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Show me your galley

Warren Holybee

Warren Holybee

Active Member
So I am at the point of my freezer build I need to decide on a counter top. Last night I pulled out the sink and will be doing that counter at the same time. Probably also the chart table, and basically anything that is currently white Formica.

I am undecided on color/pattern, so show me what you did.
 
If I were to do it I would use 24 gauge or heavier stainless steel. My 5/21/19 sink installation has been wonderful. I added hdpe rails to support 2 hdpe drop in work surfaces. Formica has its place somewhere, but not on a counter top.
Cheers
 
Well, I don't like the look of a Stainless Countertop at all, and it is expensive and difficult to install. Very functional and industrial, but this is a boat for living on , not a restaurant. I gave consideration to Corian, and would really like that, but I am self installing it, and not sure about cutting out the lids, installing hinges etc. That really needs to be perfect to look good. Also, Corian is thicker, and I am afraid it will lock in the cabinets, which will need to be removed in a few years to replace hoses etc. Also, it's pricier.

So, Formica is the compromise. The original is Formica, and in bad shape after 40+ years. But I think new Formica will be fine and last well. It's easy enough to self install and do a good job, inexpensive, and I can have my galley back together in a reasonable timeframe.

Also looking at sinks. I might try to reuse the sink that is there, but need to inspect and test it. It might have a pinhole leak-not visible except for a drop of water that appears on the underside. But maybe it is condensation or dripping from somewhere else. I will need to inspect and test it outside of the boat. Requirements for a sink. It absolutely MUST be 2 basin, and the MUST be 10" deep, not the 6 or 8 inches almost all of them seem to be now. I have found only one that fits and meets that requirement, and it is $800. So saving the original sink is prefered.
 
Warren, I have pinhole in main next to drain. I patch it from the outside with 5200 and It works. I may look for new sink as well.
If you find good source let me know. I prefer dimensions close to existing sink, don't wan't to do to much adjustments.
I did Formica on my previous boat and It was working well.
 
This is the only sink I found that is a near direct replacement. It should drop in without any cutting of a new opening. I would measure again to be sure. It has a flange(?) with holes for the facet which I think will help keep water in the sink but is otherwise the exact same dimensions. I found several that were 6-1/2 or 8 inches deep, but this seems to be the only 10" deep sink. With tax and shipping it is $1000. Ouch.


I got the old sink out without much trouble or damaging it, which surprised me. It is just a matter if determining if I have a pin hole or not. 5200 is not an acceptable fix for me, not when the sink is out and new countertops are going in.
 
Warren: thanks for info. My concern is that is made from 304 SS and 18 ga is not to much.
 
My sink seems to be holding up, but the connection to the drain has always been problematic. The fitting the previous owner (or Morgan) used doesn't attach well, so it is just caulked to prevent (mostly) leakage. Any one know of a better attachment option? I agree with Warren on formica. Just use a separate cutting board. If it was good enough for my mother's generation (the Greatest Generation), it is good enough for me.
 
I would be very surprised if the factory sink is not 304. Mine had a lot of hidden rust under the lip (but cleanable and not s problem). 304 is good material, not appropriate for rigging, but fine for just about anything else. My Bimini frame is 304.

The cheap sinks are 22 gauge. I have only seen a few sinks that would be 314 and 16 gauge. 304 and 18 gauge is good quality.
ex of a cheap sink that will fit:

Where is your fitting leaking? Mine uses standard household drains, with a transition to PVC pipe to tee them together, then to the hose. Lots of sinks leak in homes, my guess is just poor installation of what is otherwise a fine fitting.
 
