Sleeping Anarchy
Beds come in all shapes, sizes and forms. They are found in a litany of places-from your own bedroom, hotels, hostels, caravans, trains, prison cells, hammocks and of course on sailing boats. On boats, they can range from stately suites in the bow of a luxurious cruising yacht to the carbon fibre pipe bunks of a racing yacht.
On first inspection, the pipe bunks of a Volvo 70, Open 60 and various other offshore steeds are not easy on the eye, and the very image of it will draw negative connotations. However, as we say in Ireland; Never judge anyone until you know who their first cousin is! Given the small population of our emerald isle many will agree and few will mock us as bog trotting and backward (indeed the first submarine was invented by an Irishman who found a novel remedy for his inability to keep his head above water..what have the Scots ever done??) Anyway, back to the sleeping issue and the pertinent one of the pipe bunks. Don’t be fooled by their appearance, they are luxury!
Having benefited from the good nature of an Aucklander, I gained firsthand experience of the pipe bunks on a Volvo 70. The rocking motion of the boat, coupled with the crush feeling your body gets when the bunk is angled to the hull would have us all returning home and seeking our childhood cots.
Yet, such comfort comes at a price! One only tends to receive 4hrs in the carbon fibre slice of heaven. Indeed some succumb to the golden blanket it offers so easily, as evident on this clip. Here, one crew member was so intoxicated by his bunk, that he suited up for watch in some fine offshore gear, went onto the side deck, pulled up his hood and proceeded to nod off. Much to the disapproval of his watch captain who can be heard voicing his opinion.
One thing in life we can be thankful for, in the age of lies and deceit, one thing remains constant….the refreshingly honest Kiwi sense of humour. Needless to say, our friend got the Golden Blanket award upon arrival at our destination!!
Gilligan.
