Layout Overview
Main Level |
Below DeckAll of the accommodation and mechanical spaces are below deck. The midship and forward cabins are a full flight down, and the master and shop a half flight down.
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ElevationThis view gives a good idea of the layout of Island Eagle.
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PilothouseThe pilothouse was added about 10 years after Island Eagle was launched, and was also designed by Art DeFever.
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What makes Island Eagle Great?
There's no doubt that Island Eagle is a very special boat, and a big part of what makes her special is an inspired design. When compared to almost every other boat her size, and even many substantially larger designs, Island Eagle astounds with the sheer amount of usable space. There are some very specific reasons for this, and I've taken a few moments to list them here:
1) The dedicated, raised pilothouse.
The raised pilothouse is clearly the single biggest contributor to the spaciousness and practicality of the Island Eagle design. The pilothouse simultaneously delivers four critical benefits:
First, it provides a spacious, comfortable, and distraction-free environment for piloting the vessel. The importance of this cannot be overstated. The captain of a vessel must be able to focus on the job at hand, especially on long voyages. The dedicated pilothouse provides plenty of space for electronics, encourages careful chart work, and insulates the captain from the hubbub of the saloon. It also provides a watch berth, allowing the captain to rest while still remaining close to duty.
Second, it removes all of the console apparatus from the saloon. This in turn allows the forward end of the saloon to be used as a proper saloon, in contrast typical boats in which the saloon looks like some strange transporter accident in which the bridge of the USS Enterprise has been grafted onto a second-rate Scandinavian teak furniture emporium.
Third, it provides an extra guest cabin while not underway. Sure, the table in most saloons may be lowered to provide an extra berth, but do you really want to plunk your guests down beside the galley for the evening? On Island Eagle, with a drop hatch over the stairway leading up and a set of custom snap-on covers for the windows, the pilothouse can be a beautiful and private location for guests, and they even have their own "back porch" if they want to step out for some fresh air.
Fourth and finally, the upper pilothouse adds spaciousness. This is a bit vague, but in boats we are talking about living spaces which are much smaller than those we find on land, and when you put people in small spaces they can get a bit like rats in a maze. The ability to retreat to a private space, indeed even knowing that such a private space is available, can make a great difference in the quality of life on board.
2) The separation of master stateroom aft and other staterooms forward.
One of the pleasures of having a larger boat is having guests aboard. If you happen to be fortunate enough, you may have children aboard as well. But it's also important to have some privacy, and this is where Island Eagle is such a winner. In the Island Eagle design, the master stateroom is down and aft from the galley, and the remaining staterooms are down and forward from the saloon. Since even the guest head is down and forward, there is really no reason at all for anyone but the occupants of the master stateroom to descend the aft stairs. And since the forward cabins and the aft cabin are separated by over 10 feet of heavily insulated engine room, there is fantastic privacy.
3) The bright, airy master stateroom.
On Island Eagle, the master stateroom sole is about 4 feet below deck level, and the cabin sides then stand up about 3 feet above deck. This 3 foot space is very important, because it means that the master stateroom can have real windows, which open and let the sun and fresh air in. It also means that the master stateroom can have a real hatch, which opens up onto the aft deck. Instead of a hole buried down below decks, the master stateroom on IE feels like a "room with a view". And in absolute terms, such a layout also provides a great deal of safety, since it proves a second exit, so critical in case of an emergency such as a fire.
4) The stand-up engine room.
On an offshore cruiser, the engine is the single most important piece of equipment, and that means that maintenance is critical. On Island Eagle, the engine room is over 10 feet long, has full headroom, and is the full width of the vessel. Even allowing for the massive fuel tanks, there is still plenty of room to walk around the engine and equipment. This encourages frequent visits to simply observe what is going one. Plus, as the inevitable equipment is added, it too is able to be placed in easily-accessible locations.
5) The exterior engine room access.
On Island Eagle, primary access to the engine room is through an companionway leading up to a sliding door on the starboard deck, just aft of the sliding door for the galley. This is simply fantastic. While underway, there is no need to open up access to the engine room from inside the ship, which is bound to introduce noises and smells to the interior. At the same time, in all but the worst conditions the exterior door leading to the ER companionway may be left open, providing excellent ventilation for the ER and also providing the opportunity for every passerby the opportunity to use their eyes, ears and nose to make sure all is well below.
6) The dedicated workshop and utility area.
It's trite to say, but the captain of the modern offshore cruiser must be able to diagnose and repair problems in mechanical, electronic, electrical, plumbing and computer systems. But this is hard to do on the saloon table, and even harder to do in a cramped engine room. On Island Eagle I took an old guest cabin located across from the master head and turned it into a utility room. This includes both a "proper" workshop (workbench, vise, drill press, grinder, tool storage, etc.) as well as the laundry area, stowage for cleaning supplies, stowage for the vacuum cleaner, etc. And this is not some dank hellhole; it has a window, it's well lit, and it has bright white walls and a nice linoleum floor. In short, you're going to be spending plenty of time in this room, you might as well make it nice.
7) Saloon and galley at the heart of the boat.
