Any ideas/opinions about the cushions in order to
make the berths more comfortable?
C34 V-Berth
Original Message:
Subj: [C34] Ideas for a good nights sleep
Hello everyone, I wanted to get some ideas/opinions about what
you all have done with the cushions in order to make the beths
(V-berth in particular because that's where we sleep) more
comfortable. At boat shows, I always inquire about mattresses, but
the cost is always unbelievable. My thought was to go to a local
foam shop and get something about a few inches thick, a bit more
harder than the current cushions. Then I was thinking about either
putting it under the existing cushions (sort of like a box spring),
or lay it on top. I would appreciate any thoughts on this and other
ideas that any one of you may have. Thanks,
Roc, "Sea Life", #1477, rpalaia@cpcus.jnj.com
Subj: Re: [C34] Ideas for a good nights sleep
Roc: JoAnn made a bed roll of a feather mattress pad and an egg
crate foam pad. She used a large sheet to make a pillow cover like
bag to cover the pads. We just roll the bedroll to one side of the
V-berth when it's not being used. Use a colored sheet which
complements the fabric on your cushions and it looks fine. Before
the bedroll, she was unable to sleep comfortably. There's no problem
now.
George Sedgwick, "SchatzSea", #1031, sedgwick@cari.net
Subj: RE: [C34] Ideas for a good nights sleep
George: Very interesting. I would like to fully understand the
layout. Sounds like a 2-layer pad, one layer of feather mattress
stuff and one layer of egg crate foam. What sequence do you find
more comfortable, feather on top or below the egg foam?? Does the
pillow-like bag cover both layers together so you end up with a
single unit?? Thanks for the reply; this sounds like something worth
trying.
Roc, "Sea Life", #1477, rpalaia@cpcus.jnj.com
Subj: RE: [C34] Ideas for a good nights sleep
Roc: We have purchased a good thick mattress pad that covers the
V-berth cushions. With a couple of hours work, we cut and fitted it
to the cushions with elastics at the corners. We then purchased
queen-size sheets and sewed them to fit. We now make up this bed and
leave it made with a nice seashell bedspread over it. Why unmake it?
I don’t strip it every night at home.
As to its comfort…after two nights I am ready for my home bed.
The feather mattress stuff and one layer of egg crate foam sound
great to me and I also would like to hear more about how and what
were the materials you used. Thanks.
Capt Al, "Kindred Spirit", #55 alwsail@aol.com
Subj: Re: [C34] Ideas for a good nights sleep
Roc, The egg crate is on the bottom. I could have used a
"duvet cover" to cover both layers as a single unit, but
the cost was ridiculous so I just made the "pillow case"
like cover out of a queen flat sheet.
One more slight modification to the set up is during the winter when
we use a sleeping bag, unzipped on top, to keep the
"chill" down when I'm on board. Being in San Diego, it
doesn't really get that cold and George doesn't have a problem, but
I get cold very easily.
The egg crate/feather mattress pad idea was a gradual evolution. Our
daughter could not adjust to the mattress at college (she had been
sleeping on a waterbed for over 15 years). The egg crate was the
first item we purchased, and then added the feather mattress pad
when she still couldn't get a good nights rest. Six months after she
graduated from college, we purchased SchatzSea and fortunately had
inherited the unit.
Jo Ann, GOOD LUCK!!!
Subj: [C34] Re: [cat] Ideas for a good nights sleep
"V-Berth"
We had the foam in our cushion replaced with latex foam as is
used in home mattresses and have improved it immensely. The best way
would be to buy a foam mattress and cut it down to fit your existing
cover (or better yet, hire your local canvas/cushion expert to do
it).
Colin Ward, C-42, "Mandalay", St. Pete, FL, colinsail@yahoo.com
Subj: Re: [cat] Ideas for a good nights sleep "V-Berth"
Listies, I live aboard my C34 and sleep in the aft berth on an
Aero Bed that was purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Best sleep
I've ever gotten. A water bed without the water that can be adjust
quickly with the attached air pump. I keep my V-Berth open for
guests and to be used as my TV room.
Ron Euler, "GONE WITH THE WIND", C34, Naples, FL, sunshinesports@sprintmail.com
Subj: Re: [C34] Ideas for a good nights sleep "V-Berth"
I bought one of the beds from Handcraft Mattress Company (boatbeds.com)
and I'm very satisfied with it. I got the latex foam version with an
integral mattress pad. It fits pretty nicely in the v-berth, and
it's very comfortable.
It was somewhat expensive, but not surprisingly so for a custom made
piece. For example, they sent an agent out to my boat to take
measurements. Just coming to the boat, taking measurements and
handling paperwork would have come to 2.5 to 3 hours of labor.
(Remember he had to travel to my boat and back).
For what it's worth, here's a description of the construction. Maybe
something here will lead to a useful idea.
Inside, there is a block of "latex foam". I don't really
know how to describe it, but when you compress it, it doesn't feel
like the usual polyurethane stuff. I think partly it is just more
firm, but I suspect there is more to it than that. Maybe the latex
foam stretches in addition to compressing.
