just out of interest...

[rusty_nail]

a question for those of you who live aboard, but remain tied to your marina berth five days a week and commute to work ashore. pretty vague question.

I'm interested in your primary objectives for kitting-out the boat. presumably you are on shore power the majority of the time and have reasonably good facilities in the marina, so, to improve your boat, what's at the top of your wishlist?

- boosting the power supply to cater for home comforts like tellies and computers and posh lighting?
- adding power sources (solar or wind or genny)?
- alarm system?
- bigger and better fridge/cooker/microwave?
- improvements to bedding (mattresses, slats)?
- nifty gadgets/electronics, new sails or safety equipment for your weekend cruising?

me, I am working on increasing the length of my bunk and installing a state-of-the-art rum and coke dispenser with built-in icemaker.

all the best



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[ccscott49]

If you are going to be marina based, I consider home comforts the main priority, micro, fridge etc. But then again I have all those and still cruise away from a marina 7 months of the year.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[mikewilkes]

But have you got room for the rum and coke dispenser with all the wine and "extra" first aid kit stuff you need to carry ??? )

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[heerenleed]

Ridiculous...!

A rum and coke dispenser! For me, the dishwasher comes first!
The only inconvenience is, that it cannot be operated when heeled.

But yes, you are right, comortable living takes an important place. Once you have all that, you boost you energy supply.

But to be honest, when we got our boat, we first took care of everything technical like en engine overhaul, fitting new seacocks where necessary, and, last but not least, buying new sails.

After that came the interior improvements. But they are important as you notice them every day. The nice thing is, that, once ready, you have all these comforts also when cruising.

Our latest imporvement is a freezer.

happy sailing


<hr width=100% size=1>Peter a/b SV Heerenleed, Steenbergen, Netherlands

 

[rusty_nail]

hmm, fair point, that. I'll apply immediately to get planning permission for an extension ;-)

Also, my dispenser will need electricity, so I think my first priority must be shore power. The boat doesn't have it yet. I'll need a decent system to cope with a computer and microwave (following ccscott's suggestion in another post).

thanks all

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[smee]

While I don't live aboard yet, I am getting my 40fter ready to do so:

How's about this for a list of comforts:
Renovating the galley to include fridge and freezer, and include the mircowave..... I was tempted by one of those table top dishwashers, but had to draw the line at that as there would be no worktop space for cake making!!

The second dinette is going, to accommodate a new bathroom (Yes a 4ft bath!! -I have a calorifier which delivers extremely hot water so could get away with a bath as it won't need much hot in it!) I am planning to accomodate the washing machine (TEfal table top style) to be fitted in under the new vanity unit/wash basin. The spin dryer will drift between engine room and bathroom!

In the aft cabin a new proper mattress (i used an airbed for a while for comfort), proper springs and everything - I have found that domestic mattresses are cheaper, athough it is true you may have to replace them more often than there exorbitant marine version, but probably works out cheaper in the long run... well if you can get away with a standard size!! The TV, video and Playstation will be opposite the bunk for comfort viewing!!

In the saloon, I have a leather reclining swivel chair! And hope one day to be able to afford an LCD TV to fit in my thin but wide cupboard!!

Currently afloat in a marina with shorepower, but I have a 3kw generator to run all the goodies when elsewhere, now that I got rid of the electric cooker that blew all the electric fuses on the pontoon box, and swapped to gas to free up the geny for the niceties!!

It is true that many of my friends who know what I have on board are a little amused by my excess of gadgets, and think i must be eccentric, but I believe in comfort!!
Mind you I'm beginning to think I could do with an identical boat to match and strap it together to make a catamaran, as I propably have left no space for a future partner on it!!!!

Afterall why leave behind all the niceties of life just because you live on a boat! Actually the one thing I probably wouldn't add is a rum dispenser, though a chocolate dispenser would be great!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>