The galley and the saloon table are where people naturally gather, and the Island Eagle design encourages this. The galley is large enough to hold two or three "back seat cooks", and the saloon has two separate gathering areas: A big curved settee which holds four in a pinch, and a massive table which seats 10. The saloon, dining table, and galley are all on the same level, and feature plenty of walls and grab points. One other nice feature is the wall between the saloon and galley, giving the cook privacy when required.
1) The dedicated, raised pilothouse.
The raised pilothouse is clearly the single biggest contributor to the spaciousness and practicality of the Island Eagle design. The pilothouse simultaneously delivers four critical benefits:
First, it provides a spacious, comfortable, and distraction-free environment for piloting the vessel. The importance of this cannot be overstated. The captain of a vessel must be able to focus on the job at hand, especially on long voyages. The dedicated pilothouse provides plenty of space for electronics, encourages careful chart work, and insulates the captain from the hubbub of the saloon. It also provides a watch berth, allowing the captain to rest while still remaining close to duty.
Second, it removes all of the console apparatus from the saloon. This in turn allows the forward end of the saloon to be used as a proper saloon, in contrast typical boats in which the saloon looks like some strange transporter accident in which the bridge of the USS Enterprise has been grafted onto a second-rate Scandinavian teak furniture emporium.
Third, it provides an extra guest cabin while not underway. Sure, the table in most saloons may be lowered to provide an extra berth, but do you really want to plunk your guests down beside the galley for the evening? On Island Eagle, with a drop hatch over the stairway leading up and a set of custom snap-on covers for the windows, the pilothouse can be a beautiful and private location for guests, and they even have their own "back porch" if they want to step out for some fresh air.
Fourth and finally, the upper pilothouse adds spaciousness. This is a bit vague, but in boats we are talking about living spaces which are much smaller than those we find on land, and when you put people in small spaces they can get a bit like rats in a maze. The ability to retreat to a private space, indeed even knowing that such a private space is available, can make a great difference in the quality of life on board.
2) The separation of master stateroom aft and other staterooms forward.
One of the pleasures of having a larger boat is having guests aboard. If you happen to be fortunate enough, you may have children aboard as well. But it's also important to have some privacy, and this is where Island Eagle is such a winner. In the Island Eagle design, the master stateroom is down and aft from the galley, and the remaining staterooms are down and forward from the saloon. Since even the guest head is down and forward, there is really no reason at all for anyone but the occupants of the master stateroom to descend the aft stairs. And since the forward cabins and the aft cabin are separated by over 10 feet of heavily insulated engine room, there is fantastic privacy.
3) The bright, airy master stateroom.
On Island Eagle, the master stateroom sole is about 4 feet below deck level, and the cabin sides then stand up about 3 feet above deck. This 3 foot space is very important, because it means that the master stateroom can have real windows, which open and let the sun and fresh air in. It also means that the master stateroom can have a real hatch, which opens up onto the aft deck. Instead of a hole buried down below decks, the master stateroom on IE feels like a "room with a view". And in absolute terms, such a layout also provides a great deal of safety, since it proves a second exit, so critical in case of an emergency such as a fire.
4) The stand-up engine room.
On an offshore cruiser, the engine is the single most important piece of equipment, and that means that maintenance is critical. On Island Eagle, the engine room is over 10 feet long, has full headroom, and is the full width of the vessel. Even allowing for the massive fuel tanks, there is still plenty of room to walk around the engine and equipment. This encourages frequent visits to simply observe what is going one. Plus, as the inevitable equipment is added, it too is able to be placed in easily-accessible locations.
5) The exterior engine room access.
On Island Eagle, primary access to the engine room is through an companionway leading up to a sliding door on the starboard deck, just aft of the sliding door for the galley. This is simply fantastic. While underway, there is no need to open up access to the engine room from inside the ship, which is bound to introduce noises and smells to the interior. At the same time, in all but the worst conditions the exterior door leading to the ER companionway may be left open, providing excellent ventilation for the ER and also providing the opportunity for every passerby the opportunity to use their eyes, ears and nose to make sure all is well below.
6) The dedicated workshop and utility area.
It's trite to say, but the captain of the modern offshore cruiser must be able to diagnose and repair problems in mechanical, electronic, electrical, plumbing and computer systems. But this is hard to do on the saloon table, and even harder to do in a cramped engine room. On Island Eagle I took an old guest cabin located across from the master head and turned it into a utility room. This includes both a "proper" workshop (workbench, vise, drill press, grinder, tool storage, etc.) as well as the laundry area, stowage for cleaning supplies, stowage for the vacuum cleaner, etc. And this is not some dank hellhole; it has a window, it's well lit, and it has bright white walls and a nice linoleum floor. In short, you're going to be spending plenty of time in this room, you might as well make it nice.
7) Saloon and galley at the heart of the boat.
The galley and the saloon table are where people naturally gather, and the Island Eagle design encourages this. The galley is large enough to hold two or three "back seat cooks", and the saloon has two separate gathering areas: A big curved settee which holds four in a pinch, and a massive table which seats 10. The saloon, dining table, and galley are all on the same level, and feature plenty of walls and grab points. One other nice feature is the wall between the saloon and galley, giving the cook privacy when required.
