Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Does anybody have any suggestions on how to better use the space behind the port-a-potti on our boat. The joke of a hanging area can not accomodate anything longer than a pair of swim trunks. My wife thought maybe it could be changed into some drawers or cabinet space of some sort. Suggestions greatly appreciated.
Also, has anyone instead any kind of small shelves along the bulkheads in the V-birth? This space is above the sleeping area and seems like it could be put to use.
Patrick Petracca "Yankee Spirit" #4795 fk/tr Albuquerque, NM
I keep tools behind the porta-pottie, plus the blue stuff, and other hygene products. The area gets wet because that is the "opening" window and it leaks. Tools are in a plastic ziplock. I say "opening" because I am going to 5200 that sucker shut some day.
I have installed a hanging net in the V-Berth for storing all kinds of stuff. Usually clothes and bedding. Sometimes fruits and veggies. The net stretches from the bow to the bulkhead along the starboard side. I've also installed additonal lighting in the V-Berth on the port side. I've cut a 1 foot square hole under the v-berth so I can get into that great storage area without tearing up my daughter's bed. This hole will be covered with snap-on canvas.
I am thinking of removing the hanging "closet" opposite the pottie and putting in a small AC refridgerator. You'd have a place to sit while rummaging through the fridge! This could be a winter project. The fridge could be used at dockside on AC or plugged into my inverter while underway. Entire project would cost about $100. MUCH cheaper than a Norcold or other AC/DC marine unit ($450) plus you can use the inverter for other things.
I'm curious, you have opening windows? All mine are fixed. Is that an upgrade? If it is, it sounds like you're not too thrilled with them.
I like the fridge idea, but I don't like to add too much weight to the boat since I race often. On the boat we chartered this summer, the original ice-box had a refrigeration unit installed into it. I think it was 12 volt. I know I had to run the diesel everyday during our trip to keep the batteries charged. I might like a smaller version on my boat as the only thing I keep in the ice-box now are gallon jugs of water and my Captain Morgan's bottle.
Anyway, Michelle and I decided we have got to increase our storage capacity before we take an extended trip with you guys. We have to add more food, clothes, fuel and everything else than we're used to for our weekends on the local lakes.
Patrick Petracca "Yankee Spirit" #4795 fk/tr Albuquerque, NM
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> I like the fridge idea, but I don't like to add too much weight to the boat since I race often. Patrick Petracca "Yankee Spirit" #4795 fk/tr Albuquerque, NM <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote> I spent a couple of hours searching for refers that would fit where my porta potty is and found several. I would need to build a stand to square the bottom but I could put a small drawer there so it would not be lost space. This size of refrigerator weighs very little. Centering the wieght at that location of the boat could even help on racing trim. I figured I would leave blue ice or something similar in the fridge all of the time and it would keep things cool a'la a cooler for several hours at least. I am trying to figure out a way to move the porta potty into the vee berth notch as it is on so many other boats. We lake sailors seldom if ever use these things. I am seriously considering one of these...
Boy would I be in the dog house with one of those. Several things keep my wife going to the lake for weekends that our Catalina '22 did not have. 1) Shore power (curling iron & coffee pot) 2) pressure hot/cold water & 3) the new larger size port-a-potti in a head with a closing door. Things that seem extravagant to me, but if that is all it takes to make her happy, I'm pretty lucky!
I think I just need to bring the boat a few weeks before the trip and spend a few days just thinking about and solving storage concerns.
Patrick Petracca "Yankee Spirit" #4795 fk/tr Albuquerque, NM
Well, first I wonder if you've actually tried using one of those 12V refrigerators. We tried one for a weekend and decided that it was useless. Took lots of power, and barely kept anything cold. We returned it and will do with a cooler and a couple gallon milk jugs filled with water and frozen. They last quite a long time, and when the ice melts you have more drinking water.
Either way, before you do the big project, try the fridge first.
One of the main reasons we purchased a Catalina 25 was becaus my chickie wanted a real marine head. Many boats we looked at only had pora-potties and that wouldn't work for her. Oh, and who was going to dump it???? Not me, not her.
