I started by casting up a one-piece fibreglass base for the heads including a pedestal for the toilet. After all the work derusting I was determined not to allow any water to end up in the bilges.
The rest of the interior evolved over time. When we left Port St Louis everything was pretty much in place, but not finished. Now she's a bright, airy, comfortable liveaboard for two with the possibility to sleep three more with ease.
The forecabin has a large double berth with storage underneath. The oak doors at the foot of the berth are cupboards let into two wide doors that open to reveal the foremast and the forepeak. We made the hanging baskets for storing clothes so we've never had a problem with mould.
There is a hatch above the bed (that doesn't leak), which allows for fresh air into the cabin.
There is a locker on the port side just before the curtained entrance to the forecabin. The banquettes all have storage under them as well as cupboards under the side decks. The oak table drops down to make a double berth on the starboard side and there is a single berth to port.
The cabin sole is American oak and made in liftable sections below which are the water tanks and storage. The nav station and the heads are to starboard and the galley is to port. There is a small hatch forward of the main mast.
The fifty litre fridge is well insulated with 4 inches of foam all around and a tapered, drop in lid. It sits behind the door to the right of the cooker and is pulled out on runners, freeing up the worktop above, a problem with more efficient top loading fridges.
One of the taps in the sink is operated by a foot pump and the other is the pressure pump fed hot water from the gas heater on the forecabin bulkhead.
The gas for the hot water and the cooker comes from a 13kg gas bottle in the port side, self-contained locker in the lazarette, which vents overboard from its base. A second, spare 13kg bottle is in a similar, vented locker to starboard. The gas bottle being used is turned on by a solenoid in the locker, switched via the control panel. Every time we use the gas we can turn off the bottle first, burning off the gas in the pipes.
One of the taps in the sink is operated by a foot pump and the other is the pressure pump fed hot water from the gas heater on the forecabin bulkhead.
The gas for the hot water and the cooker comes from a 13kg gas bottle in the port side, self-contained locker in the lazarette, which vents overboard from its base. A second, spare 13kg bottle is in a similar, vented locker to starboard. The gas bottle being used is turned on by a solenoid in the locker, switched via the control panel. Every time we use the gas we can turn off the bottle first, burning off the gas in the pipes.
The heads are a self-contained wet room. The toilet can be pumped into the holding tank in the starboard cockpit locker or directly out through the hull fitting, which is accessed behind the door that can be seen the other side of the toilet. The shower tray pumps out manually as does the galley sink via a hand pump and diverter under the sink.