After sleeping 3 days aboard last week, we could not help but realize that the bunks on our CD27 are kinda' hard for sleeping. Settee births anyway. Ours is a 1980 model and the cushions are original. We'll likely replace the cushions during the off season but for right now, does anyone have suggestions. I've used that "egg crate" looking type foam rubber on some hard beds before and that seemed to work pretty well. I could get a couple of pieces cut to size and I suppose that would help quite a bit if we put it under the existing cushions. Any suggestions?
By the way, maybe "just" replacing the cushions in the off season is not enough. Any recommendations for type of cushion material and thickness of the cushion? If I'm going to replaced them, I'd like to get the desired effect of not being sore all over when I wake up!
Thanks,
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Oyster Bay Harbor, NY
Setsail728@aol.com
Hard Bunks
Moderator: Jim Walsh
-
John R.
Cushions
Warren,
All I can say is that when I replaced the cushions in our CD30 I used 5" (or maybe it was 6") *high density* foam. The originals were 3" 0r 4" and they were miserable to try and sleep on, they totally lost their shape and support, absolute garbage.
The high density foam has much better resiliency and holds it's shape without breakdown. It is more costly but most certainly worth the price. Another option is latex foam which is extremely durable and comfortable also but is even more expensive than the high density. Just check out some samples at a good canvas shop or mattress maker shop (for the foam).
All I can say is that when I replaced the cushions in our CD30 I used 5" (or maybe it was 6") *high density* foam. The originals were 3" 0r 4" and they were miserable to try and sleep on, they totally lost their shape and support, absolute garbage.
The high density foam has much better resiliency and holds it's shape without breakdown. It is more costly but most certainly worth the price. Another option is latex foam which is extremely durable and comfortable also but is even more expensive than the high density. Just check out some samples at a good canvas shop or mattress maker shop (for the foam).
Warren Kaplan wrote: After sleeping 3 days aboard last week, we could not help but realize that the bunks on our CD27 are kinda' hard for sleeping. Settee births anyway. Ours is a 1980 model and the cushions are original. We'll likely replace the cushions during the off season but for right now, does anyone have suggestions. I've used that "egg crate" looking type foam rubber on some hard beds before and that seemed to work pretty well. I could get a couple of pieces cut to size and I suppose that would help quite a bit if we put it under the existing cushions. Any suggestions?
By the way, maybe "just" replacing the cushions in the off season is not enough. Any recommendations for type of cushion material and thickness of the cushion? If I'm going to replaced them, I'd like to get the desired effect of not being sore all over when I wake up!
Thanks,
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Oyster Bay Harbor, NY
-
Bill Goldsmith
Re: Hard Bunks
Warren,
On Second Chance the v-berth is downright comfortable, but I do bottom out on the settee berths. I believe my prior owner upgraded the v-berth foam for sleeping. The settee berths are fine for the kids. John R is correct about using the proper thickness/density foam for personal comfort. The best is closed-cell foam, does not absorb water (reducing chance of growing things); it is very comfortable, but pricey.
Bill Goldsmith
CD27
Second Chance
goldy@bestweb.net
On Second Chance the v-berth is downright comfortable, but I do bottom out on the settee berths. I believe my prior owner upgraded the v-berth foam for sleeping. The settee berths are fine for the kids. John R is correct about using the proper thickness/density foam for personal comfort. The best is closed-cell foam, does not absorb water (reducing chance of growing things); it is very comfortable, but pricey.
Bill Goldsmith
CD27
Second Chance
Warren Kaplan wrote: After sleeping 3 days aboard last week, we could not help but realize that the bunks on our CD27 are kinda' hard for sleeping. Settee births anyway. Ours is a 1980 model and the cushions are original. We'll likely replace the cushions during the off season but for right now, does anyone have suggestions. I've used that "egg crate" looking type foam rubber on some hard beds before and that seemed to work pretty well. I could get a couple of pieces cut to size and I suppose that would help quite a bit if we put it under the existing cushions. Any suggestions?
By the way, maybe "just" replacing the cushions in the off season is not enough. Any recommendations for type of cushion material and thickness of the cushion? If I'm going to replaced them, I'd like to get the desired effect of not being sore all over when I wake up!
Thanks,
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Oyster Bay Harbor, NY
goldy@bestweb.net
-
Bob G
Re: Hard Bunks
You might want to try what my wife and I did for an interim solution. She noticed a sale on "feather beds" at the local department store and suggested we try one of these over the top of our less than comfortable V-berth mattress. It really isn't a feather bed but some sort of man made fiber that's encapsulated in four baffles. We cut the thing down to size and it has really improved sleeping in our boat. You have to move it around occasionally as it tend be compressed after sleeping in the same position for a few weeks. They shouldn't cost more than $50-75 and really do make the mattress more comfortable. Sweet dreams.
Bob Grabham
CD36, #140
Hunky Dory
Topping, Virginia (Rappahannock River)
grabhamb@chesterfield.gov
Bob Grabham
CD36, #140
Hunky Dory
Topping, Virginia (Rappahannock River)
grabhamb@chesterfield.gov
-
Larry DeMers
Re: Hard Bunks
Hi Warren,
We tackled this problem last year, and ended up experimenting some on what works for us. I took the old mattresses home over winter, and used them as a form for the new ones. Our first try was two 2 inch thick pieces of open cell high density foam glued together with 3M spray adhesive. This seemed to be great lying on the livingroom floor and *without* the stiff cover that came with the Cape Dory's. We got these up to the boat, and immediately found out that it was way too stiff. So I removed the outer covers and used a much less tight cover that Jan threw together for this test. That was far more comfortable, but still too hard. (sounds like the Goldie Locks and the three bears.?)
