Deb's Fontaine Pajot Lavezzi 40 In depth critque

As we spend 5 days and 6 nights on the Lavezzi 40 I will be taking copious notes. Please refer back to this page frequently during the 5 days and a few after that as I put down random thoughts and experiences.

1. This is more boat than we need. You always hear it - get the smallest boat you think you can stand and then go smaller and they were right. Not that I don't like the space, but the thought of actually cleaning and maintaining this boat is a little overwhelming. Just the thought of washing and waxing it once a year is enough to give one heart failure.

2. The galley is MOSTLY USELESS. Don't get me wrong, I'm a former camper and I can cook in 2sq ft of picnic table and wash a load of dishes in 2 cups of water, but as far as a liveaboard, I'll be looking for a galley I can cook in comfortably. Specific details:

The main food cupboard is behind the stove so you have to reach across hot pans
and live gas flames to access it.

There are no drawers for silverware and cooking utensils

The sinks are double round bowl sinks that you can't fit any cooking pans in, and
while they are nice and deep, they are unfortunately the same size as the dinner
plates so if you happen to get one flat in the bottom of the sink...well you get
the idea.

There is a very nice recessed drainboard for dishes with a plate rack that is
permanently bolted down so the plates don't move around but no cup for silverware
that would be very handy.

The stove is a propane stove that I really like. Slick and easy to use and cooks
very well. Update on day three - the stove gets top points from me. I think I
like it better than my stove at home.


3. The shower is very nice. Lots of hot water on this boat and a nice shower
head. There is a hatch over the shower so the head didn't steam up much with it
open. It's easy to regulate your water usage because the water collects in the
bottom of the shower stall and you have to manually hold the sump pump button for
it to drain. I find I can take a shower with about a gallon and a half of water.
Update on day three - we've been using the water pretty much as we normally would
and after 3 days we've used just under a quarter of a tank which equals about 37
gallons. Ten to twelve gallons a day for the two of us I would imagine would be
luxury and we could do it with a lot less if we needed to.

4. The bed on this boat, at least the one in the owner's stateroom, is more
acomfortable than the one in my home.