Lee cloth - what size?

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Ammonite

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I'm planning to make up a lee cloth out of some acrylic canvas I have lying around and need some guidance on sizing. The bunk is 6' 2" long and the matress is 4" thick. What height (from the base of the mattress) and length would you recommend? I'm planning to attach cords to eyes in the top corners and fasten these to hooks attached to the bulkheads at each. I'm guessing I need to have the cloth shorter than the bunk so it's not too claustrophobic but don't want to fall out either? Thanks in advance
 
chaktoura said:
I'm planning to make up a lee cloth out of some acrylic canvas I have lying around and need some guidance on sizing. The bunk is 6' 2" long and the matress is 4" thick. What height (from the base of the mattress) and length would you recommend? I'm planning to attach cords to eyes in the top corners and fasten these to hooks attached to the bulkheads at each. I'm guessing I need to have the cloth shorter than the bunk so it's not too claustrophobic but don't want to fall out either? Thanks in advance
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You want the lee cloth high enough to stop you rolling out! I find that its much better to have the fastening points slightly out board of the lee-cloth and bunk edge so that if you roll against it or end up lying against it, you are held into the bunk securely. (So the the top of the lee cloth is 'towards' the person lying in the bunk if you see what I mean.) Its IMPOSSIBLE to go to sleep if you think you are about to be launched across the saloon when you are lying in your pit in rough weather, but if you feel secure, then sleep is bliss...

I find long lee-cloths good - they stop the pillow falling out of the one end and your feet out of the other - buts that's my personal preference.
 
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Yes, how long is a piece of string? There can't be a definitive answer, but there are a few ideas knocking around what's left of my brain... The height is most likely to be defined by the width of the bunk so that you can stow the cloth flat under the matress when not in use. Length should be enough to stop you sliding out the end too easily - my initial thought is to stop short of the ends so you can just get an arm out to accept the cup of tea, then maybe go up at an angle so allow you to look out, too. Probably a good idea to use a batten along the top edge to stop it slumping and letting you exit bum first! If you have offcuts left, make pockets to hold your favourite bedtime reading.

Rob.
 
Thoughts on lee cloths here:
http://saltyjohn.blogspot.com/2011/05/lee-cloths.html

In my opinion it's important to have the cloth fixed to the bunk base well in from the edge and to have the head end open to about shoulder level when your head's on the pillow. There should be an air gap at the top of the cloth and the fastening points should be in line with, or slightly outboard (towards the sleeper) of, the bunk edge.
 
Salty John said:
In my opinion it's important to have the cloth fixed to the bunk base well in from the edge
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Agree. You want to be lifting the cabin-side edge of the mattress up slightly when you rig the leecloth, so that when you roll into the corner it makes a smooth curve from horizontal to vertical. If you fix the bottom of the cloth to the very edge of the bunk, you fall down a gap between the cushion and the cloth.

I don't think there's any need to come up past shoulder height; you're not going to lie with your head pressed against the cloth anyway, so you might as well be able to see out (and be seen, if you put someone ill (seasick?) in there). Assuming the ringbolts are level with the ends of the bunk, this also means that the lanyards are pulling outwards as well as upwards, reducing the amount of sag in the middle.

Pete
 
In practice you lie with your bum down hill in heavy weather. Either against the lee cloth or against the side of the bunk, probably with a cushion or pad. Mine, which have worked very well, are about 3 ft long, with you bum in the middle and 12ins high. Enough to make a nice sack to press into. Make sure that you have a release that can be used quickly, in the event that you need to get out quickly and in heavy weather. Sitting up and untieing in those conditions is very hard. Think also about fitting a tum/bum strap ,with a pelican release hook, down the length of the saloon. This makes getting dressed/ kitting up possible and not an endurance test and, if your saloon is wide it gives you something to hold onto as you move about.
 
A very effective lee cloth;

KSCN0010-1.jpg
 
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