Live aboard question

Lance Jones · September 28, 2009, 06:16:12 AM

We will be moving on to Kitty's Cat shortly for a few months while looking for a new home. Any suggestions from those who have done this before?

Ken Juul · September 28, 2009, 08:47:56 AM

I used Luna Loca as a home away from home for about a year. Can't really say I moved aboard, more like I went camping on the boat every week, carried up what I needed, took home the empties/dirty laundry each weekend. I did concoct a hanging bar in the Vee berth to keep work clothes wrinkle free, bought a small TV for the shelf by the Navsta and brought a larger AC powered fan to push the heat/cool into the aft cabin. Did not do alot of weekend sailing that year, too much to put away!

Had dockmates who lived aboard. They both worked. To get around their lack of storage space, they put all their non boat possessions into a nearby climate controlled storage unit. Actually I think they had 2, one served as the basement/workshop the other was more a closet with a dressing area. They would shower/make up at the marina and drive to the storage unit in boat clothes, then change into their work clothes. End of the day was just the reverse.

Stu Jackson · September 28, 2009, 10:02:29 AM

Take only what you need.

Lance Jones · September 28, 2009, 11:56:16 AM

Thanks. We're planing on downsizing and getting a storage facility. Hopefully, this won't be long term. The upside is that I'll get all my projects done quicker!

Ron Hill · September 28, 2009, 06:16:23 PM

Lance : When you're living aboard the boat don't count on getting too many boat projects done!!!
You can only dismantel so much as you have to live on it at the same time !! AZ thought

sailingdream · September 28, 2009, 08:59:43 PM

What would you like to know? I lived all 2008 summer on my C34. Winter I went back to land. This yr I have been on the boat since late May and this will be my first winter. I'm near Toronto, Ontario.

As some have said, only keep what you need. IE. summer clothes only or fall clothes. Expect to pumpout atleast 2-3 weeks. And Im on board with my girlfriend and we try and do as much of the breaks at the club house.
I just mounted a 22" TV on the bulkhead. Works really well that I can swing it around that its right in the Vberth or pointing anyplace in the main salon I will have to post some pics. I have central heating/ac so makes things very comfi.

As for food, expect to shop often. Since the limited space in the refer.

What else would you like to know?

Lance Jones · September 29, 2009, 07:10:21 AM

Sailing Dream,
That's good info. How do you handle clothes storage? We're thinking of adding a pole down each side of the v-berth to hang clothes from. That way we still have full access to the V berth, the hatch and opening ports. We sleep in the aft berth with our TV mounted in the salon and a portable DVD player for watching shows in the aft berth or in the cockpit.

sailingdream · September 29, 2009, 12:24:21 PM

I use the storage above the vberth. I also have a carryon size bag just on the floor in the vberth for those items I don't use often. As for my workclothes that I need to hang. I use the aft cabin (I sleep in the v). I placed a rod from the wall to under the wench(will take. Picture).

Since I have my ac/heater under the vberth I have a vent going to the main salon and vberth.

I have portable Internet so I use a wifi router to provide me with my net access also have a media box(pc) hooked up to allow me to watch movies or tv over the Internet. Don't need cable or satellite :).

Ken Juul · September 30, 2009, 11:31:53 AM

Won't be to the boat for a couple weeks so can't help with pictures. My hanging bar extends forward from the vee berth bulkhead to the rear edge of the hatch. That puts it over the floor area to allow for full length hanging. I made some sheet metal straps to attach it to existing fastners in bulkhead and to the hatch hinge bolts. We also have a cloth shoe holder. Aprox 3'x6' piece of canvas with 20 or so pockets sewn on. I cut a clothes hanger shaped piece of 3/8" plywood to hang it from. It hangs from the bar, keeps my 2 pair and the Admiral's assortment of shoes/flipflops out of the way. We added a couple of plastic drawers on top of the cabinets on either side of the vee berth for tee shirts/socks etc. Use rubbermaid dish washing tubs to hold clothes and other items, 4 fit nicely on the shelf at the forward end of the vee. PO installed fishnet pockets on each side of the vee berth and across the headboard of the aft cabin. About 4'long, ends are gathered and attached to hooks in the teak trim. Makes a nice long expandable pocket to stuff things into that stays out of the way.

Ken Juul · September 30, 2009, 11:46:02 AM

More storage improvements. In the aft cabin I was very leery about putting anything under the bunk because of the proximity of the drive shaft. To solve the problem I inserted a piece of 2x4 fore/aft about half way between the large and small cut outs. Fastened the forward end through the vertical portion of the foot well and the aft end to the matress base. It fills up enough of the gap that nothing will slide past. Used another rubbermaid dishwashing tub in the small cut out to hold small items and slide it out of the way if larger items need to be stored.

The 2x4 came in handy as an attachment point when I moved the starting battery to under the aft cabin.

Lance Jones · September 30, 2009, 02:20:55 PM

:thumb:That's why I love the group. So many great ideas. Thanks!