I recently acquired a pristine 1992 Hunter-28, moving up from a mid-60's 26' Rhodes Meridian. I loved the old Rhodes, but we have now passed into the station-wagon generation. V-berth porti-potties, single-burner stoves, crouching headroom and narrow coffin-like berths have given way to a condominium-like spaciousness. Even though we often anchor out, we are more likely to stay at dockside with the comforts of shore-power, fresh water, etc. Of course, we did not spend the night on the new boat before we signed on the dotted line. The first night aboard, we became aware that a fat-sterned, reverse-transom RV translates ANY chop taken over the stern as a drum roll that echoes throughout the entire boat. Finally, after 20 years, we had a full double berth, and if we stayed dockside, it was like sleeping in a kettle drum. The answer: I bought two "noodles", those cylindrical, closed-cell foam tubes upon which kids float ($1.00 each, end-of-summer close-out, Wal-Mart), used about 15 feet of old, used Dacron halyard, and threaded the line through the "noodle" with a keeper knot on each end. Secure one end of the line to the aft port cleat, and while your mate tensions the other end to the starboard cleat, use the boat hook to push the belly of the noodle under the stern. If you're at the dock, rafted up, or anchored bow-and-stern in a stern wind, the noodle absorbs the stern slap and you'll sleep like a baby! Robert Banks S/V "Susan Bee" H-28 Watauga Lake, Tennessee
