Please Share Your Bunk Beds With Me!

[cheshire~rose]

Having got your attention with the title, it is just your wisdom and photos on bunk beds I am after! I do not want to hop into bed with you

 

We are considering building a set up with a pullman bunk over a single bunk/seating unit.

 

Not everyone likes sleeping on a bunk bed but there are occasions when needs must. For example the bunks on Tawny Owl are usually pretty well filled at any banter so while it may not be exactly 5* accomodation the choice between being the designated driver at a banter or sleeping in a bunk with a legendary Tawny Owl breakfast next day means the bunks are filled.

 

I have read this thread which gives some ideas about height between bunks:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=68401&hl=

What I would like to hear from anyone who has ever owned a boat with bunks in or slept in bunks - what were the bad things and if you could have designed them differently what would you have done?

 

What were the good bits? Were there any clever tweaks you made that helped anyone trying to sleep in the bunks get a good nights sleep?

 

Please feel free to share your photos and measurements if at all possible

 

Thank you

Edited February 12, 2015 by cheshire~rose

[Chalky]

We have a bunk on Lady Jacqueline that is used by my 14 year old son who's now 5'11". The bunk folds away during the day and is 2' wide by 6'4" long. Allowing it to fold away means that we're not restricted by needing to keep a corridor open during the day, so it can be more generously sized for width. It also saved 6' in boat length which helped the finances.

 

It has a steel frame and is pivoted along one edge - there are bulkheads at each end that form part of the hinge assembly. The frame is made of U section steel with a 9mm ply top and T&G cladding on the bottom to match the cabin. It pivots on 1/2" * 10" pins that are welded to 6mm thick steel plates. These protrude through the 18mm ply bulkheads and are bolted through. Fortunately my father-in-law was working for a steel fabricator before he retired - its built like the proverbial out house.

To make it more interesting there's a port hole in the cabin side it folds against so the bed has a flap in the middle that's opened during the day and closed at night. The bed has been designed to look like a window surround when its folded up. To stop it falling on any one I used rack bolts (the ones used on doors for security) to lock it in the up position - stops the kids playing with them. The mattress is designed to fold in half length ways and forms a seat back to turn the lower bunk into a setee when the top one is folded away.

 

I also arranged that each bed has a reading light.

 

It's been in use for 9 years without any problems. The boat layout was designed to accommodate 5 people in 40', but to allow an easy refit to a fixed double once the kids have left home.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Chalky

[Mike Jordan]

Hi

The picture you are showing is similar to an arrangement that I have used in the past.

The difference being that mine had three functions, twin bunks as shown, top bunk folded down to give a settee, and the bottom bunk telescoped out to make a double. In theory you can sleep three in the space but it was never put to the test, always being used as a double or two bunks.

We didnt have three matresses since storage would have been a problem, two smaller back rests from the front cabins L shaped settee/double were intended for this use.

Regards

 

Mike

[cheshire~rose]

Thank you

 

Chalky it seems there was a lot of thought went into your arrangement so it looks good when not in use but is entirely practical too.

 

We have touched upon the idea of settee at the bottom that converts to a double so the space will sleep 3.

 

I think it might end up making the area too cramped as there is not much cabin space left once the area taken by a double and a bunk are taken so there is no where for someone to escape to if they are awake when others are still sleeping

 

Keep them coming folks and photos are very welcome too

[DustyDave]

I had bunks in my boat for a short while. My biggest mistake was to get big thick mattresses for them. I could have got away with half the thickness and gained valuable space for those sleeping in them.

 

The only other way I could have gained space is using a steel frame rather than wood (I think).

 

Dave

[cheshire~rose]

Thanks for that Dave.

 

I think mattress thickness needs careful consideration. Memory foam may be our friend

[Keeping Up]

I measured ours today. In the rear cabin there are 4 bunks, ie 2 on each side. All are 6ft 6in long. The lower ones are each 2ft wide, but the top ones which hinge down to become the backs of sofas when not in use, are each only 1ft 9in (ie 21") wide which really makes them suitable only for children or young teens.

