[C38] Pipe Berths

[Tom T.]

Pipe Berths

When I was in the USNR many years ago, we still had many ships using the
WWII type pipe berths.

They were just a rectangle of 3/4" water pipe welded to make a round edged
rectangle.  A heavy piece of canvas with a hemmed edge was laced into the
pipe frame using grommets every few inches around the perimeter of the
frame.

The frame was hinged to the bulkhead by steel straps bolted to the bulkhead
and the outer end of the fame was tethered by chains connected from the
outside edge of the frame near the ends of the rectangle frame and
connected at about a 45 degree angle to where the bunk above was anchored
to the bulkhead.  This allowed any one rack to be lifted without disturbing
the racks above or below.  Sometimes there were as many as 5 racks stacked
on over the next.

There was a mattress that covered the pipe rack and since the chain holding
the rack was mounted at the ends of the straight part of the outboard edge
of the frame, this chain kept the mattress captive.  On a sailboat, this
chain could be made adjustable to allow for heel.

In the 60's and 70's, the Navy converted from pipe berths to locker berths
which allowed each crew member to have a locker under his mattress that was
about 5" or so thick allowing storage for all of his personal belongings. 
I say "his" because women were still not on ships back then.  The Navy
discarded hundreds if not thousands of perfectly good pipe racks but pipe
racks didn't look very difficult or expensive to make.  They can also be
relatively lightweight.

Tom Troncalli
The Renata hull#95
St. Pete, Fla


> [Original Message]
> From: morris pam <pam_morris20765 at yahoo.com>
> To: Catalina 38 Listserve <listserve at catalina38.org>
> Date: 2/7/2007 9:14:20 AM
> Subject: [C38] Pipe Berths
>
> Anyone ever construct or use pipe berths?   I'm
> interested in fitting one out for offshore racing.  I
> haven't been successful in finding much information on
> either constructing on or purchasing one
> pre-fabricated.    Ideas? 
> Thanks Pam 
>
> Black Pearl 
> hull 159
>
>
>  
>
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5:52 PM