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"from Stem to Stern"
Modifications-Page 4-Cabin Items
First, since there were several layouts for Cal 29's I will describe mine, at least as it started out. V-berth forward with a bulkhead between it and the anchor locker and with one between it and the mid section. In the mid section, to port was the head, to starboard a hanging locker area. Then a bulkhead with door to the main cabin.
The galley ran down the starboard side with, in order, a small shelved storage cabinet, ice box, sink, stove and then a short bulkhead and the starboard quarter berth.
On the port side was a seat running across and then one running along the side seating perhaps 4 in all and then the start of the port quarter berth. In the L shaped area formed was a table on a pedestal which could be removed, the pipe pedestal replaced with a short one and the whole table became part of a double berth. Above the head of the port quarter berth was a small sliding door cupboard.
The companion way was comprised of a folding step with padding on the underside. The next step down was onto a platform and a cushion placed on it
with the higher step folded gave extra seating. Behind this was the engine compartment. Got the picture?
First, since there were several layouts for Cal 29's I will describe mine, at least as it started out. V-berth forward with a bulkhead between it and the anchor locker and with one between it and the mid section. In the mid section, to port was the head, to starboard a hanging locker area. Then a bulkhead with door to the main cabin.
The galley ran down the starboard side with, in order, a small shelved storage cabinet, ice box, sink, stove and then a short bulkhead and the starboard quarter berth.
On the port side was a seat running across and then one running along the side seating perhaps 4 in all and then the start of the port quarter berth. In the L shaped area formed was a table on a pedestal which could be removed, the pipe pedestal replaced with a short one and the whole table became part of a double berth. Above the head of the port quarter berth was a small sliding door cupboard.
The companion way was comprised of a folding step with padding on the underside. The next step down was onto a platform and a cushion placed on it
with the higher step folded gave extra seating. Behind this was the engine compartment. Got the picture?
Here's how it ended up.
a) The V-berth was generally used for storage of light supplies and my dingy when deflated for passages.
i) I had installed extra lights in it when coastal cruising.
ii) I have described the anchor locker arrangement earlier.
iii) Across the roof I ran shock cord and netting to hold the extra cushion for the dinette, the V-berth cushions, poles, oars, my cockpit table, a board that I used to sit in the dingy.
iv) The side shelves were netted and overloaded with stuff. They broke down offshore primarily because the forward fastening point had been weakened when I repaired the bulkheads for the forward chainplates.
v) I lined the walls with indoor/outdoor carpet to reduce noise when stuff moved around.
b) The head had a space behind the commode and in that I put a holding tank - see e-mail page on this.
i) I built a small sink that slide in and out over the head for coastal cruising comfort with my wife.
c) Across the way the hanging locker area was modified.
i) A shelf was put in just under the window to hold towels and such.
ii) The rod was left in providing quite a good sized length for hanging clothes
iii) At the bottom inside ran a foot high panel. To this I attached my Pur power water maker and ran the feed and discharge hoses from there. Next to it I placed an switch for the machine with appropriate fusing.
iv) The passageway became my shower. It was wonderful and I must say that nothing raises your feeling of overall well being on a long passage then a full standup shower. As follows:
a) I used a standard shower curtain and fastened it to cup hooks so that it enclosed the entire walking area. Protecting the head area, the door, the V-berth and the hanging locker. When not in use it just all went on the larger cup hook mounted behind the door and stayed there out of the way.
b) For the shower I mounted a 5 gallon garden sprayer on the bulkhead wall between the hanging locker and the V-berth, in the hanging locker. The outlet hose was fitted with one of those shower heads with a little on/off button and it mounted on a hook high near the V-berth door frame.
c) I thoroughly investigated the drainage problem and found that the way the boat is made, no drain is possible from the floor to the bilge. I got creative.
(1) If just one person was showering and a short shower at that, it worked just fine to use a big sponge and take up the water and squeeze it into the sink. Took about two minutes.
