Wide body boats

[Phil Fill]

This summer we are selling the Eagle so we want to hear for and against reason for side decks or full body. The reason is The Eagle is wide body meaning there are no side decks. My wife required a wide body to protect her grand children and passengers. At first I was against the wide body, but I can see her wisdom.

I discovered if the bow, middle and stern have quick accessible the walk around decks are no needed. If the bow thrusters and stern thrust access/control so is the middle.

Many large boats are wide body or side decks one side maximizing the size of the salon. So maximizing the salon is a counter to having side becks.

So what are the pro/con?

 

[mvweebles]

Pro: wide saloon for 99.9% of the time your aboard. Wider engine room hatch.

Con: more difficult to dock/lock a couple times a year (especially if you have mobility issues). You'll track more dirt through the saloon.

Very personal decision. To me it's an easy tradeoff - I'll take the interior space and storage. But some folks won't buy a boat without walk-around decks.

Peter

 

[ksanders]

Side decks mean you loose about 40" in the width of the salon.

Maybe that is not so much in a 60' boat with a 20' beam, but in a 40' boat you are loosing the same 40"

in a 35' boat it's even more dramatic.

 

[Jklotz]

I'm in the process of buying a wide body 45. My reasoning was we plan to live on the boat a lot of the time. The inconvenience of docking in some situations is a small fraction of the time aboard. I'd rather have the living space.

 

[Diep]

We've got really comfortable side decks both sides and it is nice.

On the other hand I tend to prefer asymmetric layouts with one side deck and feel like that is probably ideal. I might go for a boat with no side decks but it would have to offer a lot in other areas.

I wonder if many people have owned and become proficient handling asymmetrics or wide bodies and gone on to become walk-around partisans.

 

[READY]

I ha e had both and would be ok either way. I generally prefer the extra interior room but if I were doing very frequent docking and locks then perhaps I might prefer full or at least 1 walkabout side deck.

With good planning and lines and fenders rigged most challenges can be easily dealt with.

 

[Mako]

The asymmetric layout is really growing on me these days as a great compromise. If I had the chance to design a custom boat then I'd go side passage to port and a 6-8 inch walkway to starboard, like sport fishermen have, with an overhead grab rail. That way there would be access for maintenance, washing, hanging fenders, etc. while losing only a minor amount of room.

I was in contract to buy an older Cheoy Lee 66LRC but it was wide body - one of the things that completely turned me off. The only way to access the majority of its topsides and deckhouse would be from a dock or a dinghy. Sure the interior was the size of a condo, but it's a boat not a house.

 

[ranger58sb]

With decent bow/middle/stern access, and with "semi-sprightly" (?) crew, I could live with a wide body, and I can certainly see where expanded living would be nifty. Both bow and stern thrusters, especially with remote control, would be a nice touch.

And even then, "semi-sprightly" probably wouldn't be necessary most of the time... with proper planning.

Neither of us aboard now qualify as "semi-sprightly" though...

-Chris

 

[rslifkin]

I think it depends on having enough crew (2+ people on board) and where the helmsman is relative to the access points the boat has. In something with a pilothouse with side doors, I'd plan for one crew aft and the helmsman to step out to the side when able which should avoid the need for anyone to run forward / aft through the boat.

 

[heysteve]

The side decks on our boat are somewhere in between. They're narrower than a Grand Banks but still leave a nice wide salon. You have to turn somewhat sideways but there's a nice high rail so it doesn't seem too bad. And I do like them both for docking and just moving around outside without having to go inside and up/down some steps.

But if I HAD to choose, I probably go for a wider salon. I loved the GB side decks but the salon was just too narrow.

 

[jleonard]

We chose our Albin 40 trunk cabin because it had full walkaround side decks. We did a lot of locks in our travels as well as docking and we don’t generally need or want help.
Also needed many times for picking up a mooring. We would pick up the line at midship or aft and walk it forward.
We did not miss the extra size inside.

 

[rslifkin]

Thinking about it as far as "wasted" space, on my boat the space under the side decks isn't actually wasted. Yes the salon is narrower, but at least some of that space outside the walls still gets used. There are drawers and cabinets extending into that space, wiring and ventilation ducts are run through there, bilge and head exhaust blowers are mounted in there, etc. If that space were part of the salon right out to the hull sides then that equipment would have to take up space elsewhere.