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Many boats we looked at only had pora-potties and that wouldn't work for her. Oh, and who was going to dump it???? Not me, not her. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote> Well, Roof... We'll look forward to hearing from you when you get to rebuild the head, replumb it to the holding tank, or replace the tank. <img src=icon_smile_dead.gif border=0 align=middle>
Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette-Honda "Passage" in SW CT
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Well, first I wonder if you've actually tried using one of those 12V refrigerators. We tried one for a weekend and decided that it was One of the main reasons we purchased a Catalina 25 was becaus my chickie wanted a real marine head. Many boats we looked at only had pora-potties and that wouldn't work for her. Oh, and who was going to dump it???? Not me, not her.
I agree that the 12V reefers don't work very good. I have a three-way fridge in my camper (propane, 120VAC, 12VDC) and it only freezes ice cubes when run on propane. The two electric modes will keep already-cold food cold for a couple of days, but will not get the freezer cold enough to make ice or keep ice cream frozen.
It's funny how polarized people's preferences are when it comes to the marine head vs. porta-pottie debate. I am a porta-pottie guy. Porta-pottie is much simpler to maintain, cheaper to replace if something goes wrong with it, and you don't lose storage space for a holding tank. When I was shopping for a boat, I turned down a couple of otherwise very nice Mk. IV's because they had a marine head.
Larry Charlot Catalina 25WK/TR Mk. IV #5857 "Quiet Time" Folsom Lake, CA
I am a confirmed port-a-potty guy. After we chartered in CA last June and I had the new experience of a marine head. Hold it in the tank in Avalon, macerate it off shore, pump it out with a hand pump, have it pumped out at the marina... It was all new to me and seemed really cumbersome. Of course, it is all what you're used to. The only problems I see with the port-a-potti are places that will not allow you to sail. Canada does not allow them if they are not attached and plumbed to be pumped out from the deck. Mine has the hook-ups to be pumped out, but I am not cutting a hole in my deck.
Also, they are so cheap to replace that when they start getting loose (seats and lids) or looking bad it's no big deal to buy a new one.
My wife does get the willies about used port-a-potti's so when we bought our '25 I just ordered her a new one. I also got the larger size with more holding capacity. The only problem, it is so much taller that her 5' 0" don't allow her feet to touch the deck. She does look a little funny with her feet propped up on a bucket. I guess that's why she always pulls the door across!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Patrick Petracca "Yankee Spirit" #4795 fk/tr Albuquerque, NM
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Well, first I wonder if you've actually tried using one of those 12V refrigerators. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
I was talking about 120v refrigerators, that's why I would keep the blue ice in it all of the time. The shore power would freeze the blue ice and then the blue ice would keep things cold while we sail. Once again I am a lake sailor and rarely am out more than a few hours at a time. That is another reason why we used to leave our portta potty in our dock box, if anyone really needed relief we'd just sail in. For the casual whiz men are expected to lean against the boom and the ladies can either "swim" or use a 1lb coffee can.
I put in shelves with a louvered door for ventilation. Much more useable then the stock set up. Now we can stack clothing, breeze breakers, etc. <img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2da34b3127cce9d353938d3630000004610" border=0> I wish I had a photo with the door open so you could see the shelves.
Ed Montague on 'Yahoo' 1978 #765 SK, Stnd, Dinette ~_/)~
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> I wish I had a photo with the door open so you could see the shelves.
Ed's door is a great idea. That's the place I was thinking of putting my 110 V refridgerator. I'd like a cold beverage when I go down to the boat after work, when day sailing I can plug it into the inverter and when crusing for 2 weeks to Catalina I can use it as storage.
Yes, my forward windows open, and it was a Catalina option in 1978. They are sliding windows, with screens. Both leak badly in the rain. I like leaving them open during the summer at the dock. I may replace them with the new Catalina Direct opening windows (not really going to 5200 them closed).
Patrick, before the 2 week cruise I suggest the following:
(1) Solar panels - I can get them here in San Diego $90 for an 11 watt flexible panel, plus the voltage regulator is $30. On a sunny day, 2 panels will charge my system by noon. Also if your engine has an alternator, hook this up. Make sure you have an anchor light and running lights are in good condition. We can buy ice once every couple of days.