(2) If two or more were showering the amount of water made it a chore. I drilled a 3/4 inch hole at the corner where the floor meets the step over to the cabin. I fed a piece of hose into that which then fed up through another hole just to the port of step and then affixed the hose to the wall. To the hose I mounted a 1/4 inch power drill pump with a long piece of hose coiled up and mounted to the wall. To drain the floor, I ran the long hose to the sink, attached my battery powered drill and in seconds all the water was out and down the sink. Just a little sponging to dry it.
d) To use the shower, set up the curtain. Reach through and pump up some pressure in the sprayer, push the on button and enjoy. When the tank was full a pump up gave about a minute but as the tank emptied so there was more room for air pressure it lasted for about 3 minutes.
d) I was happy with the style of galley but I added things. For one, a new cabin sole of teak and holly plywood veneer with loads of epoxy. I uses non-skid sand on the white holly strips to stop slipping. Go to Top
i) Refrigeration. Maybe not necessary but a cold one is super especially in the tropics. I had the power thanks to a solar panel and the wind generator.
a) I describe the ice box modification in the e-mail section.
ii) The compressor went into the little cupboard forward of the ice box. I made a sliding shelf so that the unit could be pulled out and carefully coiled the coolant tube so it would let this happen. I cut a small access hatch in the bulkhead so I could access the electrical controls on the side of the unit with pulling it out.
iii) I mounted a salt water pump to complement the fresh water one already on the boat. To both pumps I installed the little Whale in line pumps with the switch mounted on the front of the galley. This way I could activate them with my hip and I had power water of both kinds. In rough seas I turned the power off as I found that I would accidentally hit the fresh switch often.
iv) I mounted a liquid hand soap holder since I found one of these much easier than struggling with bar soap at sea.
v) In front of the ice box on the galley wall I had a Cat heater. While it always seemed to work fine in coastal waters it packed it in the first rough day at sea. No work would ever get it going again.
vi) I put in a Force 10 3 burner stove with oven and grill. It was very good and a pleasure to cook on.
vii) I held myself in place with a galley strap mounted each side of the stove and had a big vinyl apron to wear in case of a spill my way. There was a crash bar (Ikea towel bar), and an extra pad eye for the belt forward so I could work the sink and fridge.
viii) A large through bolted pad eye was put high on the bulkhead wall above the end of the galley. From this ran a length of 1/2 inch line to the grab handle as you go down the companionway steps. This was grab line for transiting the length of the boat and worked well. It was an inside clothesline too. See the picture on the first page of the modifications series.
ix) A fire blanket was placed above the stove to the right ready for use.
x) I built a little folding table that mounted to the end of the short bulkhead next to the stove. This was great as it added just that little bit you need to the counter when cooking at the stove. It folded so it would be out of the way if the quarter berth was used.
e) The starboard quarter berth was used for storage as were the underneath lockers. On the back wall was mounted my Heart inverter and battery charger.
f) Above the berth was mounted my Standard Horizon Omni VHF.
g) I took out the folding step and this turned out to be one of the better projects. I was not planning on entertaining 6 or 8 people in the cabin. In its place I built a box, the top of which would serve as the step. I trimmed the top up nice with some left over teak and carpet. See the picture at the top of this page.
i) Inside the box, facing the cabin I put 2 doors which flopped down. Inside one I put a kitchen catcher garbage bag holder. It had a chain to stop it opening all the way and the way it worked out, a simple flick and it was open for garbage, another flick and it sat closed. No catch needed.
ii) The other larger door held my everyday tool box always handy.
iii) The box rested on the lower step but was held in place to the bulkhead to the engine with heavy removable hinges. For every day service I just lifted the box, hooked it to the bulkhead and could access the engine under it.
a) The V-berth was generally used for storage of light supplies and my dingy when deflated for passages.
i) I had installed extra lights in it when coastal cruising.
ii) I have described the anchor locker arrangement earlier.
iii) Across the roof I ran shock cord and netting to hold the extra cushion for the dinette, the V-berth cushions, poles, oars, my cockpit table, a board that I used to sit in the dingy.
iv) The side shelves were netted and overloaded with stuff. They broke down offshore primarily because the forward fastening point had been weakened when I repaired the bulkheads for the forward chainplates.
v) I lined the walls with indoor/outdoor carpet to reduce noise when stuff moved around.
b) The head had a space behind the commode and in that I put a holding tank - see e-mail page on this.
i) I built a small sink that slide in and out over the head for coastal cruising comfort with my wife.
