Meet Oatmeal Savage
Before you say anything, we did try our darndest to change her name.
"It'll be the first thing to change!" we said.
Until we just couldn't. I can't explain it - it just didn't feel right. We don't believe in any boat superstitions about it being bad luck to rename a boat, but somehow, this name just sunk it's teeth in and hasn't let go.
So, here she is - Oatmeal Savage, a Pearson 424.
Built in 1980 (yes, before either of us were born), this solid boat has a good reputation as a solid and sturdy boat. Coming from our last boat, a Beneteau 393, we really wanted a bit more space and lot more weight. Lucky for us, this lovely boat was sitting in the marina of our home town, ready for it's next adventure.
Some major bonuses that she came with were:
- Spectra water maker already installed
- A good selection of well-maintained sails
- A solid hull with no soft-spots
- A large cock-pit
Some downsides are:
- her age - but we've found on the west coast, to find a boat in our price-range (under $100K CAD), she's gonna be an oldy!
- only 1 head
- only 2 cabins (but don't worry - more to come on that front)
Though she is a turn-key boat, we have lots of personalization we want to do, and some general fixes. We'd like to add:
- a swim-grid off the back
- a davits for the dinghy and more space for solar panels
- turn the aft cabin/nav table into a quarter-berth (#teenager)
How about a step inside?
I’ll admit that when I first stepped into our boat, I thought it was a little dark inside. While it was a rainy April afternoon, it wasn’t really all that dark outside, it was the wood I was seeing. It took me a moment to realize that the wood I was seeing was actually in great shape in its bounty, but it’s everywhere.
It didn’t take long for my apprehension to turn into appreciation. My judgment was quick and unjust. I love the interior of our boat more and more all the time.
Luckily for us, the interior has been really well taken care of for a long time. The only big things we want to change is the upholstery on the main couches and then updating the kitchen a bit.
Essentially, I want the interior of the boat to look like our home, same warm colours and textures, but floating on the water. Ha!
Oh, and then adding a 3rd cabin/quarter-berth by moving the nav table- right, that’s a big one. Gulp. We’ll keep you updated… Who am I kidding - there are a million little projects to do inside, but I won’t list them all now.
Now, take a look at the layout. I’ve been into a decent number of monohulls and have never quite encountered this layout. It’s strange yet quite functional.
From the cockpit, you step straight into a cabin, which is holds the navigation table. Through a door, you’re into the galley on your left, with another door to your right for the head.
The galley is a basic U shape, with ample storage and a chest fridge. When I say ample, I mean AMPLE, like you could sneak a lot of chips into these cupboards. It’s insane - and terrifying. Getting to the very bottom of those cupboards is an acrobatic feat itself.
Looking forward, we have couches (or settees) on both sides (that was on on our “dream boat” list), with storage behind. You pass by the mast on your left and then you’re into the v-berth. This is a spacious cabin, with a small sink and counter space to your left and a sitting zone and hanging locker to your right. The bed is quite high up, but it feels roomy in there.
One thing that was on our “dream list” that didn’t make it was a second head or toilet. We might live to regret not sticking to that one, but so far it’s been fine. Worst case scenario we could invest in a small porte-potty, but that I think that’s almost worse. We’ll see.
Otherwise, our head is great. We really wanted a shower inside the boat and didn’t let us down! This has been a game changer for summer swimming and extended trips, especially with teenagers. I mean, the bathroom itself is still tiny, but you can do all you need to in there.
Here are a few "before" shots of the interior.
