I just had a lengthy discussion with my wife about the options for the new, longer Marinaut. But, I'll get to that in a minute. First, a little about how we use our current boat.
We started with a CD 16, and while it's a great little boat, it just didn't have the space we needed for extended, multi-day trips in Prince William Sound. So, a few years back, we bought a 17-foot Arima Sea Ranger with a hard top. That extra foot in length, combined with an additional 1-1/2 feet of beam makes the Arima feel twice as big as the C-Dory was.
After adding some significant fuel capacity, and repowering to a modern fuel-injected 4-stroke, we are finally able to cruise PWS at our leisure, sometimes logging 250+ miles between ports. Over the years, I've added several amenities to improve the boat's performance and our comfort on our typical 3-4 day trips. These include hydraulic steering, trim tabs, a BBQ grill and gimbal stove. I even installed a Webasto diesel heater and now have dry heat and window defrost/defoggers. Heck, we even carry a portable propane shower to compliment the 14-gallon fresh water tank.
But, as many improvements as I've made, there are two things we both still want, both of which we will never be able to get in our current boat. First is more storage. I think we've found the limit of the storage capacity of a 17-foot boat. And second, but more important, we both want a real head. Sure, the porta-pot works. But, it's cumbersome and awkward. Especially using it in less than perfect sea conditions.
So, that brings us to our recent discussion about the Marinaut. Both of us love the lines of the M215. And we love the large V-berth (I'm 6-foot, 235 pounds). And, all else considered, it seems to be the perfect fit for our next purchase. But, the wife absolutely insists that any new boat we get will include a head. And she is getting no argument from me in that department. So, therein lies the problem.
Well, after a little poking around on the internet, I see that you are considering building a larger version of the M215, and that it would include a head. But, you are having trouble trying to decide just how big it needs to be.
So, if you want it, here's our two cents...
I know that we're not the typical user, and that we're not a very large section of the boating demographic. But I think stretching the M215 enough to add a head and sit-down shower (along with more storage) would make the most sense for us. We're not interested in twin motors, a transom door, or even extra room at the dinette. And, although it would be nice, we really don't need a stand up shower. Heck, right now we shower skin-to-the-wind in the cockpit. So, an indoor sit-down shower would certainly be sufficient to knock the crud off.
Again, I know you've got to sell more than one boat. But, if we had the choice, we'd prefer the economy and coziness of the stretched M215 over a wider, heavier, and presumably, less efficient M259. The M245 really does seem like the perfect "Couple's Cruiser".
We started with a CD 16, and while it's a great little boat, it just didn't have the space we needed for extended, multi-day trips in Prince William Sound. So, a few years back, we bought a 17-foot Arima Sea Ranger with a hard top. That extra foot in length, combined with an additional 1-1/2 feet of beam makes the Arima feel twice as big as the C-Dory was.
After adding some significant fuel capacity, and repowering to a modern fuel-injected 4-stroke, we are finally able to cruise PWS at our leisure, sometimes logging 250+ miles between ports. Over the years, I've added several amenities to improve the boat's performance and our comfort on our typical 3-4 day trips. These include hydraulic steering, trim tabs, a BBQ grill and gimbal stove. I even installed a Webasto diesel heater and now have dry heat and window defrost/defoggers. Heck, we even carry a portable propane shower to compliment the 14-gallon fresh water tank.
But, as many improvements as I've made, there are two things we both still want, both of which we will never be able to get in our current boat. First is more storage. I think we've found the limit of the storage capacity of a 17-foot boat. And second, but more important, we both want a real head. Sure, the porta-pot works. But, it's cumbersome and awkward. Especially using it in less than perfect sea conditions.
So, that brings us to our recent discussion about the Marinaut. Both of us love the lines of the M215. And we love the large V-berth (I'm 6-foot, 235 pounds). And, all else considered, it seems to be the perfect fit for our next purchase. But, the wife absolutely insists that any new boat we get will include a head. And she is getting no argument from me in that department. So, therein lies the problem.
Well, after a little poking around on the internet, I see that you are considering building a larger version of the M215, and that it would include a head. But, you are having trouble trying to decide just how big it needs to be.
So, if you want it, here's our two cents...
I know that we're not the typical user, and that we're not a very large section of the boating demographic. But I think stretching the M215 enough to add a head and sit-down shower (along with more storage) would make the most sense for us. We're not interested in twin motors, a transom door, or even extra room at the dinette. And, although it would be nice, we really don't need a stand up shower. Heck, right now we shower skin-to-the-wind in the cockpit. So, an indoor sit-down shower would certainly be sufficient to knock the crud off.
Again, I know you've got to sell more than one boat. But, if we had the choice, we'd prefer the economy and coziness of the stretched M215 over a wider, heavier, and presumably, less efficient M259. The M245 really does seem like the perfect "Couple's Cruiser".
