seating possibility (or have I gone a step too far)?

[Marjorie]

Hi all

 

I've been reading the forums for a little while now and have learnt much (thank you!). Thought it was time I signed up. Particularly since I have a question that Google isn't answering (I know, imagine!)

 

Here it is (it's an easy one, to start with):

 

Saloon seating: I don't want fitted, I do want comfortable. Harder than it first appears, apparently...

 

Are floor cushions a ridiculous idea? They are fine in my current boat, but the floors aren't especially cold - are they in a narrowboat?

 

Here's the sort of thing I was toying with (slouchy sofa type thing, and also spare bed):

 

http://www.leewadee.co.uk/meditation-and-thai-cushions/thai-cushions/4250587605457.html

 

Looking forward to your tuppences.

 

M

[Alan de Enfield]

Welcome - hope you are ready for a variety of replies.

 

My tuppence -

On the link, the actual seat part looks very small (when it has the back cushion in place)

When it is unrolled for a bed it is only 170cm long - I am 185cm (6 foot) and by the time you have added a pillow and stretch-room I need 200cms so it would be too short for me.

 

Personally - yes - the floor level on our narrowboat is cold and a bit draughty - this is primarily because Winter / Spring time the boat is so warm (normally 25^o +) that as the heat rises it pulls cold air in thru the floor level vents in the front doors. We do not block the vents but by putting a 'baffle' in front of them it does tend to dissipate the draught a bit.

 

Not sure where the company is based but they are charging 19% VAT which seems a bit strange

[John Holden]

Had one of those cushions in the shop recently. We looked at it, unrolled it lay on it, rolled it up and sat on it and finally threw it in the bin.

There are better and cheaper options.

 

BTW, welcome.

Edited June 1, 2014 by John Holden

[junior]

I'd be interested to see what one of those things in your link looks and feels like in real life as I'm looking for alternatives to what I have currently, but can't make my mind up.

 

I have 2 cheap versions of the 'Captains Chair'. They are fake leather recliners and are very comfortable, especially when reclined all the way back and used with the matching stool.

 

The problem is they take up quite a bit of room, and space is a premium on my boat. They are taller than gunwhale level so can't be pushed right back to the walls of the boat. There is quite a bit of wasted space behind them and because of the shape, the bases of the chairs are almost in the centre of the boat.

 

When I was in Ikea recently I found some small tub type chairs. The backs are low enough to fit under the gunwhales, enabling me to push them back against the side of the boat thus creating more space. My concern with them though is long term comfort as they have no head/shoulder support, and don't recline.

 

My other though is that I could just get a couple of big bean bags.

 

I do keep thinking about getting a 2 seater sofa bed, but it would need to be compact due to a lack of space. The problem I see with a sofa rather than 2 separate's is that whenever I have visitors for whatever reason, I'm going to end up sat very up close and personal with them on a 2 seater sofa.

[Arthur Brown]

It' is a German company -Chemnitz it says. They could still be box shifting Chinese produce.

 

 

Well designed furniture is comfortable which is essential -the boat is home and needs comfort. Custom designed furniture has to have all the space used for multi purposes -seat, lumbar support, recline support, AND convert to double or single bed and still contain lots of storage space.

[John V]

The problem I see with a sofa rather than 2 separate's is that whenever I have visitors for whatever reason, I'm going to end up sat very up close and personal with them on a 2 seater sofa.

 

This could have advantages on occasions Junior......

 

 

BTW welcome Marjorie.....this looks like it might be an interesting thread.........

[keble]

Hi Marjorie, welcome.

The cushion thing in your link looks nice but as others have said it may not be too good in real life. Depends on your age too. I find it harder to get up off anything too low now!

 

When we had a refit of our boat we ripped out the fixed dinette sofa and put in a sofa bed from Elite: http://elitefurnishings.co.uk/sofas.html

They have been recommended several times on this forum and I recommend them too.

They "do" boats - guaranteed to fit!

[bastion]

try http://www.sofabedbarn.co.uk/. got mine from there.

[Marjorie]

Thanks so far

 

Personally, I find sitting on the floor perfectly comfortable if I have something to lean on (I'm young(ish), and used to sleeping on a futon, so low down and relatively hard is fine for me). It's more the draftiness/ coldness of the floor/ potential floor dampness (is that even a possibility? Presumably not if you have a good quality build?) that I'm unsure of.

 

Briefly thought about a small futon, but they're not generally fantastic to sit on (mattress slippage). Keble, Bation - which models do you both have from the links you kindly posted?

 

For me, those Captains chairs you speak of Junior are just a bit bizarre (HUGE! for a start), and they are about 10 million miles from my taste.

 

You are, of course, all quite correct about the weirdness of the link I sent. I just chose the first one with a decent picture, I'm not proposing to buy from them (but my, you will keep me o my toes!).

Anyone got one of those 'click clack' type affairs from the eBay seller elegantboatsofabeds4u?

 

I did see another thread about them. Slouching appears to be an issue (which is unacceptable to me). But they do look nice and compact...

