Storage tips

Hi all,

We’re about to take delivery or our new ST 44 and are very excited. Storage space seems a little light. Any suggestions on storing gear aboard — fenders, line, extra life jackets, safety gear, vacuum cleaner, fluids, spare parts, etc, etc.

We’d appreciate all the wisdom we can get.

Thanks

Welcome aboard. Congrats on your new boat.

Comodave said:

Welcome aboard. Congrats on your new boat.

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I second what Dave posted! Welcome and congratulations on the new boat!

saraml said:

Hi all,

We’re about to take delivery or our new ST 44 and are very excited. Storage space seems a little light. Any suggestions on storing gear aboard — fenders, line, extra life jackets, safety gear, vacuum cleaner, fluids, spare parts, etc, etc.

Click to expand...

Not familiar with your boat, but on my last boat I discovered a lot of hidden space behind most of the drawers, which were not very deep. That's where I kept things I didn't need often, like the Christmas tree & tax records (stored in 2 gallon Ziplocs). Is there storage under any bunks? Mine had shallow drawers, but by lifting up the mattress discovered there was a huge locker that held a couple years' worth of canned goods. Also had very shallow lockers behind the dinette cushions that held an amazing amount of goodies. You won't need as much space if you are careful to remove all excess packaging from provisions. I don't take cardboard aboard, which not only saves a lot of space, but helps prevent bugs. Keep cleaning supplies to a minimum. I use the same spray bottle formula to clean almost anything--mostly water, 1/3 cup lemon juice (a buck at the Dollar Tree) & a couple not-too-heavy squirts of Dawn. It also kills roaches without contaminating small spaces. Be sure to keep the lemon juice in the fridge so it doesn't turn brown. Vinegar is also a great cleaner.

Congrats on the new boat!

Don't know the boat, but some storage ideas:

Milk crates, rectangle or square, can sometimes help organization.... if you can get them into various nooks and crannies. An advantage is they can stack, if you have someplace the lends itself to that.

We got some clear plastic Rubbermaid storage boxes, not huge, just for ganging like stuff together. Ditto stacking. They can nest as they're emptied.

A real vacuum bagger (as for food) can protect some stuff -- engine spares, etc. -- as can the U-Suck-It vacuum storage bags... or even zip locs if necessary. Useful if stuff is being stored in a bilge...

We tend to buy sizes of stuff -- e.g., cooking oil -- that will fit on the shelves we intend to use for that various stuff. Too tall often doesn't work. And we also try to not over-purchase, assuming re-provisioning will be possible along the way.

It will likely help to makes some notes on what's stored where.

-Chris

saraml said:

Hi all,

We’re about to take delivery or our new ST 44 and are very excited. Storage space seems a little light. Any suggestions on storing gear aboard — fenders, line, extra life jackets, safety gear, vacuum cleaner, fluids, spare parts, etc, etc.

We’d appreciate all the wisdom we can get.

Thanks

Click to expand...

