Old Layout and Livery for BELLE

The layout and livery has slowly evolved over the last year or so – we have retained most of our old layout drawings for reference. It is interesting to note that our layout has changed substantially since we first started with a semi-traditional stern, one less room, a separate bathroom [i.e. not a walk-through] and a saloon with an integral dinette.

February 2005

One of our earliest layouts. We have a semi-traditional stern, a separate bathroom, the saloon includes a half-dinette and we have half / half portholes and windows. In all other respects the layout is self-explanatory. You may wish to note that we had a stern hatch that lifted rather than the more traditional sliding type. The base colour is burgundy with coach-lines and boat name in gold. The trading name is in white characters on a charcoal coloured panel at the stern, along with a gold coloured flourish.

March 2005

There are some minor changes to the half-dinette and galley areas and the semi-traditional stern is tidied up a bit. We decided to do away with the lifting stern hatch and have a traditional sliding one instead, owing mainly to some concerns we were having about the weight that must be lifted each time we wished to open / close it.

April 2005

Some major changes. We dispense with the half-dinette in the saloon and rearrange the galley area. The bedroom is shortened, we convert to a ‘walk-through’ bathroom and we decide that a traditional stern would give us some more room to work with. All of the aforementioned changes add up to enough space for the new day room.

August 2005

A few minor changes. We reverse the galley so as to make slightly better use of the combined galley and saloon areas. The side doors swap sides for both the galley and the day room. The bathroom is ‘rotated’ so that you cannot see the toilet from the galley area.

A major change. For some reason (not really sure why) we decide to change the colour scheme to a gunmetal grey base with white / black coach lines and white character sets with black shadows.

September 2005

Heeding some remarks about the benefits for having the ability to ‘shut the door’ on the toilet, we decide to have a go at redesigning the bathroom. This means that the main bedroom must be ‘reversed’. The bathroom doors in this new arrangement can be positioned so that they either close off the main bedroom and/or the day room. They can also be positioned so that they close off the whole toilet and bathroom area if required, thus effectively creating a corridor through which one can pass whilst the toilet and or shower, etc. is in use.