galley-up or galley-down?

psneeld said:

Not quite sure where people think many "galley downs" are...but mines NOT in the bilge.

Almost every complaint I've heard really doesn't apply to mine or many other "galley down" designs I have seen/used.

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I have the same number of steps as Baker shows in his pic and its galley down. Andwith the galley down I get a chance to pee when I get more beers!

psneeld said:

Not quite sure where people think many "galley downs" are...but mines NOT in the bilge.

Almost every complaint I've heard really doesn't apply to mine or many other "galley down" designs I have seen/used.

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On some boats when they're down they're down. So the real question is up, mid, or down. The Riva Virtus and Vertigo are examples to me of Galley's down and separated from the activity. Now you're dealing with an open or a coupe and there really is no choice on those boats.

Several European boats though have galleys down in a similar fashion.

The real discussion should be about similar boats "up or down"...comparing up or down on a 100 footer with crew and servers may get a little ridiculous...as would my old 23 foot sailboat.

My main point all along which I may have glossed over... is maybe the discussion should really be about desired or undesirable aspects of a galley...not it's location.

We easily see on some models doesn't matter because owner's interpretation of light/dark, close by or not, confined/not is WAY more perception than "fact"....which has become obvious the way the discussion has gone.

psneeld said:

Not quite sure where people think many "galley downs" are...but mines NOT in the bilge.

Almost every complaint I've heard really doesn't apply to mine or many other "galley down" designs I have seen/used.

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See pict on post # 9 - Complaints you've heard may not apply to you and me very much... but, they do apply to many Admirals, mine included. Pict on post 9 is what some women envision when they think galley-down. Go figure... but, that's the way it is in some gals mind's eyes!

Way I see it - Happy Admiral makes for HAPPY Captain on a Pleasure Boat! Top of the list for my Linda is Galley-Up! She is executive chef quality cook - and I love to BBQ up on sun deck, so, who am I to complain!

Art said:

See pict on post # 9 - Complaints you've heard may not apply to you and me very much... but, they do apply to many Admirals, mine included. Pict on post 9 is what some women envision when they think galley-down. Go figure... but, that's the way it is in some gals mind's eyes!

Way I see it - Happy Admiral makes for HAPPY Captain on a Pleasure Boat! Top of the list for my Linda is Galley-Up! She is executive chef quality cook - and I love to BBQ up on sun deck, so, who am I to complain!

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I guess what you missed was the part of my post where I said perceptions are just that...not facts...and often the "admirals" haven't really done both types of galleys...so maybe it's still just perception.

Heck I can generalize too about my experiences on MANY different boats (owned, cruised, delivered)...first time the "admiral" is enjoying their "up galley" and someone trying to slip past for a beer jostles their arm full of boiling water and they spend all night in the emergency room...post "9" will be just what it is...a long forgotten chuckle.

Again...I have had to convince several different sig others on the aspects of what a galley is...not what their perception is. Thus it's a lot more useful to discuss pro/cons of features...not it's location.

Obviously "admirals" with many years and multiple galleys under their belt certainly should have significant input and some posts sound like they are in this thread already...

The FACT is my wife's perceptions determine the quality of my boating experience.

I am not a fan of trying to share galley space with living space on our 35'. Dishes and food in the middle of the living room makes for a crowded space. When you get up to 40' and above, yes, I would see the appeal, but I have seen 35' Marine Traders, Island Gypsy's, and the like at 35' with a galley up and you are in pretty tight quarters. Especially with the built-in furniture and dinette you end up with. No, I like our full-size salon (saloon) with the galley down and forward. Your milage, of course, may vary ;-)

angus99 said:

The FACT is my wife's perceptions determine the quality of my boating experience.

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DITTO X 10

Linda and I are tied at the hip - so to say... LOL! If her #1 "Pleasure Boating" preference is to have Galley Up... then, Galley Up it shall be! She does not give me static the way I want nearly 99% of everything else aboard boat, and, she helps out in everything for which I may ask assistance. God luv her - and - I gots no problem with galley up or down; matter of fact I could care less. One problem I would have is making my Linda unhappy by forcing her to exist aboard boat with galley down!

Perceptions are reality. They become one's own reality. A key to all marketing is that perceived quality is what you sell which may or may not match manufactured quality. I can build the best mouse trap ever but if the public doesn't perceive it that way, it won't sell.

So, back to the boat. If you feel you're distanced or feel enclosed, that takes away from the experience. If you feel on a galley up you've given up too much salon or you're too close to the Captain, then that takes away. But to cruisers, the galley is generally a very important aspect of determining which boat they like.

On a boat we'd use for looping and other trawler like boating, we like the galley on the same or close to the same level as the Helm, able to basically take four steps to the refrigerator, and we like openness through the helm, galley, and salon. That's just personal but we don't like any high wall on a boat that size.

Now we have great friends that the husband is actually the chef and he prefers to do his cooking far away from the helm and his wife. The galley is his sanctuary. He likes to just go there and create. She jokes that she has no idea what he does there as some days he'll spend hours there alone, only showing up to bring her food he's prepared. But on land, you don't walk into his kitchen. It disturbs him to no end that at our house, all our friends just make themselves at home in our kitchen. He says they would be short some limbs if they did that in his kitchen.

I'm stunned this thread has gone on for two pages.

bligh said:

I'm stunned this thread has gone on for two pages.

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??? It's on 4 and going for 5!!!

