double berth size?

[k chiswell]

hello all, I am new to this forum but it sure seems great.  I've got a CD330 that is out of the water.  I am doing quite a bit of work to it and do not think I will get it in the water this season.  My wife and I hope to do a lot more cruising on it with our two boys starting next year. 

Our boat does not have a quarter berth and I'm considering adding a one.  John Vigor says a double berth should be at least 44" wide at the shoulder.  I can fit this but it will take some work.  I was wondering if any of you cruising couples or families sleep on a relatively small double.  If so, how small?  Does it work OK or is building one a waist of effort?

[Captain Smollett]

Are you talking about "at sea" or "in port."

Couple of comments:

At sea:

With only two watch standers, at sea one of you will be on watch and only one in bed at a time.  No need for a double at sea, and it's a detriment - the motion of the boat will make it VERY uncomfortable.  At sea, you want a pretty narrow bed, one that allows little movement (think hammock or tucked in tight with lee clothes).

At sea, the children have slept on the cabin sole leaving the lee settee for the off-watch adult...v-berth not used for sleeping at sea.  Even when they grab one (or even both) settees, that still leaves the sole for the off-watch adult...

The cabin sole is surprisingly comfortable at sea.

In Port:

In port is another matter, or course.  The nice thing is that a berth does not have to "permanent."

We are a family of four and lived on an Alberg 30 for three years.  The children slept in the v-berth in port and we slept on the settees.

We are adding the ability to turn the two settees into one cross-wise "double bed."  I cannot remember the measurement (I can try to find it) but I'm pretty sure it will be wider than 44".  It will be taken down during the day, but should only require a few minutes to set up and take down.

Would an option like that suit you?

On the option of a narrow berth, we have slept two in one settee.  Our settees are only 26" wide, so that's a VERY tight squeeze; we did NOT do this every night, nor more than one or two nights in a row even when we did it.

But a "close" couple can sleep in that little area if need be....

[k chiswell]

I was thinking it might be good both at sea and in port.  I know the V-berth is no good at sea.  If I build this quarter berth I would use two long cushions so I could confine the space for one adult at sea.  So the width really comes in for use at port.  One of our settees already can be made into a reasonable double, but not at sea.  I thought about the cabin sole for sea use, but thought it might get even wetter than the rest of the boat if the weather was bad. 

If I can make it into a reasonable double I would not have to transform the saloon every night.  I cannot decide if that is worth giving up a good, deep lazerette.   

[David_Old_Jersey]

I was thinking it might be good both at sea and in port.  I know the V-berth is no good at sea.  If I build this quarter berth I would use two long cushions so I could confine the space for one adult at sea.  So the width really comes in for use at port.  One of our settees already can be made into a reasonable double, but not at sea.  I thought about the cabin sole for sea use, but thought it might get even wetter than the rest of the boat if the weather was bad. 

If I can make it into a reasonable double I would not have to transform the saloon every night.  I cannot decide if that is worth giving up a good, deep lazerette.   

Am not familiar with the CD330, but I would stick with the lazarette. Partly out of laziness! but also because 3' 8" is on the small side for a double. Personally I would not want a berth (single or double) where I did not have sitting headroom, at least at the head of the bed - from the side, for ease of access. and I am very flexible / agile! (and not much of me!) - with two persons in a tight berth IMO ease of access would be even more important. IMO it is a PITA enough on any double bed without access from both sides (and me at 30' means that will only ever be a fantasy!).

FWIW, my boat was not built with any doubles - that I am gradually addressing, in both the aft cabin (even though it has now been re-designated as a walkin locker!) and in the saloon.......but I have time on my side for both of those, as no immediate need for a double - and no immediate prospects!

I would suggest looking closely at your saloon to see if you can modify the existing conversion to double to make it easier / quicker.

[marujo_sortudo]

I know this is out of vogue, but we have no double berths.  We actually have an open cabin plan on our boat (one bulkhead, no doors, a curtain instead that separates the head and the fifth and last berth.)  To either side of the salon there is a Concordia berth.  Hers to port, mine to starboard.  These are wide enough for "visitation" but not sleeping together for any length of time.  This is actually a wonderful arrangement because through simple body language we can define both private space (in a small space) or communal space (as often as desired.)  We have great sea berths in the Concordia berths and additional quarter-berths aft to boot!  This is sort of "retro" on land and sea, but I think lots of folks might find it a great fit.  YMMV, of course!