Forward or aft cabin on passage?

[steve yates]

For those that have done longer passages or crossings, and had a choice in the boat, or have used both in different boats, do you bunk in the v nerth or in the aft cabin? And why?
And would you use the same one once anchored somewhere for a while?

Idle curiosity really, I got to womdering on what the diffenece in motion might feel like in an aft cabin compared to a v berth, never having had one.

 

[MoodySabre]

The aft cabin would be better than the forecabin as you wouldn’t feel the rise and fall or slamming so much. Personally I prefer the settee.

 

[stranded]

Settee also makes it easier to communicate with/hear what’s going on in the cockpit. On our boat anyway.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

My preferred berth was the quarter berth, equivalent to the aft cabin but snug and more comfortable

 

[capnsensible]

Aft, absolutely.

 

[KevinV]

Settee on the lee side - it's the lowest, most central point, so the gentlest motion - easy and quick to fall into and within earshot of the cockpit

 

[Frank Holden]

On passage - the saloon ie amidships.
At anchor or alongside - the after cabin.
Up the front? Never ever.

 

[capnsensible]

The saloon is OK if you are sailing two handed and have stout leecloths.

On a short passage with a watchkeeping crew that you like to help and keep an eye on, say 2 or 3 days not bad either.

Anything longer and you will get so little rest that after 5 or 6 days you will be useless to the crew you are supposed to be leading.

BTW, have spent hundreds of nights on saloon berths on school yachts.

 

[Wansworth]

sleeping in aft cabins an be disturbed with the on watch crew chatting or the general cockpit activity including winding a winch

 

[MontyMariner]

Sail solo so saloon on passage so I can hear any alarms and poke my head up for the occasional look round, check sails and do a long range scan on the instruments. At anchor, aft cabin on a lateral double I sleep like a log.

 

[johnalison]

Saloon, with leecloths. Too much motion in the bow, and easier to get out of than the aft cabin. In really quiet conditions, occasionally it is nice to be away from the engine noise in the bow.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Wherever I rest my weary head. Having slept in all of them on many overnight passages, some over days, some weeks, I can't say that I am bothered much about the berth location. I don't like the saloon with a crew as it disturbs sleep when they come down to do whatever. I would rather be in the ends of the boat if sailing with crew overnight. Boats bob about anyway, so aft, saloon, bow, lee side windward side, it is irrelevant, in my opinion.

 

[steve yates]

Engine noise on passage? How bigs your fuel tank?

 

[johnalison]

Engine noise on passage? How bigs your fuel tank?

145l, so we could do Essex to Kiel canal in one hop, often motoring most of the way, say 2.5l/hr. On one occasion we motored at 2,700 rpm for 24hrs from Cork to the Scillies. Not very rewarding or something to be proud of but sometimes one has little choice.

 

[wonkywinch]

Aft cabin under way but fwd cabin at anchor as you'll point into tide. If mooring alongside then check the tides if you're on a modern flat bottom/stern as you'll get some slap on the back with the tide running past if the pontoon is exposed or mid stream.

Finally, if two aft cabins, the one on the other side to heads, to avoid sound of pump (manual or elec) and to avoid wafts of fragrance from the overflow vent as the loo is flushed if your window is open.

 

[Clancy Moped]

Aft full of stuff so forward it was.

 

[capnsensible]

Aft cabin under way but fwd cabin at anchor as you'll point into tide. If mooring alongside then check the tides if you're on a modern flat bottom/stern as you'll get some slap on the back with the tide running past if the pontoon is exposed or mid stream.

Finally, if two aft cabins, the one on the other side to heads, to avoid sound of pump (manual or elec) and to avoid wafts of fragrance from the overflow vent as the loo is flushed if your window is open.

Window??

 

[Baggywrinkle]

I can sleep anywhere once I'm tired ... so don't care. In my AWB water slap on the stern was non-existent, maybe because the boat was so full of stuff that it sat low enough in the water for it to be no problem. With a bit of thought, lee cloths or boards can be added to almost any berth so it's not something that needs to be part of the original design. I've seen people sleeping on the cabin sole, on the salon seats and on dropped tables in the salon forming double beds. Any flat upholstered surface will do IMO.

 

[capnsensible]

Grade it for example.

Passages more then 5 nights.

More than 10 nights.

More than 20 nights.

More than 35 nights.

The attractiveness of an aft cabin grows with every extra night at sea. In my experience...

 

[WoodyP]

I have crewed when my only option was a saloon berth that was too short next to the nav station with cold air from the open companion way. I eventually managed to sleep after three days. I got so cold once that I was allowed into the rear berth with the heating on. Luxury. It's savage amusement to go on long passages. I once tried the v berth banging into the waves and spent as much time aloft as on the mattress. Rear cabins with a sugar scoop slapping away aren't great either.