 

The reason for this is that the top bunks hinge down from the upper part of the cabin wall which is narrower by the width of the gunwales. When they are up their outer edge is directly above the outer edge of the lower bunk, and when they are down their outer edge just swings clear of the lower mattress. A simple bolt at each end holds them up.

 

The heights of the lower and upper bunk bases are 12" and 40" from the floor respectively, and the mattresses are 6" thick. This means there is 22" headroom above the lower bunks and 26" to 29" headroom above the top bunks (the roof is of course curved). If there was less headroom for the top bunks I reckon they would be difficult to get into and out of. Many people have slept on them and only one person in 20 years has complained that they were claustrophobic. Telford the dog also approves of them.

[David Mack]

I measured ours today. In the rear cabin there are 4 bunks, ie 2 on each side. All are 6ft 6in long. The lower ones are each 2ft wide, but the top ones which hinge down to become the backs of sofas when not in use, are each only 1ft 9in (ie 21") wide which really makes them suitable only for children or young teens.

 

The reason for this is that the top bunks hinge down from the upper part of the cabin wall which is narrower by the width of the gunwales. When they are up their outer edge is directly above the outer edge of the lower bunk, and when they are down their outer edge just swings clear of the lower mattress. A simple bolt at each end holds them up.

 

The heights of the lower and upper bunk bases are 12" and 40" from the floor respectively, and the mattresses are 6" thick. This means there is 22" headroom above the lower bunks and 26" to 29" headroom above the top bunks (the roof is of course curved). If there was less headroom for the top bunks I reckon they would be difficult to get into and out of. Many people have slept on them and only one person in 20 years has complained that they were claustrophobic. Telford the dog also approves of them.

Have you got any pictures showing how the top bunk folds down? I assume they are hinged to the cabin side, in which case I would expect them to be leaning forward in the 'down' position, and therefore not suitable as a seat back for the lower bunk.

[dccruiser]

I had a 70' hancock and lane years ago which had been used as a school trip boat and had 10 metal framed bunks on it, when i refitted i left a couple in a small cabin for occassional guests when not in use i used the lower one as a desk, they had thick mattresses but to save space i binned them and used inflatable mattresses instead, that worked really well as the matressses stored in a drawer when not in use.

 

Rick

[Mike Jordan]

If you look on my photo gallery, I have just uploaded two pics of the three function berth (only two will upload)

The photo of the twin bunks shows a timber stop fastened to the bulkhead to halt the back rest at the desired angle.

Mike.

[Keeping Up]

Have you got any pictures showing how the top bunk folds down? I assume they are hinged to the cabin side, in which case I would expect them to be leaning forward in the 'down' position, and therefore not suitable as a seat back for the lower bunk.

Sorry I don't have a picture that shows it clearly, I'll try to describe it. I'll take a picture next time I go down to the boat.

 

The back edge of the upper bunk is hinged from the side wall above the gunwales. When lowered the board hangs down and there is room behind it for the wooden batten, that runs along the front edge to stiffen and strengthen the board, to press against the wall and thus hold the board absolutely vertical. The mattress has press studs to hold it in place when it is being a seat back.

[Alan Saunders]

The first boat we hired (1976, Lorna, Brumagem Boats) had a convertible bunk/sofa. The upper bunk was supported (IIRC) at one end by a 1" square steel tube. Also there was no raised or hard 'edge' to the bunk to warn me if I rolled over and was in danger of falling out of bed. I slept in the forepeak bed; that apparently flimsy support made me nervous.

 

My teenage (slight, 5' 2") daughter loved and always comandeered the fixed top bunk in a boat that we owned in preference to a wider beds without an upper bunk. Whilst narrow (20"?), it had a solid timber side raised above mattress level at the head end. I too have happily slept in a similar, upper bunk. Next to the cabin doors, it is a joy to push the doors open and enjoy the morning sun and no problem climbing into the upper bunk becaue it is only a few feet above the top step. Not so much fun when daytime rain wets the bed through the open hatch. I soon installed a light in the, possibly claustrophobic, lower bunk; the upper bunk already had an accessible light intended for general cabin illumination. A shelf for the morning cuppa and somewhere to store watches etc are also desirable.

