albin 28 te storage...

[tomcat rio]

...it just occurred to me that the microwave's use doesn't justify the space it takes up. so, out it came (quickly).
...
now i have a decent place to stuff stuff.
..
its certianly easy enough to put back in.

[DougSea]

Funny - your microwave looks very much like a cat...

I don't use my microwave much but I sure do like having it available. And now that the colder days of fall are upon us I suspect I'll be using it even more.

I'll be spending a lot of time over the winter figuring out improved storage aboard my 28. I'll share any thing good that I come up with.

Doug

[chiefrcd]

Use mine all the time, from heating food to fixing coffee. Saves me a ton of money by eating on the boat and not the local restaurants.

[SpaceCoaster]

While we're on the topic of space and cooking/heating implements...

I notice in some of the newer Albin 28's (newer than my 94) the stove seems to sit lower than mine. Low enough that you can gain counter space by placing a cutting board or rigid plastic material over it, flush with the top of the sink. I've been thinking about removing the Stove for the same reasons that Tomcat removed his microwave. I've never used it in two years, so why not? Or does anyone have any suggestions on how to gain extra counter space? As you guys are well aware, storage is at a premium in our otherwise wonderful boats.

Jorge

[Mariner]

We don't use our microwave very often, but we use the stove constantly. Although it would definitely improve storage to eliminate the microwave, we've found that there is a solution that allows you to have your cake and eat it too...

Use the microwave for storage.

[Veebyes2]

My Admiral is another non microwave user. Hardly ever uses the coffee maker either. Coffee must be perked on the stove, which is gas powered. This makes for a very quiet boat. We hardly ever run the genny. It has been almost 7 years & the genny has less than 500hrs on it.

[Mariner]

Our boat is a 2003 and has just 34 hours on the genny. Most of those were clocked in just one weekend.

[jcollins]

I'm in the minority here. I think the more room you have, the more room you will use for stuff that never gets used. My last boat had tons of room...for hundreds of pounds of stuff that rarely or never got used. I'm lucky to have a storage shed within a hundred feet of the boat and a dock box within a few feet. One thing that drew me to this boat is the lack of storage space for stuff that never gets used. Like spacecoast, I'm going to design a cutting board that sits on top of the stove to gain space there as well. I have used my stove once to see if it works. But, I'm not ready to get rid of it yet. I took the microwave out of my last boat and never missed it. But, since we are talking about longer trips in the Albin, I'm sure it will get some use. When it's time for hot coffee I start up the portable genny and brew it up. If we are rafted up, I share a cup or two with fellow boaters. It seems they don't mind the noise as much if I share. <smile>

[Denis]

I use both the stove and the micro when out on the water for a weekend or a week. I always felt that the stove took up too much space for the amount of time I used it. I unbolted it and stored it under the quarter berth. I pop it out when I want to use it and put it on the fold up shelf. It has rubber feet and is stable enough to use that way. I use the spot where it used to be to put a drain board when I wash dishes. When done cooking I put it undr the bunk again. Just that simple thing gave us some very needed space in the galley.
John, I agree with you, the more space you have, the more junk you'll fill it with. Denis

[jcollins]

Denis,
Great idea! The stove gets unbolted this weekend. Actually I was standing and staring at it a couple of weeks ago thinking about the cutting board idea. Sharon came down and asked "what are you thinking about now?"..."just thinking" I replied.

[chiefrcd]

Boat owner thinking:::::: = Danger

[Mariner]

I guess I don't understand the value in a) removing the microwave and b) moving the stove.

The microwave itself can serve as storage. Sure you lose a little bit of space for the mechanics of the thing, but not all that much. And the stove can be easily turned in to counter space by making a cutting board to fit on top of it. This was the very first modification we made to Nordvika, before it even hit the water. Puting the bread in the microwave was just common sense and we never even thought anything of it.

When we first saw boats with microwaves at boat shows about ten years ago, we thought, "what a silly thing to have aboard a boat." But, in retrospect, it's a very intelligent and useful thing to have. They don't use much electricity, cook quickly and safely, and are very versatile. Granted, we don't use ours a whole lot, I definitely wouldn't be without it.

Everyone uses their boats differently, so I can understand a spectrum of opinions about what to have in the galley. But, if you're going to toss out the stove and the microwave, why do you even have the galley at all? Why even have a boat with such a large cabin? What do you eat when overnighting? If you're not overnighting, why not just have an open boat with a simple v-berth cuddy?

[chiefrcd]

I kinda agree...almost, well, maybe.... to me the Albin 28 isn't a crusing boat made so that you can fish off of...it's a fishing boat made so you can week end on. Lots of cockpit, not much cabin. I think many of us are using the 28 as a weekender or cruiser and probably do less fishing, hence space is a premium. Me? I fish...spend the night on the boat at the dock a lot...but don't do much cruising. What I have on board are the bags I take with me, some cleaning supplies, life jackets, bedding and fishing gear. Not much room for anything else. Under the v-berth is the AC under the quarter berth is the water tank....just isn't any room for anything else unless someone has found some space I'm missing.....and yes..I do use my microwave for the bread too....