Brad, that’s an interesting set of solutions, some of which I’ve used. I also put the portapotty in the cockpit, put cushions down, and sit in the under beth space, facing aft. It allows my elbows to rest on the berth flats on either side, hold up the book I’m reading. Regarding sleeping gear storage, I use water resistant duffels, one on each berth, one for clothes, one for bedding. I’ve debated taking out the factory cushions, perfect condition, vintage 1983, and using camping pads. I’d like to put flush pad eyes in on the berth flats to strap down the stowed gear while underway,really don’t like the disorder created by heeling in strong winds, stuff shifting. I crewed on a boat delivery on a schooner with wine glass slack bilges once... we hit a squall and threw everything onto the cabin sole: the normally dockside living owners’ bedding, books ,charts, four sea sick kittens. Cat box. Yuck. Sleeping position is an interesting issue, especially head forward.The problem with an unvented cabin space is condensation. Even absent humidity Humans blow off a lot of moisture during respiration. If salt accumulates inside from mist, wet clothes, etc, the salt in the bedding picks up moisture from breathing.The fellow who first sailed an M15 to Hawaii had a tremendous problem with condensation in the cabin. In the tropics it can make the cabin a dismal swamp. On larger cruisers the solution is fore and aft venting to allow pass through ventilation. There are even books on it. Bow and stern vents even keep cockpit locker spaces dry and fresh. Any Monty cruisers out there install ventilation? Ed, M15 Murre. Sent from my iPad
On Apr 22, 2021, at 8:37 AM, brad kurlancheek <bkurlancheek@gmail.com> wrote:
Curious as to how others may do this while cruising. I keep a square pillow on board. I remove the porta potti from its underberth location and place it aft, on the cockpit floor.
I put the square pillow on the floor where the porta potti was, which area I refer to as the "cutout berth", and I then lay a square vinyl boat cushion in it, to be a back rest. I then sit on the pillow, in the underberth cutout, with the square boat cushion between my back and the cutout berth's rear wall. I sit indian style with my legs crossed in front of me. This gives me a clear view of the cockpit and the outside. If it's raining, I just close the coach roof above me, and can as well put 1, 2 or 3 of the companionway slides in, or put the cutout berth's top shelf in as well.
On board, I keep a finished shelf, of about 12" wide x 36" long x 3/4" thick. I lay the board across the cutout berth; it's just long enough to be supported on each side by both port and starboard side berths. It is short enough that it doesn't extend over their locker boards. This finished board is then a shelf upon which I cook. Food and cooking supplies are kept inside the two side berth lockers, within easy reach of where I'm sitting in the cutout berth.
I have never sailed with the cabin cushions on board. I removed them a day after acquiring the boat! Put them in my cellar for a few years, and finally one day took them to the dump. They're just big bulky things that can get wet and get in the way, and reduce what little sitting headroom the M15 has to offer. I sleep on 2 or 3 inflatable camping pads with my head up near the bow so I can easily see through a screened companionway if need be. It's a tight fit getting my head back there, but I've slept with my head up near the companionway, and don't like not having an instant view of the cockpit & the outside.
One hot meal a day is usually pasta or soup, using a small propane stove for boiling water. During the day I drink coffee and gatorade and snack on bagels and canned fruit salad.
I've dined sitting on the cockpit floor too, with my back against the transom, and the cooking shelf in front of me, supported by the cockpit seats, but I prefer sitting in that cozy little cutout berth.
Am hopefully going to get to do some of the above this season!
Fair winds, - Brad