Baker said:

??? It's on 4 and going for 5!!!

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It's because of yours and Bligh's meaningful posts!

bligh said:

I'm stunned this thread has gone on for two pages.

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Please start a separate thread if you'd like a discussion on how long threads should be. (Sorry, bligh, I couldn't resist.)

angus99 said:

Please start a separate thread if you'd like a discussion on how long threads should be. (Sorry, bligh, I couldn't resist.)

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There could be similar discussions of virtually all aspects of boat design. That's why there is no right boat, just the right boat for you.

While we probably haven't swayed anyone we have provided a good discussion of the various pros and cons and, ultimately, a very balanced set of viewpoints.

Yeah, it's good that this thread has settled definitively the problem of galley up or galley down. Now, can we get to the pressing questions of Europa style or aft cabin, single or twin engines, full displacement or semi planing, and the biggest question of all------fly bridge or no fly bridge. Yes, so many questions, and so little time.

Yes, so many questions, and so little time.

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And too little money to try them all!!

Galley up or down?

It seems that some people have a preference for one or the other. I'm just curious as to why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Does it really matter?

I tend to be drawn to galley down layouts, but I can't really explain why... Maybe because it tends to give better visibility from the helm with no fridge or big cabinets in the way.

What do you think? (also, apologies if this is one of those 'which is the best anchor' topics!)

Wayfarer said:

I tend to be drawn to galley down layouts, but I can't really explain why... Maybe because it tends to give better visibility from the helm with no fridge or big cabinets in the way.

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Therein lies your answer. As for me (the cook!) I want to be able to see out while preparing dinner. That does mean my galley is always exposed (I have clean-sink-itis so that's not an issue)

However, because you are drawn to down, that's going to be your ideal. Make sure you can do all you wish in your galley however! I met a woman who, to open her oven door, had to step out into the companionway. That didn't make for a happy baker.

And, is the refrigerator easy to use? A friend has a converted icebox that I cannot reach the bottom of. She's got longer arms but if there's anyone petite involved...

The two (down or up) basically come down to preferences.

One idea for your thought bank: On our 40'er, the reefer was next to the engine room compartment. My dad built a drawer (two six packs high!) so the reefer was raised and thus, easier to access without bending over. The fact that the drawer under fit lots of beer was an amazing bonus. Unintended, of course.

You normally lose stateroom space with galley down.

I'm with Janice. Galley up for the view and to be in the mix.

But I can see why others may like it down.

We have galley up and like it. The cook is part of the action in the saloon without having to stick up like a gopher to participate. Some galley down arrangements are pretty good and I even saw one that had the dinette convert to a stateroom... that would be useful! We like it on the same level, just like our house.

size of boat has to be in the mix for space tradeoff...as well as to style of boat...up or down on one style is less relevant for another....

Admiral said "Galley-Up is a must!" Being able to look up at the horizon keeps her from turning green.

The other part of the equation is..do you ever really cook when underway? And if you do..just how much time is actually spent in the galley?

Most don't..if looking at real passagmaking, then I see it a bit differently.

I like the arrangement of a deck-level pilothouse with the saloon/galley "knee deep" below the waterline. Provides great deck access and 180-degree uncluttered visibility from the helm. Party and non-navigational distractions are confined to the lower compartment. Here at dock, however, the party spreads into the pilothouse. More conducive to multiple conversations.

For us, Galley up!
Who ever is working in it likes to be part of the action and enjoy the view, the Admiral cooks/Captain does the dishes......

We only have a sink and fridge in the pilot house with just a small counter . Would like to have room for galley . I think galley up would be better . We are thinking about a outside galley against the back of pilot house .

Mule said:

You normally lose stateroom space with galley down.

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That's certainly the case with the 34 Californian. With the galley down, you lose the Captain's stateroom port side amidship.

With the galley up, it seems like every surface serves double duty, at least it's that way on my boat. If I'm not cooking on the stovetop, it's covered and used as counter space, especially for drying dishes. Another counter surface transforms into my bait cutting board area when fishing. I like having those options available with this boat style.

A galley down seems more like it's dedicated space for cooking only.

Wayfarer said:

What do you think?

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We prefer a galley down if the boat will accommodate it.

Not long after acquiring our old GB36 we made the decision to "trade up" to a GB46. The Bellingham GB dealer had two at the time, one galley up and one galley down. We spent a fair amount of time on both of them evaluating the advantages and disadvantages, and we decided that for that size of boat, we much preferred the galley down.

In the GB46, the person in the down galley is not cut off from people in the main cabin. And the main cabin was far more usable with the galley not in it. And in this particular GB46, even though the galley was down there were still two nice staterooms in the forward cabin.

In the end we decided to spend the money on a different "toy," so we kept the old GB36. But if a boat is large enough to accommodate a down galley without giving up the desired accommodations in the forward cabin, we much prefer that.

The GB-type boat is not our favorite configuration for a slow-to-medium speed cruiser, however. We much prefer a pilothouse boat, particularly the deFever design used by American Marine in some of their Alaska line boats back in the 60s and 70s, the Flemming, and boats like the deFever 46. In these boats, the galley is typically placed immediately behind the raised pilothouse and so leaves a good-sized, unobstructed main cabin.

FlyWright said:

Another counter surface transforms into my bait cutting board area when fishing.

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Al,

Please remind me never to eat food prepared on your cutting board again.

Thanks