Sex and the developement of yacht design
- Thread starter Wansworth
- Start date
prv
Well-Known Member
Kindred Spirit is (believed to be) the only Cornish Yawl with a double bed. The previous owner was retiring from sailing, but told us, "I may be old, but I'm not celibate!"
Pete
Pete
Resolution
Well-Known Member
Many of us on this forum will be of an age to remember the MG advertising slogan "You can do it in an MG."
After the MG, almost any yacht offers luxury* by comparison.
* In this particular context.
After the MG, almost any yacht offers luxury* by comparison.
* In this particular context.
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Down with odd-shaped double-berths!
Eeeeeeek! I never realised I was such a sour old prude. This thread has reminded me of two very different non-standard Fisher 25 layouts I drew up in a speculatory way a while back: one had an enlarged V-double forward, drawn back to give wider foot-room...
...the other dispensed with the double and put two big, deep, properly comfy sofa-berths in the saloon, and a luxurious loo/shower in the fo'c'sle...
...and I have to say, I've always thought the single-berths version looked by far the best - okay, very traditional, with room only for two, and sleeping in the saloon - but what a saloon! More like a luxury sleeping car, and far more practical for offshore use.
Had a sleepless night on Christmas Day, sharing a narrow, bumpy excuse for a futon. Hellish. I'll never again choose to sleep on a bed which is one-half table, one part infill and one part backrest. On board a boat, a broad single sofa-berth with a firm flat seat is best...
Eeeeeeek! I never realised I was such a sour old prude. This thread has reminded me of two very different non-standard Fisher 25 layouts I drew up in a speculatory way a while back: one had an enlarged V-double forward, drawn back to give wider foot-room...
...the other dispensed with the double and put two big, deep, properly comfy sofa-berths in the saloon, and a luxurious loo/shower in the fo'c'sle...
...and I have to say, I've always thought the single-berths version looked by far the best - okay, very traditional, with room only for two, and sleeping in the saloon - but what a saloon! More like a luxury sleeping car, and far more practical for offshore use.
Had a sleepless night on Christmas Day, sharing a narrow, bumpy excuse for a futon. Hellish. I'll never again choose to sleep on a bed which is one-half table, one part infill and one part backrest. On board a boat, a broad single sofa-berth with a firm flat seat is best...
Woodlouse
Well-Known Member
Truth of the matter is that double berths are of limited use at sea. If there are two of you in a double berth and the boat is heeling, the chances are that you will both be occupying the same space as a single berth.
As for when you are moored up or at anchor, then where there is a will, there is a way.
As for when you are moored up or at anchor, then where there is a will, there is a way.
Seajet
...
Truth of the matter is that double berths are of limited use at sea. If there are two of you in a double berth and the boat is heeling, the chances are that you will both be occupying the same space as a single berth.
As for when you are moored up or at anchor, then where there is a will, there is a way.
Speaking as a veteran of ' doing it ' in a Hillman Avenger flat out ( the car that is ) at 85mph, any boat seems like luxury !
When I related this tale - trying to get into the record books - a lady asked " were you driving ? "
Well I was doing my best but had to control the car at the same time !
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Uricanejack
Well-Known Member
Where there is a will there is a way.
My first car was an MG midget.
My first car was an MG midget.
Nostrodamus
Well-Known Member
Whilst spending some time defrosting the fridge last night or foreplay as swmbo likes to call it my attention was drawn to this thread which alluded to the problems of “nookie” on smaller boats.
Now I have to say here and now that mine is quiet big in comparison to others on the forum so I don’t have many problems.
Looking at the design of some boats I agree we are missing a mizzen which may provide an added attraction in the form of a pole for dancing. I did suggest we get one but unfortunately the idea was kicked overboard along with Miss Polski’s when I was caught interviewing her one evening. Seems my and her idea of a pole for dancing were slightly different.
I also found myself in deep water again when swmbo wanted to make a home movie. For some reason she reacted strongly when I suggested we have auditions for someone to play her part.
At least with our boat the designer has thought long and hard (no pun intended) about a woman’s place on the boat. Putting the hatch directly above the bed is a master stroke as it allows her to climb on top, stick her head through and do what she does best. Chat to her friends. For me this is ideal as I don’t have to talk to her but can still watch match of the day and reach my beer at the same time!
So, as has been mentioned earlier, where there is a Willie there is a way!
Now I have to say here and now that mine is quiet big in comparison to others on the forum so I don’t have many problems.
