Cedar lined locker

[heartofgold]

I recently worked on a Catalina (yuk!) which had a cedar lined closet in the owner's stateroom. Is lining ship's lockers with cedar a common practice, and is there any preference as to which types of cedar are better (aromatic or Spanish). Would simple 1/4" aromatic cedar plywood from a home center store be sufficient? I have tons of Spanish cedar (20+ linear feet in 1/4" boards) but I am not sure I want my boat smelling like a humidor.

[Tim]

I recently worked on a Catalina (yuk!) which had a cedar lined closet in the owner's stateroom...

That's a nod to the old-fashioned cedar closet in shoreside homes. The cedar is moth-resistant and provides that spicy odor.

I don't know of any longstanding seaborne tradition of lining clothes lockers with cedar, but if you like the aroma of aromatic cedars, then it would be a fine choice for a locker liner. On board, the cedar would help keep clothes fresher and avoid that musty odor that can be common.

Use either aromatic red cedar or Spanish cedar--personal preference, I guess.

[radicalcy]

I bought 3" X 1/4" Aromatic cedar boards for my Columbia 8.7 for just this project. Anything has to smell better than musty hanging locker. Keeps the bugs away too. The plan is to line just the sides. It covers alot of ugly tabbing too.

[Tim]

I was thinking about my post afterwards and wondering if in fact the tradition of lining closets on shore actually stemmed from its use on old sailing ships, rather than the other way around.

I'm not much of a history buff so I don't know...just wanted to modify my statement!

Personally, I like the scent of cedar, and using it as a locker liner on board makes sense (or is that "scents"...groan) to me.

[Allen]

Here's a suggestion for you. Buy a bottle of Pyrat Cask 23. It comes in a nice cedar box so you will get the smell of the cedar and the enjoyment of the rum without having to do a lot of work. ;-)

[mashedcat]

doug,
i've been checking your site periodically, i enjoy seeing your progress on the ensenada. i just sold my balboa 20. (hull is identical to yours, with different topsides., as i m sure you know). i would have liked to do a similar project on my b20, but the boat was too small for my needs. but, heres my question: why the "yuk" when you mention the catalina? is there some insider dope i havent heard that make catalinas undesirable? in working on my c25 ive found that the construction is comparable and in some case superior to the balboa.
in any case i like your project. dave

[heartofgold]

The "yuk" response was, well somewhat of a programmed response. A Catalina 22 or a 25 is certainly a good boat--in fact any boat you can get out on could be considered a good boat. I (and I believe many others here on the forum) try to look for something beyond the ordinary when they look at a boat--something beyond the common, mass produced hulls of the Bena-hun-alinas.

The boat you choose is really what fits your individual needs, and that is what you should consider foremost. I would not sail around the world in a Catalina, but neither, I suspect would you (and most certainly not in a 22). Ask what you want from a boat, and look for what fills those desires (within your price range).