I converted the port-side settee on my C&C Landfall 38 into a pull-out berth using a relatively simple modification that utilizes the settee cushions and much of the original woodwork.
The original settee seat was constructed from a single L-shaped piece of plywood, with an L-shaped teak lip molding along its exposed edge. The basic idea was to separate the long portion of the seat so that it could slide outward, creating a wider sleeping platform.
The first step was to cut the plywood seat at the corner of the “L,” separating it into two straight sections. The cut was positioned so that the long section could slide outward alongside the remaining lower section of the bench. A new piece of plywood was then fabricated to fill the opening created when the movable section is pulled out.
The overall width of the extended berth was determined by the existing settee cushions. I sized the platform so that the settee bottom cushion and back cushion could be placed side-by-side to form the berth mattress. This avoided the need to fabricate or store an additional mattress.
The new plywood filler section also serves a second purpose. When the berth is returned to normal settee configuration, this panel stores vertically behind the back cushions, keeping it out of the way and requiring essentially no additional storage space.
When the berth is extended, the outside edge of the platform is supported by fabricating and attaching two wooden legs—one near the aft corner and another near the center of the outer edge.
The forward outside corner required a slightly different solution because a leg was not as convenient there. I used a 3/4-inch barrel bolt mounted to the pull-out section. When the berth is extended, the bolt slides through a hole drilled in the teak lip molding and into the fiberglass settee structure behind it. This provides a simple but solid support for the forward corner. The barrel bolt was also used to lock the bench in the upright position.
Overall, the conversion was straightforward and required relatively little modification to the original settee. It makes much better use of the available space while preserving the normal appearance and function of the cabin. Best of all, the original back and bottom cushions become the berth mattress, and the additional plywood panel stores neatly behind the cushions when the berth isn't being used.
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| Port-side settee in its normal upright configuration. The pull-out berth platform and filler panel stow neatly behind the back cushions, leaving the settee looking essentially original. |
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| Port-side settee fully extended into berth configuration. The original seat and back cushions fit side-by-side on the expanded platform, creating a wide and comfortable sleeping berth while still leaving room to move through the cabin. |
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| Pull-out berth with the cushions removed, showing the extended plywood sleeping platform and the wooden support legs used to support the outer edge. |
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| Detail of the pull-out berth support, shown are the two fabricated wooden support legs. Hidden under the lip molding is the 3/4-inch barrel bolt used to secure and support the forward outer corner of the extended platform. |
