Bedding down for the night

Capt D,
We've added a 2 inch high density foam to our V-berth. It has made a huge difference in comfort for this plus size guy. I've also widened the V-Berth opening. I know you wouldn't do this with the Ranger but for me on the C-Dory 25 it has made a world of difference on the ease of getting in, out and sleeping in the V-Berth. It also has helped in improving the air circulation and heat transfer. (2 inch foam not shown in picture)
Wider_v_bert_opening.sized.jpg


I really would prefer to have the dash on the 25 made like it is on the Tom Cat so that the entire v-berth is open at the same height. Changing the whole dash seemed like a bit too much work though. I still need to figure out a trim for around the new opening. I probably will go with a mahogany trim. I'm just waiting for a "round to it" to get it done.
Ron
 
Ron,
What are we looking at in the picture. Did you add the 2 inches of foam and recover the old and the new? Where do carry the two inch foam?. It sure looks good. Bet the extra opening makes it a lot easier to get in and out. I was a little too big for the C-22 unless I had it all by myself. The dinette was a little to small for either of us.
captd
 
Capt D,
The two inch foam pad is not shown in this picture. We cut it to the shape of the v-berth and made a cover for it. We slept on it for three weeks this summer and it made a world of difference in comfort. I take it out of the boat when we will not be using it to help promote circulation of air and prevent any mildew while the boat sits. We bought the 2 inch foam pad from a upholstry shop in Vancouver. It might not have been the cheapest source but they had samples of about 10 different thicknesses and densities which allowed me to compare and choose the one I thought would work best.
The wider v-berth opening makes sleeping there much better for me. I can stretch my arms out now and I'm not rubbing the top of my head against the bulk head any more. I really like it now. I've slept a couple of nights on our dinette and its fine. In the 25 there is plenty of room for one to sleep comfortably on it.
Ron
 
Ron on Meander":197z325i said:
The wider v-berth opening makes sleeping there much better for me. I can stretch my arms out now and I'm not rubbing the top of my head against the bulk head any more. I really like it now. I've slept a couple of nights on our dinette and its fine. In the 25 there is plenty of room for one to sleep comfortably on it.
Ron
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I've never slept in a C-dory V-berth. Do most people use them feet to bow, head to bow, or sideways?

Warren
 
Lori Ann":2oz70niq said:
I've never slept in a C-dory V-berth. Do most people use them feet to bow, head to bow, or sideways?

Warren
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Well, one of us likes to go one way, and the other... nevermind. 8)

Just funnin' you, Warren ol' buddy. Since most v-berth situations have limited head room, we (and everyone else I've visited with about this) sleep feet to bow (since most people are wider at the shoulders than the feet :wink: ). Having said that, when I nap in there by myself, I will sometimes sleep head to bow... but that would be a bit crowded with two.

Regarding the other question that you PMed (jammies, skivvies, or comando) - well, that's none of your business. :roll:

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Warren

Everyway but sideways. Width was really not a problem with head to the bow. We like to sleep close. Its the no headroom thing and the nose being to close to the anchor rode and bits of things it can bring aboard that keeps our feet in that direction normally.

I agree also that the travasak is great, shaped to fit and with little bunching is a big plus. Generally bring along extra blankets to add if extra cold. And these blankets are of the type that work well in the cabin during the day if one of us gets alittle chilly or the non thermastat controlled wallas isn't putting out what is just right for one or the other or it just plain desides to quit.

Jay
 
I agree with Ron that 2" of foam makes a world of difference, and it also makes it harder to get into the V-Berth.

I've thought of making that opening wider, but after looking at the bulkhead, note that it's a structural member. It's not just a thin piece of fiberglass, but is actually laminated over plywood, and attached to the hull with bolts. That must add a lot of stiffness to the hull/deck, and I decided to leave well enough alone.

Judy has threatened to take pictures of me getting into the V-Berth. I back in, and for someone with arthritis and uglyness, it isn't a pretty sight.

Boris
 
've thought of making that opening wider, but after looking at the bulkhead, note that it's a structural member. It's not just a thin piece of fiberglass, but is actually laminated over plywood, and attached to the hull with bolts. That must add a lot of stiffness to the hull/deck, and I decided to leave well enough alone.
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Boris,
I wondered about the structural support too. I looked closely before I cut and found that inside the v-berth the bulk head is just pop rivetted to the overhead and it is not attached to the hull in any way. I came to the conclusion that it does not add any structural strength to the hull or deck but is constructed the way it is so that it has the strenght to stand upright without a lot of support. I may be wrong but I trailered 1500km and boated over a 1000nm since without any problems at all. If anyone has any difficulty getting in or out of the v-berth this really helps. I can now enter without my significant posterier imposing on Anne's space. Even with the added 2" of foam. I just hope Anne and Judy don't get together and decide to post pictures of our graceful entry of the v-berth. :moon
Ron
 
We have not cut out the bulkhead on the CD 25, but agree with Ron that it is non structural. If it was structural, it would be glassed into the deck. The bolts on the bottom have been known to work loose.

