BerthTypes
Types of Berth
The types and location of berths on a boat depend on whether it is designed for maximum comfort for day sailing from harbour to harbour or sailing offshore or passaging. There are several possible arrangements for a berth in a boat:
- Quarter berth
- Settee berth
- Pilot berth
- VVolt-berth
- Cabin berth
For a given budget and displacement a boat with a longer narrower hull form will fit more berths or cabins linearly. Generally the minimum length to fit a head, berths, salon and so forth is 38-40 ftFoot (~12 mMetre, SI unit of length).
Some other questions are: Do you want a home for two people and an occasional guest? Do you have children? Do you want to cater to large groups?
If you want a home for two and occasional guests (i.e., one or two friends or a couple) then you need either two staterooms or a stateroom and a cabin with two berths. If you have children, then you must plan the cabin arrangement to suit. Ideally, each child should have its own cabin. On the other hand, if you’re single and want to have a blast with the boys and girls every weekend, then you need as many berths as you can manage (and enough safety equipment to go around).
Remember that the more you customize the accommodation to your needs, the longer it will take to find some one with similar needs when you re-sell.
The most comfortable location for a berth is midships where stability is best, but not every berth can be located there. For serious sailing berths can be fitted with lap belts and lee cloths. AAmpere (amp), SI unit of electrical current lee cloth is a mesh safety net to keep someone from falling out when the boat rolls. Mesh cloth breathes so there is airflow. Lee cloths can also function as a privacy curtain.
If a boat is subject to deck or port leaks, an air gap between the bunk and cabin wall is advisable.
Pipe berths, mostly out of style, can swing up or down when not in use. They consist ofa canvas or other cloth stretcher on a pipe frame.
The Pullman bunk design originated on trains. [1] Several configurations are possible:
- The top bunk can hinge down to serve as a backrest for the lower bunk during the day.
- A lower -- often twin -- bunk can fold up against the wall.
- On some cruise ships the bunk pulls down out of the ceiling.
Quarter Berth
A quarter berth is tucked under the cockpit on a small boat, usually on an outboard edge of the cockpit. Ventilation can be an issue. Getting in and out requires a degree of gymnastic ability.
Settee Berth
A settee berth is a seat for sitting at the dinette table. It is convertible to a bed. Usually there are two on opposite sides of the table or in a U-shaped arrangement. This is common in many sail boats. A settee berth is suitable as a sea berth. Settee berths can also be put in the salon or main cabin. These are useful for for overnight guests.
Pilot Berth
A pilot berth is an occasional berth located high up on the wall or located behind a settee in the day cabin or in the pilot house. In the salon, the beam must be wide enough to put one behind a settee. A pilot berth is typically a sea berth and can also be used for daytime sleeping.On a larger boat, the pilot berth could be a cabin, which would be very useful for chartering.
V-Berth
A V-berth is in the bow of the boat. Usually there are two angled like this ^ with the feet together. The two berths can abut on the same plane or one can be higher so they overlap. A modified design is a center-line double berth shaped to fit the space.
Cabin Berth
A cabin berth is a private space for one or two people. A big comfortable stern cabin is ideal. If the boat is large enough two forward cabins can be fitted. Typical arrangements are a wide lower berth and an upper bunk. The upper bunk could fold-down to convert the lower berth into a settee.
