A new interior for Janner.
(Click the images for enlargements)

Back in 1999, when we first saw Janner, we realised that she was the boat we were looking for, despite all the ‘only minor’ adjustments we told ourselves had to be done.
Before we bought her we already made up a ‘to-do’ list.
One of the major items on this list was making the interior the way we wanted it.
Though Janner was initially build by Gaffers & Luggers as an open Racing boat, a few years later, the cabintop, cockpit and interior were added by another boatyard.
The result was not half as good a job as the boats I have seen which were fitted out at Gaffers & Luggers.

We sailed Janner for 2 seasons, during which we came to realise that the best way to deal with the existing interior was to rip it out completely and build it again from scratch.

The first winter 1999/2000, I had already replaced her deck and completely overhauled the hull, cabintop and spars, build a new rudder etc, See Buying Janner

Next winter I spent building a 7”10’ Acorn Tender designed by Iain Oughtred.
This little lapstrake boat serves as a tender to Janner.

Last winter, december 2001, finally came the time to start rebuilding the interior.

I had by then drawn a plan of the new layout.
Layout Old and New
Also the floor would be lowered by 2 inches, to create more headroom.
This would keep open the possibility for a lower cabintop in the future.
Sitting headroom under the sidedecks would also be possible, the old seats were too high so you couldn’t sit under the sidedeck.

To maintain the same style throughout the boat I choose to use plywood panelling, painted off-white, trimmed with varnished cherry.
The bulkheads at the front and rear of the cabin were left in place.
The U-seat, chart table, heads, galley and engine front were all removed.

I then started building the new interior part by part.

First the new bulkhead, which was to separate the heads from the saloon, was measured and made from 12 mm. ply and covered with western red cedar staving.
This bulkhead was bonded to the hull with thickened epoxy, covered with epoxy and glass tape.
Where possible old (half) bulkheads and bunksupports, which were all bonded to the hull, were maintained and used to good advantage.

Port side.

A chart-table is located nearby the companionway, as close to the cockpit as possible.
This space was first used for the heads, not particularly handy.
Underneath the chart-table are 2 batteries and 220V-charger, which were formerly located in the port cockpit locker, where also the diesel (gasoline) tank is sited.

The electrical control panel is located behind the chart table, thus concentrating all the technical stuff at one location.
Forward of the nav-table is a settee with 2 small lockers with glass doors and bookshelf in between.
New Saloon            Old Saloon
Against the new bulkhead a new teak table is mounted with two large hinges, the table can completely fold and hinge up to be stowed against the bulkhead.

This allows for a double berth to be formed by placing filler pieces between the port and starboard settees.
I also think it can be handy when sailing regatta's to have a large open saloon to throw in sails and stuff !
Between the new bulkhead and the main bulkhead is the new heads, it has a large locker underneath the side deck, with a sliding shelf for a washing bassin underneath.

Starboard side.

The new galley is located were it was, near the companionway, at the aft end of the cabin.
The old galleytop was too high, thus restricting the acces to the storage space behind the galley.
By lowering the floor by 50 mm, as well as lowering the galleytop from 900 to 850 mm.  100 mm. of extra space was created.
This allowed for a substantial storage locker to be build behind the galley.
This locker has a 3-part sliding door, built of cherry faced plywood.
New Galley            Old Galley
The old gas-stove was replaced by a Taylor’s 030 parrafin stove with 2 burners and oven.
It takes a little getting used to but it's a very handsome and good cooker. (no more gas onboard !)
To the left is a large stainless steel sink with brass galleypump. underneath is the parraffin tank for the stove and some storage.

Since the galley surface was lowered by 4 inches the sink now has to drain into the keel underneath the engine.
Perhaps one day I will make a holding tank which will automaticaly pump the contents overboard but for now draining in the keel works fine.

At the right side of the stove is a custom made cooling chest.
I started the cooling chest by making a plywood box, which was made as large as possible given the space available.
This plywood box was constructed using “liquid joinery”.
Plywood panels are sawn and taped together, using masking tape on the outside of the chest. Then the whole thing is braced to keep it square, and then all inner joints are covered with thickened epoxy, forming a nice rounded fillet.
After the epoxy has hardened, the tape is removed and the fillets are covered with glass-tape and epoxy.
This box was then insulated at the inside, using 2 inches of high quality foam.
Inside this insulation a plywood box was made.
The inside of this inner box is also filleted and covered with glass tape and epoxy.
A covering lid is made, using the same building methods, incorporating 1 or better 2 good sealing gaskets, because the seam of the lid is the most likely place where cold is being lost.

I’m very happy with the result, although the cooling chest is only 30 litres (6,5 gallon), if opened not to often it can keep food and beer cold for 3 to 4 days !

Forward of the galley is a small settee, 1.2 meter long with stowage behind the backrest as well as shelf above.
Forward of this settee (opposite the heads) is a locker, which purpose still has to be defined.
My wife want's to have a clothes locker, while I think the space would be perfect to make a workbench and tool storage.
I think in the end it will turn out to be a clothes locker !
In the focsle I made a elevated berth at the starboard side, with stowage underneath.
We are not entirely happy with this arrangement, so perhaps some remodeling will have to be carried out.

The engine front now has a large opening door, which allows good acces to the engine.
This door is made using 22 mm. (7/8 inch) plywood, a rabbet routed around the perimeter of the door has a hollow gasket glued into it.
When the door is closed, this gasket presses against the doorframe, thus preventing any possible sound leak.
Because the engine is not insulated the noise is still too much.

Next winter (2002/2003) I plan to completely rebuild the cockpit, this job shall also involve building a soundproof box around the engine.

(This article was printed in reduced size in the autumn issue of the GALA newsletter.)