One can buy either the black or white edging for fiberglass at West marine--and a number of other sources. We would probably do that, rather than custom wood work--but so far, we have had "nough" room getting in and out--much batter than the CD 22, but not as good as the TC 255...
 
hi folks,
A bit off the subject, but since you brought it up -- that "bulkhead" was the source of a bit of consternation for a while when we first got our 25. It does have some core or added thickness for most of it, but it thins down at the bottom. In ours, it didn't thin down quickly enough, or at least things were different somehow. With much of any ripples in the water, and any speed much above planing, there was a terrible banging noise. It took a while to find it, but those bolts at the bottom are not bolts, just lag screws into not much but maybe 1/4" of fiberglass. The hull would flex some and the bulkhead would rub (hard) the thickened portion against what it was screwed into, the bolts/screws couldn't be tightened enough to stop it. We ended up by putting a mess of flat washers in between the bulkhead and the vertical section that encloses the area under the V-berth. Had to get a cupla longer lag bolts. We traveled slowly until we figured it out.
Always something.
 
Ron, I'm glad to read about your experience AFTER you cut the bulkhead. I'd love to get in the V-berth gracefully.

Bob, Journey On's bulkhead is is bolted into the V-berth mold, which is glassed into the hull. Is yours different? Our Catalina 36 had a similar arraignment, just where the shrouds tied into the deck. And that was a structural member. It came loose on some and was a bear to fix. I do agree the pop rivets don't look sturdy, but I know of some Navy jets that are flying with them ( at least they flew when they left the factory.)

Boris
 
Structural bulkheads are glassed into the hull. the foreward cabin in the CD 25 is floating--that is is is lag bolted into the molded V bert at the bottom and pop riveted into the glass from the deck mold on the top. Pop rivets are used in some hull to deck joints with adhesives--but they are not entirely satisfactory, since the glass tends to break down.

I cannot comment on Navy jets, but most air planes I have seen are conventionally riveted--not pop riveted. The aluminum is a much different material than glass when riveted.

I have no hesitation cutting into the foreward bulkhead. Look at the Tom Cat--just a small area to one side where this bulkhead is secured--almost the entire foreward area open.

In your Catalina, with stays which are tied into the bulkheads, this is an entirely different situation. There the bulkhead either was glassed or sat in a molded extrusion. The bulkheads which take loads should not touch the hull, but be separated with a trapezoid of foam--and then mat and roving in variable widths used to tab the bulkhead structurally to the hull and deck. This then spreads the load out over a larger part of the hull, and does not allow a "hard" place where the bulkhead meets the hull.

Also many of these sailboat bulkheads take some of the compression of the mast--if deck stepped. If keel stepped, they give lateral support to the deck partners of the mast--an entirely different set of fuctions than the monique hull of the C Dory.
 
I'm convinced.
Where do you buy this "memory foam"?
 
Bill3558":gygflm7h said:
I'm convinced.
Where do you buy this "memory foam"?
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Hi Bill,

The best price we found when we were looking was at Sam's Club - about $100 as I recall for a queen size. There is a real difference between the memory foam and a typical foam mattress pad. And be ready for a great night's sleep.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Try overstock.com for the foam. If I remember correctly it was about $50.

Boris
 
overstock.com is where I ordered ours from last week, see my post earlier in this topic. We got the 3" stuff which has an egg-crate pattern, in the big king size, $63 total, only $3 shipping. Hope it doesn't come via China. Will let you all know our "impressions" (memory foam) after we get it and try it out.
 
I bought a large piece from overstock.com. Just 2". Works great. We haven't
put it into the V of the CD-22 because no one that sleeps there has
complained. However, I found the dinette seats to be very hard for sleeping,
so I lay out a piece on the dinette seats.

Mike
 
Given the issues with reduced headroom, has anyone tried using the foam in the v-berth without using the factory cushions in place?
 
Now that we have all decided the foam is the way to go and we have ordered a cal king sized mattress. Does any one know a good way to cut the stuff (neatly) to fit the v-birth? We have chopped up one we used in the house and than chopped it up some more to put it in the boat. Tried to use it with the air mattress. Became a mess. We plan on taking it to a canvas maker in Crystal River, Florida and cover it with something. Not sure what.
Captd
 
captd":1fown9fh said:
Now that we have all decided the foam is the way to go and we have ordered a cal king sized mattress. Does any one know a good way to cut the stuff (neatly) to fit the v-birth? We have chopped up one we used in the house and than chopped it up some more to put it in the boat. Tried to use it with the air mattress. Became a mess. We plan on taking it to a canvas maker in Crystal River, Florida and cover it with something. Not sure what.
Captd
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Darrell-

They guy I know in Fremont* who sells all kinds of foam uses a toothless (but very sharp edged) bandsaw to cut all kinds of foam for custom orders.

However, I'll bet you can cut foam with an electric kitchen carving knife, since it has two alternating direction fine toothed cutting blades. I'd get it on a big table with the edge to cut exposed and well marked, then first make an experimental cut in an area to be cut off.

Just a $0.02 suggestion!

I'm also sure Bob can custom cut memory foam to your specified dimensions, both in shape and thickness. Boat cushions, ditto. Look on the bottom of his website to see all of his custom cutting equipment.

Joe.

*Bob's Foam Factory: http://www.bobsfoam.com/

(I know him because I've had his kids in school when I taught in Fremont for 35 years!)
 
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