25 tips to make your yacht more comfortable

25 tips to make your yacht more comfortable

Tips for furnishing a yacht from the "idea generator"

A toolbox is located on the couch of the salon, electric screwdrivers are at hand, soldering irons and wrenches are on the table. Usually, such a cozy salon looks like in winter and spring, rather, like a kind of miniature workshop or amateur workshop. It will still be a few months before most yachts set sail again and set sail for new harbors. To pass the time until the next voyage, many yacht owners use the cold season to carry out improvements, repairs and improvements to the yacht.

"It's just my hobby", - tells us Armin Horn... The Swabian born fell ill with yachting ten years ago and began to study all aspects of sailing in Croatia.

Along with navigating, trimming and anchoring, he learned that the ability to use a soldering iron and a screwdriver is excellent for a new hobby.

Before becoming a teacher at the university, Armin Horn was engaged in developments for a German engineering company, so the "idea generator", as he calls himself, has all the conditions for the implementation of innovations on his yacht.

"When something bothers me on the yacht, I think about what the optimal solution might look like.", - the innovator explains his approach. He checks to see if a solution is already on the market. Often you have to make something yourself.

Before starting work in the workshop, Horn makes a plan and breaks down tasks into many small operations. “This gives me a little success every day on the yacht and doesn’t take the job as a burden,” says the inventive yacht owner. Bavaria 37.

Preparation is essential to the success of a project. When he is going to Turkey, where his yacht is located, he meticulously goes through all the items on the list. Is everything thought out? Can everything be done on board? Does the yacht have the necessary tools? He always sets himself the goal of making the necessary part at home, and on the yacht, only installing it, because “at home I have much better conditions and more time. And in the end my main goal is to sail".

Accurate planning and careful work lead to the fact that everything on the yacht is exactly in its place. Often Horn's inventions cannot be distinguished from parts made by the yacht manufacturer. The cutlery drawer, located under the table in the saloon, looks like it was installed in a shipyard. "A lot of unnecessary things can be done and drilled on a yacht very quickly."Horn shares his experience and advises to start with small rationalizations and gradually add something new.

Armin Horn has another piece of advice that he also gives to his students: “You yourself must be able to work with tools, solder, tinker and find a hobby that suits you. So you will accumulate the knowledge gained in the course of independent work, and you will get to know the practice better than if you were just studying theory! "

Yacht furnishing tips

Armin Horn's ideas on how to make a yacht more comfortable

Impeller inspection window

The engine temperature jumps, and white smoke is pouring out of the tailpipe at the stern: classic impeller breakage... After opening the pump housing, debris falls out of it, and the individual blades are gone. Often no one bothers to check the impeller regularly. While you open the pump cover, you will dislocate your arms, and then you will not be able to cope with your two - you need an assistant to check the impeller.

A five millimeter thick plexiglass cover will replace the metal cover. Before each sailing out to sea, you just need to look for a check - and there are no wrenches or screwdrivers. However, the cover must still be removed to accurately inspect the individual blades.

Deck Washer

The anchoring device carries silt, algae and starfish onto the deck, which, after raising the anchor, often looks like a spilled aquarium. Deck washing can be simplified by placing a pressurized water connection in the anchor box. By means of a 2-way valve, the pump can optionally supply seawater or service water from tanks. There is a hose from the pump to the built-in connector with a hitchhiking company Gardenalocated in the anchor box, on which a suitable connector is installed.

Homemade tow generator

Sailing at night, winding miles, and anchoring in secluded coves is the dream of many yachtsmen. However, the power of the battery hinders this desire for freedom. Signal lights, GPS and electronic autopilot completely drain the battery on board. There are some alternative options on sale that allow the yachtsman to do without a fifth mooring line for a long time. With some technical skill, you can build your own towing generator.

It should be added: Towing Generator Design is available for “advanced” DIYers who also have a workshop to make V4A (seawater resistant steel) parts.

Protective box for housing sensors

Before starting the transition, you need to place packages of milk, canned food and bottles of water somewhere. but the luggage compartment often remains empty: there is too great a fear that as a result of slipping of items of equipment or provisions, the lag and lot sensors may be damaged or even torn off. But the transition does not have to end somewhere at the bottom of the sea.

