"Sleeps 6..."

[Brian D]

I think we've had this discussion before. But it is spring time and boats are for sale. I see a lot of classified ads for sailboats and it seems the big selling point is not the boat, or what it has, or how it sails, but how many it can sleep.Am I wrong? What say you?

 

[sailaway78]

Your right

Always seems to be a selling point, but you better be very, very good friends.

 

[Jenni]

sleepers

Sleeps 6 generaly means sleeps 2 couples and a person or two on the sofas.

 

[Ross]

My 30 footer sleeps two perhaps three if they are very good friends

can feed four and drinks for six. When it sleeps six, check the size of the holding tank, and the size of the icebox and galley.

 

[Roger (Ninette Manitoba)]

common adage

drinks for sixdinner for foursleep for twobottom cleaning solo

 

[Rich (P303)]

My 30...

sleeps six. You would have to be out of your mind to sleep more that 2.Very Good... Roger.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Brian didn't mention any particular size

boat in reference to "sleeps".The wisdom is that the # of "sleeps" was a marketing ploy used in the late 70s and 80s to people who knew nothing about boats. It seemed to die out in the 90s and may just be back again, or, they're using the old brochures! When I look at a boat, I look to see where you can sleep when underway, and most boats just don't have that nifty feature anymore, regardless of size. Calder covered that feature quite well in the Cruising Handbook chapter on interiors.

 

[Brian D]

I normally see this...

in boats that are trailerable. Or smaller boats. Most of the bigger yachts, >30 foot, don't seem to say this in their ads. But yes, it is a marketing ploy towards uninformed buyers.

 

[filthy liberal scum]

my 30 footer was billed as sleeping 6

reality is that it sleeps 4 comfortably but the space for the other two is taken up by bags and stores brought on board. the extra two space is a quarter berth and the two have to be small children or small very friendly adults.S/V Que Pasa?

 

[ghost]

kitchen & bathroom

How many people does it sleep is aimed at the people who want to know about the "bathroom & kitchen" of the boat and also "how many windows does it have"

 

[Ross]

I have a friend that used to race on a J-24. She said that on overnighters

the crew would stand watches and the off duty crew would sleep where they could find space. She tells me that a pile of life jackets isn't too bad until someone steps on you. I guess with that criteria my boat could sleep about twelve. ;D

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

new advertizing format

for sale:inviting contemporary lines ocean front home. fully furnished home with two bedrooms, two full baths, kitchen, dining area, living room with attached office, mutiple sky lights, numerous built-ins, SS appliances, sun room, easy water access, no property tax, fully wired for entertainment, hardwood floors throughout.

 

[CharlieCobra]

I hear that Don

Mine will sleep five comfortably, if one of them doesn't mind the outboard pilot berth.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Whaddaya mean no porperty tax ?

must be from some freedom-loving state...good one, Don

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

prop tax

StuRhode Island is one of those states in which there are a number of active Marine Trade Assoc members well enough connected (not too tough in a small state) to have successfully fought any attempt at taxing the industry such that any boat registered and kept in RI enjoys no tax

 

[Calif. Ted]

Here in California we not only get to pay

property tax on the boat but now we also get to pay property tax on the value of the slip we RENT from the same county that taxes us.

 

[higgs]

See it less

I see that 'sleeps 5" phrase a lot less than I used to. Someone mentioned we see it more on trailer boats - entry level. Those of us who have owned a boat for even a couple of seasons know the score.I did used to cruise on my Irwin 32 using 5 of the 6 "supposed spots" once each season for a few days. I usually slept out in the cockpit so it wasn't too bad. Those rainy nights, however, found me on a cushion on the cabin floor.

 

[Brian D]

Here's an example...

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/boa/614166398.html

 

[higgs]

Private vs. Manufacturer

I think at this point manufacturers understand that the "sleeps 6" doesn't work. Brian's link is a private sale.

 

[Brian D]

I don't think I ever intended to mean...

that manufactures are making these comments. In my first post I mention classified ads. Not sure if a manufacture would post a NEW boat in a classified. Maybe a broker, but not a manufacture.Yes, the link was to a Catalina 34 listed in Craig's List. But I have seen these types of ads also on Yacht World.