Sleeping in the foreberth

[SURV69]

That picture of the V-berth, with the pillows at the bow looks mighty "familiar".

[Lizzy Belle]

Those don't say "head here" ... but "photo staged for marketing reasons".

[RaymondR]

Sleeping head to bow might be alright for you northern hemisphere folks but us bronzed Ausie yachties are all at least 4' across the shoulders and won't fit that way.

[SURV69]

Lizzie Belle:

I just read ... on another site, that one of the reasons for the head at the bow, is to be able to watch the TV on the bulkhead ...

In any case, looking through the internet, it looks like the majority of sailors sleep with their heads to the stern, but still, a surprising number to the bow.

[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by SURV69

In about 20 or so years of sailing, I have NEVER met anyone who sleeps in the forberth with their feet toward the bow ... yet EVERY book and magazine indicates that this is the "proper"(?), way to sleep in the foreberth.


Am I missing something here? As I see it, unless the boat is 40 feet long with a 14' beam and the sailor is young and very agile ... how does one sleep in the foreberth with one's feet toward the bow?

To me, this seems nearly impossible.

Interesting question.

I hate those stupid triangle shaped V berths. Totally unusable IMHO.

Boat motion is horrible up forward in any kind of sea state.

Our liberty 458 has the forward head in the V, behind the sail locker. Much more sensible layout. Sail locker access is great. Head functions well.

V berth is now a proper full size double berth between the forward head and salon.

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[leftbrainstuff]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

The ARE some problems with such berths. AKA the grass isn't really greener.

- They're tough to stay in period. And to stay in place in, when underway.
Even with lee cloths on both sides, & one on centerline, it's easy for there to be too much room for a sleeper. As you can't wedge youself in against anything solid. Unlike in a berth that's against, or surrounded by hull.
Which makes for Poor sleep quality.

- The above problems can/do persist in rolly anchorages.

- Tremendous wastes of space... along the sides, where each party enters & exits. In terms of usable bunk surface area. AND, for more stoage underneath of the bunk.

- They Feel, & can actually Be smaller, than a good V-berth, aft double, or Pullman (fixed or slide out/convertable).
As with any berth which has the hull on one, or both sides; there's a lot more "sprawl room". Especially when heeled. Sans the possibility of falling out. So, again, you lose, in the sleep quality department.

That's the most detailed narrative on the negatives of a centerline queen I've ever read.

Having lived aboard for over 2 years on a centreline queen in our Liberty 458 we have experienced none of those negatives. Even in rolly anchorages we've never been thrown out.

The grass is much greener in a centerline queen. Pullman's and v berths are a pita.

We use the salon sea berths with lee cloths while underway and heeled over.

With storage under the centerline queen and 110 lockers we're not storage challenged.

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[Don C L]

Head forward for me, and judging by you all, I guess I am the only one! Underway I prefer the feeling of my head rising as he boat pitches, and my boat has a pretty comfortable motion too, no pounding or slapping, and I like the sound of the water gurgling by. My bunk is fairly flat too, so I could sleep the other way but somehow I never slept well that way. Maybe I should try again. At anchor it's different, I can go either way. But really, the bow is a dumb place to put bunks anyway for sleeping while underway. I had to sleep in the bow of a big flat-bottom race boat for a couple weeks. Horrible. The only reason I slept was that I was so tired I could have slept anywhere. There were times I was lifted off the bunk with each swell slam. I still slept though. Quarter berths are by far my favorite, with the engine OFF! too bad I don't have one in my boat now.

[jwcolby54]

Originally Posted by four winds

...

Usually though, to enter.... I step on the entry threshold for the extra height, then put a knee on the edge of the berth. Then lean forward into a slow shoulder roll, tucking my knees in and ending up in a sorta fetal position with my head on the pillow. Picking up the unmade covers and slide my legs under and I'm in.

On exit, the reverse, bring my legs up and roll upright placing a knee on the edge. Lean out on one knee while reaching for the threshold with the other foot. Then step out of the berth.

Sounds harder than it is.

Can you post a video of this?

[four winds]

Originally Posted by jwcolby54

Can you post a video of this?

LOL... Actually, I sorta wish I hadn't posted that at all. Even if true. Sorry then no video so maybe it will be forgotten sooner.

[troppo]

Head toward bow, that's me (Don C L you are not the only one).

In my Top Hat 25, the v-berth layout with a floor area between the rear part of the 'v' means it is easy to flop down head to bow. When I exit the v-berth, I swing my legs from the side section onto the floor in the middle of the 'v' ends which I find makes me more balanced than if I sleep feet to bow where it takes more wriggling to get my feet around and down on the floor.

I actually enjoy light movement of the boat with gentle water noises. Interestingly, turn of tide or increasing wind changes those noises and I tend to wake up and notice the change.

Sometimes I sleep the other way around just for something different. No wife with me, or girlfriend, so not trying to fit two in the v-berth. In a previous boat when my wife went sailing, the v-berth was way too small for two people.

Where there is a fair chop, the narrow cabin bunk is so much calmer then the v-berth you could hardly credit they were on the same boat.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Don C L

,But really, the bow is a dumb place to put bunks anyway for sleeping while underway.

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

Originally Posted by four winds

LOL... Actually, I sorta wish I hadn't posted that at all. Even if true. Sorry then no video so maybe it will be forgotten sooner.

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

[SteveSails]

Over the years of reading this forum I have received advice on which boat to buy, one hull or two, anchors, firearms, culture, retirement, repairs, finances, science and engineering, marital relationships, origin and fate of the universe... and now how to crawl into bed. The depth and breadth of knowledge here is truly amazing.

[SURV69]

I omitted a key fact(for me), I fractured my back in 1963 & 1971. This means that I'm not the pretzel of a man I used to be, so through ALL of my sailing experience, I tend to do things in a manner that involves less flexibility.

I'm now single(my first few years of sailing was with my wife) ... head(s) to bow.

Since, this is the year .... I hope ... for a longer term sojourn, and I hope to anchor out often, I think it would be prudent to remove myself for the portion of the boat with the most movement and onto a more centralized berth ... a berth that will allow me quicker access to the cockpit, coffee and the expected anchor checks(I've never anchored out before)

A big problem with the foreberth is, if not for sleeping what good is it if I don't have a bunch of extra sails, tons of clothes, or something else bulky to store there? ... and what about those two huge, built-in shelves?

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

You really can't figure out how someone could get into a V-berth? I mean, it seems really obvious to me. Just sit down, swing your legs around, and voila! It's easy. My wife and I are on either side of 60 and we do it without any problems at all. I think that somehow you must be making this a lot harder than it has to be.
..................................... .

I agree and that's how we do it. I can't imagine doing it the other way. Maybe someone can post an instructional video on how to get into and out of a V berth.

[tbodine88]

On my West Wight Potter when at sea, if I have crew I'll sleep in the quarter berth. At the dock I'll sleep head forwards, since I'll get a better breeze.

On my Ericson 32 at sea, I slept feet forward. If I had company it was the same. Again in port I might switch around to catch the breeze.

Fair winds