As a part of our ongoing effort to enhance the P-19 for cruising, we decided to remodel the port side. We wanted to open up the interior as well as provide more flexible storage.
Here is photo of the new port side, looking aft.
When we started this project, we had two years experience camping on the boat and were getting some ideas about what we wanted. Going aboard Derek Jensen's Hamada, an early P-19 without a liner, gave me an appreciation for how much roomier the P-19 cabin could be.
The design goals for the remodel included:
A non goal was retaining the quarterberth as a sleeping area. For us, two is the limit for P-19 cruising.
The first step was to remove a large chunk of the liner. Cutting the portions of the liner near the hull is tricky. I found that a Dremel cutting tool worked well and kept me from damaging the hull.
We liked having a sink, but the original design took up too much room for something that was used infrequently. The new sink is out of the way when not in use. There are several configurations, depending on the task at hand.
For an interactive demonstration of the sink/table assembly, click the button below. If you have a slow internet connection, it may take a while to load.
The following pictures show the various sink/table configurations. Click on any of the small photos for a larger version.
One disadvantage of a retracting sink is a lack of quick access. If you just need to dump something quickly, it's a bother to pull out the sink, dump the stuff and then stow the sink. I added a small "mini-sink", made from an oil change funnel. It drains into the main sink. (that's what the hole in the sink cover is for)
Behind the lifting backrest is a small tank for holding gray water. Most of the time, the sink drain is connected to a thru-hull and simply drains overboard. However, we sometimes sail at Waldo Lake in the Oregon Cascades, one of the cleanest lakes in the world. At Waldo, we practice "zero-discharge" and connect the drain hose to the tank.
Dealing with the cooler is always a problem on small boats. We wanted something around 50 quarts with easy access. The 5 day coolers looked attractive (they really work!) but were too large. We ended up with a standard 48 quart Coleman unit that slides into an insulated "cooler condo". The sides of the condo are made from 0.5" styrofoam sheets covered by 0.125" mahogany plywood. When we are away from the boat, we place a seat cushion over the open end.
Cooler access is easy. Just move one cushion and pull. No lifting is required. The wood under the cushions is coated with epoxy, so it should hold up to the cooler sliding back and forth. Note that the cooler can be accessed when the sink is out. The aft cabinet is recessed slightly to accommodate the cooler top.
The P-19 has lots of storage volume. The problem, as most owners have discovered, is access. The new design has a fairly large ratio of access area to storage volume. Here are some photos of the various storage areas. Click on any of them for a larger picture.
The "garage" area is a junk collector, but it's small enough to keep under control. The back end is blocked off from the quarterberth. My right arm can reach all the way to the aft end, so I can always retrieve things.
For the most part, the new panel is just a bunch of switches and fuse holders. There are extra circuits for future expansion. The charging coil from the Nissan 5hp 4 stroke is connected and there is a provision for solar panels.
The digital panel meter is configured to measure battery voltage, load current or charging current. It runs off a separate 9v battery. The meter is accurate enough to be useful as a rough charge level indicator.
Here is a photo. I still need to have labels made for functions that were not available off the shelf. The brass hardware in the upper right is a bottle opener.
The companionway area has some old and new projects. The step and head enclosure was the first thing I added to the boat. The factory location for the head just wasn't going to work. I hated to remove the ladder, as it was well made, but a single large step works a lot better. There is room for 4 one gallon water jugs along the sides.
The privacy screen rolls up on a piece of 3/4" PVC and snaps into two clips when not in use. The bottom edge is permanently attached. It is held up by loops of cord on the ends of the PVC that slip over hooks on the cabin top.
The drop down table is used if we need extra counter space during meal prep or cleanup.
The starboard side of the companionway is a work in progress. The vertical slot just to starboard of the table is for storing the companionway hatch cover. I added a second set of hinges to the cover so it is easier to stow.
The first photo shows the settee with the cushions arranged for comfortable seating. The cushions are made from 500 denier coated cordura. The foam is high density urethane.
The second shows the upper port bulkhead. The three thermoses are retained by small loops of shock cord. On cool days, we fill them with an assortment of hot drinks before departing. The water bottle and drink holder are positioned for either cabin or cockpit access. The mirror lifts to reveal a nut that retains the instrument cover. The wood extension on the far right is a raceway for the instrument cables.
The port remodel was a big project. It only makes sense if you use the P-19 for longer trips.
We spent 21 nights on the boat in 2004 and had a chance to test out everything. Most features turned out to be worthwhile. The biggest advantage was having a reasonably accessible place for everything. The cooler setup worked very well.
The gray water tank is used infrequently but we feel good about installing it.
The settee lockers tend to get damp. I'm thinking about adding some vents. They won't solve the problem but they should help.
The charging coil on the outboard extends the time between marina recharges. (we didn't need to recharge at all on a 14 day trip). The bad news is that you must be motoring. I'll probably add a solar panel.