c) Across the way the hanging locker area was modified.
i) A shelf was put in just under the window to hold towels and such.
ii) The rod was left in providing quite a good sized length for hanging clothes
iii) At the bottom inside ran a foot high panel. To this I attached my Pur power water maker and ran the feed and discharge hoses from there. Next to it I placed an switch for the machine with appropriate fusing.
iv) The passageway became my shower. It was wonderful and I must say that nothing raises your feeling of overall well being on a long passage then a full standup shower. As follows:
a) I used a standard shower curtain and fastened it to cup hooks so that it enclosed the entire walking area. Protecting the head area, the door, the V-berth and the hanging locker. When not in use it just all went on the larger cup hook mounted behind the door and stayed there out of the way.
b) For the shower I mounted a 5 gallon garden sprayer on the bulkhead wall between the hanging locker and the V-berth, in the hanging locker. The outlet hose was fitted with one of those shower heads with a little on/off button and it mounted on a hook high near the V-berth door frame.
c) I thoroughly investigated the drainage problem and found that the way the boat is made, no drain is possible from the floor to the bilge. I got creative.
(1) If just one person was showering and a short shower at that, it worked just fine to use a big sponge and take up the water and squeeze it into the sink. Took about two minutes.
(2) If two or more were showering the amount of water made it a chore. I drilled a 3/4 inch hole at the corner where the floor meets the step over to the cabin. I fed a piece of hose into that which then fed up through another hole just to the port of step and then affixed the hose to the wall. To the hose I mounted a 1/4 inch power drill pump with a long piece of hose coiled up and mounted to the wall. To drain the floor, I ran the long hose to the sink, attached my battery powered drill and in seconds all the water was out and down the sink. Just a little sponging to dry it.
d) To use the shower, set up the curtain. Reach through and pump up some pressure in the sprayer, push the on button and enjoy. When the tank was full a pump up gave about a minute but as the tank emptied so there was more room for air pressure it lasted for about 3 minutes.
d) I was happy with the style of galley but I added things. For one, a new cabin sole of teak and holly plywood veneer with loads of epoxy. I uses non-skid sand on the white holly strips to stop slipping. Go to Top
i) Refrigeration. Maybe not necessary but a cold one is super especially in the tropics. I had the power thanks to a solar panel and the wind generator.
a) I describe the ice box modification in the e-mail section.
ii) The compressor went into the little cupboard forward of the ice box. I made a sliding shelf so that the unit could be pulled out and carefully coiled the coolant tube so it would let this happen. I cut a small access hatch in the bulkhead so I could access the electrical controls on the side of the unit with pulling it out.
iii) I mounted a salt water pump to complement the fresh water one already on the boat. To both pumps I installed the little Whale in line pumps with the switch mounted on the front of the galley. This way I could activate them with my hip and I had power water of both kinds. In rough seas I turned the power off as I found that I would accidentally hit the fresh switch often.
iv) I mounted a liquid hand soap holder since I found one of these much easier than struggling with bar soap at sea.
v) In front of the ice box on the galley wall I had a Cat heater. While it always seemed to work fine in coastal waters it packed it in the first rough day at sea. No work would ever get it going again.
vi) I put in a Force 10 3 burner stove with oven and grill. It was very good and a pleasure to cook on.
vii) I held myself in place with a galley strap mounted each side of the stove and had a big vinyl apron to wear in case of a spill my way. There was a crash bar (Ikea towel bar), and an extra pad eye for the belt forward so I could work the sink and fridge.
viii) A large through bolted pad eye was put high on the bulkhead wall above the end of the galley. From this ran a length of 1/2 inch line to the grab handle as you go down the companionway steps. This was grab line for transiting the length of the boat and worked well. It was an inside clothesline too. See the picture on the first page of the modifications series.
ix) A fire blanket was placed above the stove to the right ready for use.
x) I built a little folding table that mounted to the end of the short bulkhead next to the stove. This was great as it added just that little bit you need to the counter when cooking at the stove. It folded so it would be out of the way if the quarter berth was used.
e) The starboard quarter berth was used for storage as were the underneath lockers. On the back wall was mounted my Heart inverter and battery charger.
