Perfect Small Boat Galley

[Foster Price]

Hello All

As mentioned the other day Otter is in for a galley rebuild between the other jobs. What thoughts do you have on the perfect galley features/layout for a small boat. If you can refer me to a plan that would be good. The best one I know of to date is Paul Gartsides 24' Surprise at http://www.gartsideboats.com/catsail3.php#surprise

Just to recap, she's almost 24', with reasonable volume. She has 5' headroom under the hatch, I'm 6' so can only stand "hatch open". She is used for weekends by myself and another adult, or me and up to 3 kids, almost always cooking is done at anchor. We are at 46 south so its usually cool (even in Summer its not hot in the usual sense) but the hatch is open. The galley is and will be under the main hatch. The space avaliable is on one side only (port) as the heads with chart table over is on the opposite side of the companionway. There is only enough footspace to stand in the hatchway in one location (ie to cook you are rooted in the one spot or are sitting). The gap between the existing galley bench and chart table is 2'6". The space avaliable is about 3'4" long, 2'4" athwartships, plus a further 10" under the sidedecks.

I have already determined that the stove will have two gas burners and be without gimballs. I want a sink - either liftout or with a drain, there is already a suitable throughhull. I have a ss basin that is 12"x10"x 8" deep that could be used.

The following thread had some excellent tips, and it would be neat to see JohnB's galley pictures again (if you still have them John - maybe if its a pain to post them up you could send them direct)
http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001851

Many thanks

Foster Price.

[ 05-24-2002, 06:47 PM: Message edited by: Foster Price ]

[whb]

Foster

Go for a bar sink with one of those high fawcetts.

This will give you adequate volume of water for most needs and the high fawcett makes it easier to fit anything like pots etc. inot the sink. You can buy or make a cutting board that will nest into the sink giving you extra counter space. You can also set a hot pot onto it rather than putting it on your counter. If you are likely to be cooking where you have access to power I would fit in a smallish microwave at eye height. I would also have a stowable cutting board that fits your galley table. That way someone can sit there to chop veggies etc.

Howard

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Surprise is a lovely-looking vessel, isn't she? I understand that Barb and Paul are cruising in the prototype at present.

However, the galley should undoubtedly be to port where Otter's is, and not to starboard where I remember Surprise's originally being. (I remember even Maurice Griffiths designing a boat once with the galley originally to starboard, and then saying later that he couldn't understand why he had.)

I assume with a boat this size there's a fair difference in level between the cockpit sole and the cabin sole, requiring at least one, or possibly two, steps down (more if there's a bridge deck.) The top step or whichever one is at the right level could have the tread doubled, with the front part hinged, so it can be extended for use as a seat. If there's only one step, then it could be a box of the right size to function as step or seat, and with a hinged lid to turn it into a locker. It should serve equally well for the galley or the chart table.

As to the galley, I'd try to make a sliding tray to carry the stove so it can be pushed back under the side deck when not in use, thus exposing the sink (with a lid, as Howard suggests) or just more bench space.

I wouldn't bother to try plumbing the sink, even though there's already a skin-fitting for it. Just treat it as a washing-up bowl to be lifted out for emptying.

And by the way Foster, thanks for calling it a chart table and not a "nav. station."

Mike

[Foster Price]

Nav Station - Thats a pretty good joke for a boat built in 1990 pretty true to the original 1928 plans (althought in modern strip/epoxy construction) and possessing as her sole concession to electronics a depth sounder !!!

Thanks for the throughts, the engine protudes into the companionway, so it has a box with two big steps up (total height to the sill is 2'8"). and I was trying to figure how to make the top one a seat but had not thought of hingeing it (obvious now I see but was thinking sliding and that would have be difficult)

Cheers - and hoping for more benefits of your experiences - Foster

[ken mcclure]

Question - why is it better to have the galley to port? Mine is designed and planned to go there, but you comment makes me wonder.

[imported_Conrad]

Ditto Ken's comment- is this a left handed verses right handed thing? Conrad

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

Ken, the rationale for having the galley to port is that, when sailing single-handed (particularly) and you need to go below to check your position, or use the head, or especially to prepare a meal, you generally heave-to first.

Since the International Rules require a vessel on port tack to give way to one on starboard, then you would always want to heave-to on the starboard tack in order to make your vessel the stand-on one.

By having the galley to port, it would then be on the lee ("downhill") side, making it both safer and easier to use. At the same time, the chart table is therefore almost automatically on the starboard side, making it easier to use too, and also allowing you to keep a weather eye open through the nearest scuttle for vessels approaching you on port tack, to make sure they do indeed intend to give way.

That seems to me to be such excellent reasoning, especially insofar as a pocket cruiser's concerned, that I always get a surprise when I hear of anything different.
___________

Foster, the idea I have in mind is a sort of drop-front gate-leg, with the leg folding back against the riser of the higher step and the drop-front swinging down over it to conceal it. (You'd want some sort of locking mechanism for the leg in the open position and the drop-front in the closed position.)

