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I'm curious how many couples sleep in the dinette area TOGETHER.

We are considering changing our sleeping arrangements. Currently my wife and I sleep in the vee berth, a bit cramped at the foot but nice and wide at the head. We we haven't extended the port side yet so it could be even more spacious. My 13 year old sleeps in the aft berth port side. My 6 year old sleeps in the aft berth starboard side, and my 9 year old sleeps in the cockpit. We keep all our clothes bags down the middle of the aft berth as a kid separation zone wall.

We would like to switch to an arrangement that gets us all inside for heating purposes and eliminates having one in the cockpit. We also would like to get the little ones behind some curtains in the aft berth so they can go to bed earlier than us and my oldest son. Right now once the kids are in bed we are confined to the vee berth behind our privacy curtain. I'd also like to be able to get up and move around the boat while the kids are tucked away in the ends. This would let us get early starts while they sleep.

We are considering leaving our 6 year old aft starboard, putting our 9 year old aft port. Putting our 13 year old in the vee berth on the longer port side, and my wife and I sleeping at the dinette. What concerns me is the width. In measuring the area it is 38" wide at the head and a bit narrower at the foot. This is exactly the same size as a TWIN bed. Since we are going to be in the boat for 4 weeks straight this summer I'm concerned it may be to cramped.

Duane:
When we had five on board for 2 weeks we arranged it like this:
Grandson (7) on the starboard V berth.
Daughter (17) 5'1" on the port V berth.
Son (15) 5'11" on the dinette. (head to head with grandson)
Wife & I transverse in the aft berth (heads to port)

This worked the best as I could get up during the night to check the anchor and noises that woke me up. We can also get underway in the morning before they get up. Those in the V berth don't need to shift positions when we tack. We do have to "bug" the son to gain access to the cooler and of course Lynn has to have that cup of coffee in the morning. When in port, I liked being able to go get my shower early 5~6 AM before the rush at Roche harbor.

Although its probably just barely physically possible for averaged sized people, I think two people on a twin sized bed is one too many The few times all six of us have slept on the boat, we have been spread all over the place. As a family, we are just not too well organized...which is a problem for cruising. A good part of it is because our youngest is only 18 months and she tends to want to sleep with Mommy all the time. I guess it will be easier for us in a couple years.

IMO, the dinette berth is certainly the easiest to get in and out of...as well as the best location to be able to get in and out of without disburbing others.

There's a way of arranging the cabin cushions, like a jig saw puzzle, to cover the dinette area. Still, it only gives you one layer and most people complain about the 'hardness'.

Here's what I copied for my personal archive: The forward dinette stays right there then the two dinette seat backs go side by side, turn the rear dinette 90 degrees then grab the port settee back and that should do it. The settee cushion does stick out about 5-6 inches. just enough to block the head door, just push away to use door.

Some have upgraded the cushions at considerable expense and weight.

Easy way out is high quality air mattresses with the huge valves that deflate quickly.

With an extra cooler aboard (so we won't run out of precious ice), that gets slid forward abutting the forward berth. Dinette drops without too much trouble but it's a little heavy/awkward for mate alone. This provides a lot of surface to spread out on.

With the number of kids some of you guys bring aboard, I doubt we'd last more that two nights