Quite the opposite. The ST44 has TONS of storage space. We keep a couple thousand pounds of gear, tools, spare parts, etc, on-board. I wanted to be prepared for a 3000 mile trip and I decided to leave most of the stuff on the boat. We bought air tight bins of various sizes for anything stored outside of the cabin/salon that might be exposed to moisture. All of these bins have silica packets that are dried out every 6 months. Quick overview:
- Spare fenders kept in swim platform compartment (I think we have 4 medium size and 2 large buoy (deflated) along with spare hose
- Spare docklines are kept in the propane locker
- Folding bicycles, spare power cords, fender boards, large bin of spare engine/genset parts, large bin of dinghy parts/accessories, bin of zincs, hose, buckets of cleaning supplies under cockpit starboard side.
- Spare fluids for engine (every type), containers for fuel filter change, other cleaning supplies, oil change pump, spare electrical adapters, folding table, air pump, kayak accessories under cockpit port side.
- Anchoring equipment, spare fluids, dinghy accessories, most used cleaning solutions, brushes, etc are kept on top of dri-dek under cockpit seating
- Life jackets and misc outdoor accessories are kept under fly bridge seating in sealed bins on top of dri-dek
- Tools are kept in 2nd salon cabinet port side
- Emergency equipment (i.e. pump), manuals, more tools are kept in 3rd salon cabinet port side
- Paper plates, cups, misc kitchen items are kept on shelf under sink
- More cleaning supplies are kept in compartment under sink under garbage
- All galley items are kept in galley drawers under oven, stove top, including many cooking utensils, pots, pans, glassware
- More glassware is kept in cabinet above countertop in galley
- Misc cooking items (electric kettle, french press, coffee grinder), food, etc, kept on shelf that runs above countertop to dash
- Microwave, toaster, condiments, oils, spices, breads, etc kept on port side dash
- Tupperware is kept on shelf attached to ceiling above dash
- Wine and liquor is kept in the cut out compartment behind sofa
- Misc items are kept in other compartment behind sofa
- Flag, blanket, pillows, etc kept on top of these two compartments
- Vacuum and vacuum accessories are kept under steps to cabin as is bottled water
- Guest bedroom cabinets contain spare towels, sheets, and mostly my other half's clothing/shoes in the drawers. Spare Vacuum bags and misc filters are kept under guest bed
- Guest head medicine cabinet includes tons of first aid items, sunscreens, lotions, etc
- Under guest head sink are tons of cleaning solutions, soaps, etc
- Master stateroom cabinets contain mounted safe, tons of space for hanging items, I have one cabinet for hanging, my other half keeps her stuff in the other, and I use the shelves for the rest of my clothes
- TONS of storage under master stateroom bed where we keep 200+ bottles of water, dog food, other dog stuff, spare sheets, 4 spare pillows, a printer, etc
- Spare toiletries and damprid stored under master head sink along with most used toiletries above sink on shelving and shower items kept in shower cabinet

We lived on the boat for most of last year. Had zero complaints of storage space. It was mostly a simple exercise of what made sense where. The various size bins I did measure for. I was pretty amazed how everything fit everywhere so nicely. We do keep some of our project items on the guest bed and as we install or have guests or move things off the boat the bed is cleared (kind of our holding place). If other boats of this size have more storage, I would love to see!

ranger42c said:

D
We tend to buy sizes of stuff -- e.g., cooking oil -- that will fit on the shelves we intend to use for that various stuff. Too tall often doesn't work. And we also try to not over-purchase, assuming re-provisioning will be possible along the way.

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Good point. Although initially buying small sizes might seem counterintuitive, there are times when it is actually the most economical & certainly the best choice in terms of storage space. Mayo & cooking oil are good examples. Both are subject to becoming rancid, so stocking small sizes, even when you know the small size is insufficient for the time out0island. Buying more than one jar/bottle can make sense because you don't run such a risk of spoilage, + when you discard the first one, you have more space than if you were continuing to stash the larger size. Although a larger size is cheaper per oz. & makes sense when there is a larger family/guest group, I've found that when the crew is merely two, that even at home the smaller size prevents wasting $$$ & storage space.

Thanks! This is really helpful. Can't wait to take delivery on Thurs.!

BIG PICTURE STUFF:
Bow deck lockers - I added a Velcro bar for bow lines, snubber and (1) fender each side
Main Cabin Bed Storage - PFD's and general supplies in milk crates
Fly bridge stair - also added Velcro hangers for more lines and wind shield bra
Spare Parts/Anchor in Genset side area also (2) fenders + washing stuff
Bikes - Stored on flybridge
Also Also - There is a DRY storage area under the mid berth for spare linens
Hose and shore power cable in swim platform hatch. (used drideck to keep out of the wash)

GOOD LUCK

Thanks.
Any specs on the Velcro bar and hangers?

What’s a windshield bra?

