420: Under-Bed Storage Access

[StarfishEntrprs]

Hi. Just bought a 2008 L420, and immediately I want to make use of all that storage space under the port bed (our house bank is under the stbd bed). However, what a hassle to get to it! What clever ways has everyone come up with to get to that space while not having to strip the bed, pillows, and remake it every time?

Ideas in my head range from putting a couple hooks and a rope on the aft wall to hold it all up out of the way ...to... rebuilding the whole top so I can put in gas lift pistons so it will all easily lift up at an angle.

...Thanks!

[boom23]

On our ex-Lagoon 450, which we used for cruising, we used the under the bed storage for items that we didn't need often. This was mostly spare parts, etc. It worked ok.

Our current boat has lifting beds, which is much better, but a bed can lift so much. If the storage area is close to the lifting hinge, it's still awkward to reach things and there's less clearance.

I would exhaust all other storage options first, and/or try to store less frequently used items under the bed. It might be enough. Redoing the bed would be a major project.

Just my $.02...

[boom23]

If you're determined to change the bed, I would leave the bed lip as is. I think your bed has a lip to keep the mattress in place, and removable panels under the mattress. I would make the interior area (the removable panel area, inside the lip) liftable. In other words, get rid of the removable panels (or even a larger area inside the bed lip) and replace them with a single liftable panel. Use strong enough struts to hold the mattress up when lifted. This would be much easier to make.

This is without knowing how your bed is. I hope it makes sense...

[Bill O]

Don't exactly know what your bed looks like, but under our centerline we went w/ the gas struts. Had a similar idea of the hooks but this is a much cleaner look and much easier to use.
The gas strut install did take a little prep to reinforce the attachment point and positioning to get the proper lift. I had to move them further in than the recommended mounting positions to lift our heavier than normal spring mattress. While the struts we positioned correctly to lift the mattress, I didn't account for the heavier blankets, etc. added in the colder clims. It still lifts it w/the extra blankets, if I were to do it again I would set it up to handle the heaviest load not just the mattress.


All in all, the structs were fairly easy to install and a useful project.


Bill O.

[EW-WE]

Hi! 2008 420 owner. We changed our bed to get to the storage. We made a platform on hydraulic lifts on the side. (Lifts the bottom up at an angle. Top stay down) Removed the fiddles on the side that made it coffin shaped, squaring the bed platform off to a standard queen. Left the bottom of the bed fiddle to keep the mattress on the bunk.
Pluses:
regular queen bed (bed and bedding easier)
Lifts allow easy access to space, no wrestling the mattress.

Negatives:
Restricts use of side steps. We climb in from bottom anyway so no big for us.

It was a bit of work, but well worth it to be able to easily use this space.

[jbinbi]

Newer models have a very large drawer on a track that slides out from the front. Maybe use the back half that you get to by lifting that you keep less used items in and a drawer that slides in the front half.