Creative storage on a CD 30

[Lisa G.]

Greetings all, and yes it is the newest "almost" ( closing very soon ) CD 30 owner, with yet another question for you veterans
I realize that in buying a boat with the traditional lines I love, that I would be sacrificing storage space. Besides gear nets, would love to see pics or hear about any creative storage ideas you have come up with.

Thanks,

Lisa

[Maine_Buzzard]

The cabinet opposite the head was a complete waste of space. I made a sail box and shelf to hold Plano boxes with spares and hardware. Very happy with the results.

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=33000

[Neil Gordon]

Don't ignore the bulkheads. There's lots of room there... I use mine for chart kits, books, etc., etc.

[Neil Gordon]

I'm also addicted to plastic nut containers... they're sturdy, see through, and the square ones store well with no loss of space.

[Tom Keevil]

I don't know how the bilge of a CD30 is set up, but on our 33 there was a huge amount of empty space that we utilized.

[Neil Gordon]

I don't know how the bilge of a CD30 is set up, but on our 33 there was a huge amount of empty space that we utilized.

Same on a 28.

[Maine_Buzzard]

Bilge access is poor. Small openings that are cluttered with hoses and need room to clear float switches and the like.

There is some hidden room by the holding tank under the V berth, and under the cabin seats. A few well crafted access holes will open them up.

All the way aft of the rudder post is open, but access stinks.

[Steve Laume]

I feel there is a reason that Cape Dory did not make bilge access any easier. The bilge was never intended to be a stowage area. I have plenty of room for the manual bilge pump hose and a 2000 GPH, electric, bilge pump. That is all that i ever want in the bilge. The rest of the volume is there so that if Raven should ever take on water it acts as a reservoir before it floods the cabin sole. Plus anything you put in there has to potential to compromise the output of your bilge pump. End of mini rant.

I also use lots of rectangular plastic containers I got from Ocean State Job Lot, years ago. They help keep things dry, protected and organized. They stack well and seal tight. I have gear hammocks that stay in the V berth, and attached to the liner over the book shelves. I have two more that I only put up on the hand holds for longer trips to hold bread, chips and maybe some fruit.

My biggest gains in stowage have been made by finding more of it. I took the cushions out of the V berth years ago and only use that area for stowage. If you take up the plywood and look a the liner up there, you will find large voids next to the hull on both sides. I cut rectangular holes in the liner and plywood and then made covers for them, like under the main saloon cushions. I can fit 5 or 6 of the plastic cont6ainers in there with supplies that I don't often use. I cut similar access holes in the areas at the fore and aft ends of the area under the main saloon plywood. You can access the forward area through the little doors but I find it easier to get in there from the top. There is some space under the head. I used an inspection port to get into there mainly to through bolt the head with a proper backing plate but you could keep stuff in there. There is a nice area directly behind the door, under the galley sink. I cut an inspection port in there and it holds all of my engine filters, belts, zincs and impellers. It is a pretty big space right next to the fuel tank. There is also some room under the stove and under the cabinets on each side of the galley, I have not utilized. Opening up these areas has the added benefit of being able to get at more of the hull in the event of a breach.

I took off the seat backs and made up doors to close off the outboard stowage areas in the main saloon. Throw pillows work better as adjustable back rests and the seat back is never in the way. I also got rid of the bifold door to the V berth. It was always in the way and was not need for single handed privacy. I added another stop on the port side and now have 4 large drop boards that fit in the space. Three of them cover the foot well area and keep my tool box and 5 gallon water jug in place. The 4th acts as a giant fiddle to keep everything up on the V berth. I also made up a flat bottom for the hanging locker. That area got holders for the 1st aid kit and my emergency tiller lives in clips there as well.

Lots of hooks and and pad eyes have been added for various purposes to keep things out of the way but easily accessible. Now if I could just find room for a rigid dinghy, kayak, scuba gear and a bike that would be great, Steve.

