Boat Build: How I built 3 rooms in a tiny space [E107] 

The footrest idea is essential for average height people to have something to brace feet against as the seat height is high, especially once cushions go on.

I’m no boatwright, but I’ve done enough fiberglass work to understand that it isn’t easy to do well. The effortless ease you bring to this work shows your hard-earned skills. Impressive.

When i was younger (76 now) i used to sail a lot across the English channel to France and the Channel Islands. I always liked a tight berth as i could wedge myself in. The boat is great. Merry Christmas....Dave

Instead of a foot rail down the middle, how about two rails, on either side, like at a bar? They could even be hinged to come out when needed. Keep the sockets for a folding table, but have the full space most of the time for going back and forth. The front edges of the benches are the only hand brace you'll need while going thru.

To get more lighting and ventilation in the quarter-berths why not cut little peekaboo openings in the lower upright panels of the seets, where your legs rest, you could put snaps material inside them when guests need their privacy or sleep. Maybe a couple 4"x12" or 6"x18" would also acted as handles for more stability in and out of the berths and solve your ventilation issue. Love your dedication and work!

i think if you used "glass" shelves behind your upper settees you could introduce a lot of natural light into the lower berth areas and help maintain a less closed in feel. Just thinking, love your channel. keep up the good work and happy holidays.

We’re gonna need the the inspectors opinion on the salon benches! 🤣😂

How about Lexan shelves for the backs of the seats? It would give the bunk berth and the double bed berth a skylight. :)

Having owned several trawlers and sailboats, I have never had a bunk area that did not have two entries/exits. The quarter births are a great way to use the space but anyone in one of them will be trapped if the one exit is not useable due to fire or flooding suddenly. An emergency hatch on the far end of the bench bottom might be an answer.

That salon is shaping up to be a prime place to hang out. I think the quarter-berths will be super cozy. It's so cool to see the living space come together on my "watching fiberglass lamination" channel. :)

Evan: "Eh, that looks about right. No high heels on the benches though". You do it enough and you know what you need to calculate and what you can do by experience. Cozy berths are great at sea. You can't fall out of them.

U should build some side rails in the front of the lower bench. That way someone can sleep there without falling

Benches look good so long as people can plant their feet on the floor so the circulation doesn't get cut off behind the knee and also stability during rough passages. Looking forward to seeing new life back in her.

Thumbs up before I have seen the video👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I think you have to think of everything as at least dual purpose, like: “I am so glad we used 1” PET for the doghouse benches because now I don’t have to worry about working on 15 horse outboard sheltered out of the pouring rain”. Nice job. Happy holidays. Bench length is perfect for bracing in rough weather.

2ft ceiling height is luxurious, spent 20 years on Navy bunks had about a foot or more, banged my head more than once.

Those thinking those berth spaces are to small are not sailors... It is palatial, AND as sea berths, they will be snug and in part of the boat that is most comfortable underway.. Awesome.

Fantastic filming of technique and wonderful explanation. Great episode with amazing progress,proper ocean going design, bravo.

The footrest is what I’ve immediately thought when you explained the bench position before. I tend to have my feet „stowed” somehow whenever I’m sailing since there’s always something to keep in my hands instead of keeping my self from sliding around….😂

The light coming in from behind the bench in the quarterberths seems like it would be nice - any thought to put something like a skylight into the shelf you build behind the bench?

The footrest should fold out from the down wall of the bench, pretty easy solution. When not in use folded to the wall, so you dont kick in it when you just pass trough. When needed just kick it out wth your heel from wall. Think about it.

I think the skylight, table and foot rest ideas are all great. Personally I think some kind of drop down (or up) foot rest, one on each side would be nicer. But then it's not my boat and a single central rail would be a lot easier to make.

Love the new format! Less pumping and more laying, wetting and rolling. LOL Also, love the Shatner impression, "It is....very....convenient." Cracked me up because it came out so naturally. 😂

I would add an electric light next to the door instead of cutting it out. A lot of time it will be night on the boat. And the footrest/table could be hidden in a false floor that could be raised up with actuators and other methods to get it to the right height while not taking up too much space. But the floor would still be flat when not in use.

Wishing you all a great Christmas and may 2024 bring splashing moments

Digging the piano jazz!

Lamination is just the thing I need to get through my treadmill work outs. It's like arriving at your destination but not really remembering the drive there 🙂 Keep em coming.

I’ve been following since the first video. Great progress and amazing skills. The sleeping quarters look great to me; the snugness of the second space has a fun element to it

It's really cool how the light gets into the cabins from the top behind the seatbenches. It would be a cool idea to incorporate some skylight into the shelft you planned for behind the top of the benches. Great craftmanship and neat execution as always!

Just tried to add a comment but RU-vid inserted an ad. If this is a duplicate, mea culpa. But my suggestion was to add deadlights in the vertical parts of the doghouse benches if you thought there might not be enough natural light in those sleeping compartments. Also, the height of the benches from the sole might leave feet dangling uncomfortably. Fold down footrests, say 6 inches wide at an appropriate height might alleviate that issue and be stowed out of the way while at sea. Great videos.