(2) Dinghy, Kayak or similar. The only other way to get to shore in Catalina is to swim (or call the Shore boat which is $3 per person one way). We have a dinghy, 3 HP outboard, and 2 man kayak. Can't have too many water toys. The dinghy deflates and stores in the aft berth and the kayak I carry on deck. Also suggest wet suits, mask snorkel and fins (great diving, clear, cold water). My 2 man kayak was about $500 at Sports Authority. It's all you need. Works great for 1 or 2 persons.
(3) I will carry about 12 gallons of gas total for the boat and 2 for the dinghy. Gas is likely to be $4/gallon in Catalina. Engine spares (plugs, fuel filter, oil).
(4) I saved 1 gallon juice bottles (love cranberry juice) and carry about 10 extra gallons of drinking water in these. I store all these, plus canned food and so on under the quarter berth (huge storage area there).
(5) Handheld GPS and Handheld VHF. I also have a built in VHF and we carry 2 cell phones. My depth gage is a lead line (50 feet). Be prepared to anchor in depths up to 50 feet. I have a 13 lb danforth, 50 feet of chain, and 300 feet of 1/2 nylon. The danforth anchor works great here (I also have a 10 lb backup with 6 feet of chain and 250 feet of 1/2 nylon).
(6) Poptop cover if you don't have one.
Optional:
(7) Boom tent if you don't have one (made my own from Sunbrella for about $100).
(8) Propane barbeque.
(9) Fishing gear. There is great fishing on the way over and at anchor in the coves.
(10) foulies or at least gear for sailing in wet conditions (rained lightly twice during this year's cruise).
Most of that gear we have..2 dingies. We'll decide which one to bring (probably the one with the motor). We sure enjoyed having one in Avalon last time.
The solar panels are something I will have to look into. Currently I charge my batteries in my slip about twice a year and that is all I need. I think I also need to re-wire my mast lights. My running lights are fine, but the anchor light is inop. When we anchor out on our lake, no lights are required so I've never fixed it.
I have the GPS and 2 VHF's (one handheld, one fixed). I have a portable depth guage which seems to work pretty well.
Anchors and pop-top cover are also in inventory.
Question....Where do you carry spare gas? I have a 3 gallon tank for my 8hp Mercury and that will get about 20 miles per tank. I was thinking of getting a bigger tank for the fuel locker, but where do I put spare gas cans on my boat?
Anyway....sounds like we have most of the gear and gadgets, with just a few modifications we should be set.
Talk to you soon.
Patrick Petracca "Yankee Spirit" #4795 fk/tr Albuquerque, NM
Patrick: I also built a storage unit for clothes, towells and all kinds of stuff in an earlier C25 that I owned. If anyone would talk me through attaching a photo I will find the picture, scan it and post it. Bruce Ebling 89 WK "Selah"
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Gas is likely to be $4/gallon in Catalina.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
I paid $2.96/gal for regular unleaded at the Isthmus the weekend before this past. It usually runs about $1 more than local gas station prices. You can get 50:1 premix at Avalon (about $0.75 more per gal), but I prefer to mix my own.
Sometimes I carry a spare 5 gal container in the rear of the cockpit, under the tiller. Then at anchor/mooring, I move and tie them down to the fordeck. If I carry two 5 gal containers, I tie them down on the sidedecks, next to the forwardmost windows (but my lifeline netting helps them stay put).
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>It's funny how polarized people's preferences are when it comes to the marine head vs. porta-pottie debate.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
That's very true. I'm definitely a marine head guy. With three girls onboard, I can't imagine having to regularly carry the porta-pottie up for emptying <img src=icon_smile_dead.gif border=0 align=middle>. Plus, each time I pump out my holding tank at sea with the Guzzler bilge pump (no macerator), I get to quote the Randy Quaid character from "Christmas Vacation" <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>.
