opinions on below deck layout..

[Grande Mastere Dreade]

i was looking at pics of a GS 43 and the below deck layout shows the galley the length of the hull vs the L shape i'm more familiar with.. anyone with experience on this type of layout.. good vs bad... i mean if someone is making french toast then you have a seating area to watch..

 

[Boathavn]

As chief cook and bottle washer on a variety of vessels over time, I prefer the "L" or "U" shaped arrangement. I once had an "O" shaped arrangement (fold-down counter completed the "U" to make an "O") and was in galley heaven.

On boats in general the cook wants his own defined workspace; on sailboats in particular it allows more creative bracing options.

The stretched-out galley arrangement tends to invite non-galley activities on mission-critical surfaces.

The single-side, fore-aft layout also usually eliminates the choice of both a leeward or windward side napping position, an important consideration.

 

[Bump-n-Grind]

yeah, would be tough to work in that galley under sail in any waves.. also prefer an L-shape that I can strap into if necessary
that galley is only good tied up at the dock or at anchor in calm water.

 

[bgytr]

Ditto on comments of the galley above.
Also, there are not proper rims around the dinette table. Can't set stuff there in a seaway.

 

[slug zitski]

i was looking at pics of a GS 43 and the below deck layout shows the galley the length of the hull vs the L shape i'm more familiar with.. anyone with experience on this type of layout.. good vs bad... i mean if someone is making french toast then you have a seating area to watch..

View attachment 539143

That layout has no sea berth on port side and the starboard side berth is difficult to use

very difficult to live with if you do passages

I prefer the classic layout

 

[billy backstay]

Ditto on comments of the galley above.
Also, there are not proper rims around the dinette table. Can't set stuff there in a seaway.

What you are calling "rims" are known as "fiddles" and they are often removable, look for holes around the edges for their pins to insert into.

Definitely required, as is a gimbaled table...
.

 

[PaulK]

Some boats are designed to serve as party pads in slips. Their galleys are set up to give cooks and drink servers as much space as possible. Other boats are designed to go places and need to provide food for the crew under way In whatever conditions they come across. Their galleys are set up accordingly.

 

[slug zitski]

Another issue with the saloon galley is that it displaces one tank

water and fuel tanks like to be amidships

The missing saloon galley tank is almost always moved aft

 

[billy backstay]

That galley layout is only suitable for a powerboat, or a sailboat that never raises any sails, so one might as well chuck out that tall aluminum strippers pole leading from the keel, through the deck, to way up in the air!!!
.

 

[accnick]

What you are calling "rims" are known as "fiddles" and they are often removable, look for holes around the edges for their pins to insert into.

Definitely required, as is a gimbaled table...
.

Very few boats have gimbaled tables. In use, they take up a lot of space, and can actually pose a hazard in very rough weather.

More often than not in weather when you might use a gimbaled table, you are wedged into a settee eating your food out of a bowl in your lap. There are not a lot of sit down dinners around the table offshore, in my experience.

I used to race offshore a lot on a big (60’) classic aluminum ocean racer from the early 1970s. We usually kept the elaborate, ballasted, gimbaled table locked in position.

But it was lovely to look at.

 

[gt-MTb]

Think that sink is useless, especially when on starboard... better have the seacock on the drain closed.

U/L shapes usually get the sink more on centerline, less likely the sink goes below the waterline.

 

[jerseyguy]

Seen that galley layout on any number of European designed and built boats

 

[SloopJonB]

We had that layout on a charter in the BVI - worked great in that situation. A convenient touch was the island seat that was over the trash and recycling containers.

It would also be a preferred layout around here for the same reasons.

As people have noted, it wouldn't be a very good layout for a passagemaker.

 

[bgytr]

What you are calling "rims" are known as "fiddles" and they are often removable, look for holes around the edges for their pins to insert into.

Definitely required, as is a gimbaled table...
.

Ahh yes... I couldn't remember the term fiddles. They are very necessary at sea. Seen very few gimbaled tables out there though.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

designed to serve as party pads in slips

layout on a charter

Looked at something with the same layout. These were two of the selling points from the broker.

 

[ProaSailor]

i was looking at pics of a GS 43 and the below deck layout shows the galley the length of the hull vs the L shape i'm more familiar with.. anyone with experience on this type of layout.. good vs bad... i mean if someone is making french toast then you have a seating area to watch..

View attachment 539143

Trade offs... This arrangement has room for two or more people to work in the galley.

 

[Gissie]

Did a delivery from Cape Town to Antigua on an X-44(?) many years ago. Had the same set up. Absolutely loved it. Could wedge yourself in perfectly against the back of the seat. Even did a roast lamb dinner while hove to off St Helena.

Was dubious when I first saw it, but loved by the end.

 

[Sail4beer]

That layout is similar to the Catalina 42 Mkii, 3 stateroom model. The galley forward takes up much space and the centerline bench takes all the open space available. Looks like a boat designed for chartering, not cruising liveaboard.

 

[slug zitski]

Think that sink is useless, especially when on starboard... better have the seacock on the drain closed.

U/L shapes usually get the sink more on centerline, less likely the sink goes below the waterline.

Typically that style galley used a small sump tank and pump to service the sink drain

by small tank I mean a capped length of 4 or 6 inch pvc pipe …perhaps one liter