Lagoon Catamaran Storage Planning Tips: Cabins
In this blog we talk about planning where to store items in the cabins onboard your Lagoon Catamaran. By taking time to sort, organise and stow your belongings, you can maximise the impressive amount of thoughtfully planned storage areas on board.
After years of sailing the Caribbean and provisioning Lagoon Catamarans for charters, deliveries and recreational sailing, Jenny has plenty of experience and recommendations on preparing your voyage and hopes that these tips and tricks are helpful to fellow sailors.
Jenny spent most of her time on a Lagoon 560 and Lagoon 52, but the information below can easily be adapted to your Lagoon model – it’s all about what works for you!
Planning & Storage
Whether preparing for your first voyage or reorganising items already onboard, start by having a good look through your Lagoon Catamaran and finding which storage areas will be useful for different items. In each cabin, have a look for storage compartments under the beds, under the floorboards (in the bilge), and in your drawers and cupboards.
From living aboard for 8 years with more-often-than-not a full boat, a great place to stow sheets and towels is in each specific cabin. Find an area which is relatively easy to get to and ideally, only stow 2-3 sets of linen for that cabin – depending on how long you plan on going between washes.
For most, having one set in use and a 2nd on hand for a linen change is enough. By organising and limiting what you have onboard, you will find that the linen will be regularly used and ‘turned-over’ preventing it from sitting in a cupboard, unwashed for long periods of time. You will also save on storage space. It’s a win-win!
Have a good talk with any interested crew about stowing items in the bilges. There is a ton of storage space below the floorboards, however it can be a good idea to keep certain areas clear of items – for example any compartments containing a grey-water box or bilge pump – so they can be easily accessed if required.
If you do decide to stow items in clear sections of the bilge, use large storage tubs to contain the items. Before purchasing, take measurements and make sure these large tubs will fit through the floorboard openings 🙂
Storage tubs are great for containing any liquids that might spill and will prevent them from spreading throughout the bilge – that sounds like a lot of unnecessary cleaning!
For example, in warmer climates soft drink cans can burst open if left in the heat for too long. They also keep your items nicely contained and dry, in the event that any water or liquid might enter the bilge.
Under the beds and beneath the floorboards, you can store items such as spare interior cleaning items and toiletries, toilet paper, extra dry provisions for longer voyages, shopping bags, board games and interior related spare parts.
This leaves a majority of the cupboard and wardrobe space free and available for your personal belongings.
If you have separate storage space in the hallways, this can be great for items which need to be kept in a dry environment such as power tools, batteries, torches/flashlights and user manuals. It is also a great place to safely stow spare navigation equipment such as charts, a sat phone and cruising guides.
Remember to prioritise items that may need to be grabbed quickly, make sure they are easily accessible and that everyone on board knows where they are.
Keeping Things Organised
Shipshape: “To keep items and belongings in good order, neatly and securely”
Whether you are a fan of spring cleaning – or not – going through your cupboards and storage areas at least once a season is greatly beneficial for a number of reasons. It gives you the chance to wipe the cupboard out with 50/50 vinegar/water to prevent corrosion on metals and mildew on other surfaces, to organise and re-group similar items, and remove any expired, worn or unwanted items onboard.
Maintaining organised storage compartments helps in finding things, remembering where things are and how much of something you have onboard to prevent doubling up.
I hope you have found this blog useful and are inspired to thoughtfully organise and plan the cabins and hallway areas on your catamaran! You might decide to move things a few items at a time in the beginning, but once everything finds its place – a personal decision – living on your meticulously designed yacht will become natural and seamless. Cheers and Happy Sailing!
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