Pullman Berths

[zeehag]

i love my pulman berth is a captain bed with drawers under and stowage, and mor e comfy than a vee berth , which is difficult at best to enter and exit.
i have a forepeak forward of my pulman berth, and it was set up with a pulman style bench for a spare crew..i donot use for that, as it is only the size for those who built this boat.

[Dockhead]

In my opinion, the Pullman-type cabin is the single best sleeping arrangement on a boat. On my boat, there is a Pullman-type cabin amidships and it is lovely to sleep in, especially at sea. The berths are longer than standard single beds and offset, so that the person below doesn't feel like he's in a cave, and yet there's excellent privacy.

My forepeak cabin is not a typical v-berth since it is not all that far forward -- there is a water-tight bulkhead to the large chain locker. So the head of the berth is against the forward bulkhead, with bolsters. It's more like an island double bed, and with bolsters on either side it's not completely useless at sea, although I would probably prefer another Pullman-type arrangement there, too.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I thought that as well had to Google the answer - double berth along the hull side, side access only.

Maybe I'm misusing the term -- always thought it meant single berths, over and under, like bunk beds.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Maybe I'm misusing the term -- always thought it meant single berths, over and under, like bunk beds.

I dont think we are Dockhead, they are, I believe , Pullman beds were designed for railcars and converted from a settee into a bed, with a bunk above. ( A bit like Couchettes)

like in ferries too.

Dave

[svHyLyte]

We have a Pullman berth in the forecabin of our First 42. It does take some gymnastics for the sleeper next to the hull (usually my much better half) to exit in the night without stepping on the inboard sleeper (usually me!). As her efforts usually awaken me anyway, we have evolved a routine whereby if the Mrs. wants out, she simply shakes me awake a bit so I can move to accommodate her. No problem as I fall back to sleep quite readily.

As for accessing storage beneath the berth (which is huge!), I had the mattress split lengthwise. The top cover is solid, connecting the two halves while the bottoms and side covers are individual to each half. In this manner the mattress can simply be folded up lengthwise to reach the lockers below.

One last adjustment we made is to have two small slots left in the top of the mattress along the split about 1/4 of the length from each end. With this, we can rig a lee-cloth (made of mesh) lengthwise along the middle of the berth with webbing straps that snap onto small eye strap fittings on the base platform to limit the range of motion of a sleeper. We also have a lee-cloth that can be rigged along the inboard side of the berth to prevent one from falling out in the event a tack puts the berth to windward. These do work, but as a practical matter, when we travel, the sea-berths in the main salon and the port quarter cabin are very comfortable and useable such that the lee-cloths forward merely tend to contain the "stuff" that inveariable gets piled up there.

FWIW...

[s/vPainkiller]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I dont think we are Dockhead, they are, I believe , Pullman beds were designed for railcars and converted from a settee into a bed, with a bunk above.
Dave

Historically I'm sure that you are both correct. However in modern use on sailboats, generally from what I have seen it is only 1 berth either port or stbd rather than a large V-berth. Larger boats, maybe like Dockhead's, can have the over-under as it used to be in the age of train travel.

My Hunter has the Pullman berth to port and a forward head that we mostly use for storage. We use the larger head with separate shower exclusively when it is just the admiral and I aboard. We use the aft queen for our main bunk since it is larger. Might have to try the Pullman for canoodling, though.

Scott

[David_Old_Jersey]

I was using as my guide this:-

Outbound 46-Arrangements






Maybe it's kinda like the term "Stateroom" has nowadays been changed to include what used to be called a large locker?

[David_Old_Jersey]

Either that or some folks here are on the athletic / inventive side for canoodling by using staggered bunk bed arrangement!

[sv-Mystique]

Mystique has a Pullman and we utilize as our master. Awesome airflow and you are more aware of happings on the hook or mooring.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Maybe I'm misusing the term -- always thought it meant single berths, over and under, like bunk beds.

The term "pullman berth" has come to mean in common parlance a sleeping cabin on a train, which is what most people associate it with. In fact, original Pullman berths, introduced by George Pullman as an innovation on railroad cars, were double pull-down beds, in the regular passenger cars, that ran parallel to the side of the train. In boats it has always meant double beds parallel to the passage way, I believe.

[hgd137]

Time motion studies demonstrate that the least amount of time spent on a boat is in the head. The most undesirable space on the a boat is the forepeak. It is reasonable to consider using that area for the head. The additional advantage is easy and rapid access to the chain locker plus the rapid drying of the shower area due to the large overhead hatch.
The bunk is large and comfortable but has the disadvantage(or sometimes the advantage)of having your partner passing over you to leave the berth.
I have enlarged my pullman berth on my Passport for even greater comfort. See Passport 40 – S/V Grendel | Passport 40 – Sailing Vessel Grendel

[SecondBase]

I have an enlarged Pullman to Starboard on my Laurent Giles Westerly Konsort Duo. I guess once you design 1,000 boats, another level of skill emerges. At sea, the pilot berth, almost at keel level, is the best sleeping. Ask me how long it took to learn this fact. Lol

Ventilation is achieved with a wind scoop -or- a hatch Bimini depending on the weather.

2" memory foam added massively to comfort. Twin bora turbo fans (west marine) add another comfort and white noise.

[Oceanride007]

I'm the author of original question.
I'm even more convinced now of their value. But if the vessels are custom ordered why is it the Pullman option has seemingly become less popular.

Oceanrider
Boatless, but looking for a Valiant

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Oceanride007

I'm the author of original question.
I'm even more convinced now of their value. But if the vessels are custom ordered why is it the Pullman option has seemingly become less popular.

Oceanrider
Boatless, but looking for a Valiant

Which models of boats that offer pullman berths have seen a statistical decline in pullman berths in boats sold?

[markpierce]

Now that you mention/describe it, I've got a Pullman berth/bed. I sleep on the closest-to-centerline portion as I've the weakest bladder. For smaller boats such as mine, the offset-berth provides more room otherwise in the cabin.