Two in the bed and the little one said...

[Tim Doran]

When I got the boat I raised up the bed so that there was more storage. The top of the mattress is now level with the gunnels. I now rely on the storage under the bed so dont want to drop the bed.

 

The current mattress is a small double which is about 122×190cm.

 

Any suggestions on what I can do, or what mattress size you cope with. I have an idea that part of the mattress could slide under the gunnels (150mm) and be pulled out at night, but what could I then do with the overhang into the passage

 

We are both thin boaters, so we should be able to fit on a double?

[Dekazer]

When I got the boat I raised up the bed so that there was more storage. The top of the mattress is now level with the gunnels. I now rely on the storage under the bed so dont want to drop the bed.

 

The current mattress is a small double which is about 122×190cm.

 

Any suggestions on what I can do, or what mattress size you cope with. I have an idea that part of the mattress could slide under the gunnels (150mm) and be pulled out at night, but what could I then do with the overhang into the passage

 

We are both thin boaters, so we should be able to fit on a double?

 

Our mattress is about 122cm wide (4') by 177 (5'8") and we're fairly short porky boaters. We're good friends though I'm not sure we could lose many more inches off our mattress without someone toppling out in the middle of the night though.

 

I'm not sure I understand what you're asking... Are you hoping to make the bed wider in order to reclaim the inches of mattress hidden under the gunwales? Have you considered a slide across plank that would fix into the opposite wall?

[Tim Doran]

My current mattress takes up all the bed space. So yes maybe a slide across or fold down section would allow a larger mattress.

 

If I dropped the bed down I could then fit a larger mattress but would lose the space underneath.

[Chickadee]

We have a small double or a single and a half? We were going to get a sheet of wood to keep under the matress to slide out at night and pull the matress over a bit. Mostly to keep my bf from sleeping next to the cold wall. We never got round to actually trying this though. I just told him to man up

 

We don't have a problem with the size of the mattress, hes a skinny boater and i'm a little more rounded

[Guest]

When I got the boat I raised up the bed so that there was more storage. The top of the mattress is now level with the gunnels. I now rely on the storage under the bed so dont want to drop the bed.

 

The current mattress is a small double which is about 122×190cm.

 

Any suggestions on what I can do, or what mattress size you cope with. I have an idea that part of the mattress could slide under the gunnels (150mm) and be pulled out at night, but what could I then do with the overhang into the passage

 

We are both thin boaters, so we should be able to fit on a double?

 

On the Dog House we have a piece of marine grade ply with stiffeners that slides out from under the mattress with a foam insert that drops in the gap that results on the bed inside.

 

TBH it's a bit of a faff as it narrows the corridor if you leave it extended out and the foam insert in, and it's too much chew to do it each night/morning so we do without.

 

Having lived with our boat for a few months the one thing we would like to possibly change is the bedroom layout – possibly looking at a cross bed being installed, but it would have to be one that could be left with the bed made up, which I've seen on some boats.

[Naughty Cal]

Our bed is a very odd size. Its narrower than a standard double but much longer. With the design of the midships bedroom we cant really have any other size. It does provide us with much needed storage for the suitcases at the foot of the bed and means that we have little choice but to stay close to each other.

 

Dont you like the OH? Is that why you want a bigger matress

[Tim Doran]

We have a small double or a single and a half? We were going to get a sheet of wood to keep under the matress to slide out at night and pull the matress over a bit. Mostly to keep my bf from sleeping next to the cold wall. We never got round to actually trying this though. I just told him to man up :)We don't have a problem with the size of the mattress, hes a skinny boater and i'm a little more rounded

 

I told my GF to man up and she punched me, so I am moving on to plan B.

 

 

On the Dog House we have a piece of marine grade ply with stiffeners that slides out from under the mattress with a foam insert that drops in the gap that results on the bed inside.TBH it's a bit of a faff as it narrows the corridor if you leave it extended out and the foam insert in, and it's too much chew to do it each night/morning so we do without.Having lived with our boat for a few months the one thing we would like to possibly change is the bedroom layout – possibly looking at a cross bed being installed, but it would have to be one that could be left with the bed made up, which I've seen on some boats.

