H26 and 260 where can you sleep?

Rick Macdonald · May 28, 2017

I've been sleeping in the v-birth of a 2002 H260 every night for the last 8 nights and for the next 6 nights to come. The table lifts up an inch to free the lock pin and you rotate it 180 degrees and it drops down in the slot again. The seat cusion that is then normally in the center forward of the compression post then goes on the table above to extend the bed.

I'm 6' tall and share the berth with my big duffle bag, a clothes bag and a guitar in a soft case.

A couple of years ago I slept on the port setee but always felt like I was going to roll off under the table even when I filled the void with bags and stuff. I prefer the v-berth. You have to be a bit nimble and it helps to only weigh 150 lbs as I do.

rade0041 · May 28, 2017

I happen to have just measured recently. The starboard side on my H26 is about 83" and the port side is about 93". That is measuring down the center of the boat from the center of the curve of the seats. They are not too wide and not very comfortable. I modified my table so it does drop all the way down. I actually leave the table down most of the time now and have lots of sleeping room. If only I could move that darn post in the middle.

I have slept in the aft birth and it isn't too bad.

The H26 table does swing around to extend the v birth.

Rick Macdonald · May 28, 2017

In the last 12 years my sailing buddy has owned a H26, H270 (wing keel with inboard diesel) and 2 H260s. I've slept in them all. The H26 is the same as the H260 I described.

As mentioned, the setee seats are narrow and curved. You can make more room by removing the back cushions but that exposes the bare fiberglass which is cold here where the sea is only 14°C (57°F) so I used a yoga mat up against the hull.

Crazy Dave Condon · May 29, 2017

Table for the 26, 260and 270 are the same except the 270 can come down being fixed keel as there is no centerboard housing extends from the floor.

Doug J · May 30, 2017

James,
I have a H26 and have slept in the v-berth with the table spun around. It's nice because you can look up at the stars through the windows and can open the hatch for nice ventilation.

I like the aft berth more though there's a lot of room for two back there, I find it very comfortable.

I've taken naps on the setees, port and starboard - no problem!

rade0041,
I do wish the table would go all the way down like in the 270's. Any way you can post or somehow describe how you modified your H26 table to sit all the way down to make a bed?

rade0041 · May 30, 2017

Yep. I posted some pictures here...

Here are some more of the bracket I made. It is upside down here, of course. It is aluminum and I only have a wire feed welder so my welding isn't pretty but it works. First few shots are when I was cutting the parts. Last one is it welded and painted. The hole in the center holds the plastic ring from the original support cone. I also cut a couple more of those rings and stacked them in there too.

Doug J · May 31, 2017

Oh, now that is really nice! Would you say the table is as sturdy as the original cone design?

rade0041 · May 31, 2017

Doug J said:
Oh, now that is really nice! Would you say the table is as sturdy as the original cone design?

I would say it is strong enough for me. It might not be quite as strong as the original but its pretty close. I'm happy with it.

rade0041 · May 31, 2017

jbreland said:
rade0041
is that tapered channel or did you rip regular channel on a bevel to make the tapered channel ?
beautiful work !

Thank you. They started out as rectangular tubing. I cut the taper on the table saw.

rade0041 · Jun 1, 2017

jbreland said:
rade0041
what type blade did you use on table saw to rip the aluminum, and what size rectangular tubing did you use ?
again absolutely beautiful.

I used a blade similar to this one

It looks like the tubing was 1" by about 4"

H26 and 260 where can you sleep?

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