Matt with the back ground music and the calming sound of your voice when explaining what’s going on it brings to mind what Charlie Brown would sound and look like as an adult 😅

Have you thought about building hatches in the benches into those berths? The new Alubat Ovnis have a quarter berth with a hatch that opens under a cockpit bench. I know your berths are inside the doghouse, but, it could provide a means of egress in and emergency, and therefore a less “claustrophobic” feeling. It could also provide a hatch for easy stowage of extra luggage, sails, bikes etc.

❤ The charlie brown music rocks.

Nice to see the spaces come to life. Looking comfy. Not to overlook the master bedroom up front, there's plenty of room for a number of visitors. Thanks for the video.😁😁😁👍👍

where you hve your fluorescent lights, you need to put in long handholds. At the base of the rail (ceiling) put some color changing led's, covered with a diffusion strip. That way you can make it red for night watch and ambient color for when you are docked.

Maybe leave the door frame alone but cut a triangle or oval shape into the bulkhead, leaving a grabrail sized bit between the doorway and new cutout, you could round the corners and make the grabrail round, plus the opening could be used to hang wet gear.

Having made a short passage on a swan 46 that had a doghouse added almost identical to yours I can say that you will enjoy most of your time on the benches facing forward and aft, not sitting there picnic bench style. I was visualizing a long footrest along the base of the benches instead of a rail down the center.

Starts looking like a very very very great blue marble ocean cruiser! Swing-arm-tables would be great working with a laptop legs up view to the bow.

The mid ship quarter births are fine in size. There is no need or reason to change the shape of the entry door, that would be silly and most likely being suggested by people with no realistic boat experience in design. If your looking for more light, create some windows on the bench seating side. Another thought would be to create a storage space floor area between the bench seating. Use that for life jackets or other long items. But make it in a way where everything can be opened for access to as stated the battery storage area below everything. If anything could be or should be added to the births would be handles to help the person getting into the top bunk. Maybe even a partial mid height step on the fwd or aft wall mid height with handles. especially if the person on the top bunk is trying to climb down over someone below.

This is so awesome! Well done Matt!

We never worry about the load on wood planks when we make wood picnic benches. We just all have a feel for what is needed

I think the foot hold great idea and even the same shape above mirror look to hold while walking through went under way

Great job Matt, looking great! You keep me amazed. OK that’s where I want to sleep, on that nice bench, not crawl through a cubbyhole into a bunk. L O L

Looks great! Instead of a foot rest, I'd be tempted to have a false floor with storage underneath (but then I guess it might make headroom in the doghouse too low), with battery and motor access from the quarterberths... decision, decisions!

it is nice to sit in the saloon and see what is going on around you. 👍👍

sorry, I do not mean to neg but I think the permanent handrail idea is erm, not good, bad. imagine carrying two plates of lunch upstairs, or a salad bowl and a bottle of wine, in a pitching sea, and having to squeeze past a ballet style handrail. have you considered a wedge each side? or graded slope for bracing? parallel hand rails on the coach roof? sockets for a table? far too narrow a passageway for anything else. love your work, the dream is real!

Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas to you Matt, Yanni and LePaws!

Great work guys! Loving forllowing your videos and your dedication to Duracell. I have a small yacht in the UK called Lilly. I need to do works like you!!!

I think having a foothold/ footrest under a table would be a big plus. If I am hanging my legs over while sitting down eventually would make them go to sleep. Would also be nice for bracing yourself in rougher waters.

Hi. Been watching your refit a bit In this episode watching how you are doing the taping around the cut out in the bulkhead. If you use glass tapes that are on a 35 ° bias rather than the 0°/90° bias used. The cloth will go around the full circumference of the cut out without having to cut it. Just need to cut your length.

watching the work/lamination/ progress never gets boring keep up the good work and the videos coming

It's insane how easy you make this all look Mat, but I dare say that is the experienced eyes and practiced hands of a craftsman at work. And before you object to my compliment about being a craftsman (because you're far too humble like that), lets not forget that craftsman was not historically a self awarded title it was one bestowed by others who held or hold a tradesman's work and abilities in high regard.

I like the footrest idea, and table too, perhaps make extenders for either of the benches to make a daybed supported by the centre structure.

As an Air B&B that bunk room will be perfect, we look forward to booking it!😂😂😂

Fantastic progress! I’ve been mulling over your bench heights this week (while procrastinating on my boat projects) and for me, once cushions are added they’d be too high. I’d run a length of stainless / carbon tube as a footrest along the front base of each - that allow for easy cleaning (high traffic area), a good footrest / brace point, and also being a full length piece, it’s less likely to be an ankle basher. Anyway, back to cutting holes in our boat. Seasons greetings to you guys from us in St Maarten!

It appears that light is coming from above the births which I believe will be a shelf behind the main cabin benches. If those shelves can be a translucent plexiglass, light will come in to each area from above. Maybe a horizontal curtain can shut out the light when it is not wanted

Happy holidays, take Christmas off! See you next year 🎉

Hey Matt- great idea to have the footrest in the main salon- If you made it out of teak or stainless with some form of grip on it that would be cool. Because the floor is lower - the foot rest would make it a little more comfortable I'm sure.

