Many prospective buyers especially newer buyers love the big open concept saloons and I understand this from a creature comfort and guests aboard concern but nobody talks about some rather ugly consequences of large open areas in a seaway. If your young and agile a quick beam motion or quick roll may not be a concern as recovery is easier. But those with some years under their belt don’t suffer this type of layout well. I can assure you that yachts and passenger vessels without hand holds or means of restraint often result in injuries. Too many newer designs lack any grabrails or restraints from being thrown across a big wide saloon. This critical design feature seems to have been omitted by most of todays yacht interior designers. I’ve been told that lots of glass and windows in a space can negatively affect some peoples depth perception and/or spatial perception. I’ve worked with a few designers and many feel overhead and lower grab or hand rails detract from their intended aesthetic concept. It’s unfortunate as I always considered boats as a compromise on almost every level
If you look at designs of old Naval Architects such as Phil Rhodes, Olin Stephen’s, John Alden, Bill Garden etc. they designed interiors for safe comfortable sea use. Many are sort of spartan by today’s standards but there are safety features that are proven and should not be ignored. Galleys down below out of traffic and where motion is less. Hand holds above and waist high but always within reach so a person could monkey bar their way along. Tables and counter tops should have solid reasonably high fiddles or edge moldings not only to keep plates and stuff from sliding off but also as hand holds.
I recall a sea trial in 1994 with a 65’ MY crossing Plum Is inlet in Massachusetts and on the way out ran into a moderately breaking bar. The owner who knew the area, he said, told everybody it was no problem. I was in the engine room checking machinery and was thrown against the water heater but with the engine noises and my ears on I didn’t hear a thing. My mistake cause I thought the inlet was still a mile or more away. When I got up to the helm and saloon I found the owner and his wife were both injured. The buyers were scared and nobody on the wheel. The owner had nothing to hang on to and was thrown against a bar type counter top resulting in four broken ribs and a punctured lung and his wife was face down under a chair that was only screw fastened to the sole with four #8 screws.
Consider this when you go boat shopping and don’t discount these feature because of stabilizers.
Rick
If you look at designs of old Naval Architects such as Phil Rhodes, Olin Stephen’s, John Alden, Bill Garden etc. they designed interiors for safe comfortable sea use. Many are sort of spartan by today’s standards but there are safety features that are proven and should not be ignored. Galleys down below out of traffic and where motion is less. Hand holds above and waist high but always within reach so a person could monkey bar their way along. Tables and counter tops should have solid reasonably high fiddles or edge moldings not only to keep plates and stuff from sliding off but also as hand holds.
I recall a sea trial in 1994 with a 65’ MY crossing Plum Is inlet in Massachusetts and on the way out ran into a moderately breaking bar. The owner who knew the area, he said, told everybody it was no problem. I was in the engine room checking machinery and was thrown against the water heater but with the engine noises and my ears on I didn’t hear a thing. My mistake cause I thought the inlet was still a mile or more away. When I got up to the helm and saloon I found the owner and his wife were both injured. The buyers were scared and nobody on the wheel. The owner had nothing to hang on to and was thrown against a bar type counter top resulting in four broken ribs and a punctured lung and his wife was face down under a chair that was only screw fastened to the sole with four #8 screws.
Consider this when you go boat shopping and don’t discount these feature because of stabilizers.
Rick