 

 

Both good KISS ideas. I was thinking of a hinged section that folded down or up from the side of the bed, but a slide out idea is simpler. Do you have any condensation problems with the ply under the mattress.

 

Also do you have any pics?

 

Dont you like the OH? Is that why you want a bigger matress

 

We both get on fine during the day, then at night I turn into octopus man and dont give her any peace. Imagine a horror film where the woman is being chased slowly but with determination across a bed only to find herself pinned against the cold wall with the drooling monster still aproaching...

 

This coupled with her light sleeping and my deep sleeping means that she does not sleep well. On her boat the mattress is much bigger and we dont have any problems, I even keep to my side of the bed!

[Old Son]

We have a set up similar to the OP but we are able to extend our bed sideways to make it a full size double. The matress is folded along its length. When we are finished we push the bed back and fold the matress and bedding up the side of the boat to form a backrest. Works for us.

[Naughty Cal]

Swap sides. That way the octopus will just get intimate with the boat wall

[Chickadee]

I think she should just push you out of bed a couple of times. You'll soon learn. Either that or sleep in a sleeping bag zipped up to the top and tied down.

[Guest]

Both good KISS ideas. I was thinking of a hinged section that folded down or up from the side of the bed, but a slide out idea is simpler. Do you have any condensation problems with the ply under the mattress.

 

Also do you have any pics?

 

 

We also have a hinge out system on the single bed in the rear cabin which can be converted to a cross double for if we ever have scurvy dog crew with us - will only rarely get pressed into service on rare occasions. It's a clever design though.

 

The only pic I have at the mo was not taken with the main cabin bed in mind is this one-

 

 

 

It shows the foam insert on the floor while we did some work under the bed and JUST shows the edge of the ply sticking out from the edge of the bed - it's not fully extended in the pic and at an angle because it's resting on the handle used to pull out, that sits in a recess normally when slid in.

 

Don’t have anything better at the mo in terms of pics.

 

We do get some condensation yes but not a huge amount - the majority of the bed base has large holes neatly cut into it.

 

 

..

Edited January 13, 2011 by MJG

[Tim Doran]

I think she should just push you out of bed a couple of times. You'll soon learn. Either that or sleep in a sleeping bag zipped up to the top and tied down.

GF says she likes the sleeping bag idea, and suggested a rolling pin could be used to tenderise me if required.

 

Great thanks MJG, that looks good and it easier than fitting hinges etc. Does it stay in place by the weight of the rest of the mattress? Nice looking fitout as well, is it your own work?

 

 

Tim

[Guest]

Does it stay in place by the weight of the rest of the mattress?

 

Yes

 

Nice looking fitout as well, is it your own work?

 

No - I wish!

[Alan de Enfield]

Had a similar problem in our last NB (we are both rather portly)

 

Bed on top of a 'chest of drawers'

Fitted a horizontal 'beam' on the opposite side of the cabin, just below gunwale height.

Fitted a horizontal 'beam' on the edge of the chest of drawers.

Cut a sheet of 19mm MDF to fit across the 'gap'

Purchased another mattress.

MDF board and 'spare' mattress sit on top of original mattress during the day.

MDF board slides out at night, spare matress fits on top of board and we have a bed 6 foot x 6 foot.

 

Only problem is the door was covered. Had planned to cut the door into a split 'stable door' so still had emergency exit but sold the boat soon afterwards.

 

[deletedaccount]

Both good KISS ideas. I was thinking of a hinged section that folded down or up from the side of the bed, but a slide out idea is simpler. Do you have any condensation problems with the ply under the mattress.

 

Also do you have any pics?

 

I like that idea as well. I'm getting sick of my 4 foot wide bed and being able to put another foot one when sharing would be great. I've been working through the problem in my head and it never occurred to me to put the extension bit next to the wall, which obv makes it much easier than on the outside. Doh!

 

Slide out also makes the most sense to me, as any flap type thing would need more support and also cover up the under bed storage.

[Chagall]

my bed is right across and the mattress just fits under the gunnel, makes it a challenge when making the bed but worth it for the storage underneath, double doors both ends so access to bow doors under or over. ....but its a wonderful big bed!