 

Some children may be prone to falling out of bed. No harm from a couple of feet but they could incur, e.g., a broken arm falling from an upper bunk. You can get a metal frame that fits under the mattress to restrain restless sleepers.

 

HTH, Alan

[Keeping Up]

When our top bunk is raised there is a piece of wood about 2ft long and 9in high that slots into the outside, at the head end. Coming down to beyond the shoulder it stops you from falling out but doesn't get in the way when you are climbing in or out.

[Alf Roberts]

Maybe difficult to describe but I inherited a system where the top bunk had slats that interlocked so you could push the side towards the cabin side and end up with a shelf half the width. To set it up you pulled the rail toward you that then fitted into a couple of supports on fore and aft bulkheads (if you didn't have these bulkheads then chains are favourite). The bed cushion was the back of the bunk below when not in use.

 

It made a handy and substantial shelf when not in use (most of the time) but could be easily converted into an upper bunk. Because it was half the width of the bottom it didn't get in the way (shoulder space) so didn't feel too cramped.

 

It's a fundamental of boat berth design that the minimum width for a comfortable bunk is 18" - possibly less than it intuitive but true.

[cheshire~rose]

Thank you for all the replies.

 

It is all extremely useful information.

[system 4-50]

On 17/02/2015 at 17:11, Keeping Up said:

I measured ours today. In the rear cabin there are 4 bunks, ie 2 on each side. All are 6ft 6in long. The lower ones are each 2ft wide, but the top ones which hinge down to become the backs of sofas when not in use, are each only 1ft 9in (ie 21") wide which really makes them suitable only for children or young teens.

 

The reason for this is that the top bunks hinge down from the upper part of the cabin wall which is narrower by the width of the gunwales. When they are up their outer edge is directly above the outer edge of the lower bunk, and when they are down their outer edge just swings clear of the lower mattress. A simple bolt at each end holds them up.

 

The heights of the lower and upper bunk bases are 12" and 40" from the floor respectively, and the mattresses are 6" thick. This means there is 22" headroom above the lower bunks and 26" to 29" headroom above the top bunks (the roof is of course curved). If there was less headroom for the top bunks I reckon they would be difficult to get into and out of. Many people have slept on them and only one person in 20 years has complained that they were claustrophobic. Telford the dog also approves of them.

Can I ask what sort of hinges you used for the top bunks and where you got them?  I'm assuming they need to be greater than 180 degree?  Do you have any pics?

[matty40s]

On 17/02/2015 at 08:04, cheshire~rose said:

 

 

I think mattress thickness needs careful consideration. Memory foam may be our friend

What happens when someone different sleeps on it next time.....

[mrsmelly]

Whilst this is an old thread I think I need to help people out regards beds. Our boat is 68 feet long, we have five kids and nine grandkids. There is ONE double bed, we do have a dinette but non of the kids know this. Do you get the point now 

[system 4-50]

6 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

we have five kids and nine grandkids.

Its not the double bed you need to get fixed...

[Drayke]

Have you thought about hammocks.

[Keeping Up]

59 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Can I ask what sort of hinges you used for the top bunks and where you got them?  I'm assuming they need to be greater than 180 degree?  Do you have any pics?

They are just ordinary 3" hinges, 4 to each bunk. They are screwed to the cabin sides at their lowest point immediately above the gunwales, and to the wooden bed bases, so they are angled by just under 90 degrees when the bunks are up and just under 180 when they are down. The height of the gunwales effectively therefore also defines what the height of the lower bunk must be. Does that make it clear or shall I take a picture tomorrow?

[system 4-50]

1 hour ago, Keeping Up said:

They are just ordinary 3" hinges, 4 to each bunk. They are screwed to the cabin sides at their lowest point immediately above the gunwales, and to the wooden bed bases, so they are angled by just under 90 degrees when the bunks are up and just under 180 when they are down. The height of the gunwales effectively therefore also defines what the height of the lower bunk must be. Does that make it clear or shall I take a picture tomorrow?

That is clear, thank you.  But if you happen to be able to take a picture, that would be good and give me a picture of the quality of finish that I will comprehensively fail to match.  My creations are an eyesore but never collapse.