Wooden box protects sensors and prevents damage... With the help of a hinge and a magnet, the box can be folded up and fixed.

Lead Weighted Anchor

When you try to drop the anchor for the third time, and he does not cling to the bottom and drags along the sand of the bay, there is a curse on the deck. In this case, it can help additional weighting of the anchor.

When using a plow anchor, the inside can be filled with lead. The pre-brazed V4A steel plate will prevent lead backspout. After that, the center of gravity of the anchor will be much deeper. But remember that making changes to the anchor structure is always risky.

Flushing the motor

Old marine diesel engines, when examined in detail, often present a pitiful picture. Cooling with sea water for many years leads to corrosion, rust eats through the metal. During long-term operation, using a simple device, fresh water can be supplied to the cooling circuit instead of seawater.

A tee is installed in the salt water connection. Through a hose with a tap and a connecting element, by closing the seawater supply valve, fresh water can be supplied from any source.

LED anchor light

The anchor light on the top is usually clearly visible from afar. But when the yacht makes its way through the bay at night, he is almost invisible. Attaching an LED anchor light to the halyard will make it visible to approaching vessels.

Seat back

What is always important in an aft guard rail is the ability to comfortably support your back while swimming. But the cold metal presses on the back, and after a while you have to give up such "comfort". Such a fence is inconvenient. It will be much more pleasant to lean on if there is a teak plank under your back.

Steel spring

We rummage in lockers in search of something, supporting the lid with our head - this picture is familiar to yacht owners all over the world. It is more convenient to use gas springs. However, they are too weak for use below deck, such as under upholstered saloon sofas, as they cannot support the weight. An alternative would be long steel springs to hold the cover securely open. To close the locker, the spring is folded and the lid is lowered.

Steering wheel mount

Often, when driving in the harbor, the steering wheel obstructs the path, therefore usually there is no one from the crew in the rear aft seat at this time. Most yachtsmen hesitate to dismantle the helm in port due to the complexity of this operation.

It will be easier to accomplish if the handwheel nut is replaced with a teak wing nut with a threaded insert. The teak nut must be of sufficient size to be easily tightened and unscrewed by hand.

Cutlery drawer

Too late it is discovered that there is no spoon on the table. The captain slides off the couch, accidentally pushes the table, and the red wine in the glass almost splashes out. Finally we are in the galley, the spoon is found, and the captain crawls back to his place.

A cutlery drawer located under the salon table will save you from such artistic tricks and possibly the stains that red wine leaves.

Bed slats

Moisture under bunks can lead to mold and unpleasant odors. No one wants to go to a bed that smells musty. Several systems are commercially available that provide adequate ventilation and significantly contribute to sleep comfort.

If you do not go to the yacht equipment specialists, then everything you need can be found in a Swedish furniture store. The convenient slatted lattice consists of curved slats and a tape that holds the slats in place.

The beds become thinner over time. Since the slats are constantly curved, then when sawing them, it is enough just to take into account the required length. You will be able to sleep much more comfortably, and you can simply forget about mold and unpleasant odors on board.

Martin Erger's advice on how to make your yacht more comfortable

Additional space for luggage in the form of shelves

Luggage space on board is never superfluous: it is necessary, for example, for storing staples and gasoline in a safe place, or so that bottles of wine do not roll on the floor of the hold. Much of the space on board is not fully utilized. With the help of wood, a saw and a small amount of varnish, such a space can be arranged to your advantage, for example, by installing an additional shelf or bottle holder in the salon.

LED lighting in the mast groove

Pleasant cockpit lighting should not dazzle or look like a construction floodlight. The ingenious solution is an LED lamp located in the groove of the mainmast, which illuminates the cockpit from above - provided that there is also a groove on the lower part of the mainmast into which the LED strip can be glued.

Liberation of genoa

Genoa stuck to the railing, the afterlik caught on the sling or rubbing slowly. The special deflector rings are very fragile and unimpressive. A drilled hole golf ball can do a great job for the sail. The hole in the ball must be large enough to slide on the shroud or handrail cable, and the tie-down straps hold it in place. The sail glides on the fence and does not get stuck on the sling.

