Berth orientation in Hunter 40.5

[jcreamer]

We are looking at a 1994 Hunter 40.5. I have not spent any time in a berth that is athwartships (is that even the right word?). I have some concerns vs the centerline births. I did a search and found some varied opinions. But not specifically from Hunter owners. Any of you guys with positive or negative experiences? Thanks in advance for the newbie question - I'm sure I will have many more!
JC

 

[kappykaplan]

Welcome to the forum!
It's a berth.

 

[jcreamer]

Thanks! Nothing says newbie like confusing a bed in a boat with bringing human life into the world!
JC

 

[kappykaplan]

Thanks! Nothing says newbie like confusing a bed in a boat with bringing human life into the world!
JC

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

For the same reason people don’t put beds against a wall in their home. The problem being the obvious - the “inside” person has to climb over the other. As I recall, the 40.5 has sufficient room for a centerline bed. If only….

 

[jssailem]

Welcome to the world of SBO. The Hunter is a nice boat.
Berth orientation can be an enjoyment factor, more so while on passage than at rest in an anchorage or marina slip. Sure there is the Wake up your partner factor which applies no matter what.

But is you need to sleep while cruising the open waters, a big berth that is "athwartships" adds additional peril to desire for a restful nap. Think about the boat as a platform moving in all 3 dimensions as it moves across the waters. The bow and stern will travel more than the center of the boat. The port and starboard side of the hull as well will be moving around the center point. With this movement in mind you will often find crew laying on the cabin deck curled up near the mast base as the most comfortable place on the boat.

What all owners seek is berthing that will meet their needs. It is a common desire on all boats. I know of no way to success than going on board a boat laying down and trying the berth out for yourself, keeping the concept of sail boat motion in mind.

 

[rgranger]

Thanks! Nothing says newbie like confusing a bed in a boat with bringing human life into the world!
JC

And making mistakes is how you move on from being a newb.

 

[danm1]

At dock or anchor the transverse berth is not really a problem, except perhaps for the person aft. At sea, you probably wouldn't sleep in the large berth anyway.

 

[Windpilot]

Lol, nothing says newbie like asking how the bedrooms look and work. No worries, that's how I started also.
Sleeping while at dock or at anchor are way different than sleeping underway.
Don't worry about it, the 40.5 is a great boat, kind of like my H410 and our aft berths are comfortable and large. Make sure the rest of the boat is up to snuff.
I can only imagine a centerline berth, with access from both sides would be completly unusable underway unless you rigged lee cloths. I prefer to be sleep against something solid from my experience of a 5100nm pacific crossing and I switched around a lot from the salon to the aft cabin. Anything forward of the mast was Iike an antigravity chamber and loud.
Finding true uninterupted sleep and comfort on a cruising sailboat underway?
It's possible, but it's definitely not for everyone, you'll figure it out when you get there.
Good Luck! the 40.5 is a great boat!

 

[Rick D]

After 25 years with our 40.5, the issues with the aft berth are 1) making the bed and 2) one person has to get over the other to use the head. Having said that, crew have slept in the berth in pretty big seas on overnight races without issue.

 

[Rich Stidger]

I second @Rick D opinion. Making up the berth is a total PITA. And depending upon the size of the persons, it is possible to climb over or around the outside person, but waking up the outside person is very likely.
I will add that we don't sleep at sea. We are always at a dock or at anchor.
We are starting our 28th sailing season with our 1997 40.5, and if you choose to buy, I don't think you will be disappointed.

 

[jssailem]

waking up the outside person is very likely.

With the right person in the proper (or improper) mood this might be a positive thing.
As it is said... What happens in the berth at sea should stay at sea.

 

[Marmalade]

We have a Legend 37 with the centerline/pedestal bed in the rear cabin. I loved the idea when we purchased the boat, and I don't dislike it, but probably don't like it as strongly as I thought I would.

On the hook or at dock, no complaints. But under sail, particularly going to weather, I could see the athwartship would be a better solution, especially if trying to sleep two people.

