V Berth Louvered Doors

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Improved V-Berth Storage Area Access & Ventilation Using Louvered Doors

by Dan Harrington, Weal Sea #1289


Pat and I always found the "drawer" under the V-berth almost useless. In addition, in order to access the V-berth storage space, you had to remove mattress. Despite this, the drawer or drawer frame was always in the way. Also, those 2 "cul-de-sacs" on each side of the V-berth storage between the side bulkheads and hull were difficult to get at. Furthermore, cold water on the hull caused condensation to form in the compartment causing high humidity which predisposed to mold! Because of ALL of the above, I decided to install louvered doors to increase access to this storage areas and at the same time solve (at least partially) the humidity problem.

Installation of Louvered Doors to Access V-Berth Storage Area

In order to (1) improve access to the storage area under the V-berth as well as (2) increase the ventilation and (3) decrease the humidity caused by hull condensation in this compartment, I installed four 12”x12” louvered teak doors. Two of these doors replaced the standard “drawer” in the forward bulkhead under the V-berth. The remaining doors provided access to the “cul-de sacs” off the main compartment on the port and starboard sides of the stateroom. Using self-closing cabinet hinges eliminated the need for door latches. The series of photos shown here illustrate the installation.