New head compartment musings (long)

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Ixneigh
Admiral
Posts: 2225
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Key largo Florida

New head compartment musings (long)

Post by Ixneigh »

So at 12 years old, and cosmetically aging, I’m not so concerned about resale value now, and I’ve had a decade to use my M which is for filling my needs. The increased front bunk space was a nice improvement even though I’m just sleeping on a quick mock-up right now. It will be a summer (my off season) project. Now I’d like to figure out a REAL SIZED head/shower arrangement. My thoughts are to use part of the dinette area and forward to the mast step bulkhead. This would mean forgoing the dinette however, I only use the aft end of that as I usually sit in the syrbd seat with the back rest. I had three weeks of real world active cruising with a quite tall friend, and we never used the dinette. We cooked in house the entire trip. We would have MUCH preferred a bathroom instead of extra counter space.
I would install a bulkhead where the dinette support leg is now, up the the level of the top window. The bulkhead would come out towards the boats centerline only as much as the table does now.
From there, there would be a folding door from the ctrbd trunk to the bulkhead. This would be at an angle. Obviously the top of the compartment would be open since it’s only the hight of the top window. I could install a curtain for modest users. But otherwise the port which opens, would be usable for air for the rest of the cabin.
The molded seat beside the mast which goes side to side (I have the later M layout) would be made into a composting toilet. (Basically double poo bag with urine diverter) and the foot space under the dinette wouid become the shower basin with a variety of seating options. The floor of the shower would be high enough to conceal plumbing under it. The shower pan would be a molded glass liner dropped into place. In theory I could design it as I have the rest of my interior add ins, to be completely removable if a subsequent owner wanted to revert to the original layout, with minimal holes left. Or I could glass in the additional bulkhead, hang the possible next owner and make the boat a little stronger.
Thought?

Ix
"Shoal Idea"
2011 M, white
Etec 60
South Fl.
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