Say what you will, life in the fo’c’s’le has come a long way
since the days when crewmembers slept in hammocks and were rationed a tot of rum
per day. Nevertheless, as the size of yachts has increased, the arrangement
of crew accommodations has varied little, despite its crucial role in
maintaining a smoothly run ship. Whether or not this is because a large
percentage of owners give the subject little thought is debatable, but several
progressive yacht owners who value their crew—and thus the crew’s peace of
mind—have recently taken a closer look at improving life belowdecks for their
employees.
 Tim Heywood’s GA for Pelorus includes quarters for 40 crew and separate space for her
officers. (Click image to enlarge)
The subject of the ship’s complement should be an important
point of discussion during any yacht design process. Traditionally, there were
two schools of thought: the American and the European. The former tended toward
accommodating fewer people, albeit in reasonably comfortable spaces and perhaps
sharing the galley/informal dining area, while the latter espoused a larger
crew, oftentimes relegated to tighter quarters and a segregated space in the
boat. The American theory tended to house captain and crew in the same section
of the hull, while Europeans parked their captains next to the bridge. Over the
past 20 years, the lines have blurred, and today most designers worth their salt
espouse an approach that allows for enough crew cabins for sufficient staff plus the space and privacy they
need to live comfortably.
 Crew quarters need to work in harmony with the
yacht’s physical design as well as its intended use, whether it be heavy charter
or the owner’s exclusive use. Privacy is paramount to crew, who usually
share cabins. Locking drawers, separate hanging lockers and curtains
around bunks help provide a sense of personal space. (Click image to enlarge)
There have been some grand experiments. Certainly, the most
daring in recent memory was Gerald Ronson’s 57-meter (187-foot) My Gail III,
designed by Jon Bannenberg and built at Amels during the mid-eighties. In what
might nowadays be called a paradigm shift, Bannenberg reversed the placement of
the crew and guest accommodations, moving the guest cabins to the forward—and
less voluminous—portion of the boat, while giving over the most beamy section of
the hull to the appreciative crew. Some sailing yachts—Mirabella I and
III
are examples—have successful crew quarters in their beamy aft sections adjacent
to engine room access, galley and technical spaces. This concentrates the noise
of operation away from guest areas and takes into consideration that while
owners rarely make rough passages, crew always do, and thus benefit most from
berths in the most stable part of the boat.
 A happy crew. Photograph by Dana Jinkins. (Click image to enlarge)
Despite the enormous amount of total space My Gail III’s
arrangement provided, the cabins themselves were not as well planned as they
might have been. Nevertheless, one part of the arrangement plan provides a good
example: The mess, which sees use around the clock when a yacht is at sea or
engaged in charter, was far more spacious aboard My Gail than were
such spaces aboard contemporary boats of equal size, and spaciousness is a
critical component when designing crew accommodations on blue-water
yachts.There are features that should be included if the spaces are to work well
under the 24/7 regime under which most large yachts operate. The crew mess—one
that ideally can accommodate the entire crew for meals or meetings—should have plenty of
counter space for trays and small appliances.Because it should be separated
from the galley, it should have its own large refrigerator/freezer, as well as a
large sink, a trash compactor and a dishwasher. Cupboards should have fitted
stowage for the flatware, glassware and china that is used by the crew.
 Crew dining. Photograph by Dana Jinkins. (Click image to enlarge)
In regard to seating, a common error is to equip the mess with
one enormous table surrounded on three sides by a settee and stools on the
fourth. It is far better to have two tables, which simplifies access to the
corner or middle cushions. In addition, the table bases should be fitted with
slides to allow them to move diagonally. For use in a seaway, removable fiddles
are helpful. On very large yachts, there is often a distinct separation between officers
and ratings. This may be exclusively a function of rank, but it is often a
societal matter, inasmuch as the two strata often do not speak the same native
language. In other cases, it is simply a realization that a mixed male and
female crew may function more harmoniously if given the chance to relax
separately. On vessels with a cadre of officers, such as the 115-meter
(377-foot) Lürssen Pelorus, a separate officers’ mess is commonly included in the arrangement. Just as important is a
separate mess and lounge for the owner’s staff.
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