Aft cabin or V Berth?

[wesevans]

As former live aboard (6 years) I want a berth that is comfortable, easy to get in and out of. one you do not need to crawl over your significant other. While security at sea is a concern realize you will spend most of your time at anchor, mooring or dock.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Thanx Don :-)

'Ere we go again - two nations divided by a common language. Besides that we spell funny 'ere in the colonies ;-).

For the pint (or two), no need to go to Blighty. Next time you are headed through the Straits of Georgia give me a "heads up" and we can meet at Ganges, a little island town with a simply wonderful history.

"Draught", I admit, is rather antique, and my English/American dictionary tells me that to you a draught is a drawing :-) What I'd love to have is the "lines drawing": Sheer plan, half breadth plan and body plan, of your boat because I suspect that being of the vintage she is, she is deeper and less hard in the bilge than newer boats. You boat is an S&S design, I believe, and that lends strength to my surmise.

Someone made a noise about floating "caravans" ["camping trailers" to you:-)]. And as you'll recall, I was recently accused of being a "hopeless (or was it "incorrigible"?) romantic". Guilty as charged! I do not like "fat" boats :-)

So if you have access to the "draught" I'll gladly repay you with a draught. We turn out some rather acceptable IPAs around here :-)

The Columbia 26 of my youth was the Mk I.

TP

I will now draw the draught from my drawer that holds my drawers! Now I expect you to draw a pint of the best draught available! The hoppier the better for me.
Light on the bilge, and shear and rocker she is, deftly she was drawn by S&S and sweetly sculpted by model makers from Moffett Field Naval Air Station in their spare time! These drawings came with the boat, courtesy of Olin himself!!
Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Don C L's Album: 1962 Columbia 29 MK 1, hull #37

[lifeofreilly57]

Moved from traveling light on a motorcycle without using hotels or paid campsites to a 30 foot boat. Thought I was living in the lap of luxury. Vberth at anchor, quarter birth at sea. Very comfy. Vberth for air circulation.
Even when I went to a 38, the Vberth was more realistic, wasn't til our current 47 CC boat I felt the aft birth was worth the hassle, and then only because it has a huge opening hatch for circulation.
On a thirty footer the Vberth is where to focus your attention, then use a quarter berth in more bumpy conditions.

[Ken Z]

aft cabin, no comparison, may be difficult in the 30 ‘ range

[Mazu]

I have an aft cabin alibet not on a 30ish footer but not far off. I have a 36" Morgan Ketch. The V berth has 4 opening ports (1 in the forward head), a large overhead hatch large enough I could escape through in an emergency and 2 12v dual speed fans. The aft cabin had the same arrangement with 3 opening ports on the cabin and 1 in the aft head. My aft has roughly a full size berth. I had the boat in Puerto Rico for 2 years and had plenty of ventilation but on those 95 degree nights with 90% humidity nothing seems to work except the hammock on deck which allows the sweat to drip through saving you lots of bed sheet washing.
The Morgan has a total of 12 opening ports, 4 in each sleeping area and 4 in the salon, 2 large deck hatches 1 in each sleeping area, a smaller deck hatch forward in the salon and a total of 7 dual speed fans and a solar mushroom vent in each head.
I don't know of any 30 foot boat with a legitimate aft cabin but if so it would probably have to be a walk over center cockpit design . I thik S2 has one but dont quote me on this. This is really the only gripe i have with the boat. I can sit in the engine room and access any part of the engine and trans with ease. I like being higher and drier in the center cockpit and I have not found that it rocks more leading to sickness and such as others claim. What I do find a pain is the walk over design. Up down, up down....a pain especially with 50lb dogs on board. But everything is a compromise and I like the aft cabin as well as the option to choose it or the V berth (or the hammock) as situations dictate.
Just remember compromise. Whatever you chose will be a love hate relationship. Some things will be great and some others not. Enjoy the great things, accept those which you dont care for and your boating life will be wonderful.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by junkdrunk

Hello all!

I'm looking at acquiring a boat to liveaborad and coastal cruise. Around the 30' range...

Does anyone have any opinions. On v berth vs aft cabins? I'm looking for insight, pros/cons etc.

My initial thought would be an aft cabin, seems more comfortable..

Thanks in advance !

If most of the time you are going to be the only one sleeping aboard why not the obvious choice of sleeping in the main cabin? I have a 36 footer and still prefer the double expanding settee to either v-berth (my second choice) or aft quarter berth. The pluses of main cabin sleeping outweigh any of the possible minuses, at least for me. It's always airy, close to everything, easy to get in and out, plenty of elbow and leg room, etc, etc. Also it helps to have bulk mounted foldable table which allows for settee to expand to a good full size. Not as wide as my v-berth but still good for 2 people to sleep on.

I had a similar arrangement on my first boat, a 27 footer. But on that one v-berth was really a kids' berth not for anyone adult sized. And same was for quarter berth. I came to be a great admirer of open plan concept on boats under 30-32'. Especially if you are single or just a couple with no kids. The cabin closing bulkheads IMO (other then structurally minimal stuff) are PITA on any under 32' boat. I wish the designers would use more temporary sliding doors or some such rather then permanent bulkheads which turn a smallish boat into collection of tiny cubicles, more than necessary. Perhaps it's a wicked marketing ploy to get people to move up a few sizes but an open plan 30 footer would be an awesome choice for a single liveaboard.

