sailboat cockpit seats

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Cockpit COMFORT - folding seats, cushions, etc?

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Once in a while I see folks comfortably lounging in their cockpits or on deck, for hours at a time. Reading, sleeping, stargazing. How are they doing this? I am almost always uncomfortable in mine, unless I bring up half the bedding from down below to lean on. I've noticed these 'backrest' type seats. I've looked them up... I've found Sport-a-Seat, ComfortSEAT, and some seat from WestMarine (Go-Anywhere). The first two are around $115, the WM is now about $50 (coming from the most overpriced place on earth, it makes me nervous) Does anyone have experience and an opinion on any of these dandies? Or alternatives to cockpit/deck spinal bliss?  

I bought one of the west marine seats for my wife and she loves it. Good back support and comfortable.  

Cockpit cushions are nice. My boat is equipped with 'Bottomsiders', a closed cell foam pad system. Full disclosure, I'm not associated with the company in anyway except as a customer.  

We've got a couple of the comfort seats. Liked them particularly cos at sea we could sit facing forward. At anchor they are good to use if you want to loaf around on the foredeck. To be frank I've been less than impressed with the quality of the mechanism and would probably just buy the WestMarine cheapies if I was to buy something similar again. The BottomSiders look interesting but I'm not overly excited about vinyl covers. I must admit however that at anchor our cockpit takes on a whole heap more cushiony look to it than it would at sea. Without a bit of padding that place is never going to be as comfortable as your favourite sofa. With it, its a place of sheer bliss.  

We have the Go Anywhere 2 seats from WM. Get them on sale and they are extremely comfortable! The back support is awesome and you can take them all over the boat - like the bow. They are much more comfortable than bottom siders or cushions and far less expensive and compact.  

I happened to see some folding cushions for adirondak chairs on clearance at Target. Bought two, and they have worked out nicely. And they were cheap enough, that if they get beat up and only last a year, it was worth it.  

Wow, Even at my age "Wuss" comes to mind! Gary H. Lucas  

Hi Gary, Since we have the same boat, I'd love to see how you've added the helm seat. It's something I've toyed with, but resolved to keep that space flexible (standing, sitting to the side, etc.). Thanks, Jason.  

I didn't know La-z-boy made cockpit seats! That does look comfy, but where the heck would I put them? We are a bit tight for space so we picked up some thermarest style cushions with a nice grip material on one side. It's enough to take the hard edge off. Of course when I really want to relax I use a hammock chair hanging over the foredeck!  

I guess it depends on the kind of sailing you're doing. Those sweethearts were on a race boat I crewed on last fall. We used them on the return delivery. When you're doing passages of several days with a small crew, those things are pure gold. You do tend to get sore after several days straddling hard stuff. If you're just daysailing or weekending it's not that big a deal. Also, the problem might be because I'm so lean and muscular. Not a lot of padding like most fat people you see out sailing. Heh-heh.  

Step 1- Determine, is your cockpit comfortable? Some coamings and benches and bulkhead combos just ain't real people friendly no matter how much money and foam you throw at the problem. Step 2- get at least one of these: Amazon.com: Taylor Made Products Sto-Away Folding and Reclining Boat Seat (Navy Blue): Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31EGh3H-cgL.@@AMEPARAM@@31EGh3H-cgL We have had one aboard WJ for 5 seasons and SWMBO and i fight over it. It is not cheap, but it has not faded, failed, ripped, or gotten saggy. It is perfect in the cockpit, on top of the cabin, on the foredeck... Armrests just get in the way unless it is a dedicated helm seat, like gary's- brilliant idea, btw.  

bljones said: Step 2- get at least one of these: Amazon.com: Taylor Made Products Sto-Away Folding and Reclining Boat Seat (Navy Blue): Sports & Outdoors We have had one aboard WJ for 5 seasons and SWMBO and i fight over it. It is not cheap, but it has not faded, failed, ripped, or gotten saggy. It is perfect in the cockpit, on top of the cabin, on the foredeck... Armrests just get in the way unless it is a dedicated helm seat, like gary's- brilliant idea, btw. Click to expand...

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One of the least considerd aspects of a S/V is cockpit ergonomics. This thread is evidence of that. We spent a lot of effort and thought in the Harbor line cockpit ergonomics. People always remark on the cockpit comfort of these boats.  

I bought two Sport-a-Seats at a boat show (saved $20); they aren't cheap, but they are the only things I ever bought for the boat that my wife really likes. Comfortable, durable and thoroughly worth the price. I understand that the West Marine versions have greatly improved. I used one on someone else's boat a few years ago, and it was crap; I sat on a newer version in a store not to long ago, and they definitely have improved the cushioning. Also, the West Marine seat has a storage pocket and it folds in half for easier transport (the Sport a seat does not). However, when you compare the two side by side, the differences are obvious: you can feel the frame in the West Marine seat through the cushion, and you can hear the difference in the quality of the ratchet. The Sport a Seat is just a better-made product. This is not to say that its the best choice for everyone, just that its a higher end unit. At $50, I think the West Marine seat is a good value. In any case, having a couple of these chairs on your boat is a very good thing indeed.  

These were on sale at Home Depot for $20 each on July 4th, so I grabbed a couple for my cockpit. Chili Stripe Mid Back Patio Chair Cushion 2 Pack-V547552X-9D2 at The Home Depot  

I've had one of those "cheap" WM folding seats for 8 years and it has a lot of miles on it. It's a little dirty but still in good shape. Very comfy! Not so for my bottomsider cushions! They were impossible to clean and deteriorated quickly, the vinyl coating cracked after a few years, and because they are yinyl coated they don't breath, making for a very sweaty bottom in the hot weather. I replaced them with custom made sunbrella covered cushions and they have been fine since.  

I needed to sit a little higher when sailing so bought the Bottomsiders helm cushion. It's great - it can be moved to the central position for motoring, or to either side for sailing. When I tack I just move it with me. The vinyl coating really grips the deck and stops it sliding around. No trouble keeping it clean and it seems to be holding up OK. For lounging at anchor or in the slip, those folding seats are great and go in the lazarette just fine.  

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STERNPERCH SAILBOAT SEATS

Adds seating to older sailboats.

Stern Perch seats make older sailboats like new

One of the biggest complaints among owners of pre-1993 sailboats is the absence of the popular stern rail seats. Now you can add them to many of the older model boats! They're custom designed for a perfect fit, yet easily removed if you need them off.

