Berth Lengths on Popular Heavy Cruisers

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

I'm looking at potentially buying a heavy displacement cutter. Hans Christian, Noon Ocean etc. You know the type.

I'm 6'8" (204cm) tall though and I tend to sleep on my belly which makes my feet stick out even more. I'm wondering if these classic beauties are even a possibility for my giraffey proportions. I saw a boat tour of a HC 33 and they said it was difficult for the 6'4" tall guy to fit in the forward Pullman berth so I suppose I shouldn't hold my breath.
Any fellow giraffes out there sailing their teak palace boats?

[Cheechako]

I've had a Pullman twice and even with my 5-9 height, I dislike them. One was a Hans.
-The outboard person has more trouble getting out than in a V berth. And has to ext the covers, not bump their head on the deck underside, then "spider walk" over the inboard person while they are asleep, especially if the opening to the pullman is a big rounded corner opening, like most Hans Christians are. The Hans often have drawers under the berth which leaves it pretty high up as you are balancing over the person and trying to get out and down 3+ feet.
-A Beneteau or etc charter boat pullman is often low and wide open entry and much easier to get in and out of.
-They are stuffy. Due to the usual Pullman location near the mast, the hatch overhead is often a small one. Vs a V berth where you get plenty of fresh air and can pop up to view what's going on in seconds.
-The outboard person is sleeping with the deck underside right above them. It feels claustrophobic a bit.


You may find at your height you need a boat with a big quarter berth, or maybe an aft cabin is best?

[Weatherbird]

Our Tashiba 40 v-berth is 7'8" although the quarter berth and setees are only 6'5".

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I've had a Pullman twice and even with my 5-9 height, I dislike them. One was a Hans.
-The outboard person has more trouble getting out than in a V berth. And has to ext the covers, not bump their head on the deck underside, then "spider walk" over the inboard person while they are asleep, especially if the opening to the pullman is a big rounded corner opening, like most Hans Christians are. The Hans often have drawers under the berth which leaves it pretty high up as you are balancing over the person and trying to get out and down 3+ feet.
-A Beneteau or etc charter boat pullman is often low and wide open entry and much easier to get in and out of.
-They are stuffy. Due to the usual Pullman location near the mast, the hatch overhead is often a small one. Vs a V berth where you get plenty of fresh air and can pop up to view what's going on in seconds.
-The outboard person is sleeping with the deck underside right above them. It feels claustrophobic a bit.


You may find at your height you need a boat with a big quarter berth, or maybe an aft cabin is best?

Do you have any suggestions? I don't know my sailboats too well.

I'd prefer little to no teak on deck to be honest so a HC is definitely not that. Definitely need large bulwarks and a really beefy hull and encapsulated keel. Tall order I know 😆

[SomeGuyInaShirt]

Originally Posted by Weatherbird

Our Tashiba 40 v-berth is 7'8" although the quarter berth and setees are only 6'5".

I just googled your boat model and wow, what a beauty. You must just sit back and smile sometimes knowing that you have such a respectable boat :-)

[HC Sailing]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I've had a Pullman twice and even with my 5-9 height, I dislike them. One was a Hans.
-The outboard person has more trouble getting out than in a V berth. And has to ext the covers, not bump their head on the deck underside, then "spider walk" over the inboard person while they are asleep, especially if the opening to the pullman is a big rounded corner opening, like most Hans Christians are. The Hans often have drawers under the berth which leaves it pretty high up as you are balancing over the person and trying to get out and down 3+ feet.
-A Beneteau or etc charter boat pullman is often low and wide open entry and much easier to get in and out of.
-They are stuffy. Due to the usual Pullman location near the mast, the hatch overhead is often a small one. Vs a V berth where you get plenty of fresh air and can pop up to view what's going on in seconds.
-The outboard person is sleeping with the deck underside right above them. It feels claustrophobic a bit.


You may find at your height you need a boat with a big quarter berth, or maybe an aft cabin is best?

Haha,
what some find claustrophobic, others find cosy.
Good that we are all so different>

[Kettlewell]

Strangely, old-school cruising sailboats back in the 60s-80s that had two parallel settee berths on either side of a centerline table have the most comfortable berths, IMHO, and they are often quite long. Also, some quarter berths were incredibly long back in the day.

[Fintry]

We're looking for a new to us boat and I have measured most berths. 78" is the most common, although I've seen a few that were shorter, but I think on every boat we've seen there was at least one 78" berth.


I'd be more concerned about headroom. We have close friends who are now halfway around a circumnav. He's 6'5" and they looked at a lot of boats before buying a Deerfoot 62.