Show Me Your V-Berth

[LostAtSea2011]

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Might need a new G/f...........


.

Full disclosure: This is where the dollars go when you click on DOJ's beer fund. Jes sayin'.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by tgzzzz

Full disclosure: This is where the dollars go when you click on DOJ's beer fund. Jes sayin'.

Lol

Actually it doesn't - the head not worked for 3 years (frozen seacock )

I wanted to finish painting / varnishing in the forepeak before splashing WD40 etc around (and removing / rebedding the seacock)....and time just marches on ...during which one gets used to the advantages of being tied to the dock (and not living aboard) - harbour wall or bucket....plan B is no curries and plan C is shore facilities.

But it's on the list - I am allowing 5 minutes for that job

[rileydog]

[wolfenzee]

My theory about v-births is this: most americans are used to having a seoerate room from the rest of the house to sleep in so the marketing powers that be build boats with a dedicated sleeping area,. Considering how little time you spend sleeping along with the v-birth being one of the worst places to sleep at sea...the v-birth is a very inefficient use of space. When my boat was designed in 1936 the foreward cabin consisted of a head, work area, storage and a fold down pipe birth, the second owner took that out and replaced the birth with storage locker. In my cabin refit my forward cabin will have a head, work bench on the port side with such things as band saw, drill press, table saw, routing table, vise etc all of which can be stowed on the starboard and the workbench used for a 30" wide bunk with plenty of storage on the other side. The bunk in the main cabin pulls out to the center of the boat making a bunk wide enough for two and still allowing passage while open. My point being every space on the boat should be used as efficiently and for as many purposes as possible. My cabin space on my boat is about 16' and is 8' at the widest, 3' at the narrowest, the original cabin was very poorly thought out and I have spent the last couple of years rebuilding it.

[Nicholson58]

Our V is about queen size with the corners knocked off. I installed two mast steps to get up and some hand holds. 4" open cell antifungal treated foam and custom covering. There is an add-in section at the aft center. The long port & starboard sides are sectioned to get into the lockers below.

[janice142]

Originally Posted by Gelfling

Ah ha! Unfortunately (or fortunately with two kids!) I have lots of storage under the v-berth. Most if it is stuff that doesn't need to be gotten to everyday, but with that much room something can always be put there.

Hello Gelfling. While I do have access to the stuff via a hatch under the mattress, one of my most used improvements was to have a locker door cut into the front of the bunk support panel. Well, first we added a shelf under the bunk from port to starboard so that the cavern now has a "bottom" (versus the bilge) ... That made storage so much more tidy. Still, a couple of hinges and a beautiful seahorse (thanks Josh!) handle.... it's a great USEFUL storage area.

Eventually I might go ahead and finish off the edges with some teak and make it look real pretty, but for now it serves the purpose well. I've got a little piece of ebony wood that latches the door shut at the top corner though if I had little people I'd go with a more substantial closure.

Good luck!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by wolfenzee

My theory about v-births is this: most americans are used to having a seoerate room from the rest of the house to sleep in so the marketing powers that be build boats with a dedicated sleeping area,.

Much as I would like to .....I don't think fair to blame either Marketeers or Americans.

I just see it as boat design evolving to meet the changing requirements / needs of Owners.

Time was that working / recreational sailing boats had to be fitted out for extended time at sea (No or small engine), boat required a number of sails and an ability to fix or replace stuff on the hoof. IMO the first recreational sailors were more about the sailing side than the sitting in port and simply enjoying life part (no criticism meant by that!).

But as the world moved on, accomadation in port became more important to an Owner than it had been, and especially with the advent of longer life sails (Mainsail can be kept on boom season long, under a sail cover) and then the foresail reefing meant that the sail locker could become even smaller - or eliminated completely?!.....couple that with ever more reliable equipment (less need for storage and working space) and better engines that meant voyages could be completed quickly, even when the wind did not play ball together meant that the forepeak could become a forecabin - even if doubling as sail storage (the plus to that, above adding more berths for family, who likely traditionally would have stayed onshore - is that provides a double bed, for in port jiggy jiggy ....without having to alter the Saloon layout).

Obviously it is a layout that works for many (albeit mine is still a forepeak and will be staying that way - on 30' I don't need 7 berths ).

[Wavewacker]

Originally Posted by wolfenzee

...... In my cabin refit my forward cabin will have a head, work bench on the port side with such things as band saw, drill press, table saw, routing table, vise etc all of which can be stowed on the starboard and the workbench used for a 30" wide bunk with plenty of storage on the other side........

Geeez! I don't have that much in my garage! You have a shop in your V berth?

[AuroraGH]

I've also started a remodeling effort, I'm still in the destruction phase. There was a "work bench" set of bins located down the starboard side. Problem is it made the berth too narrow and the forward corner kept digging into my leg all night.

Just getting started:



a bit later:



The plan is to rebuild it to match the original plans although mirror imaged since the rest of the boat is built left-handed as well.


I'm wrestling with exactly how to partition the space under the berth but I am considering avoiding the plywood decking that is usually done and instead put in euro-bed style birch slats which I will scavenge from Ikea beds. The theory being to allow better air circulation under the mattress. Something like this:

[wolfenzee]

Originally Posted by Wavewacker

Geeez! I don't have that much in my garage! You have a shop in your V berth?

That's the whole idea. I will be able to continue to make stuff for my boat and doing stuff for other people will add to my cruising fund. Granted I don't have enough room to be able to have everything set up at once, but I can only fit one person in the shop at a time.