Is Anyone Sleeping On Your Boat?

[MagicMtnDan]

I know it's not the #1 thing to do on a boat but I'm thinking seriously about a closed bow instead of a cuddy mid-cabin so we can sleep on board on occasion (at Catalina? Out on the lake?)
I wonder how many do sleep on board and how popular this activity actually is? Is it practical to do it? Anyone ever boat camp (sleep on the ground or in the boat) at any lakes? Perhaps it's too hot in the boat but damn if it doesn't sound like a lot of fun to spend a few days out on the lake not dealing with asphalt (driving) and hotels.
Sure, air conditioning and bathrooms sound good to me but camping and being on the lake 24/7 for a few days sounds great.
By the way, did anyone see the air conditioning system for boats (at the boat show) that runs off the engine? I didn't pay any attention to it - saw it in a booth somewhere - but now that I think of it I gotta check that out some at the show this weekend.
I'm guessing most folks don't even think about sleeping on board. Seems like closed bow boats don't often have lights with switches in the sleeping area because no one sleeps in there? What would a closed bow boat need to make it more conducive to sleeping in it? Porta potty, lights that switch on/off without having to go to the instrument panel, and fans or something...
http://www.agilityability.com/images/HarrySleepBoat.jpg

[Kachina26]

We fully intend to sleep in our cuddy cabin, I sure hope it works out. Closed bow would have been nicer for that, but we wanted more passenger room with this boat. We already did the closed bow thing and it was just a little too tight.

[78Eliminator]

On the lower part of the colorado river, we sleep on the sand bars. Really, we only go into town when we run out of ice, beer or food.....

[MagicMtnDan]

Originally posted by Kachina26
We fully intend to sleep in our cuddy cabin, I sure hope it works out. Closed bow would have been nicer for that, but we wanted more passenger room with this boat. We already did the closed bow thing and it was just a little too tight.
I was thinking about that and been wondering if it's practical (and possible - is there enough room) to have the boat maker make it so the two seats facing each other (in the mid-cabin) can be turned into a platform bed (by putting a cushion in the walk-thru space turning the two seats into one bed)?
Is anyone doing this?

[MagicMtnDan]

Originally posted by RiverDave
Well Dan, I've thought long and hard about your question..
If you had one of these and then a whole lotta beer at the end of the day you'd probably sleep pretty well.. :)
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/504/827050703_006-med.jpg
But if it looked like this you'd sleep like a baby... ;)
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/504/163-GREG_C_ENGINE-med.JPG
RD
Hey RD, We can have it dynoed and if its not over 700 HP I WILL GIVE U THE DAMN THING. THIS IS THE BADEST MOTHER****ER THAT EVER CROSSED THE WATER. U MY FIRIEND DONT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO RIDE HER :D :D :D

[rrrr]

Originally posted by MagicMtnDan
Hey RD, We can have it dynoed and if its not over 700 HP I WILL GIVE U THE DAMN THING. THIS IS THE BADEST MOTHER****ER THAT EVER CROSSED THE WATER. U MY FIRIEND DONT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO RIDE HER :D :D :D
LMAO!! :D :D

[rivercrazy]

This question was a major decision when we bought our last boat. We decided on the closed bow. We've slept in our boat and its awesome. To be out on the water away from everything and everyone with only a million stars in the sky is a deep experience. To me its worth the trade off you get with a cuddy/open.
The other things we like about a closed bow are storage, less wind in the cabin, better for ocean going trips, better places to put stereo equipment, etc.
There are a few disadvantages like taxi service for peeps and its way easier to anchor with the open bow.:D
We also have lights and fans down below....

[MIKEHTMSR24]

every weekend. We are in SC and have the humid summers. Out in the open air is great. Around 2 to 3 am I'm grabbing some bed sheets:eek:
Sh*t man we even got purple pillows.;)

[Havasu Hangin']

I've passed out..errr..."slept" on my boat.
Ask Reaper1 (and Tom Slick) about the downpour we got caught in two years ago...an hour straight of solid rain (HARD rain) in Copper Canyon...sure was nice to go down below.

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Originally posted by MagicMtnDan
I was thinking about that and been wondering if it's practical (and possible - is there enough room) to have the boat maker make it so the two seats facing each other (in the mid-cabin) can be turned into a platform bed (by putting a cushion in the walk-thru space turning the two seats into one bed)?
Is anyone doing this?
Yes, but it won't help you as you said you were not interested in the boat. Essex does exactly this on their 29 Alandra. The area created to sleep on is just big enough for two people.

[MikeF]

Boat camped at Lake Mohave. Bugs all over the beach. Put my sleeping bag on the bow and slept under the stars w/o any bugs! Waaaayyyyy better!

[coolchange]

I've done several center filler pads to convert the bow to one big area for "sleeping". Had some friends back in the day that would leave at about 10 in their 21 day cruiser and not show up until about 9 the next morning. Go up river and spend some "quite" time.