On board, no bed is rectangular. Forward berths narrow into a V, cabins have cut corners, curves, and hatches to the lockers beneath the bunk. A standard mattress trimmed with a blade shifts, leaves gaps and does not last. A boat mattress is designed around the exact shape.
Here is how we work, for owners, crews and shipyards.
The shape: it starts with a template
The first step is the outline of the bunk. There are two ways to get it:
- a template taken on board: a rigid sheet cut to the real shape, with every curve, bevel and recess;
- drawings from the shipyard or design studio, when the boat is still being built.
A template is almost always more reliable than a drawing, because it records the boat as it really is. On the template we also mark where the lockers open: the mattress can be divided into sections, so you lift only the part you need.
Thickness
In a cabin, headroom is precious. The thickness of the mattress is decided together with the clearance to the deckhead, access to the bed and the height of the portholes. Better a slightly thinner mattress that is well made than a thick one that takes away space.
Damp and ventilation
This is the real enemy of a bed at sea. The body gives off moisture during the night, cabins are poorly ventilated, and the bunk is often solid wood. With no air underneath, condensation collects between mattress and base.
That is why we work on three fronts:
- breathable fillings that do not hold moisture;
- a base that breathes: slats, perforated panels or ventilation mats beneath the mattress;
- removable covers with zips, to be washed and dried ashore.
Fabrics and bed linen
Covers are made in fabrics suited to life on board, resistant to light and easy to look after. And since the mattress has no standard size, the bed linen must be made to its shape as well: fitted sheets with shaped corners, mattress protectors, bedspreads. We make them in our workshop, together with the cabin’s headboards, cushions and curtains.
Charter yachts and regulations
For private vessels, the choice of materials is free. For commercial and charter vessels, reaction-to-fire requirements for mattresses and upholstery may apply, depending on flag, class and type of vessel. We check them with the shipyard or the captain at the start of the project, not at the end.
Delivery and fitting
We deliver to the marina or the shipyard and fit the mattresses on board, checking that every section fits and that the lockers open without forcing.
If you are working on a boat, you will find the full service on our made-to-measure yacht mattresses page. For hotels and residences, there is our contract work.
