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Modifying the main cabin sleeping quarter

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RAG Sailor
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USA
144 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/13/2013 : 17:33:16

We spent our first weekend overnight on our 1981 25 w/traditional cabin arrangement. I'm over 6 feet and my wife is 5'7". We both can't sleep in the v- berth. We'd love to use the main cabin but the two benches are too small. We'd like to make a full cabin sleep area except there is that console that covers the bilge area. It measures 15" high while the two benches are 13". Has anyone figured a way to fill in the gap between the two benches to create a larger sleep are?

Good to be back at sea!

Edited by - on

GaryB
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4275 Posts

Response Posted - 10/13/2013 : 17:54:37

A couple of 2 X 4's stacked (or 2 - 4 X 4's) laid length wise along the top of the benches then 3 or 4 - 2 X 4's cut to fit and laid across the cabin. King or queen size air mattress laid over the 2 X 4's and you are all set.

I don't have the console over the bilge like you do so I lay 2 X 4's lengthwise and then have 3 - 2 X 4's laid across the cabin with a double height air mattress on top.

Sometimes I take the setup down if I need to get up in the V-berth area but most of the time I leave it up week to week and sail with it setup. It takes about 10 minutes to take it down or set it up.

I spend almost every Friday night on the boat and sleep like a baby!

Edited by - on

pastmember
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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/13/2013 : 18:57:05

Personally I preferred sleeping in the Quarterberth and left the V-berth for my wife. There is nowhere on a C25 that two people can sleep without gymnastics if someone gets up in the night... and we all do.

I slept here a lot

After a while I decided I wanted to be able to sit up on the edge of the bed so I built this starboard extension by adding cleats around the area.

The board stowed behind the settee back cushion. Note I had my back rests reupholstered with a gap below the back to increase the sitting depth of the settees, made them wider to lay on as well.

This was my interior with the bed put away.

Edited by - pastmember on 10/13/2013 19:06:17

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 10/13/2013 : 20:00:34

Frank's setup is much more elegant than mine! I may have to copy it this winter.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3368 Posts

Response Posted - 10/13/2013 : 21:08:38

I have two completed projects on my website that makes use of the port side for a bunk extension and then a suspended table that can be used with the bunk extension in place.
http://catalina25.homestead.com/BunkExtension.html

http://catalina25.homestead.com/New-Table---Shelves.html

Edited by - OLarryR on 10/13/2013 21:16:25

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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1511 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2013 : 05:35:36

I convert the cabin to a full size air mattress. The nice thing is, that none of the components are permanent modifications to the boat.

Two sections of plywood and three 3" PVC pipes.

Full size air mattress:

I'm not sure why we had two different colored pillow covers on this trip, but you get the idea:

I keep the plywood against the bulk head, in the head. And the pipes are easy to store.

The only down side is that the bed has to be set-up and then taken down in the morning. Which on a long trip gets a little old. However, it's very comfortable...

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RAG Sailor
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144 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2013 : 06:57:42

Please keep these coming. They are all wonderfully creative ideas.

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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2013 : 09:19:23

I have used an air mattress and it works great. I ended up wanting something that could be left up and still leave the boat walkable. I had no problem stepping over the corner of my berth at the mast support so I considered it a walkable plan, one I could leave down while sailing and feel safe getting around below. The air mattress is a great bed but turns the 25 into a boat with the head room of a 21 so I moved on to a solution that was less of an obstacle. Remember all of these ideas still leave the Quarterberth available... which is where my air conditioner was so I loved it on 100 degree days and nights.

 [url="https://www.catalina-capri-25s.net/cgi-local/MBR_system.cgi?VM+2052-2312"]

Click to View Full Sized Image[/url]

Edited by - pastmember on 10/14/2013 21:19:15

GaryB
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4275 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2013 : 18:27:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Davy J
 
I'm not sure why we had two different colored pillow covers on this trip, but you get the idea:

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
This is the way mine looks when it's setup except I have a double height queen size air mattress.

It's very comfortable to sleep on.

I also used to sleep in the quarter berth but it was hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2013 : 18:31:17

[url="https://www.catalina-capri-25s.net/cgi-local/MBR_system.cgi?VM+2052-2312"]

Click to View Full Sized Image[/url]
Much more manageable and does not need to be scrolled.

Paul

Edited by - britinusa on 10/14/2013 18:32:33

sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2013 : 19:15:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pastmember
 Personally I preferred sleeping in the Quarterberth and left the V-berth for my wife. There is nowhere on a C25 that two people can sleep without gymnastics if someone gets up in the night... and we all do.

I slept here a lot
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Frank, the wood along the side of your quarter berth looks fantastic. What wood did you use and how did you mount it?

Edited by - on

pastmember
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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2013 : 21:00:17

Thanks, I put Airconditioning in my '82 and my '89. I could not bring myself to cut up the teak bulkheads so I stained red oak A-B and cut that up for the window units. That left me two original teak (marine ply), bulkheads which I mounted to the hull liner with short screws. In Kansas we sometimes sleep in a cold boat and the wood and cushion back I mounted helped make the quarterberth much warmer. It is good to roll against an outside wall at night and have it not be freezing.

Edited by - pastmember on 10/14/2013 21:14:09

sethp001
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814 Posts

Response Posted - 10/16/2013 : 19:03:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pastmember
 Thanks, I put Airconditioning in my '82 and my '89. I could not bring myself to cut up the teak bulkheads so I stained red oak A-B and cut that up for the window units. That left me two original teak (marine ply), bulkheads which I mounted to the hull liner with short screws. In Kansas we sometimes sleep in a cold boat and the wood and cushion back I mounted helped make the quarterberth much warmer. It is good to roll against an outside wall at night and have it not be freezing.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks. What was the thickness of the plywood? It conformed to the curve of the hull, right?

Edited by - sethp001 on 10/16/2013 19:04:21

pastmember
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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 10/17/2013 : 08:02:34

I think the bulkheads are 1/2" ply maybe 3/8" and yes it conformed nicely. Just measure yours. If you have never removed that bulkhead i the quarterberth to spend some time in the dumpster then you should. I mounted a battery charger, rewired the power wall and ran new wire to the batteries and never had to drop down from the top. I even considered building a bed athwartship there ala Hunters et al.

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