 

[MYTraveler]

My boat's primary mission is long range fishing. As such, side decks are essential. I do worry about the dog falling off the sides, so she always wears a life jacket. But, since it has a portuguese bridge, with a closeable door to the bow and fiberglassed sides most of the way up (my avitar shows this a little), there is only a little exposed railing. Even so, kids must also always wear life jackets when not inside.

The side decks are great for docking, especially with wing stations on both sides of the portuguese bridge. And the 19'+ beam leaves plenty of width on the inside. This set up works well for us.

 

[Bradenvlp]

If you plan on single handling at times the side decks are really helpful.

 

[SteveK]

I loved the GB side decks but the salon was just too narrow.

DITTO!
Our current yacht has a comfortable salon/saloon. Bonus is the 6 inch side decks have sloping side windows which allow one foot in front of the other walking without your shoulder rubbing the wall. That was just one of the great ideas of the Bayliner not seen in previous full body boats.

 

[Nick14]

It sounds like you’re already sold on the wide body style. If that works for you, then that’s what is right for you.

As I usually do, I’ll offer a contrarian viewpoint. Having full walk-around, easily navigable (and covered) decks, with a single level from helm to cockpit, has become an absolute must-have for me. Especially as I age and become less limber. I've found that the times I most need to quickly get to a point on the boat, to handle a line or fend off from hitting something expensive or unforgivably hard, inevitably comes during turbulent sea or wind conditions as the boat is being tossed around. At times like that, here's nothing like the security of true bulwarks and hull around you to keep me from taking an unplanned swim.

But then I think about boats differently from most people. I think about worst case scenarios and want to be prepared for them. I don’t concern myself so much with the 95% of the time when things are easy and going well, tied up at the dock or at anchor, or underway in open water in good weather. I concern myself with the 5% of the time when things are tough. Trying to dock in a tight space with a fairway only a couple of feet longer than the boat. With unpredictable winds and currents throwing the boat around with impending impact with something either expensive (someone else’s boat) or hard and damaging (rocks, pilings, etc.). At times like that I want to be able to quickly, safely, easily get to any part of the boat. Or snotty sea states when the boat is being tossed around and something has gone wrong and I need to reach that part of the boat in a hurry.

It’s times like that when things can go pear-shaped in a hurry. There is never any upside to an ‘incident’ on the water. My own personal priority is to be prepared for those and minimize the chances of something unpleasant happening (to either myself, the Admiral, or my wallet).

So, for me the decision is easy. Wide walk around side decks or no deal. But then I also don’t have to be concerned with carrying any passengers other than my wife. In 25 years of boating with larger boats (out of 55 years of owning boats in total) we’ve never had more than one other couple on board at a time and that was only for short day trips, and literally have never had anyone spend the night on any of our boats. We’ve never entertained large parties on our boats and never held yoga classes on board, so never wanted for an extra few square feet of salon space.

Again totally my personal choice, but I err on the side of greater safety, access, and convenience over a living-room sized salon. It only takes a single incident of impacting something, or worse, because of being unable to reach a particular part of the boat in time to ruin your day for a long time. But that’s what works for us. YMMV.

 

[Datenight]

We have a wide body, no side decks. I have been operating this style boat since 2012. The previous boat had very narrow side decks. I don’t miss them at all. When coming to a dock or lock fenders and lines are set up in advance. So far not an issue. I also sometimes single hand. Just have to set up ahead of time and go slow. Love the interior room. We have been on the boat since October. Will take the room over the side decks. That is what works for us.

Rob

 

[long-cours.62]

Wide body ?
In some area a wide body is not usefull at all.

For example in Mediterranée aera.
You go stern to the quay and after that you must run a "pendille" (rope or chain, frequently full of shell) from the quay to the bow to get the mooring line on board...
Imagine in short handled condition with a wide body : mission impossible.
For our fromer Long-Cours 62 it was the first drawing I done but a "low profile" wide body it means 3 step to be on.
Biger salon (7 sqm) but my boss; sorry wife said " no I don't want step on the side"
Finally our LC62 look like the the number 2 and not like the number one
Un Compromis, oui mais lequel !? - Trawler long-cours
Un Compromis, oui mais lequel !? - Trawler long-cours

 

[slowgoesit]

When we were boat hunting, one of our "Must Haves" was full walk around for line handling.
We didn't get it.
Muirgen is a little of a combo in that respect. Our Salon is full width, about 14' inside (16.5' total beam). But our Pilothouse is walk around, so to go from stern to bow, and vice versa, you need to go up 4 steps, outside (covered) at the fwd portion of the Pilothouse, then cross the Dance Floor (top of the Salon), then down three steps to the fore deck. So end to end WITHOUT going inside the boat. Easily manageable, and no tracking deck dirt into the interior, but as stated, a 14' wide salon, instead of a 10.5' salon. HUGE increase in interior space! We wouldn't go back. But that's just us.

