|
More May be Less,
more or less….
The way people buy stuff varies quite a bit. If they are buying a house,
for example, they tend to evaluate how many people will live there, what
homes providing that space cost, and whether they can afford it. It’s a
straightforward exercise. Buying boats, however, many abandon that
technique in favor of: 1) Is it new or used? 2) How long is it? 3) Can I
fit (or do I think I can fit) my stuff into it? On the surface this may
seem as logical as the first method, but it’s not.
The problem stems from focusing in on the boat’s footprint and then
assuming because someone builds in another berth, head, or other
amenity, that another adult can be accommodated. Truth be told, just
because someone says it “sleeps-8”, doesn’t mean that most of us want to
cruise that way. Sea keeping aside, comfort aboard is still directly
related to square-footage per person. Simply replacing 2 larger heads
with three smaller ones may actually result in less comfort for those
aboard. More berths: same story.
Builders like to answer every question “yes” implying that their boat
can do anything. Comfort, however, usually improves with a few larger
spaces rather than a bunch of smaller ones. Square footage is square
footage. Even a beamy 50-footer probably has less than 650 square feet
of livable interior. Would you really consider sharing that space with 5
other people for more than a day or two? I don’t think so. Look for
comfort in the size of the spaces and not just headcount accommodated.
Remember, sometimes the best extra berth is a rolled up sleeping bag,
and the best extra shower is hanging outside in the cockpit.
But that’s just my opinion.... |
