Alcanboats Forum

Last summer we had a forum topic started on the various seating and sleeping acccomodations possible on Alcans & Alwests. In the Website Technical Section under the tab "Accomodations" is an article with pictures and comments on the interior arrangement and relatively minor modifications on Catherine Ann. Terry and Robert, please see the pictures to support our earlier discussion. I would be interested in what others have done to accomodate their preferences. I know that there are several interesting modifications that have been made to the original configurations.

Pictures could be attached here in the forum, or put in the picture gallery, or submitted to the technical section with comments.

Rob

Hi Rob,

Nice job on the pilot house seating/ sleeper - I want to use your design . I studied the writeup you posted on ALcanboats.com. Questions:

1) I see drawers under the forward substructure for the seat (port side of the pilot house) but no drawers further aft or on the aftmost seat. Why not? DId you find another use for the space underneath which comprises the fixed structure of the seats?

2) Now that you have used the seating/ sleeping setup, do you have any thoughts on the design for improvements/ things to watch out for?

Agian, Hats off on the workmanship.

Walt

Hi Walt,
The storage space along the port side aft of the two drawers is accessed by lifting up the seat cushion. This provides a relatively large compartment for storing the bedding and pillows. The crosswise section is actually a box providing additional headroom at the entrance to the lower berth under the forward cabin. This lower area is larger and more open on an Alwest than on an Alcan.
On your boat, there is no reason that you couldn't have more drawers or a storage compartment accessed by lifting the cushion, here as well.
This seating/sleeping area works well in either configuration converts from one to the other quite easily. I believe that it is essentially the same as what was originally there, although when we got our boat, this had been changed to something different and I changed it back.
Rob

Rob,

Understood. I figured you didn't allow wasted space on the Catherine Ann.

Interesting coincidence - I was provisioning at the local Walmart this evening and I happened by a Futon Sleeper Sofa - mmmmm it looked cumfy. I'm inclined to see if the matrass fits the pilot house.

Stay tuned......