 

[Shrew]

I'd take an extra foot of beam times the length of the cabin, as compared to 2-3 feet of length times the beam.

 

[Mac2]

My previous 36 foot boat was a widebody. I was younger and more agile, which was a must to be able to dock, but I preferred it for the interior space. As boats get larger, the need for a side deck becomes greater. This is probably very personal based on agility and crew. My current 65 foot boat has a full walk around and is exponentially easier to handle, including docking/locking (small lock) by myself. My current boat doesn’t blow around in the wind either, which was a major issue with my 36 foot boat that turned into a sail-something a new trawler owner will have trouble comprehending-thus the previously mentioned agility factor.

 

[jleonard]

I'd take an extra foot of beam times the length of the cabin, as compared to 2-3 feet of length times the beam.

Does pi factor into that equation? Wow

 

[rslifkin]

My previous 36 foot boat was a widebody. I was younger and more agile, which was a must to be able to dock, but I preferred it for the interior space. As boats get larger, the need for a side deck becomes greater. This is probably very personal based on agility and crew. My current 65 foot boat has a full walk around and is exponentially easier to handle, including docking/locking (small lock) by myself. My current boat doesn’t blow around in the wind either, which was a major issue with my 36 foot boat that turned into a sail-something a new trawler owner will have trouble comprehending-thus the previously mentioned agility factor.

I was thinking the opposite, walk around would matter less on a large boat as they're less reactive and you often don't need to move as quickly. And a larger boat is more able to have a few well placed doors to facilitate movement, while a small boat may not have that space and requires taking a longer path. Helm placement relative to line handling access is a factor as well (and is limiting on my boat even with full side decks).

 

[SteveK]

The last two times I wanted a walk around deck, once for sport fishing and then the iconic Grand Banks.
I will agree looking back at some of the boats with no side door would not work now.

 

[Caballero II]

Pro: wide saloon for 99.9% of the time your aboard. Wider engine room hatch.

Con: more difficult to dock/lock a couple times a year (especially if you have mobility issues). You'll track more dirt through the saloon.

Very personal decision. To me it's an easy tradeoff - I'll take the interior space and storage. But some folks won't buy a boat without walk-around decks.

Peter

I think Peter of Weebles exaggerates. I don't spend anything like 99.9% in the saloon/salon, but look upon the side decks as another area from which to manage the boat. Possibly geography may inform the decision as I am in southern California and outdoors a lot, and I almost always drive from the fly bridge. And I dock a lot more than a couple times a year and appreciate the room to work the lines. It is an obvious trade-off decision. I'm a traditionalist and, at least so far I vote for side decks

 

[Ken E.]

This is a single vs twin engine question. For me, I'd give up the interior room to have side decks but it's all preference. An extreme example is a GB 32 sedan. Looking at it from the stern shows just how wide the side decks are, at the expense of the salon width. It sure gives the boat a nice look, though.

 

[kapnd]

Hanging out a window to place or adjust fenders is not my favorite activity, especially when it means standing on the couch!
Walk around decks are a must for me.

 

[ABfish]

If I didn't have side decks, I'd go asymmetrical.

I go to the bow a surprising amount, even when tied to the dock. Last weekend I was prepping my dinghy for the season, including a battery replacement. I made at least a dozen trips to the bow.

 

[DWJensen]

Our current boat has full side decks and we find them very useful, but that said, over time we've found that we tend to use our stbd side almost exclusively. Why that is I don't know for sure - maybe because we have a door on that side, but even when rigging docklines and hanging fenders, it's not much more of a walk to use the one side and cross the deck. (We have fender baskets and line hangers on both sides so there's no lugging gear all around)

We've looked at a couple of full widebody boats and some asymmetrical. I don't know that I'm convinced that I'd like no side decks, but having just one seems sufficient. YMMV

 

[slowgoesit]

Hanging out a window to place or adjust fenders is not my favorite activity, especially when it means standing on the couch!
Walk around decks are a must for me.

As I stated previously, our boat fits the definition, as described earlier, of a wide body body, but we in no way have to hang out a window, or stand on a couch to adjust fenders!
As you can see in the attached pic, it's easy enough to get from stern to bow with a total of 7 steps, 4 up from the rear to the "dance floor", and three down to the fore deck. The best of BOTH worlds!