f) Above the berth was mounted my Standard Horizon Omni VHF.
g) I took out the folding step and this turned out to be one of the better projects. I was not planning on entertaining 6 or 8 people in the cabin. In its place I built a box, the top of which would serve as the step. I trimmed the top up nice with some left over teak and carpet. See the picture at the top of this page.
i) Inside the box, facing the cabin I put 2 doors which flopped down. Inside one I put a kitchen catcher garbage bag holder. It had a chain to stop it opening all the way and the way it worked out, a simple flick and it was open for garbage, another flick and it sat closed. No catch needed.
ii) The other larger door held my everyday tool box always handy.
iii) The box rested on the lower step but was held in place to the bulkhead to the engine with heavy removable hinges. For every day service I just lifted the box, hooked it to the bulkhead and could access the engine under it.
For heavier service the whole box just slide away when you lifted it and utilized the sliding hinge feature.
h) The port quarter berth was my sea berth. See the picture, right.
i) I already mentioned the hatch I put in which gave more air to this area.
ii) On the wall next to the engine I built a new drop down panel for all the electrics and protected it with some towel bars so I would not roll over and turn something critical off.
iii) I turned the nice little cupboard on the port wall overhead into my instrument bay. It held: the engine hour
h) The port quarter berth was my sea berth. See the picture, right.
i) I already mentioned the hatch I put in which gave more air to this area.
ii) On the wall next to the engine I built a new drop down panel for all the electrics and protected it with some towel bars so I would not roll over and turn something critical off.
iii) I turned the nice little cupboard on the port wall overhead into my instrument bay. It held: the engine hour
meter, the Ample Power panel, my large screen GPS, my AM/FM cassette and my radar detector. All was easily in reach for my lying in bed. Grounding was with a DynaPlate on the hull.
iv) My radar was mounted on a swivel mount bolted to the roof overhead and could be tilted down for me in bed or swung out to view from the cockpit.
v) the EPIRB was also mounted on that wall so it could easily be grabbed from the companionway.
i) Behind most of the cabin seats I installed netting to be sure everything stayed
put. Behind the seat nearest the bow (in line one), I built a fold down table. This was designed to securely hold my laptop computer with room to work a mouse. It was the driest place on the boat and far from any spray. Folded up the computer was a safe as it could be.
i) For software I had experimented with many programs before going and rejected some even after I was at sea. The most important one and one used 4 times per day was "WayPoint for Windows". It was pretty simple but just what one needs. You entered your position from the GPS or sextant reading and it gave you: the distance since the last entry, the time and distance to the next waypoint, your final destination ETA, the true speed for that segment and for the voyage to date. You really have a handle on how you are doing and what to plan for in time.
ii) I had my weather fax software, Quicken for budgeting, solitaire and MS Word and Excel. I carried a Canon colour printer which worked just fine for newsletters home.
iii) In the shelf next to it my little multiband radio sat with its card for downloading weather faxes.
Oh yes, I put in a new cabin sole. See Q&A's.
iv) My radar was mounted on a swivel mount bolted to the roof overhead and could be tilted down for me in bed or swung out to view from the cockpit.
v) the EPIRB was also mounted on that wall so it could easily be grabbed from the companionway.
i) Behind most of the cabin seats I installed netting to be sure everything stayed
put. Behind the seat nearest the bow (in line one), I built a fold down table. This was designed to securely hold my laptop computer with room to work a mouse. It was the driest place on the boat and far from any spray. Folded up the computer was a safe as it could be.
i) For software I had experimented with many programs before going and rejected some even after I was at sea. The most important one and one used 4 times per day was "WayPoint for Windows". It was pretty simple but just what one needs. You entered your position from the GPS or sextant reading and it gave you: the distance since the last entry, the time and distance to the next waypoint, your final destination ETA, the true speed for that segment and for the voyage to date. You really have a handle on how you are doing and what to plan for in time.
ii) I had my weather fax software, Quicken for budgeting, solitaire and MS Word and Excel. I carried a Canon colour printer which worked just fine for newsletters home.
iii) In the shelf next to it my little multiband radio sat with its card for downloading weather faxes.
Oh yes, I put in a new cabin sole. See Q&A's.