Made from 1/2" marine-grade polymer, our stern rail seats are easy to install (no tools are required). When installed, the seat attaches to the lower stern rail and lies inboard of it. (An upper and lower stern rail configuration is required.) The seats are supported from the stern pulpit as well as a leg which rests on the deck, coaming, or cockpit of the boat (location varies depending on boat design). The entire seat is designed to tilt up for access to hatches or other deck fittings if necessary. Recommended weight limit is 250 lbs. per seat.

We've sold a great number of the seats and owners have been quite happy with them. Each set includes built-in drink holders, too!

Consider Rail Cushions and or Lifeline Cushions for added comfort;on your back when leaning against the stern rail.

Sternperch Sailboat Seats

For a list of boats we have patterns for click here .

To See some pictures click here

If we do not have your boat listed, here is how to make a pattern.  Pattern Making Instructions

WE ALSO OFFER Rail Cushions and  Seat Pads both sold separately.

Attainable Adventure Cruising

The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

• Cockpits—Part 2, Visibility and Ergonomics

There are few areas on any boat that are used for more diverse tasks than an offshore sailboat cockpit. Everything from lounging on a quiet day at anchor to handling a fast-moving emergency at sea with a bunch of sail up…in the black dark…with a ship bearing down on us.

Given that, picking a boat with a good cockpit layout is one of the most important parts of boat selection.

It’s also one of the hardest to get right, because we will inspect most prospective boats at the wharf or mooring where features supporting lounging will be a lot more obvious than features that will work offshore at oh-dark-thirty when it’s blowing stink and the yogurt’s flying.

And, further, many of us will have to make this decision without a lot, or maybe any, offshore experience, one of the reasons I strongly recommend making an offshore passage with someone else before buying a cruising boat.

That said, I can provide a cockpit selection framework to make this process easier based on the thousands—literally, I did some back-of-the-envelope estimating—of hours I have spent on watch, mostly offshore, in all weathers, in sailboat cockpits.

To further set the parameters, I’m going to focus on cockpits optimized for one to four people. This is important to make clear since full-crew racing-optimized cockpits will be very different.

Also, keep in mind that this is just one article among many that I have written about boat selection, so, for example, I have already explored main traveler positioning options, and won’t cover that again here.

As usual I will use the Outbound 44/46, the Boréal boats, our own Morgan’s Cloud, and a couple of others to illustrate each point.

Let’s dig in:

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Hi John, Agree on all counts. The cockpit can be completely revealing of the intentions of the designer and what he/she thinks of the target audience/users. Nowhere else on a boat are the compromises that go into boat design so apparent. And, with your article in hand, these intentions can be read like a book. And your suggestion of offshore experience can’t be overstated (perhaps a good imagination and lots of coastal cruising experience could come close): most of us have a good sense of what makes us comfortable while having little initial idea what works (or doesn’t work) for the various fire drills that a good cockpit layout facilitates. A question: any thoughts on the tinted windows on the Outbound pictured. My guess is that they degrade visibility in marginal conditions and at night, but have no idea how much or whether an issue. I think I would want clear panes and use another method to cut back on sun intensity when needed. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Thanks for confirmation on that from someone. who has spent a lot of time offshore in a cockpit.

As to the tinting on the Outbound windows, I don’t know. What I can say is that the actual amount of tint is much less than the photo would indicate, so I’m guessing that it would not be much of a problem, if at all. The other good thing is that if unsure of what we are seeing, we can always stand up and look over.

Hi John, The overly huge steering wheel comes from fully crewed racing boats, of course, where the helm stays behind the wheel at all times. Putting this solution on cruising boats is like putting a huge Formula One wing on a family car. Maybe it feels cool, but it just doesn’t work the same way. Essentially it’s quite silly and as described here, it can destroy the functionality of the cockpit, even if all else is perfect.

Lately an interesting solution to this problem, an alternative to one huge wheel or twin wheels, has been presented by Danish Jefa, the worlds biggest in yachting steering systems. As an example, they are the maker of the autopilot drive units sold as B&G, Simrad, Garmin, and many more.

They now have a “Pendular steering pedestal”. The pedestal and wheel moves between 3 positions, centre and each side. This makes a 0,8 metre wheel do the job of a 2,5 metre wheel. One can sit on the suitable side of the cockpit or stand in the centre, while never blocking movement in the cockpit. The pedestal has a foot pedal that releases it from its position. When it reaches the next it locks in automatically.

I’ve seen a boat with this system, but never tried sailing with it. It looks well made and reportedly works as well as it looks. Some new models have this as a standard solution. https://jefa.com/steering/products/cable/WP900/wp900.htm

I agree, that offering from Jefa looks like a great idea. That said, like you, I would need to try it out to be sure.

Another benefit I just though of is that it could make fitting a practical emergency tiller much more practical than with a centre line wheel where the tiller is usually too short because it must clear the binnacle.

I would need convincing that this Jefa wheel could be adequately anchored to the floor. The fixing plate is very short fore and aft. The binnacle is a massively important strong point. I know of a wheel bent by helmsman’s body whose ribs were cracked when a wave came in over the stern in overfalls. From the brochure this looks only good for inshore boats.

Hi Richard,

You may easily be right. I have never even seen one, so no opinion.

Hi Richard, I’ve seen one and “tested” it, but as mentioned, not actually sailed with it, so I’m definitely not informed well enough to evaluate this. Still, FWIW, it felt good. Seemed just as stable as normal. There is a slight bit of fore and aft movement, if you try to do just that. While steering I think it will not at all move that way. There was no sideways wobble. I could not notice any difference in friction. Feels very direct.

When it comes to impact strength, I agree that it would probably not hold up if the boat hits a rock and the helm gets thrown towards it. I’m pretty sure that the deck plate will not break, but that part of the boat will. The leverage is just too much for normal laminates etc. However, i’ve seen binnacles collapse in that situation too. Perhaps it would be better if the mounting plate was bigger. I think so.

Still I don’t know if it should be made strong enough to take the above mentioned loads. As you mention, people can get hurt by such situations. Perhaps it’s better if the first object you hit does flex quite a bit to reduce the blow. I don’t know what to think about it. I’m nerdy enough to prefer tillers anyway…. 🙂

Hi, this sort of tilting binnacle has already been tried on aluminium boats: http://www.jfandre.com/2015_innovations.htm Not sure it’s worth the added complexity.

By the way, the cockpit layout of the new Boreal 44.2 is now public : https://www.boreal-yachts.com/portfolio/le-boreal-44/ (and, in my uninformed opinion, looks like a great solution)

Yes, Boreal sent me the renderings a bit before Christmas. I can’t say it would be my boat, or cockpit, much prefer the 44.1. I also worry that the 44.2 is too much volume for her length. Still, seems like that’s what the market wants. To me the Mk 1s were pure offshore boats, the Mk 2s, more marketing and sales driven designs.

