Storage is always an issue on any boat. What to do? - The Hull Truth

81 CC SEAOX 23' · 10-26-2005, 11:57 AM

Where do you store all your stuff on the boat. Make extra room but Where?

Have you made extra room on your boat to stow stuff? WHERE? HOW? WITH WHAT?

What I have done?

I am having extra shelves built to put cabinet faces for extra storage above the front and side windows.

I am having a closet built in the cuddy area for coats, rain gear, boots, spare clothes hanging stuff.

Where the inboard engine would have been I had an aluminum box insert built under the deck for life jackets and fenders and spare anchor and extra line and my dock lines. Wet stuff.

I have rod storage mounted on the under the roof inside for getting them out of the way.

I stow the tender on the roof

I am having a 10 hp motor mount on the aft bulkhead to mount and lock the tender motor to

I am having a aluminum storage box made to mount on the euro transom for my Honda 2000 Genset

Under the settee seats I am having long drawers built for additional storage.

What have you done for extra room or made for additional storage on your boat. Hard to find good places to put extra things you want on the boat. Tupperware is good stuff. What do you do for more storage?

SeaJay · 10-26-2005, 12:16 PM

Extra storage is nice, but it does have a detrimental effect: You will keep more stuff and junk on the boat adding to weight and impacting performance possibly. If you have a big enough boat maybe the impact is minimal though.

paxfish · 10-26-2005, 12:22 PM

Several years ago, I took everything out of the boat and spread it out on the front lawn. Including fishing stuff.

2/3 of it was not needed. Now - everything I carry fits under the console seat, or in my one soft tackle bag.

Give it a try. You may find out you have plenty of storage space.

Megabyte · 10-26-2005, 12:52 PM

Paxfish makes a good point. I'm constantly removing items from my boat that the Admiral thinks she just has to have aboard.

For the items that I've determined that I do need, I use a combination of 'Tupperwear' containers (sourced from Target) and soft-sided bags to hold and store common equipment. The Tupperwear keeps items such as chart books, cruising guides, manuals for the onboard electronics, insurance papers... that sort of stuff.

Fowl weather gear, dock lines, assorted cordage and rope hardware, safety items, sea anchor... this is the type of equipment that goes into soft-sided bags. Even my tackle bags are soft-sided. One for trolling, one for jigging, one for bottom fishing...

If its something that isn't needed, it gets taken off until it is.

That's the method I use.

RI Builder · 10-26-2005, 12:57 PM

Steve - I agree with what others have posted, streamlining is the way to go. Do not create extra space to store the stuff you have, eliminate the stuff.

Kamper · 10-26-2005, 01:19 PM

I pulled the ends and carpet out of the water-ski locker (below deck) and that's where I keep most of my odds and ends. I also realisedthat channel runs completely fore and aft so I added a hatch near the bow for my anchor and rode. My boat was a bow rider cionfiguration but I removed that little ledge seat and added about 10 inces of deck and I stuff my PFDs under it. Consoles are also great places to add storage either as cabinets or for your ditch bag.

You do have to be careful what you bring.It's probably possible to sink your boat by carrying every little "neccessity" on the market. Some seat boxes contain flotation foam and you shouold avoid the temptation to use them for storage lockers.

BW23 · 10-26-2005, 01:34 PM

Good ideas guys.

FWIW...I stow my sea-anchor / drift sock in a nylon mesh laundry bag. I'm sure they would work well for other items that need to dry.

Garett · 10-26-2005, 01:47 PM

This sounds like work being done on a blow boat - blow boaters do this kind of stuff.

Keep all that stuff down to a min. K.I.S.S.

81 CC SEAOX 23' · 10-26-2005, 10:34 PM

I see your points loud and clear. Inside a Pilot House cabin there is only so much room so I am trying to organize as much space as possible so it’s not cluttered. I have had CC and WA boats in the past and this is my first closed cabin boat I have owned. I am finding places that wastes space.

Tireless · 10-26-2005, 10:45 PM

I probably carry too much stuff now, but my last boat was a lot smaller and when I was asked about having a specific fishing item onboard I would normally say "shiat, I left it in the truck" or "it's at home". I agree minimizing is a good thing but try to remember all of the potential situations you may encounter before you go KISS crazy.