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Doors

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
Almost like a hungry man looking thoughtfully at a chicken, I am beginning to think that the passageway doors on my boat are worth more as lumber than as furniture.

For those not familiar, the "head" compartment on the E29 Mk I is formed by closing two doors between the salon and the V-berth. In a way, it's a pretty efficient use of space. When the doors are open, the toilet and wash basin are hidden behind the main door. But the V-berth insert cannot be used because the forward bi-fold door sticks into its space. To exit the V-berth in the night, one must first pry up the insert (if used) to open the door.
head.jpg

I've had that forward bi-fold door on the boat and off again a few times. I suppose it was deemed necessary because if a crew got up to use the head in the middle of the night, he would be doing his thing about twelve inches from the captain's pillow. But that doesn't always work because the outer door has to be closed first - the Captain would have to sleep with the bi-fold open, and without the insert, anyway. I last put it back on because I added a shower, and the doors seemed like a good idea to contain it. But a thin curtain would do the job as well and be out of the way the rest of the time. And I'm not so sure about the other door either, despite the little brass plaque that labels the forward cabin the domain of the "Captain." Due to swelling of the wood, it doesn't close in the winter time anyway.

These doors are handsome bits of woodworking. Inch-thick solid mahogany stiles and rails framing plywood panels. And heavy. In the unlikely event that another Ericson owner wants them please speak up now. But I can't help thinking that the wood could be re-used in upcoming cabinetry projects. Just that much raw mahogany would cost around $200 at Home Depot prices. I brought the bi-fold back to the shop tonight... its days may be numbered.

Dunno... funky 70's bead curtains, maybe?
 

Frank Langer

1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Although I don't know the layout you described, I understand the question, and can see why you are considering removing the doors. I think this would be a reasonable approach, depending on the crew you have aboard. A plastic curtain (not 70s beads!! :0) would allow use of your shower and give some privacy, but obviously not as much and as sound proof as a wooden door. So if you mainly sail with family and close friends, it could work; if you have others aboard, not so much. Either way, you might want to save the doors in their current form in case you decide to sell the boat and the buyer needs more privacy in the head and wants those doors reinstalled.
Just my thoughts....
Frank
 

woolamaloo

Member III
The bi-fold doors on the 30+ are a little different than on the your E29. The head has its own door and the bi-fold door just creates a small "privacy" area by the v-berth. The only thing my bi-fold doors have ever done is come unlatched in bumpy conditions, swing open and make a terrifying crashing noise when heeled over to starboard. Hearing that in exciting conditions always added to the excitement - and not in a good way. On my last sail of last season, the 33 year old glue holding the raised panels together gave up and the door literally fell to pieces on the cabin sole. I removed the piano hinge so I could bring the whole mess home but I have no intention of regluing it and reinstalling it. I have some nice teak that I can use for future projects.

Your situation is a little trickier because of the occasional need for actual privacy. Beads would make a racket. How about a fabric curtain hanging on an hinged rod hanging where the top of your door was mounted? The fabric curtain would hide the head just like your door did and when it's open the fabric wouldn't cause the issues you had getting in and out of the v-berth. Just a thought.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Pick-A-Door...

Our previous boat for a decade, the lightweight Niagara 26, had a forward athwart-ships head pretty much like the E-29. With even less room for 'pretend privacy'.
Solid door to the main cabin, but no 'door' to the forepeak berth. Even in the more casual-privacy days of young marriage it was not too convenient for a head call after midnight. Of course we were lots younger then and had much less need for a mid-watch head call, in any case! :)
For 90% of the time, the solid door to the main cabin provided Visual Privacy for use of the head for guests and family. (As for real privacy, there is very little on any boat under about 40'.) :rolleyes:

If we had kept that boat longer there was a plan to sew up a Sunbrella curtain for the v-berth entry. Put it on a heavy shock cord across the top, with a cafe curtain hem along the top.

Moving forward in time,
In our O-34, the forward cabin is not adjacent to the head, but came with a lovely bi-fold teak door to the forward cabin. Like another poster here we found that the folded door would come loose from its little latch and bang around in a seaway. I took it home over a decade ago and refinished it... it's still at home. Ditto for the solid door to the aft cabin that kept getting in way of the cook when it was open.
Only privacy door on our boat is for the head... it might be only "visual"privacy but that's vital. :0

I speculate that all those "extra" doors helped to sell boats to neophytes at large indoor boat shows in January. :)
It very likely still works that way. Along with cabin top mainsheet systems and automotive steering wheels!
 
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toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
It would be nice if there were enough room in the adjacent bulkheads to make “Star Trek” style pocket doors. Right now, they’re more like “Get Smart” doors.

I actually designed and built my house with no interior doors in the main living area. (Guest rooms downstairs have doors.) Which is great when I’m alone in the house...
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I seriously considered leaving the head door off, since an open head makes the E381 cabin larger and gives inviting access to the vanity sink and portlight.

It's rare, I reasoned, that a crowd forms while personal duties are performed. Nearby persons tend to go on deck out of respect or self-preservation.

However, other opinions prevailed.

That's the trouble with other opinions.
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
My solution on my SJ26. Cloth separators that can be unhooked and pulled to the side. The ladies get their required privacy but the curtain can be easily pulled to the side or removed and folded up when it's just us guys. They don't weigh anything either. They are homemade.



P1000255-001.jpg
 

fool

Member III
Hmmm... is either Winston Churchill or LBJ captaining the vessel? If not, more privacy might be a requirement. As Brad Pitt said in Fight Club "you know I can't go when you're watching..." and that's not to mention the captain's off watch respite.

noun[COLOR=#878787 !important][/COLOR]

  • 1.
    a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.
    ["the encampments will provide some respite from the suffering"]

I'd go for taking the doors off and handing the crew an emergency de-watering and self bailing device, such as a bucket, empty plastic drink container, siren Starbucks drink cup, or Attwood's Boater's Saftey Boat Bailer...even a Bivy (Biffy?) Bag when necessary to do justice to for the security and moral of the crew. A bit on the roughing it side for when nature calls and answers are necessary, but necessity is as necessary does.

For showers the Nemo Helio foot pressurized shower might do the trick when allowed to drain through the cockpit scuppers, but caution on the side of fairwinds and following seas. True story, sailboats are silent when drifting under sail toward a mooring while neighbors are on-deck naked and rinsing the salt water from their nether regions.

According to Wiki a:

"Nether region may refer to: Hell, the Underworld, or any place of darkness or eternal suffering. Subterranea (geography) Euphemism or slang for the bottom, groin and genitals of human body, separately or collectively."

Hang not your nether regions over the side, for one the water is cold, and for another the water is deep. Harness and jacklines are recommend on the foredeck when on watch but do not always protect from going awash over the safety lines. Best keep deck doody an occasion to celebrate and not a cause for drowning.

<cite class="iUh30" style="color: rgb(0, 102, 33); font-style: normal; font-size: 14px;">https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/doody</cite>


Noun. doody (usually uncountable, plural doodies) (US, slang, childish) Excrement, poop.

IMHO...

MaX


 
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