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Vacationer headroom and hull height.


buck

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I am thinking of building a Vacationer this winter, How do owners feel about the amount of headroom? I do want a more livable boat than the weekender. I've spent quite a few nights in my weekender but after a night or two sleeping in theboat my small Stationwagon feels like a motel!

I want to put in proper bunks as my boats always seem to get a small amount of water in them. (I keep my Weekender at a dock so its always getting full of rainwater)

How do people find the headroom?

I'll probaly build the hull height up a bit(say 4 to 6inches) one of 3 ways:

1. Having steeper sides

2. A smaller bottom and keep the flare angle and deck the same.

3. Make the flare the same and the deck larger (this will take me over the 8' limit but as its going to live in the water, it won't matter.

i also plan to ad some weight to the keel and have an external pivot centreboard

i do like the seaworthyness of the semi-displacement feel my Weekender has. As discussed in the previous topic.

What are your thoughts Guys? Whats your opinion Ray?

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Adding additional flare to the sides of the boat will not provide any headroom, nor will it offer any reasonable amount of elbow room, unless a few inches makes a world of difference.

Several builders have raised cabin sides only, many have raised both the sides and increased the roof crown. Increasing the roof crown will be the easiest on the eyes, as the sides don't look out of proportion. The excessive crown can be easily hidden with beefy companionway slides and grab rails.

If you increased freeboard by 2" and the cabin roof crown 2" then you'd not have any noticeable difference in the profile and have the headroom you desire.

Narrowing the bottom planking would be the worst thing you could do to her. Not to mention you'll be changing the displaced volume of the hull which will affect the way she floats and sails, probably very dramatically.

If you're going to install the centerboard, obviously for a performance increase, then you should consider putting it inside the keel and possibly addressing the keel profile itself.

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I added 4 inches to my cabin sides and I'm happy with it. It looks right and it gives some headroom below. I still crack my head on the rafters now and then. You may give thought to squaring off the front of the cabin as well. Heres a couple of shots inside and out to see what I did

1130web.jpg

inside2.jpg

dscn2014.jpg

Keith

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THANKS GUYS,

I 've been thinking about it some more and I'll probaly leave the hull standard, You're probaly right about making the bottom smaller. If you mess with one bit you have to adjust a hundred other bits. Keith I really like your raised cabin, It looks really good.

Whats it like to sail and live in? It seems to have plenty of room. I love the feel and seaworthyness of my Weekender I just wan't to be more comfortable cruising

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