Over the last 107 episodes, I feel like I've gotten an apprentice's education from the master in laminating and bagging techniques! I catch some thing new from you almost every episode.

Merry Christmas, shes coming on nicely

Hard earned content, ‘fiberglassing’, we just enjoy. It is the music that caps it off. Happy Holidays, CHEERS!

Love the rail idea, and could watch you guys glass for another couple of years. I learn something new in every episode.

Sick or not, I enjoy watching you fiberglass.

an interesting point made concerning four people sat not being a load baring issue, even on half thickness material, wowza, but i wonder if three or four people sat while the boat could be tossing and turning in a swell, if bottoms become airborne at sea, might their impact become an issue ? that's a what if scenario (might just simply avoid bad weather or put the new home through her paces) great progress as always, and i wish you both (and the inspector) a great Christmas and another wonderful New Year

TAKE CHRISTMAS OFF! 😀 You guys deserve a decent break, so go chill and have some fun, Duracel will still be there when you return'. Thank you for all the content over the past 12 months; you are truly inspirational. Season's greeting and best wishes for 2024!

Seeing the boat taking shape must be exhilarating, Fine work.

At first I really didn't like the tiny quarter birth cubbies, but now that I see it I absolutely love it!

The changes are so great to watch. Thank you!

I love watching all the fiberglass work and never get tired of it. You are great at it and I love how each task you do is done. Its very interesting to watch. Please keep showing all the little jobs you do. Love your work.

If the seat base is going to have 4” of foam the base appears to be too high. I would suggest adding a spacer of 4” and sit on that to verify that you have the desired height.

Really nice progress.

They turned out awesome and so much more space. I think some clear or tinted acrylic in the gap between top of bench and doghouse would be really cool to make small skylights into the berths! Could be a really nice feature and help with any feeling of enclosure 👍🏻 love your videos guys! Keep up the amazing work!!!

Transformative! Goodonyas!

Happy holidays it’s coming together nicely 😊

Like a glove! 🤣😂👍👍nice job, Matt!👍👍great episode! Keep rolling Duracell team!👍👍

Awesome guys

The boat is looking better with each video. The footrest idea is great so that when the boat is helping, you and your passengers have a way to brace themselves in their seats, especially those on the high side. I like the high rail idea with the table option, but don’t know how much room you will have to walk down each side, so glad that you are planning to make a model or template of your idea as in the videos it looks smaller than actual to me because in my mind I am adding cushions, etc which take up space. Keep up the great job.

Happy Holidays guys! Awesome work as always! Cheers!

You should make a "skylight" i the small rooms up in the shelves behind the benches

Love the music 🎶 🎵

The shelves behind the benches would be awesome made from a big bit of clear acrylic, little more natural light down into the births. even a thin inch strip you might be able to pick up an offcut.

Don't worry so much about showing another glassing job. It's still nice to watch, its not too much, and still the right amount compared to the other footage.

You're doing great work It's looking fantastic

Happy new year for you all

Watching the boat coming together is why most are here , the design and thought to every piece is awesome . The quarter berth cabins will be great for the off watch crew to get away from the hustle on deck . To have your own space to sleep , relax or just be alone is a luxury not found on smaller boats . Well done ! Merry Christmas and have a productive & safe New Year .

I’d a put a pilot House on the starboard side with a nav station to get out of the elements.

What a result! Bravo! Merry christmas!

Merry Christmas ! 🎄

For your table idea, wonder if you could get something that could adjust height and serve to bridge the gap of the benches to serve as an additional sleeping area? Think about your project and how daunting it must feel at times. So cool to see you guys breaking it down piece by piece and getting closer every episode. Great work!

See how there is nice filtered light coming down into the two quarterberths (from where the shelf behind the benches above will be)? I think that adds to the sense of space in the quarterberths. Would it be practical to keep some of that 'skylight' effect light by eg having some clear acrylic panels in the shelf? Natural overhead light is a great way to alleviate any sense of claustrophobia and makes any space feel bigger, etc...

Just love to see your work and the magical things you are doing with this boat. I'm happy to see you building your dream.

Looking good

You are the resin king,very talented! Merry Christmas

The rail + table sounds like a great idea!

Really coming along guys. Enjoyed the video and looking forward to the next video. Happy Holidays and stay safe….

Love the idea of a footrest, not crazy about having the walkway divided even though it would make a perfect nested table spot. In bad weather getting past it would suck!

it's frieking awesome!!!!!! great wrk!

Lots of room! Lookin’ good! Feliz Navidad🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄⛵️⛵️⛵️

For the full mattress quarterberth, you may be able to reclaim 6-8" of headspace by moving the mattress towards the sole so that the widest point at the surface of the mattress has the 'intended' width - Nobody will be applying full weight at the outermost few inches and it can safely be thinner against the hull, but the headspace this change offers will be worthwhile.

Happy Christmas to You & Yanni. Thanks for a year of great content. And all the best for 2024.