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jimboryd
Deckhand

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USA
21 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/24/2013 : 17:43:37

After thinking about this for awhile, I have decided to gut my boat for several reasons: 1.) Get rid of all the old stuff and misc. wiring that needs to be replaced anyway; 2.) Replace the bulkheads as many PO's have made Swiss cheese out of them; 3.) Redo the galley to incorporate a 12v fridge; 4.) Upgrade the electronics and add some toys (Gander Mt has a 12v flatscreen TV on sale); 5.) etc., etc.

I have read through a lot of the old posts and my biggest question to those experienced with the C-25 is, Does anyone use all the sleeping areas at once? (Meaning, do I really need the aft quarter berth? The starboard settee? The v-berth?) Will eliminating any one of these hurt resale value down the road? At present I am thinking of relocating the galley to the starboard settee area and using the existing galley area for storage and a hanging locker as well as increasing the size of the existing dinette. Thoughts? Thanks.

Jim R
1977 C25 TR/FK #54

Edited by - on

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 06/24/2013 : 20:59:59

Which layout do you have?

I had the dinette and still spend a lot of time on that boat. Yesterday morning we had 6 adults and a kid on there for breakfast, with 4 people sitting at the dinette, 2 on the settee, one on the companionway stairs. Someone even commented "of course we all come to the small boat for breakfast".

I always used the quarterberth on that boat for storage, and the new owner is doing the same thing. I'd be curious to know if anyone ever had 7 people sleeping on the boat at once.

By giving up the settee you are giving up the largest berth on the boat. A common hack on these boats is to put a board across the settee and dinette, then put the back cushion from the settee in the gap. You get a mattress that is a little larger than a queen bed.

Moving the galley seems like a major project, but if you can pull it off then please share photos.

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 06/24/2013 : 21:20:20

Once had seven people spend the night. Two adults and five kids. Two in the v-berth, two in the main salon, one in the quarter birth and two in the cockpit. Once was enough.

Edited by - on

jimboryd
Deckhand

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USA
21 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 03:39:17

My boat has the L-shaped dinette. We also looked at an 80s vintage C-25 with the dinette (2 seats face each other) but the interior of the 1977 one we bought just felt bigger inside for some reason, even with the pop-top down. The thought is to relocate the galley to the starboard settee area and extend the dinette into a U-shaped one. This would require making a cushion to fill in the U to convert it to a full-size berth similar to that on a C-30. Since overboard discharge of the holding tank is no longer an option, and not every place we might go will have a pump-out station, I'm also playing with the idea of converting the head to a porta-potti too (and gaining that storage space.) Once I have a game plan we are committed to, there will be before-and-after pics.

Edited by - on

Merrick
Navigator

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USA
192 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 06:50:37

It's all how you use it. We have done -0- over-nighting and if we did it would most likely be two people. I would like some creative use for the quarter berth area and the v-berth. Would probably remove the cushion except I don't have a better place to store them. I would do what alterations give you the most pleasure from the boat and not worry about resale. (as long as it's not too bizarre, one guy added a steering wheel to the back of the cabin...) If something works for you it will probably work for a buyer someday.

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 07:13:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">My boat has the L-shaped dinette.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I thought there were only two options on a C25, traditional or dinette?

Anyway I'll show you what we do to get some of the things you are talking about, without permanent mods:

We don't sleep in the v-berth. We convert the cabin into a full size air mattress:

V-berth cushions removed, storage drawers in place:

Quarter berth cushion removed 12v refer/freezer. There are also storage drawers behind the steps. I have to move the smaller Dometic to get at them. but it's just a matter of pulling it into the cabin:

On short trips or overnighters, I only use the Engle as a fridge and leave the Dometic at home.

Edited by - Davy J on 06/25/2013 07:29:19

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 13:47:43

I used the quarterberth all the time, my favorite place to sleep. A hanging locker is pretty useless, even if it does drain to the bilge for wet foulies. We converted both of our hanging lockers on our C34 to storage spaces with shelves. My initial take on your proposed mods are: don't do it, it will kill resale. How long have you had your boat? Have you used it enough to justify your ideas? A 12V fridge takes at least 60 ah per day. Will you have the house bank to support it?

Edited by - Stu Jackson C34 on 06/25/2013 13:49:00

jimboryd
Deckhand

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USA
21 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 14:40:01

@Davy J - thanks for the pics. Do those plastic storage bins in your v-berth stay put or do you have them mounted somehow? To everyone else, Thanks for your input. The more info I get the better. Thanks again! @Stu - I have owned the boat for 2 months and she has yet to get wet. Put simply, I'm afraid to put it in the water. I had a survey done before I bought her which valued her "as is" at $2k more than I paid for it. After buying her I began cleaning her out - I have wires in several places that go nowhere; and no electric at all at present. The battery charger was sitting in water in the starboard settee along with an outlet rigged with residential wiring (romex). The original fresh water tank had the top cut off so it is both useless as a tank and just taking up space under the settee. My mainsail is the original sail (36 years old) and might do in a pinch. My genoa (a 110 and a 150) look pretty good though as does the storm jib. My standing rigging has rust showing at the ends and a few hard kinks. The list goes on... In short, I have to do lots to her before I'll feel confident enough to float her (no idea if the seacocks even work) but I did know it was a project boat when I bought it. I just figured that as long as there is so much to do anyway, that maybe some modifications might be in order as well. Please keep the input coming!

