Completing the platform for Kinsley’s bed was a good first step. Making her room kid safe was phase two. While I waited for the foam for her mattress to ship, I switched gears.

Kinsley, like every other two year old I have ever met, is a bundle of energy. Within the first week aboard she had managed to push through the pillow barrier on the v-berth she and Zoe have been sharing to fall three feet to the floor, head first. We’ve found a temporary solution for that area but knew, in planning her bedroom, the we needed something more permanent to limit the number of future swan dives.

A lee cloth is designed to help keep a sleeper in their bed even when the boat is heeled over. My plan was to use a similar design to keep Kinsley in her room no matter how far she somersaulted over. Once again, I made a very clear, well drawn out plan.

The basic idea was to create a fabric panel as wide as her doorway wall and as tall as I could without running into the frame of the mirror. The fabric extends six inches under the mattress and has screw snaps to attach it to the floor board. The snaps are tight enough that I can open and close them but Kinsley can’t, at least not yet.

Along the top I added a reinforced channel to run a line of rope through. I didn’t want the rope running along the seam at the top, too much friction along thread rather than fabric. I added a hidden piece of the blue swirl fabric along the inside, stitched along the side seams, so the tie rope rubs a solid piece of fabric. The top rope then ties off to the walls on each side.

Long term, I may replace the center section of the cloth panel with some type of mesh to increase airflow. Once we begin cruising in warmer climates that may become necessary but for now, cozy is good.

Phase three, mattress!