FITTING OUT APPUSKIDU
Inside
30 Window Frames
I decided that I would like to have curtains rather than just block the windows when sleeping. However, I also needed them to be light proof as I am easily waken by the dawn light and I value my sleep. This led to the conclusion that what I needed was window frames so that the curtains could be held flush against them - Mistake!
I do now have very nice satin varnished mahogany window frames against which my light proof curtains are snugly held with velcro. However, making the frames was a nightmare! The cabin sides curve in two directions with a sharp increase in curvature caused by the fairing in of the rib that supports the cabin top under the mast as it comes down the sides just in front of the window. The shape was achieved by making half lap joints on the skew then shaping the back of the frames with a belt sander before epoxying them into place. It sounds simple but believe me I wouldn’t wish the job on my worst enemy, particularly the skewed lap joints.
31 Coat Hook Rails
A much simpler task was fitting a pair of “Coat hook rails”, one on each side of the cabin near the aft end, set at the same height as the top rails of the window frames. Each rail is a piece of nicely finished mahogany fitted with two fancy brass hooks.
These provide invaluable extra storage by providing a place to hang up life jackets, binoculars, hats, torch and all the other things that are not too long and will hang from a hook. They are also accessible by reaching in from the cockpit. See “Kitchen” for illustration.
32 Headlining
I found that condensation was a small issue with one person
on board but with two sleeping aboard it became a problem, particularly during
early and late season. When I started to think about fitting headlining I
consulted Tom Richardson who I knew had already lined his Coaster cabin and he
prepared me for the worst.
I bought a discounted roll of self adhesive headlining
carpet from Hawke House Ltd of Fareham at a
The headlining also serves to secure the wiring for the various lighting cables that pass through the cabin.
33 Bridge deck Lockers
McNulty’s had finished off the access holes to the lockers under the bridge deck with a nice moulded front bezel. Unfortunately the holes were too small to permit full use of the lockers. So, using the outside edge of the bezels as a guide, I attacked them with a keyhole saw and took off one inch all round thus increasing the size of the holes by two inches overall which has made a lot of difference. See “Kitchen” and “Toilet” for illustration.
34 The little corner fiddles
In the aft corners of the cabin are little corner shelves with little wooden fiddles across the front. These were not a lot of use until I realised that if I increased the height of the fiddle and gave the top a concave curve, I could store an extra bottle of wine on the starboard side and the flares on the port side.
35 Kitchen fitment
The kitchen storage unit lives at the rear of the cabin on the port bulkhead next to the door where cutlery and crockery can be easily reached from the cockpit. It was made by epoxying a couple of 2” x 1” battens to the bulkhead then making a 6mm ply back panel to the shape of the available space. The panel was then laid horizontally on the bench and the items to be stored laid out on it. Plates, mugs, fire extinquisher, glasses, dishes, cutlery, carving knife, condiments etc. Shelves and uprights were then made in 11mm ply and a 6mm ply front cut out from a cardboard template.
The rest of the kitchen comprises the tray (see below) which lives on the rails under the bridge deck on the port side of the centreplate housing. The cooker lives on top of it and the washing up bowl with saucepan inside lives underneath.
36 Cooking
Apusskidu’s cooker is one of those ubiquitous single burner camping stoves with built in ignition and flame failure device with a long gas canister which lays alongside. These are sold under various names but mine is a stainless steel one that came from Nauticalia. Some components are not stainless but it has lasted well so far.
Cooking is listed under “Inside” as that is where the cooker lives but it is seldom used in the cabin. In fact my cooking is done as follows:
Moored with the tent closed. - On the tray (see below) on a non slip mat on the aft deck.
Moored with the tent up but the sides open. - On the tray on the cockpit seat/gunwale.
Moored with the tent down. - On the tray on the cockpit seat/gunwale (unless using the gunwale barbecue).
Under way in relative calm - On the tray on the cockpit seat /gunwale.
Under way with limited motion or strong breeze - on the cockpit floor.
Under way with heavy motion - No cooking is done.
Since I do not spend more than 1 day away from port I do not find the need of a gimballed cooker.
37 The Tray/Table
I found by accident that Grandmother’s old invalid tray with short folding legs not only fitted on the rails intended for the “standard option” gimballed Gaz burner and tray, but if I stood it on the cockpit seat and hooked one edge over the gunwale, it was relatively level.
The original top has now been replaced with a home made marine ply version surfaced with left over teak style laminate and with a hinged cut out to clear the bilge pump pipe-work when it is stored in its rails under the bridge deck. The original wooden fiddles shown in the photo did not prove robust however, and stronger ones have now replaced them.
Except when it is on the cockpit floor, the cooker is stood on this tray and there is room for mugs, cutlery, marmalade etc as well.
In use, non slip matting is used on the top at all times. When it is sat on the aft deck in front of the raised tiller, non slip matting is also placed underneath. It is seldom used in this position any more though as a second table has now been made which mounts on alloy tubing that fits into teak sockets on the back face of the cockpit. This additional table can swivel from over the port lazarette lid to over the right lid or pointing forward straight ahead in which position you can comfortably sit up to the table with your knees under it when you are sat on the cockpit side seats.
38 Combination fitment
This is mounted in the same way as the kitchen fitment and built in a similar way except that it is on the starboard side and whereas the face of the kitchen unit is parallel to its back, the front of the combination unit is vertical which gives a unit which tapers towards the top and is wide at the bottom.
This unit serves as 1) Cocktail cabinet with storage for one gin bottle, four small tins of soda, one wine bottle and two wine glasses 2) Entertainment centre with room for the multiwave radio receiver and a book 3) Navigator’s storage with space for charts and pilot or almanac behind the radio 4) Electrical control panel with all switches, fuses and two cigarette lighter type sockets and lastly 5) some storage shelves on the side of the unit for small items such as pencils, mobile phone, scissors, hand bearing compass etc etc. These shelves have clear Perspex fronts and are placed for easy access from the Cockpit.
39 Toilet
Stewart at Churchouse boats made me the usual tray for the toilet since ‘Dusky came without one and I bought the Porta Potti 335 to fit in it. I soon discovered that the top part of the model 335 - the flush tank - appears to be common to a larger model as the capacity of the flush tank is far larger than required for such a small toilet. Accordingly instead of filling the flush tank to the brim I add only a couple of litres of fresh water. This saves weight and makes it easier to carry.
40 Bunks
These are extended with 9mm ply panels which fill the gaps between the bunks and the centreplate case. In the centre of the boat the panels rest on the rails along the sides of the centreplate case.
On the outside edges of the bunks the support is of two types. The port bunk and the centre section at the bow have wooden fiddles that can be castellated to provide support such that the top of the new panels rest level with the existing bunk.
The starboard bunk however has a wooden insert which does not lend itself to the same treatment. In this case I routed a series of slots in the side of the wood for the new bunk panels to slot into.
I have three panels, one at the front and one on each side. Jeckells made some nice Dacron bunk cushions which contrary to the appearance in the picture actually match perfectly. The result is that were it not for the centreplate case the entire cabin would be one big bed with storage under.
In the day, the cushion by the side of the port rear of the centreplate is removed to provide a platform to stand on when at the mast. It also protects the cushion from spray.