Head design-- X or M

[Russ]

I've never been inside an X, but after seeing photos my wife says she likes the head further aft.

We are tall people and the head in our M seems so tiny. It's claustrophobic for us. It's better than nothing, but it is cramped.
Her thought was the X must have more headroom because the head is located at the taller part of the cabin. Is this true?

The X also has that little sink, however most posters claim they don't use it.

[MadMacX]

Well, I'm just the opposite, I have an X, and I find the X head to be very cramped. That stupid sink you refer to is the real problem as far as I'm concerned. I never use it and it is a major inconvenience. I'm rather short (5'7") and I find the head to be very cramped. My wife is considerably shorter and she also doesn't like the amount of available space. BTW, neither of us would be considered over weight either. If they just had left out the sink, I think the X head would have been a major selling point for that boat.

I have looked a various ways to try and improve the head area, but short of a major re-work, I don't see how to make the head work. When I first looked at the boat I thought the head area might be a little small, but in real use it's WAY too small. Maybe it's just that at my age I don't like to make comprises in my comfort.

We originally looked at an M, but my wife was not impressed with the head design, and all i could think of was how to redesign it to make it acceptable. Rather than make a lot of mods to a new M, I decided to look at used X's. That is how we ended up with our present X.

Russ, if you don't like the M head, I sincerely doubt that the X head will be an improvement. I just wish Roger was over 6' tall, then maybe he would have designed the head to be a usable area.

Just my .02 worth.

Pat

[Trouts Dream]

I have an 97 X and looked at the M style before purchasing. We went with the X for a lot of other reasosn but the head was a small part. The access from the cockpit is easier (quicker) and we have found that the head is an okay size to do your business but to small for the prep and final assembly stages. We tend to keep the door open for the start and finish stages and when we have guests on board, recomend the same, as long as everyone is in the cockpit area.
I also have small feet and the sink base is a major inconvienience for the size 12 feet on 2 of my sons. But thats there problem.

Just as an aside, the major reason we chose the X over the M was the extra climb up and down to go from the cockpit to the cabin. Since this is the most travelled portion when we are on board (the beer and food is in the cabin) we have been very happy with our choice. In addition, although I wanted a 2000 or later, the deal on the 97 was too good to turn down. Turns out the fixed steps or platforms are the perfect perch for the Admiral to stand with just her head out (like a gopher) keeping her body out of the wind and still able to keep an eye on what I am doing.

Happy Wife, Happy Life.

[ronacarme]

The head in the M and in my old 26D are in the same place on the boat, namely behind the V-berth and ahead of the daggerboard trunk. The boats are of the same length and beam. I would guess that the head width and length is similar in both, tho the M may have more headroom. Given that, the head in our present 2001 X seems substantially roomier than our old 26D head, so it would not surprise me if the X head is roomier than that on the M.

[Don T]

Hello,
I'm 6' @ 240 lbs and the X head is too small for me. It's not the head room as much as it is the leg room(it's tight shoulder wise too). The sink is in the way of my left knee. I can make it usable by opening the door to the storage space so my knee can go in there. It's difficult to "do a proper job" (includes paperwork). I end up with the door open and have considered turning the head to face the door so my legs can go out that way. With just my wife and I on board it would be no problem but we take guests along on 1 week cruises so I haven't done it. Also considered expanding the head rear section aft and moving or removing the sink and/or providing space for garbage stowage on extended cruises. It sounds like work to me but so far I've not been afraid of that. Some of my mods have been very labor intensive.