25 tips to make your yacht more comfortable

Mosquitoes protection

You want to air the yacht well in the summer and not attract the attention of buzzing tormentors to yourself, this sounds like a utopia. Either you have to lock the gangway, and then the yachtsman will have a stifling sleepless night, or he will spend it fighting mosquitoes. A plug-in bulkhead with a large mosquito net keeps air in the passenger compartment and keeps mosquitoes out.

Wide teak steps

At some point, it hurts: no one can stand barefoot on the rungs of the bathing ladder for a long time, in extreme cases, only a few seconds. It is much more pleasant to feel the wide teak steps under your feet. They can be additionally installed on the yacht, even without the help of specialists, since inexpensive remnants of teak wood can often be found on sale, for example, on special Internet platforms. The steps are bolted to the rungs.

Compact utovy plug

Utah fork makes folding the mast much easier for a small crew. The brace, which runs from the top cable attachment points to the forestay attachment point, is the most bulky piece of equipment on board.

Utah fork does not fit in the locker, it cannot be taken home with you in the car. Often the plug cannot be taken apart. Alternatively, a self-made construction of 40mm tubes made of VA steel with a wall thickness of 5mm is offered, which can be divided into separate insertable segments using a 30mm (tube inner diameter) bolt.

25 tips to make your yacht more comfortable

Advice from Klaus Kubel on how to make your yacht more comfortable

Using the strap

Steering a yacht on a windward side can quickly become a defining moment on a sail. The rope of the guard rail unpleasantly presses on the back, and every minute you involuntarily have to change position. The use of straps in the cockpit area will provide painless handling on the windward side. However, handrails should not be used as belt anchor points. Either they need to be additionally strengthened, or the shortened railing cable must take over all the traction.

Outboard motor holder

It starts to malfunction, works normally again, and eventually leaves the yachtsman to fend for themselves a few miles from the port - the internal engine has served its purpose. Such a situation during a calm period can pretty much ruin your nerves. You can continue the movement of the yacht with the help of an inflatable boat with an outboard motor, fixed along the side.

If the inflatable boat is at the very bottom of the locker, there is another, less time-consuming way to quickly engage the outboard motor. Two U-profiles are attached to the board, which are installed at the distance between the two rungs of the swimming ladder. If necessary, such a holder can be hung from the profiles on the stairs. The outboard motor is mounted on a plank to bring the yacht into port.

Kitty

Staples, blocks and ropes are often scattered with clamps and screw sets throughout the locker. Often the brace is not at hand at the right time. The result is a long digging in the locker. Over the years, a bag (kitty) made of fabric or canvas has proven itself well. Interior pockets store pins and piles, and the main space is large enough for ropes, blocks and gardaman. The cord tightening the bag prevents the inventory from falling out.

25 tips to make your yacht more comfortable

Tips from Ani and Andreas Zabel on how to make the yacht more comfortable

In order not to trip over epaulettes

The shoulder strap in the center of the cockpit blocks the passage, and when the yacht is in the harbor, you have to climb over it. Re-equipment of the shoulder strap to ensure the possibility of its dismantling is not a difficult task. To do this, in the cockpit at the same height, two U-profiles are mounted opposite each other, closed at the top. The fasteners must be reinforced with a counter plate, otherwise the device will not withstand the high traction force. The fixing bolt prevents the shoulder strap from falling out.

Lumen

The use of a large amount of wood in the saloon of relatively old yachts gives them a solid look. However, going down the companionway, you often find yourself in a dark cave. Large windows at the top of older yachts are rare. The light source here can be a companionway sliding hatch. A plexiglass window is inserted flush into it, through which, when the hatch is closed, light enters the salon. At the beginning and end of the season, the cabin is kept warm without being too dark.

Ralph Schwannecke's advice on how to make your yacht more comfortable

Durability and good appearance

Time also leaves its traces on the bow hatch of the yacht. After a few years, the glass becomes cloudy and covered with scratches. It no longer attracts the eye, and it also becomes difficult to look through it. The old glass can be removed from the frame, and the frame itself can be cleaned of silicone residues. Then, using MS-polymer, we glue in a new glass.

The hatch can be given a modern look by using a yacht name decal, some epoxy and sugar to create structure.

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21.07.2017