 

 

 

 

[Bimbly1]

On our previous boat we had a lengthways bed with a two section, ply based pull-out into the corridor. A small section mattress, about 9" square fitted into the resultant gap along and below the gunwale. We found that it was easy to make up and put away and resulted in a more comfortable kip. We also lined the wall below the gunwale with carpet, so no cold bits to rouse us unexpectedly.

[ymu]

It might be worth thinking about a low bed and high storage. Small spaces feel very cramped with high furniture in them, you get more usable space if the bed is on the floor and can be stood on, and the storage is more accessible if it's at head height. It's also easier for the person trapped against the wall to scramble in and out, and you can just walk over the bed instead of squeezing past it.

 

Our bed at the moment is standard width (135cm) and high with storage underneath, making for a comfortable bed but a tight squeeze past and awkward storage. We're planning on replacing it with two 3' mattresses on low hinged slats with high shelving around the walls above the bed. We don't wear shoes in the house, so the bed would only need putting away when we're cruising .

[GSer]

 

 

 

That looks nice I love the bedspread!

[Tim Doran]

It might be worth thinking about a low bed and high storage. Small spaces feel very cramped with high furniture in them, you get more usable space if the bed is on the floor and can be stood on, and the storage is more accessible if it's at head height. It's also easier for the person trapped against the wall to scramble in and out, and you can just walk over the bed instead of squeezing past it.

 

Our bed at the moment is standard width (135cm) and high with storage underneath, making for a comfortable bed but a tight squeeze past and awkward storage. We're planning on replacing it with two 3' mattresses on low hinged slats with high shelving around the walls above the bed. We don't wear shoes in the house, so the bed would only need putting away when we're cruising .

 

You might have a point. I have shelves at one end of the bed, but if I lowered the bed, I could have cupboards as well. Getting stuff in and out from under the bed is a pain.

 

The only problem with putting a mattress across the entire width of the boat is that I would have to get out of bed at the very top corner into the very narrow corridor, this would be easier if it was lower.

[Chickadee]

I 'd be careful how low you go. Having slept on a materess, on the floor of my boat when we first got I can say from experience it was fricking freezing! Even right next to the stove.

[Québec]

We inherited a lengthways two foot wide 'bed' shelf x 6' 6" long, with lots of storage space underneath. The side flipped up to make a small double. It came with two good quality narrow rather hard foam mattresses. More bench than bed (see pic below)

 

 

We're both relatively 'petite', but are used to a king-size bed at home. Tried sleeping lengthways, but didn't like the squash or being squeezed underneath the gunwhale.

 

Previously had been on a friend's 'high spec' narrowboat for a weekend. The cross double bed was made up of a shortened permanent mattress (leaving a narrow corridor) and an 'end' mattress that swung down from the wall from a nicely made box. The bedclothes were simply rolled back to the bottom of the shortened mattress and rolled out again. Less than a minute to drop the end mattres into place and roll back and tuck in the sheet and duvet.

 

Same idea on our boat, but far more basic. I made a couple of rectangular slatted frames that fitted neatly between the end of the extend shelf and wall to make a complete platform across the boat. We hummed and hah'd about buying a new folding mattress, but decided to keep the two 'hard' mattresses and bought a foam mattress topper, which rolls up very neatly, with all the bedclothes.

 

To make the bed we unclip the slatted frames from the wall, and fit into place. Unroll the topper. Bit of pulling and tucking and ready for a very comfortable king size bed. About two minutes max. to make it up.

 

(Changing the duvet is fun.....not!)

Edited January 13, 2011 by Québec

[Chagall]

That looks nice I love the bedspread!

 

Thank you, its an American applique quilt and the animal you can see is a Moose, I love Moose's!......meece? ..... I don't think there is a plural for moose.

[Guest]

Thank you, its an American applique quilt and the animal you can see is a Moose, I love Moose's!......meece? ..... I don't think there is a plural for moose.

 

The word "moose" came to us from Algonquian Indians. Consequently its plural, instead of being "mooses" or "meese" is the same as the singular.

 

From here -

http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question54218.html

 

Just in case it ever comes up on 'The Weakest Link'....

[Tim Doran]

but meese sound so good