First Step Towards the Cut

[Tonka]

15 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

I think the Americans call this sort of thing a murphy bed, and there are some examples on youtube that have been made/fitted into vans and motorhomes (of similar width to a narrowboat). 

In the example above the bed folds into four, with the fold lines running transversely, but this wont be so easy on a narrowboat, as the head or the base of  the bed will need to be attached to a bulkhead.

I wonder if it might also be worth considering one that folds along its length, with the side of it attached to a side wall? 

I'm sure you'll have considered this, but if the bed stays permanently flat (and doesnt fold like the example in the picture) it will take up a big area of the side wall, thus blocking any windows behind it, and reducing the sense of light and space a bit. 

On the other hand, if the bed folds along its length into two sections, it might take up a couple of feet of space along the side wall.

When people put them into vans, they tend to have the bed base rigid/ permanently flat, so the bed stays made up.

When the bed base is lowered, the edge of it comes to rest on top of a bench seat on the opposite wall. 

Its a clever idea but I am not 100% convinced about how useful it really is.

Lifting the bed can create some open floor space during the day, which sounds good, but what would you do with that space, bearing in mind you have to lower the bed again in the evening, or if someone is feeling under the weather and wants to lie down for an hour?

Anyway its all very interesting, and I hope you'll let us know what design you settle on, and how it works in practice. 

 

 

Also the mattresses are not normally as one so you feel the ridges

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

 

Take her to look at a widebeam. Despite being no more than twice as wide as a NB, they seem at least three times as wide inside and as big as a two bedroom flat. 

 

 

 

Indeed, my mate lived on a 10' 6" wide boat in South Dock for a few years following his divorce. The extra 3' 8" made a huge difference to the perception of interior space.

[PD1964]

1 hour ago, Tony1 said:

 

Anyway its all very interesting, and I hope you'll let us know what design you settle on, and how it works in practice. 

 I think that will be a few years away if at all. There was a guy from Hawaii on here for a few weeks, he had some daft ideas about new boat design and bringing his family over here to live on the canals, having never ever seen or been on a Narrowboat or canal. As I say his daft ideas lasted a few weeks and he was never heard of again.

[PD1964]

20 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Indeed, my mate lived on a 10' 6" wide boat in South Dock for a few years following his divorce. The extra 3' 8" made a huge difference to the perception of interior space.

I take it he just lived in the dock and never traveled the network? Yes far better to live on in a static location, but not for seeing the network. I think people have different perspectives of canal life through watching YouTube then what it’s actually like in real life.

[Paul C]

Wouldn't an actual house, be better in a static location? What with its square shape, connection to mains power/water/sewerage/gas/phone line, etc....?

[cuthound]

8 minutes ago, PD1964 said:

I take it he just lived in the dock and never traveled the network? Yes far better to live on in a static location, but not for seeing the network. I think people have different perspectives of canal life through watching YouTube then what it’s actually like in real life.

 

Yes he never moved that boat, except to and from the services there. His tenure at South Dock preceded YouTube, he lived their in the late 80's/early 90's.

 

He later moved to a sort of floating flat at Tagg's Island to live on and bought a boat to cruise the Thames with.

Edited July 23, 2022 by cuthound
Clarification

[Jimbo435]

On 23/07/2022 at 02:21, Tony1 said:

 

I think the Americans call this sort of thing a murphy bed, and there are some examples on youtube that have been made/fitted into vans and motorhomes (of similar width to a narrowboat). 

In the example above the bed folds into four, with the fold lines running transversely, but this wont be so easy on a narrowboat, as the head or the base of  the bed will need to be attached to a bulkhead.

I wonder if it might also be worth considering one that folds along its length, with the side of it attached to a side wall? 

I'm sure you'll have considered this, but if the bed stays permanently flat (and doesnt fold like the example in the picture) it will take up a big area of the side wall, thus blocking any windows behind it, and reducing the sense of light and space a bit. 

On the other hand, if the bed folds along its length into two sections, it might take up a couple of feet of space along the side wall.

When people put them into vans, they tend to have the bed base rigid/ permanently flat, so the bed stays made up.

When the bed base is lowered, the edge of it comes to rest on top of a bench seat on the opposite wall. 

Its a clever idea but I am not 100% convinced about how useful it really is.

Lifting the bed can create some open floor space during the day, which sounds good, but what would you do with that space, bearing in mind you have to lower the bed again in the evening, or if someone is feeling under the weather and wants to lie down for an hour?

Anyway its all very interesting, and I hope you'll let us know what design you settle on, and how it works in practice. 

 

 

Actually, we call it an adjustable bed.  Similar to what is in an hospital.  It allows one to sleep with head or feet or both elevated.  A bed that folds away against a wall or into a cabinet is what we call a murphy bed.  I don't think I need the bed to fold away completely, jsut enough to get past easily.

[Jimbo435]

OK, so it's been awhile, we changed our plans to purchase immediately, after much advice here and elsewhere.  We hired a boat for a week back in May, and shortened our trip and skipped Crick.  I put together a video of our tiny little trip near Worcester.  We hired an electric drive boat and we loved loved it.  Excuse the benal content in the beginning on the canals, many friends and family we talked to didn't know what a UK canal was.  30 minutes long, sorry.  Couldn't decide which streach of beautiful canal or set of signets or ducklings to cut out.

 

[gatekrash]

Well you probably picked one of the nicest, highest specced hire boats on the network ! Ollie is nearly new, and Catherine, who runs that boat, doesn't compromise on anything when it comes to making sure her guests are looked after.

 

Thought I was going to see my boat for a minute but we were away up the Llangollen, so all I saw was an empty berth 😀