Sleeping Arrangement in FBC

[moguls2go]

Has anyone done anything creative to make sleeping more comfortable in an FBC? I'm specifically thinking of the setee... we have two kids and I'm wondering if anyone has figured a way to build a bunk system so that each kid could have their own space.

A half baked I idea I had was to build an upholstered panel that ran along side the setee when stowed away and then would sit between the "dash" and the top of the aft setee seatback as a bunk when needed.

All ideas welcome.

[mike ohlstein]

That's not a bad idea. You might want to go have a look at the way the motor-homes and trailers do it, for ideas. Some are built in, some fold up, some raise and lower.

[Snipe]

https://youtu.be/vXq-3iXTIHQ Don’t know if this link will work but check out Jimmy G’s cabin he did bunks watch the video.

[moguls2go]

Thanks- Killer Instinct is unreal, such a great build.

Mike, I couldn't get the link you sent to work?

[John F.]

I did what you're describing when my kids were little. I had 2 pieces of 1" x 12" by whatever that I'd
put up from the dash to the aft bulkhead. The boards were connected by pins I put in the long side of the boards. In addition to being supported by the bulkhead/dash, the boards (24" wide when pinned together) were supported in the middle by line that hooked an eyebolt through bolted to a flybridge support. I put a pie plate opening thing in the plywood ceiling to access the eyebolt. I'd put a 24" by whatever camping mattress on there and one kid slept on the "bunk" and the other underneath. It worked great, and could be put up/broken down in minutes to return the cabin to its regular set up. My kids were little back then, so the 1" thick board was fine, and the supporting lines in the middle, which looked like a triangle from
the side, kept my kid from rolling off.

[Yannis]

Albemarle 31 or 32 has the backrests unfold upwards and tied with straps to the ceiling.
Look also into the smaller (32, 36 ?) Grandbanks’ salon configurations.

You have to decide if you need the table.
If not, then you can make a new setee alongside and a similar backrest, which will be unfolding upwards to give two nice beds.
When not in the bed config. you have a nice couch for 3 people.
I did something similar (not exactly this) and Im very happy.
The 28 has a longer setee and you can accomodate even two adults of 1,85 on one level.

[Carl]

Not a bunk bed...but we have an express, with small tower just covering motor boxes.
I had canvas made to go from back of tower to just behind the boxes with side curtains. Back canvas has windows with screened center.
Thought was it would be a nice place to get out of the cold weather on those days and could be used as screened in outdoor beds when we went away.

Cockpit is real roomy if you have a sleeping bag. Spend a night or two on the hook that way...cool breeze under the stars.

[EarleyBird]

Took the settee out 30plus years ago. It is now an insulated gel-coated fish box from the aft bulkhead to the forward bulkhead. Believe 71”long.and verticle from the port outboard stringer to the inboard one, approximately 24” plus from bilge to top. Drains into bilge. There is a hinged top, and the entire top is covered in Marine plywood painted E-ZPoxy white. In addition there are 4 “ cushions covering the entire top and 4” vertical cushions 18” high on the aft, outboard, and forward sides. Have had three 200# plus dressed Bigeyes in the box.l’m six feet and can sleep on it comfortably. Try to keep any blood out of the box,cause it does drain into the bilge. Want some pics,let me know.

[Carl]

Took the settee out 30plus years ago. It is now an insulated gel-coated fish box from the aft bulkhead to the forward bulkhead. Believe 71”long.and verticle from the port outboard stringer to the inboard one, approximately 24” plus from bilge to top. Drains into bilge. There is a hinged top, and the entire top is covered in Marine plywood painted E-ZPoxy white. In addition there are 4 “ cushions covering the entire top and 4” vertical cushions 18” high on the aft, outboard, and forward sides. Have had three 200# plus dressed Bigeyes in the box.l’m six feet and can sleep on it comfortably. Try to keep any blood out of the box,cause it does drain into the bilge. Want some pics,let me know.

So your saying one kid sleeps on top of the cooler and the other one goes in the cooler....hmm I like.
Plug drain, add a bilge pump to circulate and becomes a jucuzzi tub. Plumb into engines heat exchanger and now we have a hot tub! Ingenuous!

[Stephan]

Our 31 FBC sleeps 5.
My wife and 9 yr old daughter on the settee and my twin 12 yr old boys and I in the v-berth.
We feed and water the children regularly. This will not last.
I have been looking at putting a bunk above the settee and have tried modifying some camping cots. The cot adaptations failed to be useful or interesting.
We have tried one person sleeping on the sole of the cabin and found that unsatisfactory as well.
My boat has very large ports in the aft cabin bulkhead and so I have limited options for supporting the aft end of the bunk. I am trying to work in some bunk brackets that would support a pipe berth. http://vintagecampers.com/parts.php?cat ... r&sub=Misc.
I am now wondering about some canvas to cover the engine box area and using the cockpit as a scond state room......
We don't go boating for the sleep anyway.
Best,
Stephan

[Tony Meola]

Send Jimmy a PM. I saw his bunk set up when he was building the boat. I don't remember just how it set up.

For those that crowd the V berth, an old friend who used to have a 31 made up a board that set in the open the area in V Berth and he had a cushion made so he increased the sleeping area. Did not leave it in during the day, only dropped it in when they were using it.

[Carl]

For those that crowd the V berth, an old friend who used to have a 31 made up a board that set in the open the area in V Berth and he had a cushion made so he increased the sleeping area. Did not leave it in during the day, only dropped it in when they were using it.

Need more then a board and cushion to really utilize. Inside frame/wall of v-berth comes up a couple inches, a lip around. Unless your cushions are made heavier they crush to below that and makes for some uncomfortable sleeping. A couple heavy blankets kinda work.

[moguls2go]

Thanks everyone! John F, I like this idea.... that seems like it would be the easiest to do without any real modifications to the layout. Where did you stow the boards when not in use?

[Priceless]

Saw Jimmy G’s video. Awesome. Want to pm him to find out the measurements of the head but can’t seem to find a way thru this site. Any recommendations?

[mike ohlstein]

Saw Jimmy G’s video. Awesome. Want to pm him to find out the measurements of the head but can’t seem to find a way thru this site. Any recommendations?

I emailed you his email address.

[Priceless]

Thanks mike

[Pete Fallon]

Mogels2go
II your keeping the dinette in place go with a piece of 1/2 plywood the size of the head door, that can be hung from the cabin overhead above the dinette. There are fiberglass stiffeners on the underside of the FB that you can tie into use a D ring to attach the web material to onto the stiffeners when not in use store on the back side of the head door, cut the plywood just a bit smaller than the head door. Hang the plywood from 4 points on the underside of the FB with slots cut out to allow the straps to pass thru the cabin overhead material which is 3/8" plywood covered with perforated boat cloth. If your not keeping the dinette intact make a fold up back on the dinette and hang from straps .
I had cushions made for the tops of my engine boxes 31 Express Cruiser, no ladder just single legs for the helm and companion chairs and cushions for the tops of each oval 40 gallon live well that were mounted behind the engine boxes. The two cushions were long enough for a 6' person to lay down on, use Velco strips to hold the cushions in place. a light weight sleeping bag is all you need in the summer. Remember the 31 Bertram was designed as a day boat not a floating condo.
Pete Fallon