I guess I got a little ahead of myself when I made the decision to buy my 2017 ACE 29.4. My intention was to buy something that would sleep four adults and when I noticed the 46 x 74 drop down bunk I thought I had found the perfect vehicle. My cousin and his wife have traveled often with us in our little Navion with a similar dimension overhead bed. What I'm afraid I didn't count on, though, was the weight limitations of the bed. The sticker says 250 pounds maximum capacity, and while I'm not brave enough to ask my cousin's wife her weight, I estimate that the two of them together would likely top 300 by a few ounces.
I don't believe the jack-knife sofa or the dinette bed, both at 60 inches, would be long enough for adults.
My question, I guess, is two-fold. First, has anyone ever slept four adults in a similar unit? And if so, what method did you come up with?
Second, does 250 pounds really mean 250 pounds, or do companies sometimes shave a few pounds from the max capacity notice just to "make sure"? Alternatively, is there any way to bolster the structure of the overhead bunk to allow it to support an extra 50 pounds or so?
I've considered simply pulling the mattresses off the overhead structure and using them to make "cowboy pallets" on the floor. Still, the idea of stepping over sleeping people like we used to do in college seems like a disappointing option at this phase of life.
Has anyone ever found a creative solution to such a problem? and if so, can I steal from you before my first big trip in late March.
Thanks,
Hugh Chapman
2017 Navion 29.4
950 miles.
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