I wonder what you think of the Amel’s? From what I have seen on video from Delos and others it seems to me that when steering you have to unzip the section above you and stand. Away from the wheel I’m guessing it is not possible to see above the roof without standing on a cockpit seat.

Sorry, reread that and it wasn’t very clear. On an Amel I think we only way to get a view without looking through glass is to zip open above the wheel and stick your head out. Is that adequate?

Hi Dave, a quick comment from a user perspective, we have a Beneteau 473 with a custom hard dodger. This provides excellent all-round visibility from the cockpit. When conditions and visibility are poor, my experience is that looking through a windscreen coated with something like Rain-X is no better or worse than squinting and blinking as you try and keep a look-out with the naked eye – and this view is from keeping watch on yachts and big ships. The only thing that really works when things are wild, is a clear view screen and who has that?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_view_screen

If conditions are fine, we stand on the cockpit seat and look out over the dodger, not for visibility (which is as good or better through our lightly tinted window) but for the enjoyment of, and feel for, the breeze and conditions that you don’t get closeted behind plexiglass. Br. Rob

Nice, thanks. Our Rival 38 has the difference that the wheel is at the forward end of the cockpit. Similar to an Amel. As nothing opens in the front half of our wheelhouse we don’t get the extra visibility/sensory options when steering by hand at present.

Glass is way better than plastic, particularly if coated with Rain-X, as Rob suggests, particularly if you can get your face really close to it to eliminate any reflections.

That said I really do like to be able to get a clear view without anything at all intervening. I disagree a bit with Rob on this one.

I used to commute to an Island in all weathers and all seasons in a small motor boat with a hard dodger and glass windows coated with Rain-X, but I still found it useful to stick my head out the side when trying to sort out exactly what I was seeing on a black night, even with driving spray and rain.

The other benefit of this is having a listen. Two summers ago I was nearly run down by another sailboat, even though I was sounding a very loud horn every 2 minutes. They should have heard me, but didn’t because they were all buttoned up in a cockpit enclosure.

https://www.morganscloud.com/2019/08/24/dont-alter-course-to-port/

Summary, I think it important to be able to get clear of whatever enclosure you have to take a look and listen. This, by the way, is, I think, some of the reason big ships have open bridge wings.

So, I would evaluate the Amel by that criteria.

Thanks John. we had a bit of a design brainstorm about our own wheelhouse last night. Long term we already planned to make changes to improve ventilation (nothing opens at present, going to cook in the tropics). Plus it is a big angular and ugly at present.

Compared to us the Amel gains both head out visibility and ventilation but also offers better communication with the foredeck eg when anchoring/reefing. So we are looking at an option that gives us the possibility of open view when standing while changing as little as possible.

So thinking we cut the top 200mm off the front 3 windows, top them with an aftwards shelf (need to check head clearance for companionway but guess 150 or 200mm deep) and then vertical, opening windows at the aft edge of the shelf to the roof (keep existing roof as an overhang to give significant eyebrow for rain protection when the vertical windows are open).

So we can stand with an open view (very much as Phyllis is in the 5th picture above). Our “shelf” can have a good handhold fitted right across the length of it.

If it were me going through that much surgery on the dog house, I would simply reduce it’s hight so you can look over it when standing, and then add one or two small hatches in the top for ventilation. The Outbound 46 and our boat are set up this way and, after tens of thousands of miles including many high latitude voyages, I have found it works very well: good shelter when sitting, and great visibility and situation awareness when standing: https://www.morganscloud.com/2008/06/01/hard-dodger-for-morgans-cloud/

Then, if you want full coverage of the cockpit, go with a soft enclosure attached to a bimini top, that can be rolled up or down depending on circumstances: https://www.morganscloud.com/category/deck/cockpit-enclosure/

Thanks John,

I think we are looking at much the same thing.

One way of looking at our plans is to see the existing wheelhouse roof becoming the bimini (albeit currently with one section of solid sides) and the cut-down windscreen with “shelf” becoming the dodger (that you can look over when standing) with an opening windscreen between them.

You have your windscreen connecting the bimini to dodger at the forward end of the dodger top. We were thinking of putting it at the aft end. Our thinking is that makes reaching it to open from inside easier and uses the bimini as an eyebrow to keep rain off so improving visibility. If this section is going to be open in storm conditions the extra wind capture of the eyebrow won’t matter.

The work would strengthen the forward supports for the dodger and bimini (currently the window frames are the main support) and allow us to reduce the slab-sided and angular appearance of the grp dodger base. The aft supports are much better implemented and in good condition.

The existing enclosure was really only for boatyard use (one-piece almost impossible to put up from inside) so we will be sewing a replacement (mostly windows in several zipped sections) with better attachments. That will allow flexibility as to which panels are open or closed.

Between the bimini roof window which does provide a good view of the mainsail and the solar panels we probably have room for one small opening hatch.

Even with the current rather inadequate front supports we have been on board, in a quite exposed position in the boatyard, through several named storms (which funnel through the Menai Strait) from both forward and aft. No movement – of the wheelhouse anyway, everything else was shaking 🙂 So at least we know 50+mph winds are ok.

I suspect much of the issues around cockpit design are related to the intended market. Some of the issues you mention are issues for any boat that leaves the dock while others are only issues for boats that are sailed offshore. I am not someone who subscribes to the idea that any old boat above 30′ can be made suitable for offshore use and cockpits are just one more example of where I see important differences.

It is probably no secret that I think most boat designs are immature like proof of concept prototypes not product designs and a few things you have highlighted speak to this. The first and most obvious sign that a design was not fully detailed, there is not proper assembly documentation and/or the builder lacks proper materials management is that most boats show an amazing mishmash of fasteners that clearly show the assemblers were going and grabbing what was handy to put it together rather than having it kitted. Digging deeper though, you see much more troubling trends. Dodgers is one area where you can see how immature the design is, very few designers/builders put in any provisions for a dodger yet the majority of the boats, regardless of use case, will install one within the first year. Since the designer has not considered this, it means that rope clutches, winches, instruments, etc are all in places that can be badly compromised by one of these solutions. Interestingly, for all of their other faults, some of the big production boatbuilding companies do better in some of these regards as they realize much bigger economies of scale and actually realize that it pays to complete the design (heck, Beneteau have integrated dodgers in some of their designs these days, I don’t like how they have done it but bravo for doing it and I know that they at least have a proper BOM for their boats).