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4321 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 19:19:52

I'd say fix the things that will get her seaworthy, put her in the water, and sail her for a year at least before you start making major modifications. Most likely it will kill resale to move things around like you mentioned and more than likely, after you sail her for a while you will probably decide the mod's you're thinking of won't seem as important.

Now, if you enjoy working on boats then I can see why you choose this one. A lot of people enjoy resurrecting boats, planes, trains, etc... and I think that is really neat. I'm not one of those people, I'd rather sail than work on them but that's just me.

Please keep us updated on how things go (we all love pictures on this site). I love reading how other people fix things or about their sailing adventures.

Edited by - GaryB on 06/25/2013 19:33:05

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4321 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2013 : 19:38:36

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Davy J
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">My boat has the L-shaped dinette.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Anyway I'll show you what we do to get some of the things you are talking about, without permanent mods:

We don't sleep in the v-berth. We convert the cabin into a full size air mattress:

V-berth cushions removed, storage drawers in place:

Quarter berth cushion removed 12v refer/freezer. There are also storage drawers behind the steps. I have to move the smaller Dometic to get at them. but it's just a matter of pulling it into the cabin:

On short trips or overnighters, I only use the Engle as a fridge and leave the Dometic at home.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yours is very similar to mine but I use 2 X 4's across the settees with the cushions removed. Double high air mattress with built in air pump. Single most of the time but a king when my wife comes along.

Your mattress support system looks much simpler and easier to use than mine. Do you have any pictures of the support system you use or a full description?

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 04:44:27

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Do you have any pictures of the support system you use or a full description?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
It's just three lengths of 3" PVC pipe and two sections of 3/4" plywood. You can't see the third pipe in these photos, but it keeps the forward end up. The plywood is stored up against the bulkhead in the head area when not in use.

Cutting the PVC was a slight trial and error process. But once there is a little weight on the boards they do not move.

Sleeping on the air mattress is great. However, since we put the bed together at night and take it down in the morning, it gets a little tiresome after multiple days out. But, like I said I sleep great on it.

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 04:56:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Do those plastic storage bins in your v-berth stay put or do you have them mounted somehow? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
The plastic bins aren't mounted in any way. The bins on the port side don't move at all. They don't slide because the bottom sort of grips the carpet there. The drawers on starboard will occasionally tip over at an extreme angle of heel. Three bungee cords keep the drawers from sliding out.

They could be easily mounted down. And you could certainly get higher quality drawers if you wanted. They serve the purpose though.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I have owned the boat for 2 months and she has yet to get wet.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
My advice is to get the thru hull fittings checked out, check your standing and running rigging. Get the outboard running. Put it in the water and sail....

Maybe buy a set of battery operated portable running lights. You can fix the other stuff later.

Edited by - Davy J on 06/26/2013 05:15:50

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4321 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 11:08:01

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 19:10:08

If you are alone the quarterberth is heaven, especially with an air conditioner back there.

Edited by - on

trptelf
Navigator

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USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2013 : 20:14:17

Sounds like you really want one of these...

http://sailingtexas.com/201301/scapri26116.html

http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/31672

Edited by - on

sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2013 : 07:01:02

We regularly sleep 7 on our boat. 3 small kids (8, 5, 2) in the forward v-berth, one preteen (10) on the the port settee, one tween (12) on the starboard settee, my wife and I in the aft quarter-berth. One box fan provides enough airflow to keep everyone comfy. We crack the front hatch for a little more air, but not enough for the little kids to escape.

Once we had 9 sleep on board, with two guests sleeping in the cockpit.

Edited by - on

jimboryd
Deckhand

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USA
21 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2013 : 11:32:39

@Bill - that isn't exactly what I was thinking but the C-26 Capri does give me a few ideas. The starboard side galley in those pics is sort of what I was thinking.

While also not exactly what I'm after either, the pics here: http://www.blumhorst.com/catalina27/bruce-interior.htm give a better idea. I like wood and lots of it. I also think the wife supports the idea of doing a complete renovation (with upgrades) so I'm less tempted to tinker on the house. (More than once she has left me home alone only to find that while she was gone I took out a wall or something.)

@sethp001 - I can't imagine having 9 people aboard at one time. We have 4 kids (ages 26, 23, 21, and 17) + their significant others and 1 grandchild at our home during the holidays. All the boys are over 6' and the girls (including wives/girlfriends) are all between 5'4" and 5'7". None of us are fat, but I still can't see all of us on the C-25 at the same time (not without adding extra floatation to the boat!)

Please keep the thoughts coming - I'm learning!

Edited by - on

Merrick
Navigator

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USA
192 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2013 : 13:50:44

I agree with the above that you need to get her seaworthy and sail for at least a season before doing any major mods. Your ideas and wants will no doubt change as you get experience with the boat.

Edited by - on

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