Comfortable bunk dimensions for cruising

@rasorinc,
I had to convert that to metric, - yes I have space for an 84 x 33
Max height from cabin deck to beam is 82.67"
Love to see what you have in mind

 

Double Bunks

Well my printer just gave up and died on me so I will have to describe to you how this is done. Maybe someone can use paint to produce a line drawing and post it. Hoyt, are you out there?? I cannot do it due to arthritis in my right hand.
1st --build a box 84" long and 33" wide out of 1/2 or 5/8 plywood with no floor. Do not close in the front just the sides and the rear. Install 3 ply dividers front to rear at 28" on center. These all just rest on the floor and are 12" tall. then cut apiece of ply 33" x 84" and install it over the top the sides,rear, and dividers. front is left open. You may need to install 1'x 3.5" stiffeners on the ply. these are .75" x 3.5" these run lengthwise. The pull out drawers and hardware fit between the 28" spaces and the front is finished
off with stain quality wood. the base is now finished except for edging and a 6" foam mattress.
Cut another piece of ply 84"x33" add 1"x 3.5" stiffeners leave off edging for now. This will mount to the wall at an angle with the bottom 6" out from the rear wall. At the top you install a piano hinge to the ply and to the wall. This ply also gets a 6" foam mattress. When you lift this piece up you should have 33" between the 2 mattresses. Install 2 eye bolts in the ceiling near the edges and 2 eye bolts in the top mattress frame . Cut small chains to connect the eye bolts and you have Bunk Beds. there should be about 34" to the ceiling.
I apologies for not being able to post a drawing it would be much easier but I hope this explanation will create a picture for you. PS if you cannot put screws into the wall the than a wood connecter can be made and attach to the base to carry the upper bed frame.



cut small chain

 

THanks... I think I have the 'picture'

 

Bigger is better.

 

Unless it's a static liveaboard, bigger isn't better. Anyone that's been cruising quickly realizes this. A 33" berth is a bit tight for a fat liveaboard, though much more comfortable than typically found in a cruiser (luxurious in fact). 33" isn't much smaller than a standard twin.

 

Yup, bigger is better.

 

What fact do you base this on.

 

Brendan, Jammer has no live aboard, cruising, sailing or boat building experience (judging by his previous posts), though seems to have some house building expertise. These types of aloof comment are his calling card, which typically have no substance.

A tapered single berth for a cruiser, might be 22" at the foot and 30" at the shoulder as a minimum. Length should be as long as practical, as these types of berths, tend to gather stuff. A double should be about 48" at the shoulders as a minimum, again with as long as you can afford in length.

 

I agree. Anyone who has spent time at sea wants a nice tight bunk. Power or sail. Sometimes the cabin sole is the best spot. I like bpw's idea of a large bunk for in port and sea bunks for underway.

 

SHoggard,
The bunk height dimemsion you are after is = 660mm / 26"

I am going through the same thing, planning out my future build. I'm currently working on a Diving Support Vessel, and I've started to measure things to plan out my sailboat. The minimum bunk height I suggest is 660mm (for me) as this allows me to sit-up and read comfortably, while my head just rests under the top bunk. Hope this helps.

 

Experience.

 

Another enlightening, thoughtful, informative and well rendered contribution from Jammer.

Brendan, the two berth situation you envision is exactly why many cruisers have pilot berths. Many times at sea, these are the only functional berths aboard, for multiple reasons. They're typically placed in the most comfortable area of the boat in terms of motion (where would this be mister experienced?), out of traffic paths and clear of companionway or other hatches.