The foam is wrapped in a covering much like the regular cushions.
There is a waterproof looking material on the bottom and regular
mattress-looking material on the sides.
The top has a half-inch or maybe an inch of quilted padding. It
resembles the quilted padding you would find on a nice mattress at a
bedding store.
I suspect the significant factors that make it better than the
original cushions are the different properties of the foam and the
fact that the quilted padding layer is there.
Subj: Re: [C34] Ideas for a good nights sleep "V-Berth"
We were having new slipcovers made anyway, so we just added 2
inches of foam to the existing 4 inch foam (using foam adhesive) and
it makes all the difference in the world. While Joe falls asleep no
matter what he is sleeping on, I (the delicate one in the family)
tossed and turned, feeling the hard surface under the 4 inch foam
with every toss. Now with the 6 inches of foam, I sleep like the
proverbial baby. I'm even thinking about adding another 2 inches of
foam.
Joe & Candance Sabella, Can't Dance, Gulfport Fl., candance@gte.net
Subj: Re: [C34] Ideas for a good nights sleep "V-Berth"
Candance, Candance, an old friend of mine (female) who has been
around a bit-actually a lot, once told me, "Chris, it's not the
size it's........................................yeah, it's the
size."
Chris Gregory, S/V Different Drummer II, sailndives@worldnet.att.net
C34 Aft Berth
Subj: Re: [C34] Re: [cat] Ideas for a good nights sleep "
Aft Berth "
We had an AeroBed we used for in-laws/outlaws, so we tried it on
the boat per a previous post by Ron.
Although it is comfortable, we felt the attached pump made it
awkward and it takes up a lot of room. Also, the bed must be at
least 12" high when inflated which made the aft berth
claustrophobic not to mention more difficult to turn over in.
We ended up buying an ordinary high quality air mattress which is
about 4" thick when inflated and using it on top of the
cushions. Use a good quality mattress cover over it and it has
worked great.
Jack, C34 # 1169, Port A, TX, asailorir@earthlink.net
C30 V-Berth
Subj: Re: [c30] Ideas for a good nights sleep
"V-Berth"
On "Amity", the head of the V-berth is 4" lower
than the foot. This gave me a headache. As the V-berth cushions were
shot when I bought her, I had to have another mattress made. I
contracted a canvas shop to make a wedge-shaped mattress (thinner at
the foot, obviously) out of foam. I made it in two pieces, cut down
the middle. I didn't see me ever using the cutout designed to reveal
the forehatch step, so I didn't leave a third cushion for this. The
mattress worked well, but because the V-berth is concave, I always
ended up in the middle of the bed! So a friend of mine carved out a
pad of foam which I inserted into the mattress cover. The pad is
contoured to take out the concavity of the V-berth floor. A lot of
trouble, and not cheap ($1500). But I sleep well now.
I also used to have a feather comforter. The moisture in the boat
tended to get absorbed by the feathers and they began to stink.
Might want to rethink that one.
Jonathan, "Amity", 1981 C30 with a flat V-berth, yooks@yahoo.com
Subj: Re: [c30] Ideas for a good nights sleep "V-Berth"
The word from the factory is that YES the bow is 4" higher
than the other end of the v-berth. The qberth also varies by 3"
from aft to ladder. The word is that when the weight of the
occupants is added that the boat will become level in those areas.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
We have used the eggshells under our sleeping bags for many years.
It is a good option.
Max, mxmunger@crosslink.net
Subj: Re: [c30] Ideas for a good nights sleep "V-Berth"
Jonathan, My '76 has the same sloping problem in the V-berth,
except that it is only about a 2" slope. The Quarter berth is
nearly 4". I had to laugh at Max's comment that the factory
says, if people are in them, the berths will be flat. What happens
if people are in both the bow and the stern? I guess they cancel
each other out!
In our V-berth I built a 3/8" plywood subfloor sitting on a
tapering framework of lumber, tapering from nothing about 6"
from the bow, to 1-1/2", in addition to the plywood at the aft
end of the berth. Still have the locker cover in the middle. Works
great. What also helped is that I had new cushions made recently and
I had them made up in smaller sections instead of the 2 big ones -
much easier to handle, store etc, and when in place, they still
can't go anywhere.
I have not even attempted to correct the quarterberth - 4" is a
lot of space to lose! We use the q-berth mainly for storage. I did
wonder about actually slicing around the q-berth, raising it and
re-glassing it, as it would increase space underneath for tankage
etc, (I need a new fuel tank and I need to lower the stern/raise the
bow) but I think I will give that a miss.
Richard Britton, Friendly Dragon, 1976 C30 SR, New Westminster, B.C.
RBritton@telus.net
Subj: Re: [c30] Ideas for a good nights sleep "V-Berth"
Keeping the bow water tank full helps a lot on our 1981. With
the tank full it sets level. Also, don't store anything too heavy in
the rear lazarette.
Bob Uehlein, Menageri@ACD.net
Important: The opinions expressed here are
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the Catalina 34 National Association or Catalina Yachts, Inc.
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