Small waves smack gently and evenly against the hull, somewhere a few seagulls quietly wish each other goodnight, otherwise hardly a sound can be heard. The stars twinkle through the open forward hatch - after an eventful day of cruising, everything has come to rest. The perfect conditions for an undisturbed night.
Thanks to the relaxed atmosphere, the crew usually finds it easy to fall asleep - but unfortunately it is not always restful. The problems are complex. Firstly, the bunk has to offer enough space. Exactly how much space you need to rest is, like many things relating to an optimal night's sleep, an individual question.
Gap filler: Unfavourable cut or too tight - then a topper can help
In addition, the shape and size of the sunbathing area are usually predetermined by the type of boat and can only be changed afterwards with a great deal of effort. This point should therefore be taken into account when looking for a boat. In the boat tests, BOOTE evaluates the comfort of the berths not only in comparison to the standard of the class, but also with regard to the specified minimum dimensions for average-sized adults in single or double berths.
It is much easier to improve the comfort offered by the upholstery. This starts with the layout. Sometimes individual parts are optimally cut to allow access to the storage space under the bunk, but not so that you can lie comfortably on them. In this case, a so-called topper can work wonders.
Standard upholstery cannot offer the lying comfort of an individual mattress
Stefan Bolz from mattress manufacturer Laroma in Schleswig calls the basic equipment in the yards "placeholders", which is not very flattering. "Above all, the upholstery should look good," says Bolz. In fact, shipyards often pay little attention to comfort. Even on expensive motor yachts, it is extremely rare to find anything other than an inlay cut from foam. Depending on the size of the boat and the requirements, a material thickness of six to eleven centimetres is common, occasionally twelve or more.
That's a far cry from the 20 centimetres or so of a multi-zone mattress for your bed at home. So it's no wonder that on some mornings, the small of the back pinches because neck muscles are tense or intervertebral discs are compressed. Even boat people who are otherwise robustly built and not plagued by spinal damage report that although they are quickly rocked to sleep on board, they do not wake up as refreshed as at home after a basically peaceful night in the harbour.
Comfort dimensions: The minimum amount of space the bunk should offer for a good night's sleep
In order for the body to regenerate well during sleep, the muscles must be able to relax. This requires the spine to be in as natural a position as possible. Orthopaedists recommend lying on your side with your knees slightly bent. This requires a point-elastic mattress that suits the sleeper. For the spine to be in the optimum position, the shoulders and pelvis must be able to sink in to different depths while the torso is supported.
To achieve this, a certain minimum thickness is required. "Even with our high-quality materials, 17 centimetres is the minimum. Otherwise, the shoulder cannot sink in far enough and the sleeping comfort suffers," says Bolz.
Comfort zone: There are various concepts for customising the firmness distribution of the mattresses
Another aspect is often added to the standard equipment: the already thin upholstery is often too hard. This is because the density of the foam used is not sufficient. In order to achieve a certain degree of firmness despite the lack of mass, plenty of hardener is added to lightweight foams. This works for a while, but after a few years such upholstery literally collapses. What's more, if the upholstery is too hard, the sleeper is automatically forced to lie on their back, explains Bolz. The spine is then relaxed, but there is a risk of snoring. Also not good conditions for a restful night.
Incidentally, the upholstery should not be too soft either, as this can not only cause the spine to sag, but also hinder natural sleeping movements. People change their sleeping position more than 30 times during the night. If this repositioning is disturbed, it can lead to tension or the sleep phases are interrupted. According to mattress expert Bolz, the required foam firmness and its distribution across the lying surface are highly individual - they depend on the size, weight and build of the sleeper. In the latter case, men and women generally differ. Male sleepers with a wider back need a more pronounced shoulder zone, while women usually need their pelvis to sink in further. If both are to lie comfortably in the same bed, a customised upholstery is required, whereby three firmness zones are basically sufficient, according to Bolz. However, this is complicated by the fact that the degree of firmness, which is usually specified in three levels, is not an absolute measure - in other words, the hard mattress from one manufacturer will behave differently to the same rated upholstery from another manufacturer.
Covers, upholstery and substructure must be particularly breathable
As people lose an average of half a litre of water overnight through sweating, and easily twice that amount in summer, heat and moisture must not be allowed to build up; otherwise the mattress will become soaked and spores and mould will form on the underside within a very short time. These cannot even be removed by washing the covers because the spores colonise the upholstery itself. The result is an unpleasant odour - the typical musty smell that you get on many boats. But that's not all. Such moisture damage is also a permanent problem in terms of hygiene. They are not only a constant burden for allergy sufferers.
So there are plenty of reasons to think about replacing the upholstery. At the latest when the old mattresses are worn out, the question arises: What now? Simply replace the existing foams with new ones or go for a specially optimised mattress?
Compared to a bed at home, good bunk cushions are customised. Firstly, they practically always require a three-dimensional cut, because the slope of the ship's side and the constriction of the hull in the bow and stern areas do not allow for right-angled shapes.
Well ventilated: spring systems can improve lying comfort, but above all ensure good ventilation
Secondly, they are often limited due to the overall height. Particularly in the aft or centre cabins under the cockpit tub, every centimetre of headroom is important, especially in older boats with low freeboard and a deep cockpit. However, the thinner the cushions, the poorer the sleeping comfort as a rule. Sometimes the height of the cushions is also limited by unfavourably positioned lockers or cupboards. Maria Emmrich from Calypso Schafsysteme knows a thing or two about this. "We then work with bevelled areas or mobile inserts, because every centimetre of foam height improves comfort." For particularly tight situations, the supplier also has a mattress that is just eleven centimetres thick in its range.
Sufficient ventilation is also very important when space is often limited on board. Customised mattresses usually have integrated ventilation channels and breathable cover fabrics. A special base, such as a slatted frame, is therefore not required. Special mattresses for boats can also be placed directly on the bunk boards without the fear of unwanted moisture build-up. The most common solution today is integrated into the mattress or the cover itself: a grid-like spacer fabric that creates a distance between the mattress and the bed and the side of the boat and effectively prevents moisture build-up.
Well measured: What is important when determining the cushion shape
This spacer fabric is also available to buy separately, for example from Gisatex. Placed under the upholstery, the ventilation of simple standard upholstery can be improved. If condensation forms despite these measures, a simple fleece blanket can sometimes help. In our experience, a thin blanket placed over the upholstery as a sheet improves the situation considerably, as it transports the moisture to the sides before it is absorbed into the foam.
Cotton sheets can also have a negative effect, especially if their cut does not match the upholstery and the excess material is simply stuffed underneath. Such a ball of fabric hinders the exchange of air and thus causes spak.
A slat base offers by far the best ventilation. In addition to classic slatted frames, which sometimes make access to the storage space more difficult, various disc spring systems are now available. What they all have in common is that they require a height of between three and six centimetres. However, for optimum sleeping comfort, it is better to put this space into a special mattress, advises expert Bolz.
Conclusion: An investment in good mattresses is always worthwhile and makes your stay on board even more relaxing.