Wow, that's pretty wild that your existing sink came out easily. I pretty much had to jack hammer ours out, and destroy the old sink in the process. Must have been a different factory person installing them on our boats. ;)

I guess the number of basins must be one of those deep-seeded personal preferences, because we love our new big, single basin sink, and would not want to switch back to 2 small basins. Everything we've got: pots, pans, and big fish, all fit into it just fine. It's also got one of those removable wire grids on the bottom. I'd never used those before, and I thought I would probably just throw that away, but we love that too. It lets you have things sitting in the sink (on the grid), but not getting all sloshed into the drain water you're creating from other things. We often use half the sink as a drying basin while we are washing dishes in the other half.

The sink is a super heavy gauge/thick stainless material. I can't remember the species of stainless.

My only dislike is the bottom is flat and if the boat is listing at all, water can puddle in the bottom. I hadn't really thought about that, but I also didn't see any with sloped bottoms that had these other characteristics. First world problems, and somehow we manage to continue on with our lives.

Our other controversial choice is we used Corian on the counter where the refrigerator is. We really like that and it was not super difficult to work with. I don't think the weight makes that much difference on a 18k pound boat, and it's down low near the water line. I can't remember exactly how much that piece weighed, but my guess is something like 30-40 pounds.

We (so far) have kept the old formica on the counter where the sink is. It doesn't bother us that the counters look slightly different and I don't think most people would notice it unless they were scrutinizing. And if they are scrutinizing, there are plenty of other things for them to catch!

Based on your thread title, I think you're hoping to see photos of peoples Galleys. I can't remember which photos I've posted on the forum, so here are some (probably redundant) photos ...

Corian counter without any trim installed yet.
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I might be in the minority with needing 2 basins on a boat. I certainly see the advantage of (2) larger basins. But doing dishes daily, and laundry weekly is much much easier with 2 basins. One filled with soapy water, the other with rinse water. I have a dish drainer that fits perfectly over one half, and still leaves space under it for a dirty dish or two, and a cutting board that fits the other half. So, when I chop veggies and the scraps just fall in the sink. That versatility is a whole lot to give up.

Corian with the R-parts hatch with no hinges I think is easy enough. But I really like the stock 2 part lid and it is working really well. Not sure how to do a piano hinge on Corian. I'm not concerned about weight, and like the look, but the cost and difficult are my hesitations. Do you think the extra 1/2 height will lock in the cabinets, or can they still be removed?

I feared the sink. I expected 5200, or at least 4000. It was only held in with Silicone. And the bolts that go through the counter had rusted and broke off. I started with a heat gun getting it really hot (thinking it was 5200), and then worked my way around the edge with a flat chisel, hammering it under the lip. The whole process took less than 20 minutes, and that includes removing the teak fiddle along the edges.
 
Warren Holybee said:
Do you think the extra 1/2 height will lock in the cabinets, or can they still be removed?
Click to expand...

No, I don't think our cabinets are any more locked in than they were before. Probably less.

I didn't use my heat gun removing the sink. Don't think I thought of that and it's a good idea, and you're probably right that it was 5200. But I wasn't going to re-use it anyway, and it gave me a good workout, and good practice slinging those marine-grade curse words. What got me is it wasn't just a "bead" of adhesive holding it in place, the entire underside was slathered in it.
 
Hi Terry - yes, I got a little UV filter to zap microbes, bacteria, virus, etc.

I've drank sailboat tank water for 40+ years, and can't remember it directly making me sick (that I know of). But I've also seen some gross little parasite/worms out of other boat's tanks. And I've also had amoebic dysentery and it was no fun. So what the heck.
 
Warren, as I posted on your Icebox rebuild post, I too like the double side design of the Morgan box lid. It makes loading and unloading easy. I basically duplicated it using vacuum panels (R40, I believe) and used some foam to make the seal all around. I reused the original hinge. Hatches were made of 3/8 ply (well sealled with epoxy, to which I epoxied the vacuum panels, which are sea;ed in fiberglass. Top is 1/4" teak, varnished and then 2 coats of hard polyurethane. I have 10 sq ft of 3/16" foam rubber should you need it.
 
