Ideas for making best use of storage under bunks

[benbc]

Does anyone have any surprising, clever ideas for making good use of storage space in oddly-shaped spaces under bunks?

I'll be using the space for storing tools, chandlery supplies, bulk food supplies, miscellaneous kit. I'm trying to work out a way of dividing up the space so it's useful and things are accessible without wasting too much of it.

My best bet so far is a selection of differently-sized plastic boxes with lids, cunningly arranged them to fill the space. Or maybe those slightly flexible plastic buckets that come in a variety of sizes to use as "bins".

I think that the ideal would be something that comes in a variety of sizes and is somewhat flexible so that it adapts to the weirdly shaped space, but stiff enough that it doesn't collapse when empty. I'm get there's some magical product designed for a completely different purpose and I'm hoping that someone here has discovered it.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

 

[andrewAB]

On my old small boat I used rectangular plastic buckets as bins to keep things sorted and dry. Had some lids and stackable when empty.

I used the bouncy foam to make a partly level base and keep any bilgewater somewhat contained and not sloshing up the sides when heeled.

 

[Sumara of Weymouth]

There is a material called Varaform. It comes generally in three types and the "Heavy" would be best for this application. It is thermoplastic mesh. When heated (bowl of hot water or heat gun) it becomes very supple and can be formed to any shape. While hot it will stick to itself without needing glue. It becomes rigid again when it cools. You could easily make shaped trays from the mesh that would make best use of the space. Lots of other applications too - I keep some onboard in case someone breaks an arm!

 

[Boathook]

Could make boxes out of thin ply stuck together by using a hot glue gun. Some varnish and the boxes will tolerate sme dampness.

The varaform seems an interesting material.

 

[William_H]

On my little boat I chose to seal up the under bunk area to make the boat unsinkable and more stable if full of water. I think that a better use of under bunk areas. ol'will

 

[Boathook]

On my little boat I chose to seal up the under bunk area to make the boat unsinkable and more stable if full of water. I think that a better use of under bunk areas. ol'will

Possibly good if only out for a race for a day, but the OP did mention supplies, etc so I assume he is out for a cruise for holiday, etc.

 

[Refueler]

I had this on my Alacrity and later Snapdragon to sort ... no matter what I did - the underbunk bottom always was damp ...

So I cut wood bars to glue across to crate a false floor just a few inches up from bottom. Then I placed ply across the bars as a floor. The ply was not an exact fit - so that air could circulate ...

To place gear there - I used clear plastic bins of various sizes so that they fitted into the space.

For the under cockpit bunks - the spaces under were always awkward to get gear in / out of ... so I used an old PBO Sketchbook idea ... plastic boxes with short connecting lines between ... You could feed the boxes into the space .. next box pushes preceding further etc. To get box out .. lift out first .. then pull line to extract next and so on ..

If the space is large enough - rolled cork or foam insulation contact glued to the spaces 'walls' can help ....

 

[wrr]

I used to be the custodian of a little Maurice Griffiths cutter whose ribs were exactly the width of a wine bottle apart. There was no stowage conundrum!

 

[Sandy]

I used to be the custodian of a little Maurice Griffiths cutter whose ribs were exactly the width of a wine bottle apart. There was no stowage conundrum!

Can you fit the new Highland Park bottles between the ribs?

 

[thinwater]

I always liked ~ 4-6" deep trays with flanges so that they hang from the lip. These are for smaller things that you use more frequently, or at least do not want to disappear into the recesses. They can be either divided (tools and bits) or not (spare bed sheets, food, etc.).

They can also be bags with rigid flanges at the top. Lighter, and conform to odd shapes. I use these on my F-24.

 

[Seastoke]

The most important thing is once you decide what goes where , number the bunks and then have a list of what is where. I used to have every bunk open searching.

 

[rogerthebodger]

The most important thing is once you decide what goes where , number the bunks and then have a list of what is where. I used to have every bunk open searching.

We did that some years ago on the wife's iPad then the iPad got stolen so we lost the directory

 

[Seastoke]

We did that some years ago on the wife's iPad then the iPad got stolen so we lost the directory

Yes that’s where I got the idea from , I pad was good , had to delete some of those photos .

 

[thinwater]

The most important thing is once you decide what goes where , number the bunks and then have a list of what is where. I used to have every bunk open searching.

On racing boats it is common practice to add small labels. You can't lose them, and unfamiliar crew can find things. It helps with guests too. Certainly for safety equipment, but also very helpful for kitchen stuff, linens, and spare clothing (foul weather and cold weather stuff for guesses and surprise weather).

 

[samfieldhouse]

I have everything in Ikea boxes, aside from a set of spare bedding and towels which are in vacuum bags.

 

[dansaskip]

I am fortunate in that the lockers under my bunks are divided into 3 separate sections each. I find this helps as each section is dedicated to just one category of storage item. In addition I use storage boxes of various sizes plus a couple of those multi compartment boxes for the fiddly little bits. Some of the boxes are labelled on the outside . But the thing is I find to keep pretty strictly to a regime of where things are stored. Everything in its place and a place for everything. Sod's Law of course says it don't work out that way always and you might find me on occasion rummaging through (and cursing) to find a misplaced item. A list is probably a good idea whatever format you might choose but then you have to keep it up to date.