Blue Bossa's Interior

12/23/10

I'm always amazed how quickly one can go from one environment to another: in just a day's driving, I have gone from a sometime rolly floating sailboat anchored amongst green islands with beautiful tree-filled scenery to a house next to a high desert mountain range, built only a few yards from a dramatic white-water river.  Another days drive and I will be in a coastal town right next to open ocean with big ocean swell, crashing waves dotted with surfers.  And, gee, in another days drive, I will go to an overly large, crowded, ugly and polluted city.

Yes, I'm taking a few weeks off to spend Christmas in Bend, Oregon; then down to Santa Cruz to play New Year's music with friends; then down to "Smell-A" to take care of business crucial to my staying retired.  It's nice to take a break from the boat every now and then; but, like anyone's home, it's nice to get back too.  But, what with the crummy weather that Washington has had, if I'm going to do any visiting and traveling on land, this is the time to do it.  I won't be able to do that when a) I sell the car, and b) I start heading Blue Bossa to Alaska, which I'm planning on doing in March.

Blue Bossa has definitely started feeling like home.  A couple of friends have wanted to see what type of environment I'm living in.  Well if you want to really see what it's like, come on up when I start heading up to Alaska - I'm always open to have some company, especially in an adventurous outing!

Anyway, this blog is just to show you all what the interior looks like after it's been lived into for awhile, especially from someone who (ahem) is not the neatest person around.

Port main cabin

Starboard main cabin w/piano

First off, walking thru the twin sliding doors (now one door with a canvas second door in front to help keep out the cold) is the big pilot house, or main cabin.  Port side (left) is a bench which can double as a single bunk.
On the starboard side (right) is the other bench which can also be a bunk.  This is the side where I put my piano on the table to practice, as it's out of the way of traffic.

Galley, during the night w/o a flash

Forward of the port side is the galley.  You have to step down to get to it, but the same ceiling for the main cabin is also shared with the galley, so you get a strong sense of being out in the open while in the galley, and can socialize with people in the main cabin.  It's not the biggest galley in the world, but it holds everything that I need. It has a big size refrigerator, along with a huge "freezer".  It also has a really old microwave oven that I hope holds together for awhile. 

Pilot house

Forward of the starboard side is the "pilot house", where one can steer, navigate and sit and watch while the boat is on its way.  It has a little foldaway bench where you can sit.  It's got a great view of what's ahead, better than when you're driving in the cockpit, but, obviously not as nice in good weather.

Going forward, the cabin ceiling drops down dramatically and the boat turns more into what most people are used to in sailboats, closed-in and darker.  Not something for claustrophobic tendencies.

Head & shower

Head w/sink

Port side is the bathroom (head), which includes the head (toilet), shower (you sit on the head to take the shower - something that I haven't used yet just because it gets everything around it wet), lots of storage space, and a faucet and basin.  My only regret with this boat is that the bathroom isn't bigger, with a completely separate shower.  Oh well, you can only do so much on a 40' sailboat.

Study

Starboard side is a study, which is completely open, with no door to close off.  It's got a bench which can slide out to accommodate a sleeper, preferably not taller than 5' and change.  I use it to store files and library and where my stereo resides.  I use my computer and sometimes read if I want to be cozy and more private.  It has a tendency to get cluttered, which you will notice with the picture which tends to chase me to the main cabin to read.  I obviously need to change my habits.

forward cabin - small but comfortable

storage locker under bunk

Forward of the head and study is the forward cabin, where I sleep.  The modified queen-size bed has a big thick cushion and I have made it even thicker with a thick pad of "temperpedic"(sp?) foam, which helps my old bones and sore muscles.  Under the bunk is a huge storage area, where I put stuff that I don't want to get wet, such as my piano, guitar, amp, as well as bulky stuff like sails and boat covers.  The forward cabin also has an LCD TV/DVD player facing forward where I can watch from the bed.  Not something that you'd want to use with a lot of people (unless you all are REALLY close friends).  But this boat was never designed to be a social platform and if I wanted to show movies in the main cabin, I'd use the computer.

Anyway, that's my home, and, as I've mentioned, I'm getting used to it.  Hopefully it will become a more emotional connection once I start having some adventures with it.

More blogs later after vacation!