WC Privacy

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cthcth

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Hi all, first post, bit niche.
Retiring, sailed dinghies as kid & teens, in 20's-30's with father on his Sadler 32, had 17' Hurley silhouette for few years then work/life pressure intruded.
Looking to get back & natural pull is to older yachts like Contessa 26 & 32/Twister/Halmatic/Centurian 32
Problem is very few seem to offer any WC privacy-just a curtain or open to fwd berths. Rivals & Nich 32 seem to be only ones offering any enclosure. From recollection the Sadler was also deficient in this.
Saw favourable review of Contessa (aren't they all) with only downside didn't want to be doing a poo only 6" away from mate's wife with just a curtain & I realised that I identified with that, no-matter I imagine mostly it'll be just me.
Any alternatives that do offer a modicum of privacy in the privvy?
 
I'm with you on this. I looked at Sadlers and their ilk and thought the same as you. A curtain's fine for a bunch of blokes, but a couple with a teenage daughter?

We had a Snapdragon 24 with a proper loo and a proper door. OK, the boat was only 24' long, so you had to be a bit of a contortionist to shut the door once you were in, but it could be done.

One size up, and you've got the Westerly Centaur, a steady, rather than scintillating sailer, but nowhere near as bad as some people say. If the budget will reach it, the Fulmar mentioned above would be a great boat, available with a fin or bilge keel.

I'll probably be keelhauled for saying it, but I think the Contessa 32 is a bit of a niche boat - it has a good number of very keen admirers, and sails well, but it's cramped and wet when things get bumpy- I've heard it described as a sail-powered submarine. Having said that, there are people who are willing to pay a fortune for a new built one, but probably not what you want if you want your good lady to sail with you.

One last thought: for the kind of boats you're thinking about, the right condition is far more important than the right model. A reliable engine, recent standing rigging and decent sails are what I'd be looking for. There WILL be stuff that needs upgrading, so keep a contingency fund back from your budget, but if the basics are right, you can do the upgrades between sailing trips
 
Consider how you will sail. If you are marina berthed and mainly daysailing, or cruising via marinas then there will be WC opportunities ashore. If you are cruising for weeks and staying on anchor then the WC (and other living features) are more significant. In any case, I agree about curtains (or in the Westerly 22 no screening!) being a real deterent.

The real test is being able to use the facility when dressed in full clobber plus lifejacket. Headroom matters as well as floor space. Not many sub 30ft facilities pass that test easily.

A Westerly Centaur and anything larger designed for cruising should suffice but check carefully. Don't rule out the more modern designs such as Bavaria, Beneteau and Hunter (UK) - having the toilet aft makes a lot of sense for space, keeping the more restricted areas for sitting and sleeping.
 
I would say a centaur heads is for a larger yachtsman a squeeze -alright for a 16 year old but if in the retiree bracket less flexible limbs might make it a tight choice. As any boat you buy will require no doubt a degree of refurb a 32 foot westerly such as a Pentland/renown/berwick or ideally a discus -plenty of utube video of discuses sailing to cold distant climbs might give some views. Clearly a moody 346 type offers other options. Really you need a10m plus boat I suspect for a decent heads and for extended crusing a hot water shower in the heads is useful to keep the cabin clean as well as using for places where shore facilities lack the comfort one might expect.
 
ashtead said:
I would say a centaur heads is for a larger yachtsman a squeeze -alright for a 16 year old but if in the retiree bracket less flexible limbs might make it a tight choice. As any boat you buy will require no doubt a degree of refurb a 32 foot westerly such as a Pentland/renown/berwick or ideally a discus -plenty of utube video of discuses sailing to cold distant climbs might give some views. Clearly a moody 346 type offers other options. Really you need a10m plus boat I suspect for a decent heads and for extended crusing a hot water shower in the heads is useful to keep the cabin clean as well as using for places where shore facilities lack the comfort one might expect.
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I suspect you're thinking of the Rev' Bob Sheptons Discus:

Sailing in the land of fire and ice and beyond: sailors share their high latitude cruises - Practical Boat Owner

I lived, full time, onboard a Discus for 6 years, great liveaboard.
 