I've been meaning to do a separate thread about the filter(s), but haven't had time. There is an 'advanced pre-filter' which strips out "lead, heavy metals, chlorine, mercury, carcinogens, and other contaminants, as well as turbidity, unpleasant odors and tastes.". The bottom line is the water that comes out tastes really good and is pretty darned safe.

We settled on an Acuva ArrowMAX 1 UV-LED because it is compact, has low power consumption, and a dedicated faucet with a light that turns on so you know the UV filter is engaged under the counter. The model we got is not super high rate of flow, but we just put our water bottles under the faucet and let them fill while we are doing other things. We recently had been getting our potable water via plastic bottled waters from the store. This helps us reduce "single use" plastics too.

I think that link has prices, dimensions, etc. We got the ArrowMAX 1.2, which is around $500, me thinks.
 
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I pulled the gallery cabinet out just a couple days ago. As to being able to do this with a Corian counter top, the added thickness would have made it impossible. As it was, I struggled to get it far enough away from its original place so I could route the LPG hose.

I ultimately had to slice the very top of the facia to move it out. That and the cabin trunk plywood were in conflict. This part of the facia is above the overhead panel, so no harm.

I'll attach a photos of the maximum position I could move it...
Also, the formica laminant extends roughly a foot under the cabinet towards the topsides.
 

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Maybe I'm missing something here, but if I need to pull the galley cabinet, I would just take our Corian countertop off first. I tried to put everything in in a way it could be taken out without a jack hammer. ;)

I could be being naïve or not understanding. It has also been 6+ years so maybe I'm forgetting something.
 
If the counter top was easily removed, it would not be a problem. For my boat, there is not a bit of room to lift the cabinet over anything. I've considered Corian, but now not so sure. I like it in a galley or head situation.
 
mpearson said:
Maybe I'm missing something here, but if I need to pull the galley cabinet, I would just take our Corian countertop off first. I tried to put everything in in a way it could be taken out without a jack hammer. ;)

I could be being naïve or not understanding. It has also been 6+ years so maybe I'm forgetting something.
Click to expand...
That is more difficult on the side with the sink. On the freezer side, my intent is to with relative ease be able to remove the whole top for servicing/repair.
 
Warren Holybee said:
That is more difficult on the side with the sink. On the freezer side, my intent is to with relative ease be able to remove the whole top for servicing/repair.
Click to expand...
Ok, I get it, thanks. And I didn’t replace the sink counter so that’s why it wasn’t computing for me.
 
I would love to have a new Corian counter. Perhaps if the top of the cabinet facia could be reduced a little more than the added counter material it would work. I gotta say, getting that cabinet out and back in place was quite a job.
 
Mitchell S Allen said:
I would love to have a new Corian counter. Perhaps if the top of the cabinet facia could be reduced a little more than the added counter material it would work. I gotta say, getting that cabinet out and back in place was quite a job.
Click to expand...
I've not removed it yet, and don't plan to soon. But, with a Fuel hose, Fuel vent hose, 2 bilge pump hoses, and and LPG hose all back there, at some point it is going to need to come out.
 
I’m out working on Zia now. This is what her sink looks now, after a couple of years. The grid thing in the bottom. Hand & dish soap dispensers, etc.

Warren, we do our laundry in a bucket but I’m not trying to change anyone’s minds … it’s a personal preference thing.

I was scrutinizing the counter on the sink side too. I think that could work fine with Corian. I think i’d just plane off some wood on the bottom of the cabinet. Again, not trying to change anyone’s minds because we all should get to do what we want!

291221F2-98C8-4E1D-B9EB-9D1174C2EAD7.jpeg
 
I like your sink. I'd like to replace Sonata's someday too. Ours is dented and dinged. I like the depth, but each basin barely holds a pan, and not even a small skillet.

I don't know about trimming the bottom of the cabinet, as it sits flat on the counter top.
If you look at the photos I posted, you'll see how much there is at the top. The light, un oiled section is above the overhead and never exposed. I feel enough could be trimmed there to make Corian feasible.
I've also considered tile, which would be half the thickness or less than Corian. But then what to do on the fridge and storage hatches? I have ideas...
 
