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Core77 - Blog • Feb. 5, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
Smart Design for Tight Spaces: The U.S. Navy's Sit-Up Berths
On U.S. Navy ships, the "racks" where sailors sleep have traditionally been grim affairs.
Stacked three high, the coffin-like spaces offered just 18" to 20" of vertical clearance. Sitting up in bed was impossible, and for sailors with broad shoulders, so was rolling over, or side sleeping.
(Only the top bunk offered headroom, though you can't see it in the photo.) While off-duty, sailors improvised ways to recline within the limited spaces: Even still, that did nothing to improve their actual sleep quality. The design of these racks led to two problems.
Stacked three high, the coffin-like spaces offered just 18" to 20" of vertical clearance. Sitting up in bed was impossible, and for sailors with broad shoulders, so was rolling over, or side sleeping.
(Only the top bunk offered headroom, though you can't see it in the photo.) While off-duty, sailors improvised ways to recline within the limited spaces: Even still, that did nothing to improve their actual sleep quality. The design of these racks led to two problems.
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