[captronr]

One of the first mods we did to our X was to rotate the PP 90 degrees. Makes it much simpler.

ron

[2BonC]

In my it is used as a wardrobe and for this it does a very good job

Rainer

[Boblee]

Crikey for the amount of time spent in there whats the problem?, I am 6' and don't have a problem except emptying the damn thing and will take every opportunity not to fill it.
If there was a proper head there it would be great not to have to go outside to feed the mossies and sandflies at night.
Can't see it happening so guess we will just have to get a new porta potti as the old one has cracks

[nedmiller]

The head is small but it has advantages. It has enough space under it to run plumbing for the shower drain if you decide to install an indoor shower. I have a mini -motorhome and the bathroom in it is about the same size so i was used to the small space and taking showers sitting down. I put a demand faucet in that little sink with a lever that you push down to get warm water. That lets you wash your hands with ease in the head sink rather than going to the sink where we wash dishes, etc. I also put a couple of shelves under the little sink and that provides some good storage. We like the head placement in the because it allows us to enlarge the sleeping area in the front berth to include all the way to the table--making that berth roomy......and the Admiral likes the breeze coming in the hatch in the evenings.
SILK

[Herschel]

The extra headroom of the X head over the M head was an important part of the decision for me to get an X. The particularly nice feature of the used X that I bought had been a mod the previous owner had done that included an electric toilet with a 13 gal holding tank with an deck pump out fitting on the main deck just above the head compartment. He had also installed an on-demand freshwater system that also ran to the sink in the head, and a through-hull valve that allows use of outside water for toilet flushing. However, I have found the freshwater faucet is an easier source of water for flushing than going under the gear stowed under the dinette seat to open the underwater valve. By installing a longer hose attachment on the head sink faucet, I can extend it out to the cockpit for a freshwater shower in the cockpit, which on some hot Florida days is very refreshing. I am 5'11' and 200 lbs, and the fit is a little tight, but the electric toilet is smaller than a portapotty and gives you extra room.

[blue angel]

They are both small but the M makes it easier to get into the large bunk under the cockpit, plus I worry about an X in a following sea, to easy for water to get inside the boat. The M is a better design for that aspect. I am 6feet 2 inches and can use the M head, though it could be bigger.

[bastonjock]

The head on the x is a bit cramped for me at 6ft,so i tend to do the job with the door open and the potty at 90 deg,its a lot easier.i had friends onboard for a couple of nights,i explained the situation with the heads,the ladies voted for the door open and the washboard in with the guys sitting in the cockpit.

When we had some friends out for a day sail and our teenage daughters went swimming,for the girls to retain their dignity we sat in the cockpit with the washboard in place.

[bscott]

raised the port a pottie 8" and turned it facing the door. Now we have extra space under the p a p for storage and much easier to sit--now how do you make the door header higher?

[Indulgence]

We went with the 'X for the bigger cockpit, easier access to the cabin and slightly bigger head.
Liked the galley setup better as well but all those personal preferences are exactly that, personal.

If I could figure out a way to remove the sink without wrecking the place I'd do it in a second.
Having two sinks with running water on a 26' boat is an outrageous luxury.

If I have to use the head I leave the door open so I can stand up once the invoices are filed.
If guests are squeamish the companionway door is dropped in for a couple of minutes. Kids
fit in fine.

All the complaining and dissatisfaction with the heads on both the 'X and 'M lead me to one
thought. Huge advantage over none at all. Talk to some Hunter or Cat' owner's in your marina
who have a porta-potty cozily nestled under their V-berth with half a curtain for privacy.

My Mom used to say, "I used to complain I had no shoes 'til one day I met a man who had no feet."

Laurie
(14 days to BVI's!)

[JonBill]

This has to be the funniest thread that I've read in a long time.

The humor being an unintended consequence due to the subject matter presenting both real and perceived problems and issues faced by the general public regarding their small craft potty boating dilemmas. I found myself laughing out-loud at many of these responses but truly empathize about all-you-alls problems, albeit a very human condition.

I suppose the very secluded sailing area far from shore where my wife and I frequently sail and the rather temperate climate afford us the pleasure of having the largest and most convenient possible outhouse compliments of Mother Nature. So I've never really been bothered by the size or location of the head on the M and haven't devoted much time or effort thinklng about it or regarding it as a problem.

Another plug for the sailing pleasures off SE Texas.