Lee cloths

[jonjo]

I plan to fit some lee cloths to my new boat. Does anyone know of a good design and/or supplier?

Based on past experience two things I want to avoid are:

* Trad canvas material that will become damp and manky over time.
* The need to tie a knot each time I climb into an uphill bunk. I hope some type of mini v shaped jamming pulley could be used to tension the cloth once the occupant is insitu?

 

[ashanta]

The control or fitting will depend on your boat but with regards to the material, i use the acrylic used for dodgers and spray hoods. Some people use tody's sail cloths.

Regards.

Peter.

 

[William_H]

A lee cloth that folds away is ideal on a bunk that doubles as a settee. It can be just tucked under the matress. (particularly for small boats) I would use any material to hand as loads are not great. A lee cloth does not have to be full length to be usefull. if it supports the torso then the head and legs area can be left uncovered.) depending on how much heel you expect) This means that you can climb in with the cloths in place. If you are going full size you would need to be able to attach a line to points overhead then tighten up. There are plenty of pulleys and cleats made for dinghies available. I suggest you get outr the sewing machine find some cloth and start experimenting until you evolve a design to suit you and your sailing style. suggest you try screwing the bottom ijn many places under the mattress and sew loops of cloth into the top edge for rope attachement. They certainly can make resting more comfortable on a heeled yacht especially for children. olewill

 

[ashanta]

I agree William, My lee cloths are designed to fit under the bunks and they are not the full length of the berth. they are also angled rather than at 90 degrees to the bunk so that the top edge is actually much smaller than the bottom edge which is securely fastened to the berth under the cushion. I use brass eyelets and 3/8 3 strand line which I slice on to and the line attaches to stainless fittings on the bulkhead.
It works for me and it's simple.l
Regards.

peter.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Don't use cloth in my opinion as it is best to have something that allows air circulation and breathing. It can go the full length of the bunk for that reason.

One can get a nice white synthetic (eg nylon, polyester) "netting" which is not made of knotted stringy stuff, but rather is soft, knitted and knotless with the holes being roundish, maybe 20-25 mm dia (so not square like a fishing net) - generally called solid netting and looks along these lines http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50071114/Solid_Netting.jpg but with some types having more mesh to hole if that is preferred. Also, has the advantage that you can roll against it and it supports you like cloth does ie doesn't leave red marks as if you had been hit in the face with a tennis racket as knotted netting does.

I don't know who would stock it in the UK but should be widely available from any place warehousing industrial fabrics and netting.

If there is a bulkhead or other structure at each end of the bunk then if the netting lee cloth is made up with a hem all around it of polyester fabric eg sailcloth, then on the two upper corners white polyester tape can be sewn on with a loop sewn into it and two solid hooks mounted on the bulkhead (usually have to have those made). The top of the lee cloth is made up to length so that if you hook one end up the other can be stretched out tight and hooked over the other hook - if that makes sense. Should be enough give to get the 1/2 cm or so stretch to do so. Alternatively you can go with ropes, pulleys, cleats, lanyards or whatever complication suits you. The bottom of the cloth can be under a batten screwed along the flat surface of the horizontal front edge of the bunk surface under the cushion.

John

 

[Mirelle]

Thoughts on Lee cloths - another approach, and further reflections

I had some made using dodger cloth with an aluminium pole as the upper side, rather than a hem with ropes. The pole slips into U shaped blocks of wood on the bulkheads at each end of the berth. (Actually the outboard leg of the U needs to be longer than the inboard leg, for this to work.)

This was a result of reading the Fastnet enquiry report, where it is mentioned that the celebrated Contessa 32 that finished the race, "Assent", had this type of leecloth, and the authors of the report comment favourably on it.

I have to report, after several years, that this is not such a brilliant system, after all...

If the mattress is a regular rectangle, you can shove the leecloth under the mattress and "lose" the pole to the back when you don't want it, if the height of the leecloth is not less than the width of the mattress. If the mattress is an odd shape this will not work.

It is not very easy to drop the pole in place when the berth is to windward.

When you undo it, from windward, it drops out at once and completely and you have to be prepared for this.

