Association Forum - Double Starboard berth

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Double Starboard berth

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Member Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/12/2006 : 21:26:31

I have tried many ways to improve the sleeping on a Catalina 25. As the boats come the v-berth is too short, the settees are too narrow and the quaterberth is a hassle to climb in and out of. Of those choices I have found the quarterberth to be the best place to sleep. My wife does not sleep on the boat often but does occasionally. I have had the athwart ship double and queen and found the beds to be too cumbersome to set up and take down, they instead are an excuse to stay at the dock rather than hassle with putting them away. I have cursed the design of the 25 for having the head on the wrong side of the boat, If it were to starboard then the bulkhead would be long enough for a simple slide out double, but alas the short bulkhead is to starboard. After several seasons of contemplation I decided to pull the trigger on expanding the starboard settee out into the salon, It creates a bottleneck at the head passageway but is is the best compromise I have come up with. So this is what I did:

1. One half sheet (2' X 8') of 3/4" red oak A-B cut to 77" X 17". These dimensions are based on the fore-n-aft length of the starboard settee seat back, (measure yours!) and of the height of the seat back cushion. 17" allows for the hinged under berth storage to still be accessible and for the berth board to attach to the fasteners that hold it in place on the settee back. I used removable pinned hinges as fasteners.

2. 3/4" X 3/4" teak strips to form a support ledge on the face of the settee teak battens. For these to be strong enough I had to reinforce the edge of the settee where the battens are attached. There is a teak strip screwed from the top to the bottom of the 1/2" settee base, the batten then screws into that teak strip to form the fiddle rail that holds the settee cushion in place while sailing. The top screws were replaced with through bolts, the new teak ledge was attached with 2" screws so they would go through the new 3/4" ledge, the batten and the reinforcing teak under the berth lip.

3. A cleat with a stop was screwed to the mast support to hold the forward port corner of the berth extension. The aft end of the berth extension was slotted to allow it to sit on the lower companionway step. The berth extension now is supported by a full length ledge along the face of the settee, a corner cleat on the mast support and the bottom step. The large Coleman Oscar that is always on my boat is the center support on the port edge.

4. Snap bases were screwed into the berth extension to allow the settee back to snap on the board so it will not slide around.

I have uploaded photos that show what I have failed to make clear above.

http://homepage.mac.com/fhopper/PhotoAlbum150.html

Here is one photo of the finished project. Also there is a mystery object at the end of the slide show, what is it?

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 11/12/2006 : 21:36:49

I might have posted this to the wrong thread originally...

Why would this not have worked to port? I looks like it would have kept the aisle clean.

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 11/12/2006 : 21:41:38

Because, Duane, the port settee is shorter than the starboard one. Unless you're about 5'3", you can't sleep fore and aft on the port side.

Brooke

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 05:28:17

Well...I don't think it works well either way because....the galley is what makes the cushion area shorter and if the galley was moved to the starboard side, then it would block the quarterberth area. Moving just the head to the starboard area ...the bulkhead would be longer then on that side and well then there is the shorter cushion area on the port side. So....what you basically have is what is probably common to a 25 footer...you stuff as many features as you can into it to make it an attractive package: fixed galley vs slideouts for sink and stove and a double bulkhead for a separate area containing a head and a second sink. I think you do not see any real improvement in shortcomings (cramped VBerth area and a second area with adequate sleeping space for two until you get to the 28 foot size. But...then they have their issues as well. many do not have a shower and when one goes to the 28 foot size, many expect a shower area. So...that then bumps you up to a 30 footer....and so on.

Hmmm....I am starting to consider the beneifts of a 15 footer...adequate room in the cockpit for 2 or 3...and no thoughts of sleeping or galley arrangements.

What's that phrase that goes something like "A complaining sailor...is a happy sailor ! " ?

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 06:56:07

The galley is fine, it is the head that should have been to starboard. If the vanity sink were to port then the opening passageway would be to port as well.
No guesses on the mystery item so far.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 11/13/2006 06:58:23

Brooke Willson
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 07:00:33

Or, as I have come to believe, if the head were in the forepeak as in the Cape Dory 25D, you'd have a very roomy boat for a couple.

Brooke

Edited by - on

cat1951
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
636 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 07:48:32

Thanks for the pics and info Frank. As you know I am trying to work out a design for an aerobed. It seems that this way may be just as cumbersome, but I have no experience so what do I know. I am still working out the design on the crossover pieces for a cross cabin design. It may become a combination between netting and support beams, but still have to work it out. I do want to do something that will allow me to remove all the parts without leaving a mess. Just in case I find that the queen size bed is a pain.

Or, I might just take my cup holders and attach them to a bigger boat.

Edited by - cat1951 on 11/13/2006 07:49:35

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 08:15:40

Looks like a small turtle.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 09:22:22

Not turtle but it could be found in the front of a boat.

Edited by - on

danandlu
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
175 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 10:19:28

Frank,

I think it is an anchor rode bag. I notice what looks like an opening for the bitter end to go through so that it can be tied off.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 12:00:14

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by danandlu
 Frank,

I think it is an anchor rode bag. I notice what looks like an opening for the bitter end to go through so that it can be tied off.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well done!

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 12:05:14

As always, nice mod Frank. I still believe though that a double bunk across the width of the boat,like the 250, would have been the way to go.

I also think that this is a reasonable mod. Although the cockpit is low, someone with average build - to fit under the cockpit, and with modest skills, could shorten the depth of the lazarette, extend the bunk base to the hull and add a cusion resulting in a bunk 7 feet long - the width of the boat behind the stairs. This need only be a single bunk or designed as a double. The drawback of course is that you would lose some storage in the lazarette. It could be made up in the stern behind the new bunk however. If the stairs were hinged getting in and out would that much easier also.

Edited by - aeckhart on 11/13/2006 12:07:01

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 13:23:55

One of my criteria was the ability to sit up in and stand up from the edge of the berth. I am very comfortable in my quarterberth except for getting up at night. Crawling on my knees isn't great and scooting is a hassle. Another problem with a berth going accross the boat is any motion will cause your head to rise and fall, sleeping in line with the keel is more than a tradition.
I have thought about making my stairs pivot just on principal. Those of us with the flat floor have stairs that would be easy to modify, the older boats would be a bear because of their top step.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2006 : 19:06:11

I presumed the galley bulkhead wasn't there since you didn't have the dinette interior. The Evelyn has pivoting stairs - It is a different layout and a lot lighter set of stairs but the pivot gives loads of access to the quarterberths etc.

dw

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.