One advice: more space you have more useless stuff you store. When we got our boat we also had the feeling of a tight space. Some years later we realize that half of the stuff stored in that tight space never get used.

L

A windshield bra is the canvas that covers the windshield.

SOJOURN4 said:

BIG PICTURE STUFF:
Bow deck lockers - I added a Velcro bar for bow lines, snubber and (1) fender each side
Main Cabin Bed Storage - PFD's and general supplies in milk crates
Fly bridge stair - also added Velcro hangers for more lines and wind shield bra
Spare Parts/Anchor in Genset side area also (2) fenders + washing stuff
Bikes - Stored on flybridge
Also Also - There is a DRY storage area under the mid berth for spare linens
Hose and shore power cable in swim platform hatch. (used drideck to keep out of the wash)

GOOD LUCK

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Didnt even think to use the bow locker! What Velcro bar are you using? Would be great to store the bow line, snubber, and a fender there!

I used West epoxy to glue a +/- 4" x 16" 3/4" composite material.
A bit tricky - but duct taped in place until cured.

Once dried, I screwed wide pre made velcro straps to the board.

I carry bow lines and various anchor snubbers, etc. in the lockers.


Also, the (2) fenders stored there have SS clips so that I can attached the clip to the hatch piston - saves me from digging in the locker for the fender rope - also I use the clips to position the fenders to the rail/airplane wire mid rail.


System works great and keeps fenders/lines, etc. in a space that can't be used for much else.


Also as a side note, I added a sail sheet cam to the STBD teak rail to hang an extra fender - works great and adjusts very easy.



GOOD LUCK

Forgot to mention about fenders and lines...

We installed storage "cans" up on the bow rails for the fenders we most often use there, and I keep the fenders we use from the cockpit tied to our aft bridge railing.

We coil our traveling lines and hang them from our rocket launchers outside the aft bridge railing... but they can hand from almost anything that will accept a loop. Constant exposure to weather is maybe an issue, on paper, but we get years out of our lines anyway so outside storage hasn't seemed to have made any difference.

Most of my focus on these items has been about fast access where needed. No digging around in lockers or whatever...

-Chris

Not sure about the ST44 but our ST50 has abundant storage. Initially we were concerned about having enough storage for our groceries until we decided to repurpose a couple of our storage compartments under the salon sofa for canned goods and also extra paper plates, napkins and appliances we don’t use often. The other lesson we learned on our last boat is to not be afraid to reconfigure things once you get settled. Just because you decided to use a specific cabinet for something, don’t be afraid to continue shuffling things around until you find the ideal placement for your items. The questions to ask are - how often will this item be used? If storing food, items that will go stale sooner should have better shelf space than canned goods that have a longer shelf life. Do you really need to have all of your glassware out or even on board? Do you have too many pots/pans, plates, etc? We’ve reconfigured our storage in and around our galley a few times and we’re just now getting to a place where we feel good about where we are storing everything. Look under seat cushions, inside cabinets that have deep areas that extend back. We have our Yeti cooler out in the aft cockpit area and we’re using it to store drinks that we’re not chilling just yet. This summer when we take a longer trip we’ll add a block of ice to the Yeti and it will be our primary storage for drinks and save the refrigerators for food that needs more reliable refrigeration.

Underneath the beds Beneteau offers a huge storage area that is ideal for extra sheets, blankets, pillows rather than taking up space in lockers for the same items.

On deck we just swing our fenders inside the gunwhales instead of stowing them. They’re just too heavy to move around every time we move from port to port or to a new anchorage. We have ample storage inside the anchor locker and we installed some hooks that allow us to stow additional lines and our anchor bridle as well. There are additional compartments under the seats on the flybridge where you can stow the seat covers.

Best of luck with your new boat! If you haven’t joined already, there is a pretty active group on Facebook for Beneteau Swift Trawler owners. We’d love to have you there!

Sandy

SOJOURN4 said:

I used West epoxy to glue a +/- 4" x 16" 3/4" composite material.
A bit tricky - but duct taped in place until cured.