[Jeff Kelety]

Well, the approach we took on Folkboat Nais is way simpler than you're heading for, I think. I had planned on a sink, etc. But after several seasons out with the kids, turned out nobody really needed a sink, nor a faucet for that matter. Water is supplied from cobolt blue (they just look more tasteful) liter water bottles with squirt tops set in two old copper pots hung by each galley cabinet. I keep enough water bottles stashed in the bilge for a trip. Cooking is done on a Kenyon butane cooktop stove. It has auto ignition so no messing with lighting pilot lights. And that's it. (Sorry I can't show a photo. My photo server up and quit. Anybody using a good one for free?)

Good luck with your plumbing!

jgk

[ 05-26-2002, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: Jeff Kelety ]

[Peter Jacobs]

Speaking of Folkboats smile.gif
I have pictures of Jeff's galley that he sent me. Unfortunately they are at work and I'm not. (I guess that's fortunate, on a Sunday!).
But I have a couple of pics of a "modern" Nordic Folkboat galley that might be helpful"
http://www.islandnet.com/~pjacobs/closed.jpg

http://www.islandnet.com/~pjacobs/open.jpg

-Peter-

[ 05-26-2002, 06:07 PM: Message edited by: Peter Jacobs ]

[Jeff Kelety]

Peter (or others) -

So is there now a way to post pictures on the WBF even if they're not on a web server (i.e. upload directly to the forum)?

jgk

[ken mcclure]

Ah. Many thanks for the detailed reply! I knew that there was a good answer to that. I may have thought of that, but not until LONG after the galley was installed!

[Bruce Taylor]

Jeff -- Most of us freeloaders are using Sony Imagestation now.

www.imagestation.com (http://www.imagestation.com)

[John B]

found em. This has worked ok for us for a number of years. I was fixated on saving space and keeping the quarter berth at the time but I'll be modifying it sometime to be a decent galley. Camping is fine but , weeelll, we're looking for a bit more looksxury now( monty python accent). Fridge next year perhaps.LOL.p'raps even a sink.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid21/p3f7fb9b3e00c17b4dce387d73266070b/fdb428e7.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid21/p3cfc2ea1a6348590a2e4593a7623a5ef/fdb428e2.jpg

[Foster Price]

John B - Monty Python indeed - you'll have all the poor ol' yanks totally convinced of the insanity of the few remaining monachists left (although we convert a few republicans back each year - always gives me a kick to hear em swear allegiance to "Her Majesty")

Thanks for the pictures - these are exactly the sort of lateral thinking ideas I need to make a really good job. Now I know how I'm going to handle the "sea-swing stove" I was desperately trying to find a tidy solution for, it'll be a fold out job.

Cheers - Foster

[Meerkat]

One clever thing i've seen is to use one of those 8 qt stock pots with lid that are almost never used at home (unless you have a serious cook in the family) as the sink - dropped into a cut-out in the galley counter. This way, you can just lift out the pot and toss contents over the side (after trolling for silverware at the bottom ;) ). It's also handy for the occasional lobster boil on the beach smile.gif

[Kermit]

Hey Meer! You got a secret hole for lobsters in Puget Sound? I want in on it!

[bainbridgeisland]

I would like to address the practicality of a lift out sink basin. I sailed a 23 footer about 15,000 miles, mostly offshore, with a lift out basin. I thought it was perfect up till the day I dumped the silverware out with the dishwater. I still think it is the best solution for small boats.

We used a Rubbermaid dishpan about 11'x15". Not as pretty as other basins but really practical. It had a flush fitting lid that doubled as a cutting board. From the galley, 1/2 step to the hatch, up the ladder one rung and reach over the leeward rail to empty. Most of all, we usually did not do the dishes with the basin in its fitted hole. We liked using the basin in the cockpit and also setting it on the cabin sole between our feet in a seaway.

I believe the fitted, lift out basin works best on boats with modest beam. You should be able to empty it without going on deck. Also the galley should be close to the hatch.

Here are the disadvantages of a sink with drain: If the sink is too far off centerline, it can flood when the boat heels. It has a through hull penetration that adds cost and risk of failure. It is more expensive. It can only be used in one place.

[John B]

Hi Bainbridge, what you say about the plumbed sink is exactly what I experienced. I fitted the shallow " spitoon" as catchment. It's just a stainless kitchen bowl with a lip. I've often thought I'd just enlarge that rather than deal with the plumbing issue.
Oh, we've had a near miss or two with the "dishwater" too. Moral: buy two.LOL.

[ 05-28-2002, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: John B ]

[Zane Lewis]

Hi Foster, you have brought out some great ideas there.
How are you other design plans coming along. I lost you address a while back when my HD went down.
Zane.