The forepeak on the Hunter Impala is a snug berth – but at 6’2″ I find it too cramped for a good night’s sleep.

These three brass sliding bolts locate in three holes in the heads fore-and-aft bulkhead

I made a small bunk extension piece for one side of the bunk. The port side is constrained by the heads bulkhead, but the starboard side had about 20cm of space available before it would hit the heads door.

One edge rests on the fore and aft stringer, and the other uses three sliding ‘bolts’ to locate into three holes in the side of the heads enclosure. I made two pine runners to bear the weight, then screwed and glued a plywood blank on top. I bought a length of mattress foam and we made a cover.
Two of us can now sleep in the forepeak in comfort, and the extension stows out of the way when we’re at sea. It cost £8 for the foam, £3 for the pine, and I already had the ply. Sliding bolts were £1.99 each.

Ben Meakins