Looking at the design of some boats I agree we are missing a mizzen which may provide an added attraction in the form of a pole for dancing. I did suggest we get one but unfortunately the idea was kicked overboard along with Miss Polski’s when I was caught interviewing her one evening. Seems my and her idea of a pole for dancing were slightly different.
I also found myself in deep water again when swmbo wanted to make a home movie. For some reason she reacted strongly when I suggested we have auditions for someone to play her part.
At least with our boat the designer has thought long and hard (no pun intended) about a woman’s place on the boat. Putting the hatch directly above the bed is a master stroke as it allows her to climb on top, stick her head through and do what she does best. Chat to her friends. For me this is ideal as I don’t have to talk to her but can still watch match of the day and reach my beer at the same time!
So, as has been mentioned earlier, where there is a Willie there is a way!
Iain C
Well-Known Member
I agree completely. That's why we designed our entire boat around this.
Meh. Very comfy but not exactly adventurous is it? There's a good reason the humble Sabre 27 comes with a load of grab rails around the saloon and red vinyl upholstery!
wotayottie
Well-Known Member
Why does he think they put a deck hatch over the focsle berth? And those interior grab handles by the companionway?
Ex-SolentBoy
Well-Known Member
Meh. Very comfy but not exactly adventurous is it? There's a good reason the humble Sabre 27 comes with a load of grab rails around the saloon and red vinyl upholstery!
Yes, and its a simple reason. There is no where else to sleep.
We have three other sea berths elsewhere on the boat, with enough handholds for all conditions, and completely waterproof upholstery.
And the grab rail that runs the length of the boat is so strong you can hang your whole body weight on it. My favourite boat show trick is to do just that then suggest that visitors ask if they can do it on other boats. One chap came back later on in the day and said he had tried to do it on a few other boats, notably ones from Chichester and Sweden and was given very short shrift!
Edit. Just realised I have posted a picture prior to the grab rails being added either side of the companionway and outside the heads.
Rustler Yachts were very good to us. We wanted to sail for a season before they were fitted to identify exactly where we wanted the rails. It actually only took a few trips but they are now exactly where we wanted them.
And, the aft cabin can now have a central lee cloth for those that want to use it at sea. Rustler 44 Peat Smoke has such an installation and they have used it ver successfully in this years World Arc.
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interloper
Well-Known Member
The focus on the size of the berths suggests a lack of imagination. Another thread in this forum features a quote from an obituary for Des Sleightholme < http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1433162/Des-Sleightholme.html >: "When his wife Joyce became pregnant with their daughter (conceived, he was sure, in a sail locker "between a stopped-up storm trysail and a schooner fisherman staysail"), he was forced to abandon the financially insecure business of charter sailing to find a steady job."
Greenheart
Well-Known Member
Excellent warning for keen young sailors who dread 'steady jobs', and who may otherwise be tempted into sail-lockers by spinnaker-sirens.
GrahamM376
Well-Known Member
Speaking as a veteran of ' doing it ' in a Hillman Avenger flat out ( the car that is ) at 85mph, any boat seems like luxury !
When I related this tale - trying to get into the record books - a lady asked " were you driving ? "
Well I was doing my best but had to control the car at the same time !
Worst car I ever had for "that" was a Lotus Super7, required 100% co-operation, impossible whilst driving though
Boreades
Well-Known Member
I ought to ask permission from Mrs Boreades, but in the interest of yacht design, I can report we've successfully tested the nookyability of all the cabins on our boat. Where there's a will there's a way.
Also on deck while sailing, but only well-offshore with no risk of observers. We are British after all!
Also on deck while sailing, but only well-offshore with no risk of observers. We are British after all!
[70521]
Well-Known Member
I loved my MG B GT, don't think I am supple enough for some of the positions we did it in back then, lots of space on the boat. 
lustyd
Well-Known Member
I agree completely. That's why we designed our entire boat around this.
You don't seem to have any D rings attached to the bulkhead? Or even to the foot of the bed for that matter
Wansworth
Well-Known Member
I ought to ask permission from Mrs Boreades, but in the interest of yacht design, I can report we've successfully tested the nookyability of all the cabins on our boat. Where there's a will there's a way.
Also on deck while sailing, but only well-offshore with no risk of observers. We are British after all!
were you hove to on starboard tack...or just overcome by the momment and threw the rule book away!
interloper
Well-Known Member
I have a friend who claims to have perfected the "one hand on the tiller" position. I would have liked to try it with my wife, but she has a tendency to get seasick.
Simondjuk
Well-Known Member
So who did you try it with instead?