May those who build boats by installing, for example...an electrical bus bar and panel, on a bulkhead and then installing "furniture" around it and then stick the whole contraption in the boat, and then finish off the rest of the boat around the furniture, thus rendering the bus bar and panel utterly un-reachable, suffer from chronic constipation for the rest of their natural lives.
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A Small Rant
- Thread starter AlanH
- Start date
My bus bars are accessible because the wires all used to run through the bilge and Michael Jefferson disabused me of the idea that water and electricity go together. On the Freedoms, they also built the cabinet for the water heater under the sink and there is no way to remove it when the 30-year-old beast dies. One suggestion was to cut a larger access door. Instead, I took the hammer and crow bar and pulled out the sink, which pulled up the old countertops, and I just didn't know where to stop. Since the faucets had been leaking and the countertops were old formica, it just seemed like a good time to redo the galley. Two years, and many Corian jokes later, I now have a beautiful galley and a smaller, newer water heater that fits through the cabinet door under the sink 
Just chronic constipation? You're too nice. I'd suggest chronic diarrhea. The designers shouldn't get off scot-free, either. Let's make them bathroom attendants at the boat builders' conventions.
I used to have a boat that had a very cranky (despite being rebuilt) Atomic 4 that needed constant fussing. Many a sweaty, bloody knuckled day, I swore six ways to Sunday that I would only ever buy boats that have complete daylight access to all sides but the bottom (although that would be nice, too). I started making a list: Tartan 30 & 34c, J/30, Catalina 30...and then I ran out. There are probably others, mostly race boats with minimal bulkheads or furniture, and big center cockpit motorsailers with dedicated engine rooms, but cruisers and cruiser-racers meeting this criterion are few and far between.
The builders of boats that I can ever afford were merely schadenfreudian purveyors of torture devices in sailboat form, as far as I'm concerned. I think the only way I'll ever have a boat I'm really happy owning (i.e. maintaining) is to build my own. Priority #1: good engine access. #2: with few exceptions, only 3 fastener types and sizes allowed.
I used to have a boat that had a very cranky (despite being rebuilt) Atomic 4 that needed constant fussing. Many a sweaty, bloody knuckled day, I swore six ways to Sunday that I would only ever buy boats that have complete daylight access to all sides but the bottom (although that would be nice, too). I started making a list: Tartan 30 & 34c, J/30, Catalina 30...and then I ran out. There are probably others, mostly race boats with minimal bulkheads or furniture, and big center cockpit motorsailers with dedicated engine rooms, but cruisers and cruiser-racers meeting this criterion are few and far between.
The builders of boats that I can ever afford were merely schadenfreudian purveyors of torture devices in sailboat form, as far as I'm concerned. I think the only way I'll ever have a boat I'm really happy owning (i.e. maintaining) is to build my own. Priority #1: good engine access. #2: with few exceptions, only 3 fastener types and sizes allowed.
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BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Yep, now that I have a furniture boat I can "third" this rant. I can't do (or even inspect) anything without removing a bunch of stuff. Then when put it all back the screws are a bit looser than the last time.
That said, I thought Rags' engine was super easy to access, with a big panel on the front of the engine box and good-sized panels on each side of it. I mentioned this to my long-term engine guy last year. He's a man of few words. As few as they were, I won't repeat them.
That said, I thought Rags' engine was super easy to access, with a big panel on the front of the engine box and good-sized panels on each side of it. I mentioned this to my long-term engine guy last year. He's a man of few words. As few as they were, I won't repeat them.