Pullman Berths

[Oceanride007]

First Post
Am shopping for my first yacht, have a preference for pullman berth rather than Vee berth, I saw it first on a Passport 40. To me they offer advantages of better storage beneath, side access and better ventilation to a fwd head.

Some other manufacturers such as Valiant, Hylas, Bene, Outbound have flirted with the design but Pullman has seemingly become less popular over the years, Am I missing something, why is this so, why are they not more popular.

I’d like to know as holding out for my ideal yacht at a reasonable price at a reasonable distance from home is becoming an ageing experience.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ine-23598.html


Oceanrider (Wannabe)

[Amnesia II]

Originally Posted by Oceanride007

First Post
Am shopping for my first yacht, have a preference for pullman berth rather than Vee berth, I saw it first on a Passport 40. To me they offer advantages of better storage beneath, side access and better ventilation to a fwd head.

Some other manufacturers such as Valiant, Hylas, Bene, Outbound have flirted with the design but Pullman has seemingly become less popular over the years, Am I missing something, why is this so, why are they not more popular.

I’d like to know as holding out for my ideal yacht at a reasonable price at a reasonable distance from home is becoming an ageing experience.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ine-23598.html




Oceanrider (Wannabe)

I'm extremely happy with my 2 cabin Catalina 42 with pullman berth....the pointy end is used for a particularly nice shower cubicle rather than the forward bunk occupants feet in collision!

[gunnado]

I love having the head in the bow, you get great ventilation in bed even if its raining. Draws are good under bed. It's my preferred layout.

[Jon Neely]

We have a pullman in our Hans Christian 33, Love it! 38 mkII has a pullman as well.

[MarkJ]

The drawback is that the person sleeping in the inside of the Pullman has to climb over their partner when they wish to get out in the middle of the night.
I tend to be a bit clumsy and ofen fall on top of my sleeping partner I then forget why I was trying to get up at all....

Now I am single I get up... and wander around forlornly.

[jeremiason]

We have a double Pullman Berth on our Catalina 470 and a standard queen in the aft cabin...

The Pullman Berth It is comfortable, but as Mark reminded us, there is only one way out. In rough seas, the Pullman is a little more comfortable to sleep in, since it is closer to the keel, but under the same conditions the bow head is worthless, unless you use a seatbelt :-)

The Pullman Berths do have add a lot of storage, unfortunately in newer model boats, this is where the generators, air conditioners and watermakers end up, so you loose the space pretty quickly.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Oceanride007

, why are they not more popular.

because boat builders have this love of doing the V-berth to use all the space even though that is less useful

either that or there is some group of people that when you put two of them together they become shaped into a V

[goboatingnow]

I thought a pullman berth was a pulldown berth like in train carriages, ( I mean thats where it originated)

what are we taking about here

dave

[David_Old_Jersey]

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

[goboatingnow]

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.

ta, Im 6'5" , my wife is petite, had one on the Benny 393, she hated it.!!
"its like sleeping in the lee of a mountain etc etc"
Dave

[Tim R.]

We have one on our Caliber along with the forward(V-berth) head. We have lived aboard for about 3 years now and love it. My wife and I are both tall and hated the V-berth in our previous boats. We would often make up the salon into the pulman style like we have now. The extreme forward area of the boat is anchor locker on top and 100 gallon holding tank below. IMO, the best use of this odd shaped space.

We also have lots of storage beneath with cabinets/drawers along the inside and top access spaces along the hull.

The Caliber 40 has an aft head that is deal for aft cabin guest, off-shore sailing and otherwise storage and hanging locker. When off-shore we do sleep in the salon or the aft cabin for comfort and access reason. If it is calm, we use the forward pullman and that allows nav/galley/head work while not disturbing the folks in the forward cabin.

[Suijin]

For canoodling, pullman berths can't be beat.

Valiant did not "flirt" with pullmans, they offered them as a cabin layout based on feedback from owners and what prospective buyers wanted. Every Valiant owner I know that have a pullman really like it. The point about better ventilation when it's raining is true, particularly if you have two heads and don't mind one getting wet.

The drawback, as Tom points out, is that in smaller boats with one head, having it in the bow presents certain challenges particularly in passage making. But you can always add your own padeye to snap your harness onto

[SVTatia]

That type of layout is dictated by the boat design. Large boats that carry the beam all the way forward can afford this, otherwise most boats have a fine bow interior and there is no room on the side, even a bit aft of the bow - it needs a square of roughly 4.5 by 6.5 feet. To be used every day, I figured a double bed needs to be at least 55 inches wide (by 75’’), less that that they are for young lovers. ..

[barnakiel]

I have not used them but I have seen a pullman berth on a HCh33. Looks like a dream place to sleep in port. I would like one like this in our boat too.

As long as the boat has adequate sea-berths then I think a pullman is a fabulous idea whether you are a menage-a-trois, a couple or single.

;-)
b.

[goboatingnow]

For canoodling, pullman berths can't be beat.

delete pullman

dave