In an ideal world where all incentives are right, I think that basically all cruising boats (yes, including coastal cruisers) would have a factory option of a bolt on hard dodger. By having a single design, the designer could work in CAD to check sightlines, lay out hardware, etc and then a mockup could be built to double check this and in the end, it would all have good usability. Given how rarely people actually take down a soft dodger, hard dodgers are superior for probably 90% of owners and you could always not order it or unbolt it if you want to truck over the road or go racing or whatever. Maybe I am the only one who dreams about such things.

By the way, I think that your points are a bit of a mix of requirements and specifications. Something like visibility I see as a requirement while I see cockpit size as a specification as it is one way to meet the root requirements. The actual requirements for cockpit size are things like how many people can be seated, ability to move around, weight when flooded, etc. 

I agree, although I’m not generally a fan of their boats, Beneteau have done some great work in design and standardization.

The other way a boat can end up with a really well engineered cockpit is a combination of experience, iteration, simplicity and staying on mission.

Morgan’s Cloud has the best cockpit I have ever sailed in, Perfect? No, but close.

I’m guessing the reason is that Jim McCurdy had done a lot of sailing offshore himself (a rarity with designers) and he kept it simple with the single mission of sailing efficiency the guiding principle. For example, if you don’t bring the lines from the mast aft, and don’t try and add a fixed dining room table in the middle of things, it gets way easier to have a good design. And then if you have drawn and then sailed on a bunch of boats like Jim had when he designed MC, you get better and better, particularly if your a bit crusty and tend to dig your heals in about the important stuff, as Jim also did.

I also agree on the desirability of hard dodgers as standard. That said, there are benefits to the hard/soft approach we have too. More coming on that.

Hi John and all, I would like to suggest that, when underway, there can be too much cockpit protection. There is something to be said for being a little uncomfortable. The on-watch crew should always be harnessed up and dressed to go to the foredeck. Much of the time, this is layers with full foul weather gear, especially at night. Cockpit protection can tempt one to underdress. Moreover, good watch keeping means you have good contact with the elements: eyes not blinded by reading, at least one ear not blocked with ear buds, not “zipped in”, and with easy access to the outside world for a clear look-around. Like many comfort and labor savings devices for the sailing community: the increased physical ease brought by cockpit protection is offset by an increased demand for mental diligence and discipline. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Dick, I’m not sure one rule for all situations and climates works. For example Coastal areas vs mid ocean. Tropics vs high attitudes. Weather conditions. What equipment you have. etc etc.

I would concur. We have a pilothouse helm and an aft deck “sailing” helm, which is not really so comfortable, but is quite safe with plenty of places to tether to (and from). If we are actively steering, we stand in what isn’t much bigger than a footwell, but which has six winches to hand, three a side. We can look forward across the pilothouse roof and nothing is blocking our view aft or to either side, although I am considering weather cloths for the spring as it will be pretty brisk here in April, I think. But there’s certainly no places to sleep as the deck is flush and there’s just steel pipe and cherry wood “park benches” outboard; we issue Sunbrella cushions for socializing in the evenings in the summer, otherwise, it’s the far more comfy saloon seating. We aren’t masochists by a long shot, but if we are sailing, we are busy doing that, and that means, as has been pointed out, with both eyes and ears and even sniffing the wind to figure out if you might be close to land.

I could not agree more. I can’t count the number of times that being at least somewhat exposed to the elements has raised our situation awareness to the point that we noticed an issue that we would not have all buttoned up, well before it became a problem.

I also agree on being dressed to head out on deck at all times.

I think I may tackle the tradeoffs in the next chapter on cockpits.

Sorry, I had to take the new comment system down for a week or so. An upgrade broke it, but since we are very close to rolling out a new and much improved site design, there is not a lot of point in fixing the old one to work with the new comment system.

Stern Rail Seats

"The finest improvement to my boat, for the least amount of money. I recommend Stern Perch seats to everybody." - Judy Farrington, Newport, RI 1990 Hunter 30

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Refinishing Teak Cockpit Seats

• Thread starter Bob in SF
• Start date Jan 9, 2006
• Beneteau Owner Forums
• Ask A Beneteau Owner

We recently purchased a 1990 Oceanis 350. The teak handrails and teak cockpit seats had not been taken care of and are grey & weathered. We've sanded and oiled the handrails and now my wife would like to do the teak in the cockpit seats. To me I think they look fine weathered and more than that, I think it would be very difficult to do with the rubber stripping between the teak slats. The teak looks like it's weathered down so that the rubber between the teak is actually a little higher which would make sanding difficult plus I'd be concerned about damaging the rubber. Even if we were successful cleaing up the teak I'd think oiling it would leave us with a oily bum after sitting on them.Any one attempted to sand & refinish the teak in the cockpit? Anyone want to back me up that it looks great weathered?Thanks, Bob  

Weathered looks good Be sure you don't make seats slippery.  

Sorry Bob, I side with your wife... Bob, we have a 2001 Beneteau 361 and have "oiled" the teak and it is absolutey Beneteau Beautiful. I like the weathered look of the full deck on the Jenneau but only becasue it is the full deck that it looks so nice. The weathered look on just certain areas tend to look as if it is "neglected" as opposed to the quaint "weathered" look.Just because the term oil is used in applying the teak oil does not mean it will stain your butt. We do (oil) our teak in the cockpit area once a year and it takes about 2 days to dry and then it is just like dried varnish from that point on. As to the black rubber between the teak, we use a one inch brush that fits the width of the teak slats and then just wipe up any teak oil that gets on the rubber, it won't harm the black rubber. Believe me you (or at least your wife)will really appreciate how nice it looks when you are finished. Sorry I couldn't be more supportive of you preference but look at it this way if your wife is happy that goes along way to good sailing.Good luck, Rich  

Replace it. I have been looking at a product called Tek-Dek. It is a plastic that looks and feels like teak. Their web site is www.tek-dek-international.com  

cockpit teak Bob, I'm with you. I applied 3 coats of Cetol to the cockpit teak, and it looked great for about six months, then began to crack and chip. I touched it up. Good for another six months, then it began to crack even worse than the first time. I put on two more coats but they only lasted about four or five months, and the cracks began to appear again. In the meantime, the owner of the boat next to mine had the Cetol removed from the teak cockpit seats. I was amazed how good it looked. Its starting to grey up now and still looks good. The best thing you can do for unfinished teak is to dump a bucket of saltwater on it every day. I'm going to have mine stripped and leave them way for awhile to see how it goes.  

mike C16582

what the pros do when we are getting the boats ready for their new owners, the cockpit teak is 1. washed with a good boat soap and stiff bristle brush. 2. allowed to dry 3. cleaned with nu-teak teak cleaner. This is a chemical cleaning agent which will remove stains, the "gray discoloration" which some people do not like (although I do not mind that on my teak) use gloves and a short bristle brush. Scrub the teak lengthwise (with the grain) Rinse well with a hose and allow to dry completely. 4. apply a very light coat of teak oil with a clean rag (commercial paper towles (the blue ones) work well) be careful not to get the oil on the gel coat as it will stain. wipe up any oopses....in the sun allow to dry for at least a day. 5. apply a second thin coat. 6. allow to dry another day before stepping on it. DONE. Teak will look like new. Teak that has raised grains need to be lightly sanded, to bring the grain back down, however the teak on the cockpit seats of Beneteau's are VERY Thin and will not stand up to repeated or hard sanding  

__ever try varnish?? I have an 11.5 with simular teak seats. I also have a 27, Chrysler. This picture is of a 30 year old bow pulpet that I put on the Chrysler. A lot of sanding and 14 coats of varnish. It last about 18 months before recoating. I did the same for my teak seats.  

