Dinette

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ronrvnew

Dinette

Post by ronrvnew »

What size is the dinette? Can it be converted to a bed? What size bed would it make? If I had the dinette on one side and the sofa bed on the other - how much room would I have between them when they were set up as beds? Are these two item comfortable to sleep on or do you need to add a foam topper? I am trying to deside what combination I will need. I am looking at the 24RB unit.

Thank you very much for your input.

Ron
Tonyg

Post by Tonyg »

Ron,

We have a 24' with the dinette and the incline twin bed. The twin bed is very comfortable. However I find the dinette very uncomfortable for sleeping. It is nice as a dinette. This is an individual thing but I have a lot of difficulty sleeping on the converted dinette. I have tried a foam topper and a firm board to no avail. We are about to get a 27' and plan to have it with two twin beds replacing the RSB with one of the twins. There is a picture of a used RSB on Born Free's web site that shows the twin instead of the RSB.

Tony
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whemme
Posts: 2110
Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2005 8:05 pm

Post by whemme »

Ron,

I used to own a 1999 Born Free 24' RB coach that had the large dinette set option on one side and the Flexsteel sofa bed on the other side. With the sofa made into a bed, the distance between the inside edge of the sofa bed and the dinette (it did not make any difference whether the dinette was made into a bed or not) was about 8" - just enough so that you could walk down the isle between them.

When we had that coach, my wife used to sleep on the dinette bed and I slept on the Flexsteel sofa bed - my wife would agree that the dinette set did not make a very comfort bed but she did sleep on it for the 5 years that we owned that unit. We now have a 2002 Born Free 26' RSB coach and she sleeps on the rear bed and I still use the sofa bed.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
Ann P

dinette

Post by Ann P »

Hi, this is to agree that there's room to walk thru between the dinette and sofabed, but it is pretty cramped. The best thing about the dinette and the main reason I chose it in my 24RB is that it gives you a real table to use for dining and computer use,etc. I like it better than the alternative small pull-up table and 2 captain's chairs. Have not tried sleeping on the dinette. As reported, the sofabed can be okay but not level. I do use a foam topper for the sofabed because I sleep on it every night and really need that foam...the dog likes it too! The "bed" on the 2005 RSB was hard; needed a topper there too. But I noticed on the 2008 RSBs, they have real mattresses now that look comfortable.

Doing it over, I would consider for myself the incline twin bed (plus the dinette) since it doesn't have to fold up in the morning , it could double as a sofa, and you'd have a wider aisle. But if you need another bed for a second person (or for a duo), you want to be sure you're willing to climb up the ladder and sleep in the cabover,etc. and that you have sleeping space up there too, and not alot of clutter & stuff like I do! By the way, I don't think the ladder for the cabover bed will fit on the floor if the sofabed is open. Need to try that out...

Having owned a RSB and a RB, I really don't think the double bed nor the sofabed are great for 2 people to sleep on night after night, and that's why so many people wind up sleeping apart. But you know, with all the sleep apnea and insomnia for those of us over 50 or so, any sleep is precious!
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shilohdad
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:58 am

Post by shilohdad »

I have the new model dinette in our 2006 24 RB, and find it perfectly fine to sleep on. It may depend on your size and shape as to whether or not you find it comfortable, as it is indeed not a perfectly flat bed when deployed. My hips just seem to fit right in the middle, where there is a slight indentation, so it actually supports me just right! I have probably spent about 150 nights on the dinette bed with no problem.

Perhaps you could go to an RV show where Born Free might have a unit with a dinette. Or perhaps the Clermont showroom may have a unit with the dinette. That way you could try it out for yourself.

As I mentioned in another post, another possibility is to order a unit with 2 incline twin beds, and have Born Free put the mounting brackets for the table in the aisle. At least one other Born Free-er had this done and found it quite workable. Of course, you have to put up the table in the aisle each time you want to eat. Personally, I prefer having the dinette up except when sleeping.

Joe Zygala
Joe and Lucinda
Tonto, Meadow and Shadow, the papillons
Shiloh and Morpho at Rainbow Bridge
2017 Spirit
Formerly 2006 24RB
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shilohdad
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 9:58 am

Post by shilohdad »

Ron,

I just saw a post where you said you were 6'2" and your wife was 5'10". The dinette might be a tight fit. I am 5'7" and am comfortable, but the dinette in its sleeping configuration is 6' long by 30" wide. If your wife likes to sleep stretched out, as my 5'7" boss does, she would probably not be comfortable there.

I also measured the incline twin in its sleeping configuration. It is 6'5" long by 28" wide, so might do for either of you.

Good luck in your search for a Born Free.

Joe Zygala
Joe and Lucinda
Tonto, Meadow and Shadow, the papillons
Shiloh and Morpho at Rainbow Bridge
2017 Spirit
Formerly 2006 24RB
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