Bedding down for the night

journey on · Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject:

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

thataway · Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:25 pm Post subject:

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.

Bill3558 · Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:31 pm Post subject:

I'm convinced.
Where do you buy this "memory foam"?

JamesTXSD · Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 9:22 pm Post subject:

journey on · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:10 am Post subject:

Try overstock.com for the foam. If I remember correctly it was about $50.

Boris

Al & Pat Parker · Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:45 am Post subject:

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.

mikeporterinmd · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:33 pm Post subject:

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

Lucky Day · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:34 am Post subject:

Given the issues with reduced headroom, has anyone tried using the foam in the v-berth without using the factory cushions in place?

captd · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:12 pm Post subject:

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

Sea Wolf · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:49 pm Post subject:

CAVU · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:01 pm Post subject:

I don't have an electric carving knife but I have had good luck cutting foam with my long bladed bread knife. Technique is important-use a lot of sawing motion and very light forward motion.

Doryman · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 2:16 pm Post subject:

For small pieces, it helps to put it in the freezer ahead of time. If you could put your mattress in a meat locker for a couple of hours that would help a lot.

Warren

captd · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject:

Good Idea Joe. I have an electric fillet knife with a set of long blades. It just might do the trick. Should have tried that on the first mattress. I can practice on that.
Thanks Thumbs Up

captd

SEA3PO · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 8:26 pm Post subject:

I have a friend in Redding that makes custom motorcycle seats....he uses different grades of memory foam and uses a carving knife to shape the foam... must be the tool of choice...

I looked on line and I see foam in 4 and 5 pound density.... sure wish I knew how stiff it was.... I know thats the weight of a cubic foot of the stuff...but without any reference point I don't know what that feels like.

Joel
SEA3PO

lloyds · Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:24 am Post subject:

I don't recall even being able to afford 4 pound, 5 pound must really be special. I changed out the mattresses in a sailboat with 3 pound and they were great.