[Neil Gordon]

The cabin table on my 28 is floor mounted, on two posts. I leave it up and use the space under for a soft sided cooler. It secures easily to the table posts, and takes up no otherwise usable space (that's for the two of us, who sit on the stbd side... the foot space is gone if you're on the port side).

[Tom Keevil]

If we take on enough water to flood the cabin sole, I'd rather know it sooner rather than later. The bilge "reservoir" just gives you less time to deal with the problem. Items stored in our bilge are in plastic containers that cannot get into the area of the bilge pump.

[Frenchy]

You can also put shelves in your hanging lockers. Often there's wasted space there. - Jean

[Lisa G.]

You can also put shelves in your hanging lockers. Often there's wasted space there. - Jean

Yes, that is a great idea!

[Lisa G.]

I feel there is a reason that Cape Dory did not make bilge access any easier. The bilge was never intended to be a stowage area. I have plenty of room for the manual bilge pump hose and a 2000 GPH, electric, bilge pump. That is all that i ever want in the bilge. The rest of the volume is there so that if Raven should ever take on water it acts as a reservoir before it floods the cabin sole. Plus anything you put in there has to potential to compromise the output of your bilge pump. End of mini rant.

I also use lots of rectangular plastic containers I got from Ocean State Job Lot, years ago. They help keep things dry, protected and organized. They stack well and seal tight. I have gear hammocks that stay in the V berth, and attached to the liner over the book shelves. I have two more that I only put up on the hand holds for longer trips to hold bread, chips and maybe some fruit.

My biggest gains in stowage have been made by finding more of it. I took the cushions out of the V berth years ago and only use that area for stowage. If you take up the plywood and look a the liner up there, you will find large voids next to the hull on both sides. I cut rectangular holes in the liner and plywood and then made covers for them, like under the main saloon cushions. I can fit 5 or 6 of the plastic cont6ainers in there with supplies that I don't often use. I cut similar access holes in the areas at the fore and aft ends of the area under the main saloon plywood. You can access the forward area through the little doors but I find it easier to get in there from the top. There is some space under the head. I used an inspection port to get into there mainly to through bolt the head with a proper backing plate but you could keep stuff in there. There is a nice area directly behind the door, under the galley sink. I cut an inspection port in there and it holds all of my engine filters, belts, zincs and impellers. It is a pretty big space right next to the fuel tank. There is also some room under the stove and under the cabinets on each side of the galley, I have not utilized. Opening up these areas has the added benefit of being able to get at more of the hull in the event of a breach.

I took off the seat backs and made up doors to close off the outboard stowage areas in the main saloon. Throw pillows work better as adjustable back rests and the seat back is never in the way. I also got rid of the bifold door to the V berth. It was always in the way and was not need for single handed privacy. I added another stop on the port side and now have 4 large drop boards that fit in the space. Three of them cover the foot well area and keep my tool box and 5 gallon water jug in place. The 4th acts as a giant fiddle to keep everything up on the V berth. I also made up a flat bottom for the hanging locker. That area got holders for the 1st aid kit and my emergency tiller lives in clips there as well.

Lots of hooks and and pad eyes have been added for various purposes to keep things out of the way but easily accessible. Now if I could just find room for a rigid dinghy, kayak, scuba gear and a bike that would be great, Steve.

[Ben Thomas]

The drawers in the v-berth eat up most of the space and offer little in return. I removed the drawers and hardware, removed the face and attached the face with piano hinges and latch. the volume of storage more than doubled. I also cut in access hatches in v-berth plywood supports for mattress, as well as hatches to get in between the hull and liner. There is a good deal of space behind the drawers next to the head sink. In the Cabinet behind the stove which is quite deep and long I made side supports for plexiglass shelving which are in sections so you can remove them individually to access bottom. You can see the aft shelves and their adjustable supports.
The area behind the head I made shelving which houses filters and such. the biggest improvement was building the hanging wet locker and more shelves, wet gear drains into the bilge. The shortened settee has not been an issue.
Cheers

[mgphl52]

Ben, Thanks! These give me some nice ideas for my CD28.