bor. If the boat is used offshore a great deal, the mat- be about 12 inches higher than the seat.

be about 12 inches higher than the seat. In any case,

tress should be split down the center and a Dacron the working space must be provided with high/iddles
leeboard fitted to keep the sleepers apart when the (sea rails) to keep things in place in a rough sea; this

boat is rolling in beam seas or saihng along at a good applies to both sail and powerboats. The fiddles

angle of heel. should be about 1 'A to 1 '/2 inches high and open for a

Powerboats may use dinettes and convertible few inches at the comers to facilitate cleaning. They
dinettes which form a double berth to good advan- should also be strongly bolted in place to serve as
tage. However, I do not favor a dinette on a sailboat emergency handholds.
as it is impossible to sit comfortably in the The choice of stove fuel is a matter of personal

athwartship seat when the boat is rolling or heeled preference. Propane is the most popular choice for

over. U-shaped dinettes do provide some useful seat- powerboats and larger sailing yachts, despite the

ing when the boat is heeled, but I favor the old drop- danger of explosion. It is handy and bums hot, but

leaf table between two fore-and-aft settee berths for the installation is fairly costly and can be dangerous if

the average sailing yacht of medium size. Like not done properly. The tanks must be installed in a
dinettes, athwartship berths should be avoided on well-ventilated space where any spillage will drain

offshore craft because they are uncomfortable in a overboard. A solenoid switch that turns off the valve
rolling beam sea. at the tank when the stove is not in use should be fit-

ted. Propane is readily available and not expensive.

I prefer alcohol fuel. It is nonexplosive, so a fiery
spill can be easily extinguished with water. Modem
Galley Gear
alcohol stoves, such as the Swedish Ongo, are not

The galley should be set up so the cook can pro- pressurized and carmot flare up; they are safe, pleas-
\ade hearty meals in any weather. On a small boat in ant to use, and surprisingly fast. We even baked ribs

rough going, this may be just soup and a sandwich, in the oven-fitted Origo on our last boat. Alcohol fuel
while on a large yacht it may mean a gourmet meal if is not cheap (about $9 per gallon), but two or three
the cook and the crew's stomachs are up to it. gallons seems to last us all season —not an unbear-
On boats with standing headroom the galley top able expense.
should be 36 to 37 inches above the sole, and if the All boat stoves should have high sea rails to keep
boat has only sitting headroom the galley top should the pots in place in a seaway, and sailboat stoves

FIGURE 8-2 (opposite)

(1) The Nordhavn 46 long-range cruiser has a guest stateroom forward with a head in thejorepeak, owner's stateroom amid-
ships under the wheelhouse, and saloon with dinette, swivel seats, and adjacent galley. Access to the wheelhouse is by stairs

either from the saloon or passageway outside the staterooms. (2) Though the forward V-sections of most high-performance
sportboats are a limiting factor, the accommodations of the 60-footer built by the famous Italian firm ofCantieri Navali Di
Baia are more than ample, thanks in part to a beam of almost 18 feet. As is common in this type of yacht, much space is g^ven

to conversational seating and lounging areas. (3) The Blue Seas 31 is a Down East "lobster yacht" with dual steering stations.
The flared bow narrows sharply at the water, compressing the V-berths. The saloon has a settee that can be converted to a
guest berth, but otherwise there is little room for visitors; the cockpit is a trade-off against increased accommodation. (4) Sev-
eral floor plans are possible in Ocean Yachts' 53-foot motoryacht. Two decks dramatically increase the designer's options. The
plan shown has a guest stateroom forward, owner's stateroom aft, and a third abaft the engine room. The galley, saloon, and
several seating areas are sitiiated on the main deck. (From Yacht Style, by Dan Spurr. International Marine, 1990)

UNDERSTANDING BOAT DESIGN

72