Headroom...

[Chaffers]

Ok, I assume all liveaboards are not 5 foot 3 inches tall...

Hence how important is headroom in a liveaboard and does it form a key requirement in choice of boat for those who are not pint sized?

 

[Bobobolinsky]

In a word yes, I chose a motor sailor, because at 27' it had 5'8" headroom at minimum. This was a deal breaker rather than the length, secondly wide beam for room

 

[charles_reed]

I chose my present boat for meeting one of my key criteria which was that I could stand fully upright.
Whilst I was only just over 6' it was remarkably difficult to find any boat which allowed erect headroom throughout. As it was only the saloon offered full standing headroom, though both cabins have one spot where you can stand upright to pull on trousers.
One benefit of ageing is that one tends to shrink so boats appear taller - this raises an alternative problem - getting out of the companionway now becomes challenging.

 

[jordanbasset]

Was one of our must have criteria, at 6'2" tall I did discount a couple of bats as they did not allow full headroom throughout. Boat we chose allows me to stand up straight in all cabins and the saloon.

 

[OldBawley]

Suggest U read something from Tim and Pauline Carr and there Curlew.

Quote:

In recognition of their incredible and remarkable explorations at sea sailing Curlew, the couple have received many prestigious awards. These include the 1991 Blue Water Medal, from the Cruising Club of America, and both the 1997 Tilman Medal and 1992 Seamanship Medal, from the Royal Cruising Club; which are all on long-term loan to the Maritime Museum. Other recognised sailors to receive the Blue Water Medal include Sir Francis Chichester and Sir Alec Rose.

No headroom.

 

[Tranona]

No headroom.

Of course it is possible to do all those things in a boat without standing headroom - but don't think it was through choice. Just reflecting the boats that were available at the time at a price that the people concerned could afford.

It is not difficult now to get a boat that is capable of undertaking liveaboard passsages and does have standing headroom, so you have a choice that was not realistically open to some of our ancestors.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

It helps proves the success of the marque Bavaria, even the smallest has headroom.

 

[rivonia]

It of course helps if there is good headroom. However if not you just make do. I would think that most modern yachts have good headroom. But do not let a thing like having a low coach roof put you of buying an otherwise dream boat.

Peter

 

[Mr Cassandra]

It of course helps if there is good headroom. However if not you just make do. I would think that most modern yachts have good headroom. But do not let a thing like having a low coach roof put you of buying an otherwise dream boat.

Peter

No. I think you may have misunderstood me, Its time to speak up for Bavaria boats, whose designers identify the headroom problem and designed the right type of boat to overcome the disadvantages of badly designed british boats.

 

[SvenglishTommy]

For me standing headroom was one of the main reasons I got a new boat for living aboard. In my last boat I could almost stand up straight in the galley, but not quite.

...Its time to speak up for Bavaria boats, whose designers identify the headroom problem and designed the right type of boat to overcome the disadvantages of badly designed british boats.

Not quite sure what you're on about. My 34' badly designed British boat has over 6' headroom in all 3 cabins, as did most of the Moodys and Westerlies I looked at.

 

[V1701]

I'd say it's good to have standing headroom somewhere on the boat. I've lived on my Vega for a year and a half & I can stand up in the saloon, which has 5'8" headroom, I'm 5'7". Would probably have gone for something else if I were taller...

 

[rivonia]

No. I think you may have misunderstood me, Its time to speak up for Bavaria boats, whose designers identify the headroom problem and designed the right type of boat to overcome the disadvantages of badly designed british boats.

Well my BRITISH built Solaris has full standing Head room in the WHOLE of the yacht. (Catamaran)

Peter

 

[Mr Cassandra]

Well my BRITISH built Solaris has full standing Head room in the WHOLE of the yacht. (Catamaran)

Peter

I wish I could catch fish, this easy

 

[duncan99210]

If you're choosing a boat to live on board more or less full time, then one of the major criteria for SWMBO and I would be having standing headroom throughout the greater part of the boat. Most modern boats have this, many of the older boats we looked at when buying our current home did not.

However, like much in life, it is a matter of personal choice and there will be folks out there quite happy to keep their heads down when moving about the boat.

 

[OldBawley]

Don´t want to start an argument, of course headroom is important.
Just to put something correct,
The Carrs did have headroom on the Curlew. Later, after a big boat damaged the boat, they decided to change to no headroom ( Semi flush deck )
Reason was pure sail. The lower the windage, the faster the boat. At races Tim pulled all ropes from the mast and rigged thin kevlar. Removed all windage, even pennants ware taken down.
That boat sailed by the Carr´s out races most modern big yachts.
Sailing basics do not change, Liveaboard habits do.

 

[Tomahawk]

Let me put it this way, living on a boat with no headroom is a bit like doing an Ironman challenge.. Yes you can do it, but why would you want to?

 

[Tranona]

Don´t want to start an argument, of course headroom is important.
Just to put something correct,
The Carrs did have headroom on the Curlew. Later, after a big boat damaged the boat, they decided to change to no headroom ( Semi flush deck )
Reason was pure sail. The lower the windage, the faster the boat. At races Tim pulled all ropes from the mast and rigged thin kevlar. Removed all windage, even pennants ware taken down.
That boat sailed by the Carr´s out races most modern big yachts.
Sailing basics do not change, Liveaboard habits do.

Not sure why you are bringing in this. Few people wanting to liveaboard would also see racing a 100+ year old boat as important!

 

[nortada]

For me standing headroom was one of the main reasons I got a new boat for living aboard. In my last boat I could almost stand up straight in the galley, but not quite.

Not quite sure what you're on about. My 34' badly designed British boat has over 6' headroom in all 3 cabins, as did most of the Moodys and Westerlies I looked at.

Interesting debate.

Suggest that 'Blue Water Sailors' & 'Live-aboards are not necessarily the same animal!

Racing folk (long & short haul) are yet another category. So head room has a differing priority.

Where we all come together - we are all growing older, when standing room becomes increasingly important.

 

[Slow_boat]

In short (geddit?) yes, I view it as very important in the main cabin, galley and heads. Sleeping cabin, less so. Though the boat I'm in the process of buying to live aboard has standing room in the after cabin, too.

The way I figure it, we will be spending more time at anchor or moored than we will on the move, so why chose a boat that forces you to crouch all the time?

 

[Chaffers]

Bavarias are a little out of my price range unfortunately...

I've found remarkably few 25 - 33 footers which sport 6' 2" plus headroom. I know some of the Bristol Channel cutters had plenty but it isn't something searchable on any of the online forums I look at. In fact it is often left off most of the descriptions, even the ones on which it is a field.

Could anyone recommend other makes or models which sport plenty of headroom? My budget would be more along the lines of 70's and 80's yachts than very modern ones. Whilst I've posted this in liveaboard I wouldn't be a full time liveaboard, think more escaping the commute for a couple of days a week..