After spending a few nights on the boat in either the stuffy v-berth or in a modified fetal position on one if the salon cushions, I decided to re-engineer the sleeping arrangement in the boat.
I decided that I wanted a full length double bed but to achieve that I had to get creative.
I looked at all kinds of boats on- line and decided what I needed was a folding bed that would fit between the seats in the salon. The bed could be folded and stored in the quarter berth during the day and set up in minutes when ready for bed.
I took all of the measurements, sat down created a drawing of what I had in mind, visited the local lumber stores and purchased wood and hinges, and set about building my bed.
For those of you that know me, I am an amateur woodworker and have made several pieces of furniture: So, I have all the tools and just enough know- how to be dangerous. I first made the wings of the bed and screwed the hinges on so it folded. The bed would need some supports underneath to hold the weight of 2 adults so I made 2 folding legs but quickly realized that because of the way it folded (with the seam pointed up) that I couldn't attach the leg and have to table still fold. After pondering a solution for a day or 2, it finally dawned on me how to make it work. I added a strip of wood between the halves of the bed that was the same thickness as the folded support legs, and repositioned the hinges on either side of the strip of wood.
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With the wooden bed base constructed my next stumbling block was cushions. Upholstery is expensive. It costs several thousand dollars to re-upholster the cushions on a boat. With that in mind, I wanted my cushions to be comfortable, look nice, and match the existing cushions as close as possible. I didn't want to spend a lot of money for this project, so I decided to make my own.
I found a sewing machine on Craigslist that was decent (and cheap), watched several videos on YouTube demonstrating how cushions are made, purchased foam, an electric knife to cut said foam, sailrite marine grade fabric and set about making cushions.
Cutting the material to size.
After the side panels were attached.
The finished product.
I am pretty proud of how they turned out considering I have never used a sewing machine or made a cushion before. The most rewarding fact, besides how they look, is the amount of money I saved, just over $150 including the sewing machine.
With a few minor adjustments and attaching the piano hinges for the rail to the sides of the boat, William (my son) and I, laid the bed in place and checked the fit. Now, I have been making things out of wood for a number of years and its been my experience that nothing fits perfect, but this bed assembly surprised even me and fit like a glove. We arranged the cushions and added a comforter that Martina (my wife) and I picked out purchased for the new bed.
Another view installed
It turned out better than I expected and is very comfortable. Now I look forward to having a good nights sleep aboard Aquilon. With many years to go before we purchase our live aboard retirement boat, we now have the sleeping arrangements of a large boat on our little cruiser.
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