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

If most of the time you are going to be the only one sleeping aboard why not the obvious choice of sleeping in the main cabin? I have a 36 footer and still prefer the double expanding settee to either v-berth (my second choice) or aft quarter berth. The pluses of main cabin sleeping outweigh any of the possible minuses, at least for me. It's always airy, close to everything, easy to get in and out, plenty of elbow and leg room, etc, etc. Also it helps to have bulk mounted foldable table which allows for settee to expand to a good full size. Not as wide as my v-berth but still good for 2 people to sleep on.

I had a similar arrangement on my first boat, a 27 footer. But on that one v-berth was really a kids' berth not for anyone adult sized. And same was for quarter berth. I came to be a great admirer of open plan concept on boats under 30-32'. Especially if you are single or just a couple with no kids. The cabin closing bulkheads IMO (other then structurally minimal stuff) are PITA on any under 32' boat. I wish the designers would use more temporary sliding doors or some such rather then permanent bulkheads which turn a smallish boat into collection of tiny cubicles, more than necessary. Perhaps it's a wicked marketing ploy to get people to move up a few sizes but an open plan 30 footer would be an awesome choice for a single liveaboard.

Lancer made a 30footer based on a C&C hull. The mark 5 from mid 80s had open layout with settees and dinette in forward v area, midships galley and head, and open aft queen. Aside from age prob a good singlehander, couples boat for size. Sailboat data has the layout wrong though

[Josbaxwms]

Albin made a 24 and 27, both with very nice aft cabins.The 24 had an availabe sail rig. Not sure about the 27.

[Jspla]

V-berth is preferred for all reasons stated above. Having said that- I had progressive difficulties getting in-out of berth when my wife was asleep. With lower back problems, I am very stiff in the morning and can't get out of bunk before my wife.
Not mentioned above- many sugar-scooped stern boats have significant water slapping noise in aft berth that is very load
Jose

[SY_Aurora]

I have to agree with everyone saying it depends on where you're at, be it in a seaway or at anchor. If I remember right O'Day made a 32' boat with an aft cabin that I always thought was cool. I'm sure I'm going to catch crap for this as I should know better than to put multi stuff in a mono thread (This is my boat profile so the wife can do her thing with it too, I've had my personal profile since like 07-08) :P If you're not completely set on a mono you might look into something like a Searunner trimaran most of them have aft cabins. they were designed by Jim Brown and John Marples, both really great guys and good designers. Occasionally you"ll find a couple for sale, typically they're good sturdy boats but check them out thoroughly and get them inspected as most are home built. Or if you were so inclined you can still purchase a set of plans on their site. in fact go to YouTube and lookup the SCRIMSHAW videos they've got the designer/builder Jim Brown giving a tour of her and I believe shes about 31'.

[SteveSpring]

My previous boat was 25 ish feet and had an aft (ahem!) 'cabin'. With the benefit of hindsight, it wasn't great. The inner berth was very claustrophobic and the outer involved some gymnastics to get into and out of. The confined space was also prone to condensation as it was difficult to get the dehumidifier to deal with that space and it was awkward to get airflow through some parts of it.

The other issue that I found was that in order for the boat to have said aft cabin, it had a big wide, flat stern and whilst at anchor, and at certain times in the marina, I was driven slightly nuts by the slapping of water on the underside of the stern area. Ear plugs were my solution.

I'm sure it will depend on the individual boat, but I have to say I find my current forward vee berth much more pleasant and airy to sleep in.

[GibraltarSean]

Hi, Last year I purchased a Kirie 285s. I don’t live on it, but have slept on it. My one has a pair of good sized aft cabins. There is a version that has a huge (relatively) single aft cabin. Aft ventilation in a hot summer Mediterranean climate is not an issue at all. (have a look on the net!) this is possible due to the yanmar engine located under the salon dining table. I spent a year, researching, visiting boats etc, etc before settling for this little boat, there was so many form, functionality and practical pluses (for me! Within my limited budget) I had to buy. Happy so far, but consider the ‘one mans medicine, is another mans poison’ motto, we are all different, after different things, with slightly different needs and considerations, often an advantage here is a pay-off there so to speak. Good luck with your search!

[laika]

Not all 30's are the same. Our 27' v berth is the cat's pajamas. Have been aboard a few nor'sea 27 aft berths which fit the bill for the folks who were on 'em. They weren't looking for anything bigger. Maybe a 30' has what you need. Maybe you will want bigger. Rarely is anyone on anything looking to go smaller. I know this for sure.. 15 years from now anything below 24' 3 1/2" is pure masochism waiting to happen! Mark the words!

[Pizzazz]

Originally Posted by junkdrunk

My initial thought would be an aft cabin, seems more comfortable..

Thanks in advance !

You can check boat layouts on sailboatdata.com relatively quickly. I really like the aft berth of my Hunter 31 as it is long (over 8') and wide, with plenty of headroom on one side. It is quite difficult to get in and out though.

You should realize that most small boats are that way (cave like aft cabin) until you get to the 42+ foot range where you can have either a center cockpit or a broad enough hull to allow for space around part of the v-berth.

Sleeping in the main saloon on a small sailboat is not recommended as it blocks most movement and the boat gets super crowded very quickly.

[daletournier]

My last boat was a Freedom 32. It had a decent size back cabin. I alternated between the two depending on conditions.

https://youtu.be/Th8aPlg710o