Teak I like the rich look of dark teak, but have met a lot people who like the weathered look. I had one fellow say to dump salt water on the teak daily to keep the silver look. We used the product below called Teaqua. The teak on our seats was graying, but after using a pressure washer the gray was removed to the original teak. A light sanding with 220 grit and then applied the Teaqua. Don't get too agressive with the power washer though. What I like about the Teaqua is that it is an oil based and won't make the surface slick.It has been on for about a year now and I'll probably put a light coat on this summer.Sail on...Terry  

Cetol Strip? My dealer delivered my boat with the teak already finished with Cetol, even though I requested that it be left alone. What does anybody suggest to use as a stipper to remve the Cetol. Seats and afterdeck look terrible after 3 months weather exposure.  

Do not use stiff brushes, power washers or strong chemicals on your teak. It removes the soft wood and leaves the annual rings. In a few years it will be like a washboard with knife edges. This is the reason that teak has traditionally been holy stoned and left to gray.Jim  

Power washer If overdone, you can take the paint off a car with a power washer. With a little common sense it works well on teak as I have been using one for years without trouble.Sail on...Terry  

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SternPerch Sailboat Cockpit Seats Comfortable and Durable! 

Sternperch Sailboat Seats

Look At What Customers Say

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Deborah Hughes of Rochester, NY | September 2019

" Bought the Stern Perches for our 1985 Ericson 32-3. Took just a few minutes to cut the support legs to size, and no interference with lazarette doors! Love the new view. "

GENE BARNES of VA | Catalina | October 2018

" Ok, everything looks great new. I put the perch seats/ rail covers and peek-a-boo blinds in 2 years ago. Wish I had the perch seats years ago. With 5/6 adults under sail, these seat are the favorite, and expand the cockpit room. Covers easily slip off for cleaning. "

Best seats on the boat

Glen Brumbaugh of Annapolis, MD | Beneteau First 38s5 (1990) | May 2017

" I put these seats on the boat between 15-20 years ago, so this is a quite belated review. After all of these years, the seats still look great. They are my favorite seat in the cockpit. Up a little higher for a better view. On many a long reach, I have sat in the seat for hours while steering with my foot. Probably one of the best "bang for the buck" improvements I have made.

What has made them really comfortable are the rail cushions. These are what you back will lean against, so they both look great and are highly functional.

The installation was easy and the seats were a perfect fit, including around an existing support stanchion. I had to modify one of the seats later when I installed a hoist mounted to the port rail, and that modification came out looking fine, so the seats can be customized after installation (if required). "

SternPerch Cockpit Seats Are Made From Marine Grade Polymers And Are UV Inhibited & Weather Resistant

Boat Description Annotations:

rk  = [ r ail  k it] Boat has only one rail. Rail Kit is needed for 2nd rail.

ca  = [ c ustomer  a ssist] Customer will position and cut the support leg to proper length.

pt = [pattern] Customers pattern of proposed seat.

SternPerch seats have been installed on the list of boats contained in the menu to the left.

We do not have pictures of all boats. If you own SternPerch seats, and there is no picture available in our list, please send us one and we will get it posted.

If your boat is not listed, CLICK HERE for instructions on how you can help us custom make a seat for your boat at no addition charge.

Only one rail, no problem. Our RAIL KIT will allow you to attach SternPerch seats to your "NEW" lower rail.

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• If the support leg rests on a lazarette.
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Manufacturer Bavaria Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau Beneteau First Beneteau First Beneteau First Beneteau First Beneteau First Beneteau First Beneteau First Beneteau First Beneteau Moorings Beneteau Moorings Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Beneteau Oceanis Bombay Clipper Bristol Buccaneer Buccaneer Buccaneer C & C C & C C & C C & C C & C C & C C & C C & C C & C C & C C & C C & C C & L Express Cal Cal Cal Cal Caliber Caliber Caliber Caliber Cape Dory Cape Dory Cape Dory Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Catalina Capri Challenger Cheoy Lee Choe Lee Choe Lee Columbia Columbia Columbia Compac Compac CS CS CS CS CY Dehler Dufor Elite Elite Endeavour Endeavour Endeavour Ericson Ericson Ericson Ericson Ericson Ericson Ericson Ericson Ericson Espress Feeling Freedom Freedom Freedom Frers Gulfstar Hanse Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Hunter Cutter Hunter Legend Hunter Vision Hylas Hylas Hylas Irwin Irwin Citation Irwin Citation Island Packet Island Packet Island Packet Island Packet Island Packet Island Packet Island Packetcat Islander Islander Islander Islander Islander Islander Islander Bahama J-Boats J-Boats J-Boats Jeanneau Jeanneau Jeanneau Jeanneau Jeanneau (non DS) Jeanneau DS Jeanneau DS Kelly Patterson Kettenberg Kirie Kirie Laguna Lancer Lancer Lancer Lancer Power Sail Lancer Power Sail Mariner Max 95 MayFlower Morgan Newport Newport Newport Niagra Nonsuch O-Day O-Day O-Day O-Day O-Day O-Day Olson Pace Ship Pacific SeaCraft Pacific SeaCraft Pacific SeaCraft Pacific SeaCraft Packet Cat Pearson Pearson Pearson Pearson Pearson Pearson Pearson Pearson S-2 S-2 S-2 Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre Sabre San Juan Santana Santana Seafarer Seidleman Soveriegn Soveriegn Stevens Sun Oddisy Tartan Tartan Tartan Tartan Tartan Tartan Tartan Tartan Tayana Tayana Cutter TMI Valiant Valiant Vet Victory Catamaran Vindo Watkins Watkins Whitby Yamaha Yamaha Yamaha  