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> If anyone would talk me through attaching a photo I will find the picture, scan it and post it.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
Bruce,
The instructions can be found under the FAQ link in the upper right-hand corner. Also, additional information and hints can be found under the Testing Forum. We'd all like to see your pictures.
Best regards,
J.B. Manley Antares '85 FK/SR #4849 Grand Lake O' the Cherokees 36°29'58" -94°59'59"
I read throught those instructions in FAQ and don't quite understand what it means. My computer ignorance is exceeded only by desire to be out sailing all the time, if that give's you some idea of how much I know about computers.
I would like to add a picture to my signature line. Do I understand that I need to have one posted already on-line somewhere? Am I not able to just insert a picture into my text?
Thanks for the help.
Patrick Petracca "Yankee Spirit" #4795 fk/tr Albuquerque, NM
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Do I understand that I need to have one posted already on-line somewhere? Am I not able to just insert a picture into my text?<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
Hi Patrick,
Yes, you have to upload pictures somewhere on-line. [url="www.shutterfly.com"]Shutterfly[/url] or Yahoo have picture upload and sharing capabilities. No, you can't just insert a picture into the text of either your posts or your signature.
Once you've established a free account and uploaded pictures, you can then insert the pictures into this forum by inserting the picture's URL into the function {img}URL{/img} where the {} is replaced by [] and URL is replaced by the www.yyy.com for your picture.
The URL for your picture is obtained by a right button mouse click and then selecting Properties from the pop-up menu. Right click the small thumbnail picture for the URL to insert into your signature, and right click the larger picture images to insert into your posts.
Patrick, I forgot to add that I consider a tiller pilot to be essential. It's at least 7 to 8 hours from Dana Point to the Isthmus.
Gas Storage:
My main tank in the lazerette is 6.6 gallons. That sits on the shelf. I have a 3 gallon reserve tank that sits on the floor of the lazerette. I just have to move the gas line to switch tanks. I carry 2, 5 gallon plastic jugs under the V Berth. That helps balance the weight in the lazerette. I get about 10 MPG with the Honda 8 running at 5.5 knots in calm seas.
Some people carry a 10 gallon tank in the back of the cockpit. I can't do that because that's where I store all my fishing gear.
Ahoy all! Since this discussion began with a question about storage...
I have this idea for one of my many winter projects and want to get input from you other C-25 skippers. First let me say that I have a flush head with holding tank and it has saved my marriage. Not really but it sure makes my voyages (even the short ones) much more pleasant with my first mate.
Here's my question: Has anyone considered removing the sink in the head and making that space into a hanging locker with a door and shelves instead of the poor excuse behind the head?
While it sounds great in the C-25 boat description, two sinks on a 25 foot boat seems like overkill. What is it 4 steps from the head to the galley? Anyway, I too want additional storage and thought removing the head sink would create some much needed space for a closet/locker. Has anyone done anything similar to this? Any thoughts?
On the autopilot/tillerpilot issue. I have a wheel pedestal steering and I love it. I bought an autopilot last fall and have used it all summer. But tiller or wheel, the only thing I can say is "Once you have one, you'll wonder how you did without it!". I single hand often and it allows me to go below, get a Mt. Dew, add volume to the holding tank etc. If you haven't used one, then you probably don't think you need one. If you've got one, you probably love it!
P.S. The only pain with the flush head and holding tank is that my lake/marina doesn't have pump out service. So, I have to call a mobile pump out service once during the summer. Still worth keeping my first mate happy!
1)Gas-I have a locker for my gas tank aft of the lazarette. I can put a 5 gal tank into that locker and carry more in cans. I think it might be better on deck somewhere. I think if it was in the lazarette fumes could get into the cabin also all my electrical is in the lazarette. Do you think some freak spark might cause an explosion?
2)Tiller Pilot-Do you think with 3 people to handle the helm (Me, Mrs., Oldest Son) that it would be manageable? That seems like an expense that, while very nice, would have no practical use in my home waters. If we enjoy the trip and decide to do many in the future, maybe I would add one. Opinion?
3)I looked at the flexible solar panels in West Marine. If I order one/two, can you give me some advice on hook-up and monitoring.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.