Downsizing, upspeeding 4 - Advice needed (Ignore previous post)

[PCUK]

In my quest for a smaller boat I have looked at the specs' of many secondhand US boats around 25-27ft with a diesel engine. I decided the Monterey 262 would be pretty near perfect until I read a 1998 MBM review that although praising the boat in every respect mentioned the width of the mid cabin berth as only 3ft 3in.
I need this second double berth to be at least 4ft wide. So does anyone know if later Montereys had wider berths or what other boats of the same ilk would have the wider aft berth that I need?

 

[Whitelighter]

Monterey 245/250/275 would do it. Same boat through three model changes.
Very nice, and quite a few with diesel engines

 

[PCUK]

Thanks for that Whitelighter. These all have the wider berth then? That's the only thing holding me back from the 262.

 

[segaerta]

Used to have a 262 as my previous boat. Agree with you that the aft cabin is somewhat of a coffin, our 2 kids age 9 and 11 slept there but it was very crammed. Otherwise a fine boat.

 

[PCUK]

Thanks Segaerta.
One other question based on your answer. Is there any scope for widening the berth, by moving the bulkhead back into the engine compartment for example or extending out into the cabin? I don't mind a reasaonable amount of work if the result is what I need.

 

[segaerta]

No, don't think you can move the bulkheads. One side there's the single stair up the cockpit, other side there's the engine room bulkhead.

 

[PCUK]

Thanks again Segaerta. I'll have to sadly cross the 262 off my list of possibles.
Any info' on similar boats with proper sized aft berths would be appreciated.