Comfortable bunk dimensions for cruising

I've been googling my fingers to the bone trying to find some table of various comfortable standard bunk sizes for liveaboard cruising... I realise that most bunks are custom made to fit the hull, and that's what I'll be doing, but it would be good to have some basic guidelines so I can look, measure and compare with the nearest standard size.

What I'm mainly struggling with are:-
2 level:
single above (L x W)
Double below (L x W)
& optimum height between bottom & top

any advice?

 

Decide what "comfortable" means first?

 

Liveaboard and cruising have different requirements. Liveabords usually stay in the same place, grow plants in the cockpit and barnacles on the anchor rode. Cruisers, move around a lot and the bunks don't stay horizontal much. For cruising, the smallest possible bunk is the best. Doubles are a bad choice because they have too much room to slide around and get hurt.

 

I do not know if I understand correctly, but if so, I agree with Gonzo. The best is something like a coffin so that the passenger can not fall rolling on the floor while sleeping.

 

SHoggard, There are no "standard" sizes for bunks on boats, for the very reason you cite. That said, if you can get a copy of some architectural standards which show the human form, you can pretty much design whatever you want that will suit you and the people you will have on board. The yacht design book "Skene's Elements of Yacht Design" by Francis S. Kinney (8th edition and later) has a page of diagrams showing the human form, and a few pages of description as to what to take into account when designing boat furniture. Here is a link to a copy from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Skenes-Elements-Design-Eighth-Edition/dp/0396079687

I hope that helps.

Eric

 

36" x 80" I find comfortable.

 

Allsteel has a free white paper on ergonomics and while it is concerned with sitting or standing it contains some data on how big people actually are.

 

I like about 24" wide, so as not to roll around in rough weather.

 

http://www.westlawn.edu/news/index.asp?displayfile=InteriorDesignBook.htm
BR Teddy

 

Brilliant :idea:

 

Berth dimensions can be narrower at the foot, than the shoulders. There's nothing worse than a too short berth, so most consider 78" (1.98 m) the minimum for an adult, with 80" (2.03 m) being better as Stan recommends. Widths can vary quite a bit, but generally 22" (.56 m) is about as small as you'd want, except in racers. 24" (.6 m) is acceptable, though tight, unless at sea. If live aboard is desired, make the berths as big as practical and employ lee cloths to keep the crew in place at sea.

 

There is always the option of hammocks. Check with British Navy about specs.

 

My boat is set up for offshore and the bunks are about 24 inch with leecloths that are around 9 inchs high. But if it was a live aboard they would be a pain to live with. There is no double bunk at all just 6 singles.

 

Cruisers spend a lot of time in port, we have found the best solution is a narrow settee with lee boards for a sea berth combined with the biggest double we can fit up firward for use in port.

The double gets turned into storage for bins of food on long passages. Another benefit is when you arrive you gave a nice dry bunk that hasn't been getting damp while off shore.

 

I would like that in my boat.