Once dried, I screwed wide pre made velcro straps to the board.

I carry bow lines and various anchor snubbers, etc. in the lockers.


Also, the (2) fenders stored there have SS clips so that I can attached the clip to the hatch piston - saves me from digging in the locker for the fender rope - also I use the clips to position the fenders to the rail/airplane wire mid rail.


System works great and keeps fenders/lines, etc. in a space that can't be used for much else.


Also as a side note, I added a sail sheet cam to the STBD teak rail to hang an extra fender - works great and adjusts very easy.



GOOD LUCK

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@sojourn4 any chance you can please share a picture? i am about to attempt something similar. for composite material i may just use a cutting board. just want to see how you placed everything. i would like to relocate my mooring bridle, snubber, chain hook, etc, into the locker!

I did find this: https://www.amazon.com/Wrap-Heavy-Duty-Storage-Straps-Variety/dp/B06Y5Q4VZD

Something like that would work but it has a big hole where it would need to be screwed into the cutting board / composite material...

In a previous boat I had a large lazarette hatch so I made a Sunbrella “bucket” that snapped in around the edge of the lazarette gutter. I could drop 4 12” fenders into the bucket and if I needed to access the lazarette I could unsnap the bucket and get into the lazarette. Worked great and I didn’t have to have the fenders underfoot all the time.

I keep my fenders in rail mounted holders up forward. Keeps them easily accessible to transfer between in-use and stored and keeps them out of the way. If I had a boat and cruising environment that made taking green water over the bow any kind of real risk, this would not be a good option. But if I'm in that situation anywhere I cruise and with this boat, I'm going to have a lot more to worry about than having a few fenders washed overboard.

See the picture below for an example (as seen from the helm). I've got the Taylor Made holders (2 fenders each, the fenders are 10x26). They've held up quite well over the years, I think they've been replaced once in the boat's 33 year lifespan. They also make a 3 fender version of them.

Mystery -


will do over the weekend

SOJOURN4 said:

Mystery -


will do over the weekend

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any luck?

i bought starboard, velcro cinch, but having a hard time finding stainless hooks...was trying to avoid keeping it all velcro...wanted to see your bow locker setup....

For mystery - rails and storage

View attachment STORAGE.pdf

View attachment RAIL 3.pdf

View attachment RAIL 2.pdf

View attachment RAIL 1.pdf


pics of bow storage and bimini supports

SOJOURN4 said:

View attachment 96451

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pics of bow storage and bimini supports

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thank you

10-4

the Velcro idea looks good

SOJOURN4 said:

View attachment 96451

View attachment 96452

View attachment 96453

View attachment 96454


pics of bow storage and bimini supports

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Can you please share what composite material did you use and which West adhesive?

I bought some king starboard and was going to 5200 it on then 3M said it won't work with starboard. So then I called West and asked about their West System and they said they only have one product g-flex-655-8 that might work with HDPE/PVC but not Starboard. Then I called the company that makes King Starboard and they said their product is HDPE and they are not aware of any adhesive that works but could give 3m scotchweld dp8005 a try. So now I am confused since they are contradicting each other. I also called J-B Weld and they said they are not aware of anything that works but if something did it would be their Plasticbonder Syringe.

I can change materials from King Starboard to something else, just don't know what I should use! Thought Starboard was a good idea ha

Plywood, paint side that shows 5200 on bare ply to sanded fiberglass.


If you look around that's what Benny uses on some parts

lipets said:

Plywood, paint side that shows 5200 on bare ply to sanded fiberglass.


If you look around that's what Benny uses on some parts

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Thanks but won't plywood eventually rot? Most people that use ply on exterior will encapsulate it with epoxy/fiberglass/etc. I was concerned about using wood because its potentially a wet area, exposed to elements, waves, etc. I found this online:

Maybe in ten years

You could impregnate the plywood with a thin epoxy before painting. As long as the plywood can't get wet, it should last a long time.