Model 36 F35 F38 F405 m405 32 33.7 36s7 37 40cc 40s7 40.7 42 42cc 43 44cc 44.7 46 47.7 47.7 49 50 50 323 325 331 343 352 373 375 393 400 411 423 473 28.5 32s5 35s5 38s5 42s7 305 310 345 38 432 36cc 281 300 311 321 350 351 370 381 390 430 440 461 31 38.8 33 33 320 27 30 33 33 34 35 36 37 38 110 115 121 36 27 28-2 28 31 33 34 35 40 28 30 33 25 27 27 28 28 30V-1 30V-2 30V-2 34V-1 34V-2 34V-3 36V-1 36V-2 36V-3 36 38 42V-1 42V-2 26 32 36 41 44 8.7 9.6 27 27 mII 27 30 34 36 40 41 36 325 32 364 35 40cc 42 26 26 27 32 34 34 35 35 38 34 326 28 30 35 39 50 341 26.5 27 28 28.5 30 30 33 33.5 34 35 35.5 37.5 40 45 37 37 32 44 46 46 35 31 32 27 29 35 38 40 485 35 28 30 30 36 36 36 28 29 30 105 34 36.2 37.1 39i 43 40 43 44 32 32 37 30 28 36 38 27 30 36 32 48 44cc 33 40 41 35 30 34 35 39 40 302 322 911-s 23 23 24 32 34 35 26 30 31 34-V#1 34-V#2 36 39 39 27 30 36 28 30 30 MKIII 32 34 34V-1 34 34V-2 36 38 280 362 386 402 426 29 30 3030 30 30 28 30 47 40.3 28 31 34C 37 41 3400 3700 4400 37 37 37 32 42 30 35 30 33 38 45 25II 26c 305

Year 2003 1982 ca 1982+ 1988 ca 1993+ 1983 ca 2002 pt 1991 ca 2008 1995+ 1998+ 2004+ 1984 ca 2002+ pt 2008 1994+ 2004+ 2008 2000+ 2001 2008 1995+ 1997 2004+ 1987 ca 2000+ 2005 pt 1997+ 2004+ 1986+ 2002+ 1993+ 1998+ 2005 2001+ 1989+ 1989+ 1989+ 1989+ 1994+ 1987+ 1991+ 1984+ 1989 ca 1986 1989+ 1996+ 1989+ 1998+ 1995+ 1989+ 1997+ 1991+ 1997+ 1993+ 1989+ 1992+ 1997+ 1976 ca 1984 ca 1979 1979 ca 1976 ca 1984 rk 1972 rk 1979 ca 1986 ca 1980 ca 1981 1979 ca 1983 1981 ca 2006 pt 2006 2000 1979 1986 ca 1986 1986 ca 1982 1989 1969 rk 1997 1998? 1983 ca 1985 1981 1978 rk 1977 rk 1980+ 1985-91 1991+ pt 1979-87 1987-88 1988+ 1986-88 1988+ 1990+ 1982-89 1989-90 1990+ 1996 1980+ 1990-91 1992+ 1991+ 1972 ca 1976 1997 1979 1979 ca 1976 ca 1979 ca 1988 rk 1996 ca 1984+ 1991 ca 1980 ca 1986 ca 1979 2002 2006 pt 1985 1987 ca 1984+ 1984 1985 1980 rk 1988 rk 1973 rk 1986 1987 1989 1986 ca 2002 ca 1984 1997 1990 ca 1980 ca 1987 ca 1997 1987 ca 1978 ca 2003 ca 1987+ 1976 rk 1988+ 1984+ 1988-90 1990+ 1979+ 1989+ 1983+ 1987-89 pt 1989 1990+ 1984+ 1986 1987+ pt 1986-90 1989+ 1989 1997 2003 ca 1989 1984 1987 ca 1985+ 1990+ pt 1989+ 1986+ 1993+ 2003 1994 pt 1975-76 1975-76 1980+ pt 1975-79 ca 1979-85 1983-85 ca 1981 ca 1983+ 1980+ 1992+ 1986+ 1996+ 1996+ 2008 2002 2001 2003 1981 ca 1977+ 1983 1998 1987 ca 1976-84 ca 1978-85 ca 1978-85 ca 1984 1979 ca 1979 ca 1976 ca 1981 ca 1989 1985 rk 1973+ 1973+ 1978 ca 1987 ca 1981-84 1984-89 1982-85 ca 1985-89 ca 1988 ca 1975-82 1986 ca 1975 ca 1975 ca 1985+ 1992+ 1984-95 1994 1975-83 rk 1973 rk 1987-91 1983-85 rk 1985-95 1973-91 ca 1981-87 1986-91 1985 1987-86 1985 ca 1983 ca 1979-91 ca 1986 ca 1985 1982 1982 ca 1987 1987 ca 1984-91 1983 ca 1982 ca 1994 ca 2007 1996 ca 2004 ca 1988 ca 1975 rk 1983-90 1979 ca 1984 ca rk 1984 ca 1984 1984 ca 2000 ca 1988 ca 1988 1969 rk 2002 1998 2006 1998+ 2005 1981 1982 1981 ca 1993+ 1993+ 1987 ca 2001 1986 1984 ca 1984 1970 ca 1992 ca 1986 1988 ca

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Parts of a Sailboat

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

September 28, 2022

Sailboats share many parts with other boats, such as keels, decks, and sometimes engines. But parts like halyards, sheets, and blocks are unique to sailboats.

Sailboats require four main parts to operate: a hull, mast, sail, and rudder. The hull is the body of the boat, and all other parts are directly or indirectly connected to it. The mast is a long pole that serves as a guide and mounting point for the sail. The sail catches the wind and propels the boat, and the rudder directs the boat and acts as its steering.

Here are all the main parts of a typical cruising sailboat , including hardware, lines, controls, cabin items, and a rundown of common sailing terminology.

Table of contents

Port, Starboard, Bow, Stem, and Stern

Before we get into the parts of a sailboat, let’s get a handle on sailboat direction. The bow of the boat is the front (forward), and the stern is the rear (aft). The stem is the forward-most part of the bow and determines its shape. These words describe the general area of front and back.

When determining port and starboard, picture looking down on the boat with the bow oriented forward. The port side is the left side of the boat, and the starboard is the right side. Now picture yourself at the controls of your boat.

If your lookout sees an obstacle off the port bow, which direction should you look? That’s right—the obstacle is forward and to the left of you. Now, we’ll go over the basic parts of a sailboat.

Basic Parts of a Sailboat

What are the basic parts of a sailboat? These are items that are essential to the operation of the boat and universal across most sailing craft. Every sailor should know where these parts are and what they do. Here are nine fundamental sailboat parts, their function, and why they’re important.

