In a v-berth, you would probably want to sleep feet towards the bow, for two reasons. First, the headroom issue you found out about... and the width of the v-berth doesn't really allow two people's shoulders to fit well, where two people's feet would fit far better.

Also, having your head closer to the center of the boat means that your head will move less, since the bow and stern will lift and fall in heavier seas and the center of the boat will move far less.

In the main cabin, using the settee berths, the choice is less clear cut generally. However, some boats, like mine, will have a wider end to the settee, so that end is generally where you'd want to put your head, since your shoulders take up far more room than your feet do, as I pointed out previously.

In an aft cabin, you may want to have feet towards the stern because of the boat's motion. But, if the berth is such that you can only enter from the cabin side, having your head aft means you'll keep the berth cleaner.

 

Feet to bow is more comfortable for the reasons SD states, but is a PITA to climb in and out of, especially when trying not to disturb the person next to you when doing so. Additionally, feet to bow has also always felt "weird" to me, and therefore, because of these reasons, we usually just sleep on the dinette.

 

I prefer to keep my feet at the leakiest end. This tends to vary with the season and the sea state.

 

Very wise... but I prefer boats that don't leak over the berth...

 

Head towards bow, but in fairness it's not really a true V, there's a good bit of width to it forward.

In a true V berth we'd sleep the other way.

 

My wife hated climbing into the v-birth in our C&C. That is why the Catalina 310 was tops on her list when it came time for a new boat. It has a center line, walk around queen birth.

Can't wait for spring, we bought the boat in December so we haven't had a chance to sail it yet.

 

Prefere to sleep in the cabin but on the v berth on my 26fter the feet are up against the chain locker,so no real choice.
Happy sailing

 

It depends on what kinda trouble I got into during the day, usually feet toward the bow, but if I piss her off, it don't matter, the dock box is uncomfortable no matter which end you point your feet

 

Must be a really large dockbox if you can fit in it.

 

I like the V berth "feet at the bow", however we sleep in the salon 99% of the time.

Im having new cushions made right now in fact, and we are making a "middle" piece (a platform) that will stow behind the port side settee back, and snap into place over the cabin sole utilizing the settee back as a bottom rest.

In essence, we will have a queen sized bed in the main salon of our Alberg 30. I like to stretch out...

 

Depends on a boat. On my previous boat I slept head to the bow. It was more comfortable to get in and out, warmer, less light (no hatch above my head) etc.

Also, I prefer my head to be above feet - if the bed is not perfectly level, sleeping head down is not a great way to rest. On most boats bow is slightly higher when in the water and beds are inclined towards the stern ever so slightly. This is more useful in a slip, of course - but even at anchor bow will be slightly up on average more often.

 

Sleeping head down is a really bad idea...especially if you suffer from acid reflux... head up is much better.

 

We sleep feet towards the bow for a variety of reasons. Too narrow at bow to fit upper torso/head, easier to exit at 3:00 for a pee run plus the hatch is over the aft portion of the berth and it provides better air flow. All those are good reasons but the best of all is being out on the hook and able to look up at the stars through the hatch as I nod off to sleep. Simply awesome.

 

I am too tall for my V berth. I put my 16 month old in there so she can't fall off a settee. She sleeps in every possible orientation imaginable and makes as much noise as possible while changing positions. The best part is sleeps better on the boat than she does on land.

 

If I have a choice I'd sleep head forward. Reality is I am finding it increasingly difficult doing the v-berth shuffle. Old fartdom is a bugger.

Next boat a v-berth that is wide enough to sleep head forward is a must have feature. Aft cabin is of course an alternative but I'd prefer aft cockpit.

Most aft cockpit aft cabins are too claustrophobic for me though CD's Catalinas not bad I must admit.

 

I sleep head forward. For some reason it just seems like a better fit.

Why'd you ask?

 

You wouldn't be named Zippy by any chance???