I had a friend with a Heard 23. Originally these had a separate heads in the corner of the saloon, but he didn't think it was a good use of space and removed the partitions. He gained an extra seat in the saloon (so long as you'd put the lid down), at the cost of some privacy.
When I pointed this out to him he said not to worry, he'd thought of that, and pulled across a curtain that hung from a track in the ceiling. A fine idea except it only came down to about the user's shoulder height.
I presume he was working on the ostrich principle, that if you can't see someone, they can't see you.
 
Any of the Westerly boats like the Centaur, Griffin, Merlin, Konsort, Berwick, Longbow, Pentland, Tempest, Fulmar, Discus, Storm all have solid toilet doors. To find out more information on each class look at this web page from the Westerly Owners Association.

Westerly Classes - Westerly-Wiki

I have a Fulmar, but have been aboard most of the above list. If a Westerly is tempting you then I suggest joining the association for £17.50 to gain full access to all information on the web site and being able to contact the BoatLine members for each specific class who have specialist knowledge on each class.

If you would like to see what my Fulmar looks like after an almost complete renovation, look at this video I took when Concerto was the Westerly Owners boat at the Southampton Boat Show in 2021, when she was 41 years young. In my signature is a link to many other videos and presentations you may find interesting.

 
Not what the OP asked about but

On really small boats the best answer at night can be to move the portable toilet to the cockpit. If it is very dark at anchor and the companionway is closed, it's private. If you are at a marina there is a WC on shore.

A lightweight desiccating head makes this easier.

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I have seen boats were the WC door doubled as the bow berth door, depending on position. Magnetic catches. Seemed like a good compromise when space is tight.
 
thinwater said:
I have seen boats were the WC door doubled as the bow berth door, depending on position. Magnetic catches. Seemed like a good compromise when space is tight.
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My Sunrider 25 and the Conq38 ... the 'privy' door doubles as the foreberth privacy door as well. Both the boats also have a second door that closes of the main cabin as well ... so if you are in the 'privy' you can have nearly the beam of the boat to yourself by putting both doors to close of the cabin sections ...
 
The Nicholson 26 had a separate looup forward also the 28 foot pheon yachts cutter……name escapes me one was owned by FHackett of these forums.The we in the Nicholson 32 was too cramped in vho……Vancouver 27
 
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Look at the Hunter Horizons. All from the 23 upwards have a very neat toilet compartment with door - next to cockpit so away from bunks.
 
My UFO 31 does have an enclosed loo but it's only plywood so not sound proof and the seat is close to anyone asleep in focs'le. First thing I say to visitors is that we can't afford to be too coy, and I've provided a transistor radio for background noise.
 
Sea Change said:
I had a friend with a Heard 23. Originally these had a separate heads in the corner of the saloon, but he didn't think it was a good use of space and removed the partitions. He gained an extra seat in the saloon (so long as you'd put the lid down), at the cost of some privacy.
When I pointed this out to him he said not to worry, he'd thought of that, and pulled across a curtain that hung from a track in the ceiling. A fine idea except it only came down to about the user's shoulder height.
I presume he was working on the ostrich principle, that if you can't see someone, they can't see you.
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Heard 23, a lovely boat, I have one, and only have privacy because I sail single handed. The heads is under the chart table which makes good use of the space as I don’t need to do both at the same time.
 
Egret said:
Look at the Hunter Horizons. All from the 23 upwards have a very neat toilet compartment with door - next to cockpit so away from bunks.
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Yes I sail a HH23 and the heads in that boat has to be one of the best in that size of boat. The "door" is actually a concertina affair but being basically material and pockets for the door sections it is probably more sound proof than many solid doors.

It's standing headroom (for short people like me) and very convenient for use while sailing.

I still have never used it for a No 2. I look at the tiny hole in the bottom of a standard marine toilet bowl, followed by a sharp right angle and think "no way". Thankfully we have always been able to wait for shore facilities for that. Different if you spend multiple nights at anchor.
 
ProDave said:
Yes I sail a HH23 and the heads in that boat has to be one of the best in that size of boat. The "door" is actually a concertina affair but being basically material and pockets for the door sections it is probably more sound proof than many solid doors.

It's standing headroom (for short people like me) and very convenient for use while sailing.

I still have never used it for a No 2. I look at the tiny hole in the bottom of a standard marine toilet bowl, followed by a sharp right angle and think "no way". Thankfully we have always been able to wait for shore facilities for that. Different if you spend multiple nights at anchor.
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Just need to keep a stick in the heads Dave.
 
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