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7 Onboard Creature Comforts
There is no rule that says that living aboard a small boat has to be like camping out. Having some frills aboard will make the time you spend on the boat more enjoyable.
You just have to pick and choose the frills and adapt them to boat life. These suggestions may not apply to you, or they may seem obvious, but I put them up as examples of what has enhanced my quality of life aboard.
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1. Power for all the goodies.
I'm talking amp-hours here. If your TV, DVD player, coffee maker, or other electrical goodie is the 110-volt AC household variety, you need a large enough battery bank to handle the draw and an inverter with enough wattage to do thejob.
2. Galley gadgets.
First, a microwave is handy (though this increases the need for power). Refrigeration is really nice, especially if you partitioned freezer. Coffeemaker, coffee grinder, blender, and a mini food processor all work well on the inverter,as the loads are brief.
3. Sights and sounds.
AVT-1498 13'' Color TV - 12 Volt Gotta have music! We installed a mid-range Sony automotive CD deck (50 watts/channel) and have small bookshelf speakers mounted to the bulkhead. We took our CDs out of their jewel cases, kept the covers, and filed disc and covers in cloth-backed albums with plastic sleeves. For viewing pleasure we have a 13-inch color TV with built-in VCR plus a small no-frills DVD player. Airwaves are pulled down via a hoop antenna) and reception is remarkably good where we are at the moment. I've found that the TV, VCR, DVD and stereo use up surprisingly little juice, and we use them a lot when at anchor.
4. Thermoregulation.
Engine Compartment Heater - BSAT-750W - 750 Watts For warm weather comfort, we have five Hella fans, three mounted and two portable with 12-volt plugs. We've found them to be quiet, efficient and long-lived. For cold weather comfort, we rely on one space heater, a down comforter, and Polartec clothing.
5. Let the sun shine in.
Boats can often feel like gloomy caves. Natural light brightens up the boat interior. If you have ample portholes and hatches, keep them open. I've been on boats that are dark and claustrophobic down below, and although it's a lot of work, this can be remedied by adding well-bedded deck prisms or even an opening hatch (or enlarging an existing one).
6. Cockpit as porch.
The cockpit is like another room. We have a full dodger and bimini, and two sets of removable windows/screens to provide (when needed) an all-around enclosure. We also have a front window that can be unzipped and rolled down for flow-through ventilation, a small cockpit table, a "porch light," and plugs for outdoor speakers and portable fans. Cushioning is provided by nifty closed cell foam pads. In warm weather, and even if it's not too cold, the cockpit is ourmain venue for happy hour and most meals.
7. Putting on the Ritz.
I like to have a few items on board that most salty mariners would scoff at. We have a pair of beautiful cut crystal goblets and dig these out (literally) onspecial occasions, pour the fine wine or bubbly, and toast each other.
It feels elegant, and makes the event seem more special. Storing those suckers in a foam-lined plastic box is a hassle, but it's worth it. Other possibilities might include a nice tablecloth, linen napkins, real silverware, real china, or a
special silver candlestick. You get the idea.
Copyright (c) 2004 Kerry S. Mason
About the Author
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"Kerry Mason is the webmaster for http://finesailing.com, which is
the #1 resource for sailing/boating information on the Internet.
Be sure to visit his complete archive of articles at...
http://www.finesailing.com/articles/ "