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sleeping area at dinette

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oyster cabin
Deckhand

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USA
3 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/10/2003 : 10:24:04

We are looking for some ideas on how to improve the sleeping arrangements on our 1984 25'catalina. Has anyone tried to fabricate a larger sleeping area in the dining area to accomodate two adults with your head and feet resting on the port and starboard sides

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1768 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 10:46:02

Hi Anne,

The short answer is yes. Here is a photo from the Tech Tips of what one owner did in his dinette interior:

Frankly, this was the only example I could find in our Tech Tips, and I know there used to be some others in there ... 'don't know what happened to them. Fortunately, I copied and saved seven photos that I could post later ... but first, what kind of interior do you have?

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1768 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 10:57:38

Hi again,

I looked in the Tech Tips and I found another example ... this one is for an L-dinette like I have (these are fairly rare though):

[url="http://www.catalina25-250.org/tech/tech25/dragtl1.html"]L-dinette bed mod[/url]

From the title of your thread it sounds like you've got a dinette interior. If so, that is probably the easiest one to modify. Don Lucier simply bought an inflatable mattress that he lays across the gap between the dinette and the starboard settee, and he has reported that it works great.

BTW, the photos I saved were from a traditional interior (with the bulkhead-mounted swing-down table) ... I just discovered that the photos I saved are thumbnails, so they are pretty lousy ... rats!

Anyway, let us know what type of interior you have ... I'm sure there are others who'll give you their two cent's worth.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 11:06:35

I bought some 3/4" plywood and am going to replace my table with a folding section that will fit in the same storage spot, (I have a traditional, since you asked about a dinette this probably means nothing to you). It will be a three piece unit with piano hinges. I have a swing keel and my big issue is the trunk head in the middle of the floor. When I get it done I will post pictures but it could be a month or more.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 11:54:08

What cabin layout do you have? Traditional, dinette,...?

If you have a dinette, it couldn't be simpler than what I did.

As Buzz mentioned, I bought a Coleman Queen sized (60" x 80") air mattress(Walmart $23.95) which fits perfectly in the dinette layout. When using the mattress, I remove both access boards from the starboard settee and the one on the aft dinette seat and place them over the cushions spanning the aisle between the settee and dinette seats. This gives support to the mattress over the aisle.

I intended to use 1/2" x 2" oak planks to use as slats under the cushions in the areas where I removed the access boards, but I found that the stiffness of the air mattress over the cushions was more than ample to prevent the mattress and cushions from caving into the voids.

I did use three slats at the very aft end of the settee, because with the mattress installed, there is still about a foot and a half of the starboard settee cushion exposed. The slats prevent the cushion from falling into the void when someone sits on it.

Now my wife and I have a nice, large sleeping area(kids are relegated to the V-berth), and it was easy and inexpensive. The best part is that the only additional gear added to my already cramped boat is the folded air mattress.

Edited by - dlucier on 11/10/2003 12:14:02

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 12:54:43

My buddy Jim on Hey Jude did a mod on his traditional interior. He's
off in Mexico (lucky dude) right now. I'll run him into this post when he gets back. For an overnighter for me and my crew on a L dinette model all I did was take a couple of the hatch covers that are underneath the seats and lay them across from the table to the starboard berth after inverting the fiddles that hold the cusions on.
Then took one of the cockpit cushions to lay across on top. Voila.
A few screws to fool with and a cupla minutes to set up. Of course it's not permanent, but takes no extra parts.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 15:50:01

I recall an earlier post that said an 'inflata-bed' (the good ones with the built in electric air pump) would span the 'walkway' gap without any supports underneath.

Have not tried this particular arrangement yet myself.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 16:32:37

I found that the narrow quarterberth cushion that goes under the cockpit sole (an area we never use except for storage) is just the right width for the aisle space in our dinette interior. I shortened it to the length of the area we need to fill in, and will make some panels (or maybe slats) that will support the cushion, probably with some blocks screwed to one end of the panels to raise them above the fiddles on the starboard settee. Two small teak rails screwed to the sides of the dinette seats will hold the panels on that side, and part of the panels can just sit on the end of the lowered table. I'll decide later whether an air mattress is worthwhile on top of all that. (Our cushions are thicker and nicer than the originals.)

I recall somebody describing X-shaped pedestals they made to support the "bridge" panels. As I recall, each pedestal was made of two wood rectangles with notches from the middle of one side in to the center, so that they could slide together in an X configuration (and slide apart for storage). That approach required no surgery to the boat. I guess a picture would help...

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 11/10/2003 16:34:40

oyster cabin
Deckhand

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USA
3 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 16:45:21

We have the traditional centerline salon table that folds open to meet the longer starboard bench. The port side bench is approximately 10 inches shorter and the table stows against the bulkhead left of center. The inflatable mattress is an excellent idea. I pictured myself sewing cushions this winter and thinking of a creative way to store them during the day (qtr berth?).

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Sea Trac
Master Marine Consultant

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Vanuatu
1357 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 16:52:26

I also have a traditional. Someone on the forum once described building three boards that lay port to starboard with blocks underneath that sit on the settees and nest just outboard of the cushion retention trim pieces. They stored the boards in the quarterberth under the cockpit when not in use. I don't remember what they did for cushions, but the four settee cushions and the narrow quarterberth cushion might do the trick.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 11/10/2003 : 22:01:55

I can't recll the brand of the inflatable bed I used while truck camping this summer... (it was borrowed from my sister)... but it was a far cry from the eternally leaking air matresses I was subjected to as a kid.

A built-in electric pump inflates it in about 30 seconds. It has a huge dump valve and the entire bed could be deflated, rolled up, and back in it's duffel bag in about the same amount of time as it took to inflate it.

Edited by - on

Todd Frye
Navigator

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USA
222 Posts

Response Posted - 11/11/2003 : 16:14:52

I will fall in step with the above suggestions with more of a minimalist approach. We tried the inflatable mattress, but quiet frankly, found that extra piece of gear unnecessary. Actually, I bought the mattress for my wife, but she simply couldn't get comfortable. Sleeping on the factory cushions is a better sleep than being at home! I use the long backrest cushion of the starboard settee bench to fill the isle way space. We use our emergency fleece (incase of hypothermic MOB) that is cut to fit this space, as a "mattress cover". Our last sail on Bear Lake in northern Utah had nighttime temps in the 20's. We were very comfortable (until crawling out for breakfast) under our down comforter. Fair winds. Todd Frye

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