Our solution is to keep some packed spinnakers (dry of course) down the middle of the bed, to act like a lee cloth. Otherwise the 2 people end-up on the low-side... the high-side person pressing the low-side person into the cabinets and/or off the bed. Not so bad if you're married... but the wife and I don't sleep while sailing to weather... so that scenario is during racing... I like my crew, but not looking to be that close while off-shift. Stacked sails work really well to divide the bed!

Anyway, just my 2-cents... YMMV

 

[shemandr]

In defense of OP, berth was spelled right in the early part of the post. The second birth I'm going to blame on spell check.
There are two roles of berths on a boat. One is at the dock. For that you'd like room to the side so it's easy to make up the bed and to allow entry/exit without always waking up the other person. The second is at sea - or even on an inshore overnight trip. That berth is best in the middle of the boat to limit motion and to keep from flying around the cabin which is a danger. In a multi-night passage, we weren't asleep at the same time at the same time so we would each try to find a berth was was reasonably dry. I've posted before that the worst night I spent sleeping aboard was at a dock in New London CT!
We set up two boats to sleep athwartship for two of our boats. We could make a queen size berth that was quite comfortable. We could store stuff not needed for the night under the berth, which was bridged from settee to settee. I slept on the head side since I got up more often. If on the other side I would use the great outdoors. It worked.

 

[JamesG161]

You can find a lot of info on the H40.5 here

H40.5

Manual and Owner Mods too

Jim...

 

[artboas]

My 2 cents …

The 40.5 is a terrific yacht. The interior was way ahead of its time.
The large athwartship bunk is terrific.
If you think that crawling over your “bestie” to exit will be an issue, then switch spots.
Making the bed is no more difficult than many bunks. Just get a large duvet made that you can quickly throw over. It will look perfect.
The 40.5 was very innovative in many respects.
The only downside was the single holding tank was not optimal with having kids on board.
Also, the original tank (aluminum ) was a bad idea.
The engine & shaft access is the best you will ever find.,
The wiring and systems were all first rate.
And, its sails very well

 

[Rich Stidger]

My 2 cents …

The 40.5 is a terrific yacht. <snip> And, its sails very well

And it will charge to windward.

 

[shemandr]

We like that!

 

[MFD]

I have a 41DS, with an athwartship berth aft.
I think there are actually some benefits.
Offshore, and even under sail coastal where it's a long enough distance to want a nap, it is quite easy to sleep in it under way. Even in pretty heavy weather.
Generally the boat is on one tack or the other for a sustained period of time, and doesn't like to be heeled over all that much anyway - so just sleep with your head on the high side. Obviously if you are short tacking for hours on end, having to flip around would be annoying. Even then packing up blankets/pillows helps when on the 'wrong tack' and being too lazy to flip around - I have done it.

Definitely not as good a proper sea bunk with a lee cloth or whatever - but with a centerline berth I could easily see it being a problem rolling port/starboard. I would expect even worse with multiple people. We have had up to three worn out sailors taking a nap in the aft bunk at the same time while underway.

As far overall motion goes - as somebody else noted the center of the boat is ideal. Meanwhile the motion in the aft is still very mild compared to the bow. Even offshore with following waves. Up forward I did install a lee cloth in the pullman berth, and have stored lots of 'soft stuff' on the side by the hull so one person can fit in pretty snug & secure. Definitely quieter compared to the noise of the winches or people walking (stomping?) around above you in the cockpit aft. Earplugs/headphones work for that though - or tell the crew to quiet down a little.

I am a live aboard, so the climbing, and the hassle changing the sheets impacts me the most on a day-to-day basis.
It was a concern when I bought the boat - but as noted above, I have been pleasantly surprised at some the benefits.
I would not consider this to be a deal breaker. It is what it is.

 

[desodave]

We had an 2005 H38 with the E-W berth and didn't like it for the mentioned reasons. I built a removable pedestal, added an 18" mattress extension and created a N-S king-sized bed using standard king bedding. The admiral loved the change. The rear cabin on the H38 had just enough room for the conversion. You could still remove the engine cover to check the fuel filter and marine gear oil level, and easily remove the extension to change fuel filters or access the packing gland. I suspect the 40.5 may have a similarly designed rear cabin.