Where to Buy a Proper V-Berth Mattress ?

[Sailor Simon]

I want to replace the sections of uncomfortable foam that make up my v berth. Where does one go to buy/look at/price a proper v berth mattress? Sailor Simon

[RainDog]

If you search you will find many in-depth threads about this, but here is what seems to be the consensus as I recall:

Best: Custom Inner-Sprint or Latex mattress. Expensive, but the best way to go. (example: HandCraft Mattress Company)

Second Best: Froli system topped by high-density foam topped by memory foam.

Third Best: New high-density foam topped by memory foam.

Froli Sleep Systems by Nickle Atlantic, LLC
V-Birth, boat cushion
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ice-20819.html

[rebel heart]

When we bought the boat years ago we chopped up a regular mattress to try to make it fit the v berth. It was too much of a pain in the ass so we just went with the cushions that were in there. Last year we replaced all the cushions on the boat; cost about $1000 for the highest density stuff we could find. Marine grade.

We sleep great every night.

[miatapaul]

If you are on a budget you can cut one of these to fit. Get an electric knife from a thrift store and go to it. It has 3 layers so you can try different combination's.

Queen-size 8-inch Accu-Gold Memory Foam RV Component Sleep System | Overstock.com

[ReMetau]

We had a custom cut latex mattress made by Clearwater Mattress (Clearwater Discount Mattress) which we put on top of the Froli system. We originally topped it off with 3 inches of memory foam, but I found the memory foam too hot to sleep on.

[capngeo]

Sarasota mattress made mine

[bstreep]

As noted above, the memory foam systems are really inexpensive, and work VERY well. They can be custom cut with a cheap electric knife. We love ours - on the boat and at home.

[zopi]

The original mattress factory will make them custom...they are in Virginia Beach..

[Bergovoy]

I love this forum... great resources...I see a froli system in my future...

[miatapaul]

Originally Posted by bstreep

As noted above, the memory foam systems are really inexpensive, and work VERY well. They can be custom cut with a cheap electric knife. We love ours - on the boat and at home.

Just about every thrift shop or Salvation Army has electric knives for like $2. Back in the 60's I think every couple got one as a wedding gift, but never used them! I think my parents had at least 2, though we did pull them out every Thanksgiving, until they got some good knives.

[JonathanSail]

I had a futon mattress in storage that I remembered as being very comfortable. It is a bit thicker and heavier than your basic futon in any case. It was looking like it might stay in storage for a really long time so I decided to slice a few corners off and stick it in the v-berth. It's a good fit and very comfortable. It is definitely heavier than the original mattress but I'm not sure if it will matter when the boat goes back in..

To mod the futon I marked the mattress where it needed to be cut (top and bottom then cut the thread at the seams from this area. Sliced/removed the foam and batting that is inside the mattress and then restitched the seams. The seam restitching took a little while since I did it by hand but wasn't a big deal.

There is one more option for you.

Jonathan Poole

[tager]

I have done original cushions, futon, and memory foam. Split cushions are a joke and should be tossed. Futon works great but requires slats, drideck, or some kind of airflow. Same with memory foam. Favorite so far was the futon. Memory foam is too gooey, it makes me move around less in my sleep. I tend to get a kink in my neck or back if I don't have a harder mattress.

My dog peed on my memory foam last night... bad dog.

[JanetGroene]

Even if you're in a small town or an area where they are not a lot of boats, you can usually find an upholstery shop that can order the kind and quality of foam you want. they'll cut a custom size and shape, and put on a nice, durable cover. Depends on the area but in rural north Florida they work quite cheaply. I find latex too heavy for the frequent flipping that keeps a mattress fresh and in time it turns to crumbly powder. Incidentally, many berths are asymmetrical, so be sure to measure space for your mattress and get one that can be flipped for frequent airing.

[Mark Johnson]

Our "poor man's option", was to put 2" thick memory foam "toppers" on our old uncomfortable foam mattresses. WOW! it really changed our lives. If you have aches and pains, these really do the trick, at a VERY reasonable cost! These "toppers" are at Pennys, Belks, Walmart, Sams, etc. You just get one too large, scribe the old mattress onto it with a magic marker, and cut it out with an electric carving knife. (stuff cuts like butta)

Be aware that they sell these about 6" each way SMALLER than marked on the box...

We put waterproof fitted sheets on the lower original foam matress, then the topper, then a just quilted fitted sheet. This vapor proof layer below the topper, means the lower foam doesn't get damp & mildew, and the upper "quilted" fitted sheet can go in the wash. Once a year, (or when ever), you can even lay the toppers out in the sun if they get damp. We tried several mattress solutions over the years, and this one works for us.

Mark

[SabreKai]

Has anyone ever used an air mattress? I have a bad back, and have been sleeping on one since 1998. I find I can pump it up to the pressure I want, and it gives me good solid support. Problem is how do you modify one to fit a V berth. A double will fit on my stbd settee very nicely but everything else is bare at the moment.


Sabre