The hull is the ‘boat’ itself. It comprises the frame of the boat, the skin that keeps the water out and serves as the mounting point for everything else on the boat (both directly and indirectly). Simply put, if you punch a hole in the hull, water will come into the boat. Sailboat hulls are constructed most commonly out of fiberglass or hardwood (such as white oak), but some boat hulls are made out of aluminum, steel, and even a material called ferrocement.

The deck is the platform that covers the hull. It’s the place where you walk when you’re not inside the boat. Most people would consider the deck as any place ‘on top’ of the hull. The deck serves as a mounting point for essential boat hardware such as the mast and winches. We’ll get into those later; just think of the deck as the visible top area of the vessel. Decks are often made of fiberglass as well, but traditional boats use teak wood planking in this area. You’ll often find abrasive anti-slip material on the deck, as sailors often walk across it in wet conditions.

The keel is the structural backbone of the boat. It’s located in the bottom of the hull and serves as a sort of ‘spine’ to which all frame members are mounted during construction. The keel is an essential part of the boat and cannot be broken or damaged. You’ll often hear the term ‘keelboat’ in the sailing community. This word describes a sailboat with a long and deep keel, which is like a thin fin that runs the length of the hull. Keelboats are seaworthy vessels, as the elongated hull adds stability and keeps the boat on a straight track.

Centerboard

Many sailboats don’t have a long, deep keel, but they still need some sort of fin to keep the boat tracking straight. To substitute a long keel, many boats utilize a dagger-like board called a centerboard . This plate protrudes underneath the center of the boat, usually between one and three feet below the bottom of the hull. Centerboards are often retractable, which is great for towing and beaching. Centerboards are most common on small sailboats designed for inland or coastal cruising.

The cockpit is usually located in the rear of the boat. It features seating for the crew and controls for the steering, sails, and engine. The cockpit is the command center of the sailboat and often features storage lockers under the seats. Many cockpits are self-draining, which means they’re located above the water line and clear themselves of water accumulation. Some sailboats have enclosed cockpits for off-shore sailing. In a typical cruising sailboat , the cockpit usually takes up ⅓ of the total length of the boat or less.

The mast is the big pole extending from the deck of the sailboat. It connects the sail to the boat and serves as a frame for all sails carried by the vessel. The mast is a key part of the sail plan and helps determine what kind of boat you’re looking at. Most sailboats have just one mast, but others have numerous masts. A schooner, for example, has two masts and a specific sail plan. A yawl also has two, but each mast serves a separate function.

The rudder steers the boat and is located on or under the stern of the vessel. Rudders are an essential part of the boat, and they’re particularly sensitive to impact or misalignment. On some boats, the rudder is completely invisible when in the water. Other boats have retractable rudders for beaching or towing. Fundamentally, a rudder is just a plate that’s hinged to move side to side. It’s connected to the tiller or the helm, which we’ll cover in a bit.

The sail is what propels the boat, and most boats have more than one. The aft (rear) sail on a single-masted boat is called the mainsail , and it’s the largest of the two primary sails. The triangular forward (front) sail is called the jib, and it’s generally smaller than the mainsail. Other sails include the spinnaker, which is like a loosely-mounted parachute that flies in front of the boat during conditions of low wind.

The boom is a hinged rod that extends perpendicular to the mast. It’s mounted on the lower part of the mast, and it controls the side-to-side position of the mainsail. The best way to remember the boom is to consider what happens when it swings side to side. If you’re not paying attention, a swinging boom could give you a nice crack on the head. Think of the boom as the throttle of the boat. If you’re properly pointed relative to the wind, pulling in the boom will increase the speed of the boat. This is where the bottom of the sail connects to the mast. The boom is also connected to the deck and adjustable using a winch and a crank.

Here is some of the hardware you’ll find on a typical sailboat. These items are usually mounted to the hull, on the deck, or to the mast. Boat hardware consists of control systems and other items that are essential to the operation or integrity of the boat.

Cleats are the universal mounting points for ropes on the deck. Cleats are used for tying up to the dock, securing lines, and tethering important items that can’t fall overboard. There’s a special kind of knot called a ‘cleat knot,’ which is essential to learn before sailing. A properly tied cleat will stay secure in almost all conditions, and it’ll be easy to untie if the need arises. An important distinction must be made for clam cleats, which are spring-loaded sets of jaws that secure rigging lines that need to be adjusted frequently.

Block is a nautical word for a pulley. Blocks (pulleys) are everywhere on a sailboat, and they’re an essential part of the rigging system. Blocks distribute and regulate force. For example, a deck-mounted block can change the direction of a line from vertical to horizontal, allowing you to apply a horizontal force to lift something vertically. Blocks also reduce the force required to lift heavy loads and help make adjustments more precise.

Winches are cylindrical mechanical devices that transmit force. Winches are often located on either side of the boat. They’re multi-directional like a socket wrench and feature one-way locking mechanisms for raising, lowering, tightening, and loosening lines. Winches have a hole in the top for a crank, which makes it easy to wind rope in and out. Winches are present on almost every medium to large sailboat. They’re either manual or electrically-powered.

A hatch is a watertight or water-resistant door used to enter the cabin or storage compartment of a boat. Hatches can be flush with the deck and hinged, threaded like a large screw, or they can slide back and forth. The purpose of a hatch is to keep water out when closed and allow easy access to the interior parts of the boat.

Tiller and Helm

The tiller and helm are used to control the direction of the rudder and steer the boat. Usually, a boat has either a tiller or a helm. The tiller is the most basic steering control and consists of a simple rod connected to the rudder or rudder shaft. Tillers move side to side and point in the opposite direction that the boat steers. The helm is essentially a steering wheel, and it operates the same way that a car steering wheel does. The helm is connected to the rudder by complex mechanical or hydraulic linkage.

Mast and Sail Components

Mast and sail components are referred to as ‘rigging’ in most cases. These items are part of the wind-powered propulsion system of the boat. You’ll operate these systems to control the speed of the boat. Here are three common sail components that you’ll need to understand before hitting the water.

Stays are the lines that secure the mast to the boat. Usually, the mast is bolted or tied to the deck of the boat; but much of the load and pressure created by the wind is transferred to the stays. Stays are usually made of strong stainless steel cable. Losing a stay at sea is a serious problem, as these small cables keep the mast from collapsing.

Halyards are the ropes used to hoist and lower the sail on the mast. They also hoist flags, spars, and other components that need to be raised and lowered. Halyards are usually found on the mast and are fixed to cleats or winches around the boat.

