Sleeping in the foreberth

[SURV69]

rwidman:

I don't mean to sound nasty, but you seem to be making an inference that I don't appreciate. I am not making it more difficult than it is ... for me it "IS", difficult ... but more personally, it seems somewhat unnatural too.

Maybe ... if you were almost 70 years old, or maybe if you've fractured you back twice, or maybe if you suffered sciatica, you might understand the simplicity of putting your head in the V-berth, scrunching a few feet forward and sleeping, as opposed to sitting on the V-berth, bring you knees to your head and twisting in a 1'+ area(because of the bulkhead), then reversing that process to get out ... maybe then, it would not be a case of "making it harder", than it needs to be.

[boatman61]

In your case I would do what's most comfortable and works for Me.. not what works for others..
Looks like we've come to the end of the Thread..
May your future Kips be peaceful and pain free..

[valhalla360]

Another vote for feet forward. We can fit our feet in the 2' wide area at the front. We can't fit both our shoulders.


Of course on our last two boats, we have side entry but previous was your typical V-berth. All using the feet forward approach.


I really wonder how a person can function on a small boat if turning around in the berth is a challenge.

[unclemack]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I really wonder how a person can function on a small boat if turning around in the berth is a challenge.

Never noticed the increased difficulty your grandparents have rising from a seated position?

Once they're upright they seem to manage OK, probably feed you and everything don't they?

Duh...

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Sleeping at sea: you're doing it wrong!

While underway, you sleep on the settees in the saloon.
Or even on the floor, on the keel, if things get really nasty.

When you're at anchor, in a marina or just floating aimlessly sans wind, you can sleep in the V-berth. With your feet to the bow, like a normal person



Oh, I was just about to blog about it, see how the average Dutch sailor handles the V-berth sleeping issue

That's me! Abbie Normal.

[CaitB]

6' tall, head to bow, plenty of room, no gymnastics required.

I don't want my head "in the head" when I sleep...

[ricktara]

not the end of the thread, yet...
on my 29 watkins, the bow was too high to sleep feet forward for me.
Imgur:The most awesome images on the Internet

on my current Mainship trawler, we sleep head to bow on centerline, but I do hit my head and plan to try the other way around, I think it too is too bow high.

Imgur: The most awesome images on the Internet

[Minggat]

Originally Posted by SURV69

I've asked a number of people ... not a lot, but at least 5 or so ... and the only one that didn't sleep with the head to the bow, slept sideways in the V-berth:

Anything that is "sideways" in a boat is called athwartship. That includes sleeping bodie. We also sleep athwartship.

[Dave22q]

I'm with those whose shoulders are wider then their feet so it's feet forward for me. Even if alone and with my 12' beam I cannot envision going head first. My headroom is no problem so access is no problem, kneel and turn going in; spin, slide and hop down getting out. I can see where head first might make sense in a narrower boat.

[Aaarrgh]

Have you presented this question to those in the multi-hull forum? Just askin'.

[SVTwilight]

We always sleep feet to the bow in the v berth at anchor. Very comfy amd also get more fresh
Air to the face that way from our dorade vent and hatch

We never sleep in the v berth underway, too bouncy amd noisy fron the water rushing by. We sleep in the saloon berth with lee cloths amd also with feet forward.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by unclemack

Never noticed the increased difficulty your grandparents have rising from a seated position?

Once they're upright they seem to manage OK, probably feed you and everything don't they?

Duh...

Sure but before my Dad passed away (grandparents gone before I was 5), he reached a point where we only took him out if conditions were dead calm and we had a couple of us help him on and off the boat and got him in a seat where he generally stayed. I assume the OP isn't that far along or he really should consider swallowing the anchor in the interest of safety unless he has a crew to run the boat.

I assume we are talking about a person in charge able to climb up on deck and work their way to the bow during rough conditions hunched over and clinging to the handrails and rigging. Even docking, you need to be able to move around and docks are often higher or lower meaning you have to climb. I can come up with more examples.

So if the OP is capable of doing all the other tasks on the boat, I am struggling with why it would be a major issue to turn around in bed.

I suppose the OP could have a specific movement that is particularly difficult but as a general rule just being a little older shouldn't be a reason a person can't turn around if they are otherwise capable of handling a small boat.

[Blue Stocking]

Guests on Bluestocking can take their pick, large stbd qtr berth, main cabin dbl, or main cabin stb pilot berth. Forepeak is mine . Mind you, I've sailed and slept on newer boat where the flattened fwd hull sections slap like crazy at anchor.

[seasick]

When I have to sleep at sea it hardly matters where I end up. Cabin sole, cockpit etc. it's just lights out. Feet forward in the V berth on many boats means my pillow falls off on to the floor. I hate when my pillow falls on the floor.

I have a great video in my files of my nephew sleeping head forward in the V berth on my last voyage up from Hawaii as we pounded into it. He was snoring as he literally came off the bunk six-inches with every swell. One morning I came on deck for my watch and he was snoring in the cockpit with the main sheet wrapped around his neck. I was not a happy captain that day.

[libanori]

From my arthrosis point of view, foot to the bow is really hard to get in and out.