272 Salon Convertible Queen Berth

[agprice22]

my wife and I decided we wanted to sleep in the salon.
We replaced the teak rails on the faces of the settees. We created sills which hold slats which traverse the passage between the settees. On top of the slats, we place 5mm craft/furniture plywood. We used our cockpit cushions as a mattress .

 

[jibes138]

That looks great, I always wanted to do that with my Catalina 25 but never got around to doing the work. I always liked the V berth to have the wind blowing on my when at anchor or on a mooring. But not much worse than a small V berth when it's raining and the hatches are closed.

 

[Pat]

Andrew, is it a lot of work to construct and dismantle that each night and morning? I can't imagine me starting a construction project early in the morning as I like to go sailing early in the day when possible...Last Sat. evening we had too many people on board to do that after a night sail and a bit of partying....I'm probably way off base....Certainly each to their own.....we bought a little folding rubbermaind step to help us int and out of the v-berth as it is a bit of a climb....it's very solid...certainly it is a lot of work making a u-turn in the v-berth to get out...so I do appreciate your solution....

 

[agprice22]

Hi Pat. The rails are screwed into the settees, so all we have to do is
1. lay down the slats,
2. slide the super-thin plywood out from under the settee cushion to cover the slats, and
3. lay down the cushions.
The cushions in the photo are our cockpit cushions, and they fill the rectangle perfectly.
The slats are made of 4x1 white oak. The ends of the slats rest on the rails, and they are flush with the top of the settees, so when we lay the cushions, they are even with the settee cushions.
It takes about 45 seconds to assemble, and all the materials are lightweight! Throw on sheets, a blanket, and some pillows, and you are in business. It is ver comfortable, and very roomy! We are thrilled with it. We mounted the stereo right next to it, and I am going to move our light dimmer switch next to it too, so we can reach them from bed.
Let me know if you want more detailed photos.
-Andrew

 

[Pat]

I'm sure it is more comfortable than the v-berth...having had hip replacement surgery it takes me time to do the upside down u-turn if I have to get up in the middle of the night ....esp. if there are two of us in the v-berth...after my surgery I tried different places in the main cabin and kind of ended up sleeping on the floor on one of the settee cushions except on the floor...the aft berth is nice but it is a place where we stow a lot of things just to have them out of the way until needed......with our Mermaid AC the main salon is by far the most comfortable on hot summer nights.....we do go anchoring out often in the summer assuming the weather forecast is good....your description of taking it apart seems easy......patrick

 

[agprice22]

Hi Pat. I used the length of the current rails on the settees as the length for the new rails. I mounted the new rails so the 4x1 slats would sit flush with the top of the settee.
I used 4x1 oak for the slats. I simply put a slat at each end, and I cut the rest of my wood into 4 more slats spaced by eye over the rest of the span. We store the slats along the sill in the quarter berth.
The top is 5mm craft plywood. I cut the plywood to slide under the longer settee cushion. We simply slide the plywood out over the slats.
My wife had sewn cockpit cushions last season. It just happens that they fit the bed perfectly.
I am glad you feel this design could be of use.
-Andrew