Boat tour

This week has been mostly sunny but with some strong winds (gusting 35kts) so we have been relaxing in the orangery. The sun has heated it up and it’s been like sitting in the cockpit on a hot summer day. Of course with the suggested gin and tonic.

A few people have been asking for more details about the boat so we thought we would give you a quick tour.

ZigZag was built in 2001 for Moody Yachts to a Bill Dixon design, she is a Moody 42, so 42ft in length (12.9 metres) with a 4 metre beam and 1.8 metre draft.

She is designed for comfort rather than speed, for a cruising couple with occasional visitors and capable of crossing oceans.

We have an in mast furling main sail, which is relatively small but is compensated by a very large roller furling Genoa.

Being a centre cockpit boat it has a good sized aft deck area (we call this our dance floor) which has 2 large lockers, deep enough to stand in, this is where we keep ropes, fenders, sails, dinghy etc. These could also become the ships brig should there be any mutiny on board! There is also a gas locker for the gas bottles.

At the bow we have the anchor and chain locker with an electric windlass which has proved to be a necessity in the deep and good holding anchorages around the Mediterranean.

As you have seen last week, we have a lovely new enclosure covering our cockpit, I’m pleased to say that Paul has rigged up some twinkling lights so we’re continuing with the Christmas spirit!

The engine and autohelm controls are in the cockpit along with a compass and displays for speed, depth and wind.

As you go down below from the companionway you step into the saloon. The 2 fresh water tanks are below the sofas each side. In total, these hold 364 litres which generally lasts us for 2 weeks of cruising if we use it sparingly.

Thanks to Freda for the blankets, she has been very busy knitting and crocheting.

Adjacent to the saloon is the galley area which has a large fridge and separate cool box, gas oven and hob and 2 sinks. There is a separate area below the cockpit where we have a small grill, induction hob, coffee maker and ice machine (making the most of being connected to shore power). Below this area is the diesel tank which holds 274 litres of fuel.

Aft of the galley area is a walk through bathroom which connects to the aft cabin. It has a marine toilet, sink and separate shower cubicle.

There is also secondary access to the engine room from here, where the toilet provides a useful perch for Paul while he contemplates the next maintenance task.

We have 2 double cabins on board. The aft cabin is where we sleep, as you have seen on previous posts the batteries, electrical systems and autohelm are all under this bed.

There is access from this cabin to the small single cabin on the port side. This is designed for use on passage, although we’ve never used it for this purpose and generally it has turned into Paul’s workbench. He often has all of his tools laid out here when working on large projects.

This cabin also has the main access to the engine room. We have a 50 hp Volvo engine with a sail drive propeller system. Being a sailboat, we always hope for favourable winds to sail (doesn’t always happen) and for the engine to only be used for close quarter manoeuvres when mooring.

Forward from here takes you back to the saloon and chart table. Here there is the electrical control panel, displays for battery usage, the VHF radio and a radar screen (although this is the original radar and a bit temperamental so on the list for a replacement)

Continue forward past the chart table and through the saloon to the forward cabin which is a vee-berth for guests, as we can’t have any of those at the moment this has become a great storage room! We do have lots of lockers on board, but under this berth there is an enormous area where we keep most things that we don’t use regularly, ie. storm sail, riding sail, spare bedding and quilts, power tools, sewing equipment etc.

There is also another smaller bathroom in this cabin.

ZigZag is a very comfortable liveaboard boat for 2 people. Allegedly she sleeps 7 but that would be very cosy, (they must mean little people) any more than 4 means you’ve got people sleeping on your sofas, therefore you have to get on well. However it is always great when friends and family visit and along with everyone else, we look forward to the time when things go back to ‘normal’, borders re-open and we are able to welcome guests on board once again.