[Alan de Enfield]

It's more the draftiness/ coldness of the floor/ potential floor dampness (is that even a possibility?

 

 

 

Floor dampness is always a possibility in a boat - however by the time the floor is damp you will have bigger things to worry about that the seating, when it gets 'damp' up to your ankles its time to consider 'jumping ship'

[Marjorie]

 

Floor dampness is always a possibility in a boat - however by the time the floor is damp you will have bigger things to worry about that the seating, when it gets 'damp' up to your ankles its time to consider 'jumping ship'

Sound advice Alan. I can see I'm going to like it here.

 

I have lived on a (very different to a narrow) boat for 4 years, and since then the recurrent dream I have if I'm anxious about anything has changed from the old 'doing an exam naked having not revised' to 'water coming in from a hole I can't get to and no one cares.'

 

It hasn't happened to me, but it has to a couple of neighbours, and one thing's for sure - you're never in danger of the 'no one cares' but coming true

[sueb]

We have ikea single bed chairs. They fit under our gunnels and are very comfortable and easy to turn into beds. We ended up with 5 (not all on the boat )

[bizzard]

You can make a lot of extra space in your boat by doing away with the toilet compartment and installing a commode as a seat in the lounge with toilet roll holder fixed handily to the wall alongside.

[John V]

You can make a lot of extra space in your boat by doing away with the toilet compartment and installing a commode as a seat in the lounge with toilet roll holder fixed handily to the wall alongside.

 

 

another use for the directors chair with a hole in the seat?????

[bizzard]

 

 

another use for the directors chair with a hole in the seat?????

Would be a bit messy though using carrier bags, they've got holes punched in the bottom.

[keble]

Thanks so far

 

... Keble, Bation - which models do you both have from the links you kindly posted?

 

My model isn't shown, but it's a sofa bed with an add-on box. You can arrange so it's an L shape, and it doesn't have arms. Has storage underneath the seats.

The great thing is that they guarantee it will fit your boat, including getting it in through the doors.

I'll take some photos if you're interested, but may take a couple of weeks!

[Arthur Brown]

Sleep on a bed with storage underneath, if you sleep at floor level you will not store things above you so that's storage LOST.

 

Remember also that you may have visitors who like to sit up on chairs and/or for whom a futon is too low to get up from.

[rubblequeen]

Your Thia seats I have used in Thailand OK but these days I might not get up again, so does depend on how agile you are.

Wet floors will be a problem if you cruise 'cos at some point it will rain and you may need to go through that area with wet shoes.

Storage lost has been mentioned. But if a more hippy dippy style is yours then go for it.

[Neil2]

Hi all

 

I've been reading the forums for a little while now and have learnt much (thank you!). Thought it was time I signed up. Particularly since I have a question that Google isn't answering (I know, imagine!)

 

Here it is (it's an easy one, to start with):

 

Saloon seating: I don't want fitted, I do want comfortable. Harder than it first appears, apparently...

 

Are floor cushions a ridiculous idea? They are fine in my current boat, but the floors aren't especially cold - are they in a narrowboat?

 

Here's the sort of thing I was toying with (slouchy sofa type thing, and also spare bed):

 

http://www.leewadee.co.uk/meditation-and-thai-cushions/thai-cushions/4250587605457.html

 

Looking forward to your tuppences.

 

M

A lot of narrowboats have cold floors but if you have one with a deep cabin bilge it's surprising what a difference that makes.

 

But the real issue here is loss of storage space. I've always said it is easy to adapt to a smaller kitchen, bathroom, and sitting room, but on a narrowboat you have a tiny fraction of the storage space in even a small flat so you can't waste it by having furniture on the floor with no opportunity to use the space underneath.

[bizzard]

Indeed, if you have a deep cabin bilge you don't need seats at all, Just cut out lots of holes in the floor that folk can poke their legs through and sit on the floor. In a circle is nice, folk can sit round to eat and pow-wow.

[Marjorie]

Indeed, if you have a deep cabin bilge you don't need seats at all, Just cut out lots of holes in the floor that folk can poke their legs through and sit on the floor. In a circle is nice, folk can sit round to eat and pow-wow.

You are opening up a whole new world of inspiration to me...

[bizzard]

You are opening up a whole new world of inspiration to me...

[Dave_P]

Indeed, if you have a deep cabin bilge you don't need seats at all, Just cut out lots of holes in the floor that folk can poke their legs through and sit on the floor. In a circle is nice, folk can sit round to eat and pow-wow.

you'll need some extra warm slippers then.

 

and leg-warmers.

[Marjorie]

you'll need some extra warm slippers then.

 

and leg-warmers.

 

I knit. I'll be fine.

[keble]

My model isn't shown, but it's a sofa bed with an add-on box. You can arrange so it's an L shape, and it doesn't have arms. Has storage underneath the seats.

The great thing is that they guarantee it will fit your boat, including getting it in through the doors.

I'll take some photos if you're interested, but may take a couple of weeks!

OK photo taken, seems to have a dog in it.

Elite sofa by keble6, on Flickr