Berth Lengths

[rwoofer]

Having spent the last year or so trying to shortlist some boats, I often find the achilles heel is that I can't fit in the berths as they are too short (6ft 6ins being my problem) or too narrow.

With new boats you can try everything out at a boat show (sometimes you have to be sneaky as they have laid out a duvet and put up a sign "Don't lay on the berth") or sometimes read the product specs. From my laying down research I have informally rated boats as follows:

Beneteau: General very short throughout their range (some of the owners cabin on the larger boats have ridiculously small berths eg. 423, 473)
Bavaria: Neither very short or very long
Jeanneau: Appear to be the longest.

With used boats I can't find anyway of checking without going to see every type of boat that may interest me - not very practical.

So my question is this. Which marques are known for their generous berths (let say for boats built after 1990)?

Thanks
RB


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[charles_reed]

My first boat, a Seal 22, had a 13'9" berth down each side of the cabin.

My current boat, a Parker 31, has one berth in excess of 6'6", it's in the aft cabin.

I think you may find it's difficult to find any modern production boats which will offer you a comfortable berth.

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[Gunfleet]

Parker 31. You weren't in Dinan last year? ;-)

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[rogrog]

Perhaps you should consider changing to a stinkpot, we have a 40ft Trawler Yacht and our berth is a generous King size bed. I was invited to look over a 61ft sail boat in Ramsgate the other day and I think that had a decent size berth but at £1.25m I would make do with cramped conditions.

Good hunting

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[rwoofer]

Started to look at Centre cockpit boats now.
Seem to loose some of the headroom (especially on the passageway to the aft cabin), but the centre aisle berths in the aft cabins at least allow you to hang your feet off the end!

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[charles_reed]

Negative.

Gelves, Chipiona, Mazagon, Vila Real, Pomerao, Alcoutim, Ayamonte, Cadiz, la Linea, Caleta, Motril, Almerimar. Then the mast had a fatigue failure which really put paid to sailing for the rest of the season (and it was only April). Cartagena (for nearly 3 months), Gandia, Barcelone and then Argeles-s-Mer: where I finally got my mast at a reasonable price but 6 weeks late.

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[Ohdrat]

One of my main reasons for trying desperately to buy a Contessa 26 is that it has 4 6'6" berths (Jeremy Rogers is reputedly tall.. tall boatbuilders make long berths!).. maybe you should look at a Contessa 32 or a Van De Stadt Legend..the Dutch are quite tall as rule so maybe a dutch/german type boat?

I also remember sailing on a Jen Sun Fizz 40 which had good berth lengths..not sure what the newer Jens are like berth wise.. the Sun Fizz was extremely well laid out both on deck and below with good use of space as apposed to a very dissapointing Westerly 38 foot tank thing which had loads of dead space below and short berths ... never mind the snoring skipper!!