So I took apart the two layers, and substituted a medium density foam for the top layer. Bingo..Nirvana! Well sleepsville anyway! So we tried the Cape Dory mattress cover they provided..and boy, did that mattress stiffen up again. Plainly, that puppy had to go. So Jan then sewed up a more nicely done set of covers for the three v-berth pads, and we have added a regular mattress cover and pad under this. But it works is my message, and I am a darn good test of this critter at 6ft./250lbs.
We also rebuilt our settee cushions, and found that the high density open cell is great here. Prices are reasonable too, at approx. $50 per settee for 4 in. foam. The v-berth cost was easy too. All the foam pieces that were used (we swapped the top one out, but it was not returnable quality..ahem) amounted to about $100.
To cut this foam out, we used an electric carving knife with a serrated blade, following the outline made with an indelible marker using the original shape for guide. It went very slick actually. It is a project that anyone here can take on for certain.
Lastly our source for foam was Hancock Fabrics..a local chain store handling sewing goods and supplies.
Warren, now my biggest problem is waking up before 9am on Saturdays! I am used to a waterbed at home,as I have a back problem that makes a regular bed impossible, and a Lazy-Boy chair the only comfortable bed. So I needed a good bed to use if we were serious about getting into living aboard (we are and will). This seems to have worked so far. Now how long it will last is another question. Ii hope for 5 years life out this work.
I sure wish I could afford a latex mattress, but they are around $1200-1500 for our vberth..uncovered. (at least the ones advertised in Latts and Atts mag. are that expensive). You would be better off with Urethane foam, but with that material the densities are way different than with open cell foam and Higher $$ too. I was only able to find very high density urethane foam, like they use in our cockpit cushions. These are too stiff for settees and vberths, in my estimation.
Good Sleeping!
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Lake Superior
demers@sgi.com
We tackled this problem last year, and ended up experimenting some on what works for us. I took the old mattresses home over winter, and used them as a form for the new ones. Our first try was two 2 inch thick pieces of open cell high density foam glued together with 3M spray adhesive. This seemed to be great lying on the livingroom floor and *without* the stiff cover that came with the Cape Dory's. We got these up to the boat, and immediately found out that it was way too stiff. So I removed the outer covers and used a much less tight cover that Jan threw together for this test. That was far more comfortable, but still too hard. (sounds like the Goldie Locks and the three bears.?)
So I took apart the two layers, and substituted a medium density foam for the top layer. Bingo..Nirvana! Well sleepsville anyway! So we tried the Cape Dory mattress cover they provided..and boy, did that mattress stiffen up again. Plainly, that puppy had to go. So Jan then sewed up a more nicely done set of covers for the three v-berth pads, and we have added a regular mattress cover and pad under this. But it works is my message, and I am a darn good test of this critter at 6ft./250lbs.
We also rebuilt our settee cushions, and found that the high density open cell is great here. Prices are reasonable too, at approx. $50 per settee for 4 in. foam. The v-berth cost was easy too. All the foam pieces that were used (we swapped the top one out, but it was not returnable quality..ahem) amounted to about $100.
To cut this foam out, we used an electric carving knife with a serrated blade, following the outline made with an indelible marker using the original shape for guide. It went very slick actually. It is a project that anyone here can take on for certain.
Lastly our source for foam was Hancock Fabrics..a local chain store handling sewing goods and supplies.
Warren, now my biggest problem is waking up before 9am on Saturdays! I am used to a waterbed at home,as I have a back problem that makes a regular bed impossible, and a Lazy-Boy chair the only comfortable bed. So I needed a good bed to use if we were serious about getting into living aboard (we are and will). This seems to have worked so far. Now how long it will last is another question. Ii hope for 5 years life out this work.
I sure wish I could afford a latex mattress, but they are around $1200-1500 for our vberth..uncovered. (at least the ones advertised in Latts and Atts mag. are that expensive). You would be better off with Urethane foam, but with that material the densities are way different than with open cell foam and Higher $$ too. I was only able to find very high density urethane foam, like they use in our cockpit cushions. These are too stiff for settees and vberths, in my estimation.
Good Sleeping!
Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Lake Superior
Warren Kaplan wrote: After sleeping 3 days aboard last week, we could not help but realize that the bunks on our CD27 are kinda' hard for sleeping. Settee births anyway. Ours is a 1980 model and the cushions are original. We'll likely replace the cushions during the off season but for right now, does anyone have suggestions. I've used that "egg crate" looking type foam rubber on some hard beds before and that seemed to work pretty well. I could get a couple of pieces cut to size and I suppose that would help quite a bit if we put it under the existing cushions. Any suggestions?
By the way, maybe "just" replacing the cushions in the off season is not enough. Any recommendations for type of cushion material and thickness of the cushion? If I'm going to replaced them, I'd like to get the desired effect of not being sore all over when I wake up!
Thanks,
Warren Kaplan
Sine Qua Non
CD27
Oyster Bay Harbor, NY
demers@sgi.com
-
Neil Gordon
Re: Hard Bunks
We've done well with sleeping bags. We don't bother getting into them, which leaves two layers as a pad on top of the cushions. They weigh almost nothing and store well either rolled up or stuffed into a locker.
Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
neil@nrgordon.com
Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
neil@nrgordon.com