Mitchell: Strange problem with your cabinets. Mine slides out, with a battle, but it comes out. If I recall, I may have to remove the fiddles on the drain board. I have done it several times Can you trim the thin cabin side plywood and then replace it with some trim? That is frustrating
 
Yes, I removed all the fiddles too. And the trim at the edges and counter.

I hesitate to trim the cabin sides much. Most of the trim screws won't tighten already. I will eventually back up those with straps of hardwood and longer screws.

The answer, at least on my boat, will be to cut the top of the cabinet facia some more next time. I was going to replace hoses while I was in there. But they all seem fine. Maybe something later or if there is a "next owner" someday. I can see that as being a huge undertaking.
 
I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining about the task. It did have its frustration. To be able to replace hoses tho, I feel it would be best to remove this cabinet completely from the counter area and set aside. It would be a bigger struggle than I'd want if it were still sitting pulled, and on the counter.
I'm always limited in my time, I think this adds to the frustration level for me.
 
One of the things that annoyed me about Morgan's interior was the thin veneer on the cabin sides. After years of fighting with the enlarged and useless screws holes, I finally glued 1/4" x 2' poplar strips on the outside bottom of the veneer, to which I can easily attach the teak trim piece. Since I have painted the cabin sides and bulkheads white, that worked fine.
 
The thin veneer everywhere is a problem. Perhaps surprisingly my cabin sides are in great shape. But the galley is in bad shape, there are lots of edges near the cabin sole that are in bad shape, and the head cabinet face is shot and needs to be replaced. Another big project will be repairing all of that. Amazon has teak veneer surprisingly cheap, I used some of it on the bulkhead/vee berth door frame when I repaired the dryrot there.
 
I am not 100% happy with the edging work I did on the formica, but overall I think it looks good. I intend at some point to build a new lid for the freezer, so it is getting redone anyway. I know how to do it now, so the sink side should come out great. I will also use the same pattern for behind the stove, and the chart table. Basically, I'm getting rid of all the cheap looking white, replacing it with cheap looking fake marble. $70 for a 4x8 sheet. I'm undecided on the backsplash. Either paint it a nice color, or tile it, or use a vinyl fake tile.

IMG_20230603_164121677.jpg
 
Coming together. Still need to finish the trim, and refresh the varnish. And I'm going to paint the white backsplash some happy color. Even with that still to do, Eliana is together enough I can sail again.


galley_counter.jpg
 
Nice work, Warren! And glad to hear that Eliana is ready to sail again. That's great!

I've been mostly unplugged from the internet and working way too much, so apologies if you've already said this ... but

What are your plans for sailing now? Which way are you heading?

Cheers,
-Mark
 
Only plans right now are sailing locally. I'm hoping to make a trip to Half Moon Bay in the near future. I'm pretty broke right now, and trying to work and pay off debt and build a kitty again.
 
Got the trim installed, and a yellow/orange backsplash "pollen grain"
I'm very happy with the look.
 

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Hi Warren, FWIW:
The delamination on the bulkhead next to your dish rack is reminiscent of my leak that eventually was traced to the teak hatch rails.
 
john english said:
Hi Warren, FWIW:
The delamination on the bulkhead next to your dish rack is reminiscent of my leak that eventually was traced to the teak hatch rails.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've fixed the leak, not the delamination. I think most of that damage is more from sailing in the rain with the hatch boards out though.
One of the differences between the Morgan and other more expensive boats in the same class is the amount of lamination instead of solid wood. There are lots of areas in my boat that need lamination repair. (Sigh)
 
I'm looking for source for galley good SS sink drains which will fit Morgan sink. Drain hole in the sink is 3 1/2" .
 
Thanks Warren, I know that, l’m asking if anybody has experience with good one.
I don’t want to replace drain to often.
 
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