 

If my am by myself head to the bow. With the wife feet to the bow

 

Sequitur's master suite is in the bows, and the queen-sized berth has a bit of a V-shape to it, so I suppose it qualifies as a V-berth.

We much prefer sleeping with our heads toward the bows, where we have about 1.5 metres of shoulder room.

 

We tried sleeping head to bow once but simply not enough shoulder room or for that matter , ventilation. Reality is that our saloon berths are a more comfortable option than our v-berth but even an old fart like me likes the odd cuddle.

By choice I'd go the Sequitor arrangement.

 

The trouble with feet to the bow is getting out of the berth. V berth is best for the kids or single adult. I prefer the quarter berth port or starboard (feet to stern obviously) even if whole v berth is available.

 

When I was sleeping on my Catalina 27 I stayed out of the vee berth--just not the place for an old man that don't have many bendable body parts. For me, the dinette was the only option. Since then, I purchased a 33 Morgan OI, which I'm still working on to get it ready for spring. The dinette converts to a queen-size bed, which I think that even my wife will enjoy (fingers crossed). The vee berth appears to be an easy in and out as well. After nearly a half-century of marriage I suspect she'll be getting the queen-size, while this old codger will be relegated to the vee or quarter berth.

Cheers,

Gary

 

I'll let you know on Wednesday. . .spending my first night aboard Tuesday night. Although at 23' I might just sleep outside.

 

On our Morgan Out Island 41, we always sleep in the stern cabin (the after berth?) Head to starboard and feet to port (by default). When the fuel tank is full and we're low on water, all the blood gravitates to our heads.

We have found that in the forward cabin at anchor when the wind pipes up it can be pretty bouncy - while in the back it's fairly calm. Our front cabin has the usual split V with an upper and lower berth. We're old but we still like to sleep together. So the v-berth becomes storage.

 

On our Morgan Out Island 41, we always sleep in the stern cabin (the after berth?) Head to starboard and feet to port (by default). When the fuel tank is full and we're low on water, all the blood gravitates to our heads.

We have found that in the forward cabin at anchor when the wind pipes up it can be pretty bouncy - while in the back it's fairly calm. Our front cabin has the usual split V with an upper and lower berth. We're old but we still like to sleep together. So the v-berth becomes storage.

Interesting....On our Morgan Out Island 41 we always sleep in the forward cabin. We have a large berth forward and not the "bunks". Even though our two children grew and left home years ago, we never moved aft to what was their cabin. We leave the aft cabin for guests while cruising. 'different strokes", Aythya crew

 

We have a pullman berth instead of a vee. We sleep with our feet aft in the pullman.

 

all of the above

I've got a queen sized memory foam mattress in the aft berth that is real comfortable, but being docked on the river, if the wind picks up from the wrong direction, the wave slap is like having your head inside a bass drum.

In the vee ... I'm usually head to the bow to keep the bean uphill ... but wish I could do feet to bow for the shoulder room ... maybe if I dumped all my diesel I'd level out, or would going with an all chain rode help ?

 

head toward bow, cause i get let my feet dangle out a bit if i want and the ac unit is at the bow, though im typically a fetal man. never tried the other way, but maybe i will! in the salon (as sd mentioned) due to the angle feet to bow is more comfy, but i like the other way to gaze out of the companionway and up the hatch--never really bother to convert the dinette... lest there is company--special company in the vee, plain guests ill convert it for if i like them a lot, else just the settee. quarter b always head to bow or it feels like a coffin and is a pita to climb around.

 

Feet in the bow is more comfortable on our boat but the problem is that our pillows have nothing to keep them in place and they fall off the berth to the floor. It drives me crazy. We sleep in the aft cabin.

 

I alleviated the disappearing pillow act by sewing my pillow case via a 2-3 inch para cord to a fitted sheet that I put over the cushions before slumber. The short cord allows me some nuzzle room with the pillow while keeping it in place if my head comes off it for whatever reason. Not pretty but practical.