively on both A and B layout Centaurs. I would say that the B layout is nicer for lounging in, though not as good as my old Listang, which had a 'Pardey' style raising table that slid up the mast compression strut and deeper seats.

In my & most importantly SWMBO's opinions though, the A layout however is far better as a sea boat, with a good chart table from which one can also look out of the windows. It's good for eating in for two but is pretty cramped with four and I am considering slide out seat extensions. I have a top loading fridge beside the sink on the pretty redundant section of seating, leaving about the same headroom on both quarter berths. I've considered fitting a cooker with oven here and a fridge where the cooker is now, but I think it would not swing well and I'd probably have to go for a side loader to boot.

For serious lounging about I just assemble the berth. Then you can sit back and see out of the windows.

I'd second the lee cloth comment, though I've yet to fit one.
 
well written

SAPurdie said:
I have sailed and sat about extensively on both A and B layout Centaurs. I would say that the B layout is nicer for lounging in, though not as good as my old Listang, which had a 'Pardey' style raising table that slid up the mast compression strut and deeper seats.

In my & most importantly SWMBO's opinions though, the A layout however is far better as a sea boat, with a good chart table from which one can also look out of the windows. It's good for eating in for two but is pretty cramped with four and I am considering slide out seat extensions. I have a top loading fridge beside the sink on the pretty redundant section of seating, leaving about the same headroom on both quarter berths. I've considered fitting a cooker with oven here and a fridge where the cooker is now, but I think it would not swing well and I'd probably have to go for a side loader to boot.

For serious lounging about I just assemble the berth. Then you can sit back and see out of the windows.

I'd second the lee cloth comment, though I've yet to fit one.
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thank you for that

experienced based on first hand experience is always the most valuable

the seat stub does look a bit redundant but I suppose it is somewhere secure to sit while putting your boots on

sliding dinette seats

now there is a thought

my son and I are large - my daughter and wife are much smaller

so maybe we can squeeze in

I am still looking for the right boat -

I am "seeking an A without floppy keels"

not a sentence you get to write that often outside of the confines of a sailing forum

Dylan
 
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Quite often, a dinette will convert to a decent sized double berth which is useful for your 'social agenda':p . Good alternative if you are less than athletic in the forepeak!
 
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