I've got a few minutes while we wait to hear from our daughter and son-in-law that it's time to head to the airport to pick them up. No "honey-do" projects, and you know what they say about idle hands. :wink:
I was thinking about Pat Byrd's project Rosborough, the new C-Dory owners, and our sweet ol' Wild Blue. Sometimes I should keep my opinions to myself, but I rarely do. Everyone talks about what the "ideal" boat interior would be. I kinda hoped the Reynolds, then Tom Latham, then the Fluid Marine folks would ask some of us owners how they could make the boat "better."
We all use our boats in different manners. Some stack people in there and make it work. We are not those people. We bought this boat to be a couple's cruiser. It seems to me that the basic design of the boat also had that in mind. You can comfortably seat three, squeeze in 4. Beyond that, someone is going to get a campchair in the cockpit or sitting in the v-berth. Let's face it, when you are at home, you don't try to squeeze 5 on your couch that was made to seat 3.
And realistically, no one sleeps on the floor at home. And unless you have an 80 square foot New York apartment, no one moves their clothes from the bed to the dinette, or has their bed AS their dinette. :roll: Yet, this boat is labeled a "cruiser."
We've been RVers for decades. A 40-45' diesel motorcoach is designed for a couple. We used to joke about ours: drinks 8, feeds 4, sleeps 2. Oh sure, there are pop-up campers that are all about sleeping capacity, but then there's no storage, no comfortable seating, and not much in the way of privacy.
And that leads me to what could make this boat better as a cruiser... I was surprised to find that in a boat that sells for these prices that there is no great seating. Yes, there is the pilot seat and the dinette... but how long can you sit there before you start to feel the wood under that foam? I have a nice truck that cost considerably less than our boat, but has seating that is WAY more comfortable. By compromising the dinette to be also used as a berth, the seating is less than great. The seat bottoms are too deep (front to back), and the aft dinette seatback is too short to get any back support. So, we add pillows and make do. BTW, our dinette has never been made into a bed. I'd much rather have a smaller dinette and more cabinet storage. And seats that actually FIT our average anatomies. And a helm seat that has some back support and a firm, but comfortable bottom. Foam with Sunbrella wrapped around it on a chuck of wood? Would you have that for your living room or dining room at home?
OK, I know these aren't "home" for most folks. But, some of us spend extended time cruising... as in: what the name of the boat implies. These boats are more like the pop-up campers and less like the full-featured RVs. We all poke fun at some of the go-fast boats, but most of them have comfortable seating... and usable, functional tables... and some cup holders. Certainly, we can add all this stuff. But, when was the last time anyone here heard from the manufacturer, asking, "How can we make the boat better for you?" (RV manufacturers frequently attend rallies and ask this of their customers.)
The molded vs wood interior is less of a concern, if the interior was designed for comfort. A cruiser with the water pump switch at the helm? When was the last time you needed pressure water at the helm? A shower door that lets the water run into the cabin? You wouldn't put up with that at home. A driver's seat with no adjustability and little support? You would never buy a car with seats like that.
We talk about the affordability of these boats and how functional they are. But how many folks here have taken that boat and made or bought lots of add-ons to make it more comfortable or functional? It seems that we like our boats "traditional", but that doesn't have to mean foam over a board... I had a Triumph motorcycle like that... back in the 60s... and you don't see any like that today.
Phone just rang; time to run.
Have a great holiday!
Best wishes,
Jim B.
I was thinking about Pat Byrd's project Rosborough, the new C-Dory owners, and our sweet ol' Wild Blue. Sometimes I should keep my opinions to myself, but I rarely do. Everyone talks about what the "ideal" boat interior would be. I kinda hoped the Reynolds, then Tom Latham, then the Fluid Marine folks would ask some of us owners how they could make the boat "better."
We all use our boats in different manners. Some stack people in there and make it work. We are not those people. We bought this boat to be a couple's cruiser. It seems to me that the basic design of the boat also had that in mind. You can comfortably seat three, squeeze in 4. Beyond that, someone is going to get a campchair in the cockpit or sitting in the v-berth. Let's face it, when you are at home, you don't try to squeeze 5 on your couch that was made to seat 3.
And realistically, no one sleeps on the floor at home. And unless you have an 80 square foot New York apartment, no one moves their clothes from the bed to the dinette, or has their bed AS their dinette. :roll: Yet, this boat is labeled a "cruiser."We've been RVers for decades. A 40-45' diesel motorcoach is designed for a couple. We used to joke about ours: drinks 8, feeds 4, sleeps 2. Oh sure, there are pop-up campers that are all about sleeping capacity, but then there's no storage, no comfortable seating, and not much in the way of privacy.
And that leads me to what could make this boat better as a cruiser... I was surprised to find that in a boat that sells for these prices that there is no great seating. Yes, there is the pilot seat and the dinette... but how long can you sit there before you start to feel the wood under that foam? I have a nice truck that cost considerably less than our boat, but has seating that is WAY more comfortable. By compromising the dinette to be also used as a berth, the seating is less than great. The seat bottoms are too deep (front to back), and the aft dinette seatback is too short to get any back support. So, we add pillows and make do. BTW, our dinette has never been made into a bed. I'd much rather have a smaller dinette and more cabinet storage. And seats that actually FIT our average anatomies. And a helm seat that has some back support and a firm, but comfortable bottom. Foam with Sunbrella wrapped around it on a chuck of wood? Would you have that for your living room or dining room at home?
OK, I know these aren't "home" for most folks. But, some of us spend extended time cruising... as in: what the name of the boat implies. These boats are more like the pop-up campers and less like the full-featured RVs. We all poke fun at some of the go-fast boats, but most of them have comfortable seating... and usable, functional tables... and some cup holders. Certainly, we can add all this stuff. But, when was the last time anyone here heard from the manufacturer, asking, "How can we make the boat better for you?" (RV manufacturers frequently attend rallies and ask this of their customers.)
The molded vs wood interior is less of a concern, if the interior was designed for comfort. A cruiser with the water pump switch at the helm? When was the last time you needed pressure water at the helm? A shower door that lets the water run into the cabin? You wouldn't put up with that at home. A driver's seat with no adjustability and little support? You would never buy a car with seats like that.
We talk about the affordability of these boats and how functional they are. But how many folks here have taken that boat and made or bought lots of add-ons to make it more comfortable or functional? It seems that we like our boats "traditional", but that doesn't have to mean foam over a board... I had a Triumph motorcycle like that... back in the 60s... and you don't see any like that today.
Phone just rang; time to run.
Have a great holiday!
Best wishes,
Jim B.
