Comfortable bunk dimensions for cruising

This might be odd but, what about seeing how small or big fitted bed sheets come... so you don't have to custom make them... just a thought.

 

not much chance of that on a mono under 50 ft.

 

Fitted berth sheets and blankets is just a matter of course with yachts. Anyone with some modest sewing skills, can adjust regular sizes to the usually tapered ones, seen in berths.

 

He was referring to making bunks to fit store bought sheets i think.

 

Yes, I understand brendan, but doing the bunk to fit the sheet is the long way around the bush, I'd suggest.

 

Not the long way, just answering the original question with a different perspective.

 

it seems to me that if you were designing a production boat that you want to appeal to a "typical" buyer, that would be one question. You would need to see what your competition is doing in terms of size and configuration (find out what is popular). OTOH, if it was a custom berth for your own use, that would be up to your size and preference. If you are 5' 2" and 115 lbs, you can get by with a much smaller bunk, but if you are 6' 6" and 350 lbs, you would need something much larger.

You might try mocking something up to sleep at home in it and see how it goes. A poor night's sleep can completely ruin longer cruises, particularly if your spouse is along. Short tempers in an already stressful situation could end up in divorce. So choose every detail wisely, if you think that the boat is expensive, it is nothing compared to a divorce. If that happens you might end up living in the boat permanently, and your bunk will be way too small.

 

We managed it on our 28 footer, never regretted the space given to the forward bunk.

 

Thanks all....
@ Woobs... actually you're not far off the mark, some oblique lateral thinking in a Google search did bring me to a store selling fitted sheets which gave me some yard-sticks.

Now.... anybody have any thoughts about height between bottom & top bunks

 

For boats that go offshore only at times a double bunk is far more useful.

54 wide at the top, and tapering to 24 at the foot will fit in many fwd areas.

A solid "bundeling board" can be fitted down the center for those nights offshore or rotten anchorages

 

SHoggard, For vertical space between bunks, you have to make use of the space that you have. Typically, a good bunk or berth height for sitting is 16" to 18" from the cabin sole to the top of the cushion. Most berth cushions are at least 4" thick. From the top of the cushion to the top of the next bunk cushion and to the overhead, you basically divide the space in equal amounts, accounting for the fact that you have to include space for the thickness of the upper berth and its cushion. The amount will vary from boat to boat because not all boats have the same overall headroom. You'd like to have the same headroom per berth so that one is not overly generous compared to one that could be cheated. Do the math and figure it out for your boat. There is no standard dimension because boats are not standard.

I hope that helps.

Eric

 

Don't forget that if it's nasty no one will want to sleep forward anyways, much more likely to be in a settee or on the cabin sole. No need to worry to much about a forward bunk being good at sea.

 

Me.. Done that in force 10. Quite cosy to sleep thou getting the weather gear on and of was a bit of a task

 

Several considerations, some already brought up here:

1. Do you know how big the sleepers will be? For instance, would the upper bunk be for children or big'uns?

2. Keep in mind that you'll someday want to sell the boat, so probably make larger than smaller. It's always easier to reduce the size with padding, boards, etc. than it is to make them larger.

3. How 'sociable' do you plan to be in your bunk?

 

SHoggard, do you have a space on your boat for a 84" x 33" or 78" x 33"? If so, you can have a good size sofa and the back lifts up on hinges to become the upper bed the same size as the sofa. How much head room do you have? post answeres to these questions
and I will show you how. Plus you get 3 large pull out drawers
under the base of the sofa