I think I may replace them with another system.

If you use netting or soft cloth, the leecloth "gives" slightly under your weight, if conditions are at all bouncy.

Whilst this might seem nice and comfortable, it makes it harder to get to sleep, because your unconscious mind is telling you that you are unsafe and the thing you are sleeping on might collapse at any minute.

It is best to have a system whereby the leecloth can easily be separated from the bunk, taken home and washed. (I.e., lace the lower edge, don't screw it to a batten. )

The lower edge of the leecloth should go all the way under the mattress, to the outboard side of the berth.

It's easy to use a snap hook, etc. on the line(s) holding the upper edges of the leecloth, but you need to pull the eye over the end of the hook. A Rolls-Royce solution would use a spinnaker snap hook...

Anyone got any better ideas?

 

[Roberto]

Re: Thoughts on Lee cloths - another approach, and further reflections

well, not exactly a leecloth: in my former (racing) boat we had most berths hinged to the outboard side, with a couple of blocks on the inboard side to modify the angle of the berth

the advantage was one pulled the blocks and the berth became V shaped and the body could not move at all, hence nice sleep; yet very easy to come out, just releasing the little block rope

not a solution for every type of boat of course

 

[Gunfleet]

You can use boards. My C&N was designed with saloon seat backs which can be taken off and slotted along the front of the berths to form a sort of wooden lee cloth. It makes the bunk very comfortable, if a little coffin-like! A bit like the posher RN cot berths of the 19th century

 

[jerryat]

Hi JohnM,

Agree. My Fulmar, as with all this model, has the lee-boards you describe as standard and the berths so formed are about the best I've ever used. Very secure and you can wedge yourself in knowing that your not going anywhere.

I've sailed on many boats with the cloth type and always feel insecure - therefore sleep does not come easily - to me anyway.

Cheers Jerry

 

[jonjo]

[ QUOTE ]
There are plenty of pulleys and cleats made for dinghies available.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's it, I remember now. As I was writing the original message I had a picture of a Mirror dinghy kicking strap in my head.

 

[peterb]

[ QUOTE ]
My Fulmar, as with all this model, has the lee-boards you describe as standard and the berths so formed are about the best I've ever used. Very secure and you can wedge yourself in knowing that your not going anywhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed. Our Fulmar berths were very comfortable. We also had a pair of pipe cots mounted above the saloon berths to give four good sea berths in the saloon.

One point about lee boards though. It's very easy to damage them if you put too much weight on the edge (as when getting in or out), and they are difficult to put in place once you are in the berth. Make sure that you have a hand-hold of some sort above the berth, so that you can take your weight as you get in or out.

 

[dulls]

Don't use cloth in my opinion as it is best to have something that allows air circulation and breathing. It can go the full length of the bunk for that reason.

One can get a nice white synthetic (eg nylon, polyester) "netting" which is not made of knotted stringy stuff, but rather is soft, knitted and knotless with the holes being roundish, maybe 20-25 mm dia (so not square like a fishing net) - generally called solid netting and looks along these lines http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50071114/Solid_Netting.jpg but with some types having more mesh to hole if that is preferred. Also, has the advantage that you can roll against it and it supports you like cloth does ie doesn't leave red marks as if you had been hit in the face with a tennis racket as knotted netting does.

I don't know who would stock it in the UK but should be widely available from any place warehousing industrial fabrics and netting.

If there is a bulkhead or other structure at each end of the bunk then if the netting lee cloth is made up with a hem all around it of polyester fabric eg sailcloth, then on the two upper corners white polyester tape can be sewn on with a loop sewn into it and two solid hooks mounted on the bulkhead (usually have to have those made). The top of the lee cloth is made up to length so that if you hook one end up the other can be stretched out tight and hooked over the other hook - if that makes sense. Should be enough give to get the 1/2 cm or so stretch to do so. Alternatively you can go with ropes, pulleys, cleats, lanyards or whatever complication suits you. The bottom of the cloth can be under a batten screwed along the flat surface of the horizontal front edge of the bunk surface under the cushion.

John

Good advice never dates.