Sheets and halyards are often confused, but they serve a very different function. Sheets are the control lines of the sail. These ropes control how far in or out the sail is, and they’re usually found connected to the jib (jib sheet) and the mainsail (mainsheet). Sheets are controlled by winches and blocks and secured onto cleats or clam cleats on the deck. Sheets can be controlled from the cockpit of the boat.

Navigation components are the parts of the sailboat used to find direction and alert other boats of your position. These four items aren’t the only navigation items found on sailboats, but they’re the most common.

This item should be self-explanatory, but it’s essential nonetheless. A compass is arguably the most basic and important marine navigation item. It shows you what direction you’re heading. Sailboat compasses are precise instruments designed to display an accurate heading no matter how much the boat rolls up and down or side to side. Compasses are usually mounted in the cockpit, in clear view of the captain.

Charts are old-fashioned navigational tools and indicate important information such as water depth and the location of ship channels. Learning to read and purchasing charts is essential, even in the age of modern GPS navigation. When all else fails, a chart can help guide you and your vessel to safety and away from hazardous areas. No electricity is required.

Navigation Lights

Navigation lights are mandatory beacons located around the boat. These lights help other boats figure out where you are and where you’re going. Sailboats are required to have red and green bow lights. Red indicates port, and green indicates starboard. This is how boats determine if they’re looking at your bow or stern. Other lights, such as a white stern light, a mast light, are also necessary during specific circumstances. Check your state requirements for lighting.

VHF radios are the standard marine over-the-air communication system. You can use a VHF radio to communicate with the coast guard, other boats, harbors, towing services, and drawbridges. It’s important to learn and write down the specific channels and call signs for each situation, as you need to be able to properly communicate on the radio.

The cabin is the ‘below decks’ area of the sailboat and usually contains living quarters for the captain and crew. Not all boats have cabins, and cabin size varies widely. Some sailboats have rudimentary cabins with basic sleeping accommodations and sitting headroom. Other boats have full standing headroom, shower and wash facilities, full-size kitchens, and separate staterooms for sleeping and sitting. The cabin is usually located forward of the cockpit. Here are some common sailboat parts located within the cabin.

The berth is the sleeping area of a boat. Berths are often convertible, which means they fold or rearrange into a table and seating area. There are numerous kinds of berths. The ‘V’ or ‘vee’ berth is a triangle-shaped sleeping area located in the bow of the boat. Side berths typically convert into couches or settees, and pole berths are essentially cots that roll up and stow away easily.

The bilge is the bottommost interior part of the boat. It’s usually located under the floor in the cabin. When water finds its way into the boat, it drains down to the bilge and gets pumped out by bilge pumps. Bilge pumps are an essential piece of hardware, as they keep the boat dry and prevent sinking. Some boats have a wet bilge, which means it’s always full of water (and supposed to be). Most boats have a dry bilge.

Portlights are watertight windows located in the upper part of the cabin. They can usually be opened or secured using threaded latches. Portlights are generally smaller than traditional portholes and offer a watertight barrier between the inside and outside of the cabin. They’re also useful for ventilation.

Gimballed Utilities

A gimbal is a special type of hinge that keeps an item vertical when the boat rolls. Oil lamps are commonly fitted to gimbals, so they stay upright when the boat bobs around. Stoves are also gimballed, which is extremely useful for cooking or boiling water when the weather gets rough.

Head is the nautical term for a toilet. Most medium-sized sailboats have compact wash facilities that sailors refer to as the ‘head,’ or a porta-potty at the bare minimum. A sailboat’s bathroom usually consists of a marine toilet, a sink, and often a shower with a drain in the floor.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Portable Chairs for Sitting Under Sail

Testers compare six folding seats with padded backrests..

Here at Practical Sailor, we take sitting around very seriously. In the Jul y 15, 1998 issue , we took a look at cockpit seating. The report went into anthropometry (the measurement of the human body) and discussed important work done in ergonomic seating. Before that, we reviewed a variety of portable seating options, including a few beanbag chairs designed for boats (PS, May 15, 1995 and Aug. 1, 1996) and fold-up cockpit seats like the top pick Paradise Sport-a-Seat (PS, December 1996 and Nov. 1, 2002 ).

Since those reports, dozens of new portable chairs have entered the market-some of them seemingly well-suited for onboard duty-so testers thought it a good time for a test update. We rounded up five new padded chairs with self-supporting backrests and compared them to the reigning favorite, the Paradise Sport-a-Seat.

What We Tested

All six test chairs have multiple reclining settings with self-supporting, framed, and padded backrests. All except the West Marine High-back Go Anywhere Seat 2 can be stored flat. All of the test chairs covers, which range from Sunbrella to polyester, are marketed as weatherproof. And all of the test chairs are made with open-cell foam, which easily can become soaked by weather and spray, and takes forever to dry completely.

The test chairs are: the Paradise Sport-a-Seat; Picnic Times Oniva and Ventura designs; G2 Products ComfortSeat; and retail giant West Marines Go-Anywhere Seat 2 and High-back Go-Anywhere Seat 2.

Nevin and Lynne Paradise designed and made their first Sport-a-Seat 27 years ago. They continue to source materials and manufacture the chairs in the U.S. California-based Picnic Time was founded 30 years ago, selling traditional European-style picnic baskets in America. The company has since branched out to offer a variety of leisure products.

Florida-based G2 Products imports and distributes the Netherlands-made ComfortSeat line of seating products and accessories.

How We Tested

Practical Sailor evaluated the portable chairs on construction quality, materials, and features (nonskid bottom, armrests, and whether the chair is foldable and stowable). To gauge comfort, portability, stowability, and durability, testers used each chair for an extended period on board sailboats in varying wind conditions, at the beach, and camping.

Testers ideal portable chair would have a Sunbrella cover, closed-cell foam cushion, and a galvanized-steel frame. It would be comfortable enough to sit on for hourslong watches and would have a nonskid, water-resistant bottom; adjustable backpack straps; and a carrying handle. It also would be affordable and have a long warranty.

Sport-a-Seat

The Sport-a-Seat, PSs top pick in the 1996 and 2002 tests, continues to score big with testers. There is a Goldilocks-esque balance of size, quality, and comfort in this lightweight chair.

Sport-a-Seat has an internal, six-position ratchet hinge and a galvanized carbon-steel frame. The chair is filled with high-density foam and covered in Sunbrella fabric, which is known for being easy to clean, durable, and UV- and water-resistant. The chair has a fabric carrying handle and can be used fully upright, laid flat, or in one of five recline settings. The frame will hold up to 300 pounds.

It retails online for $115 and comes with a one-year limited warranty for the internal frame and hinges. Unlike some cheaper, Made-in-China knock-offs, the Sport-a-Seat is made in America using high-quality, durable materials.

Bottom line: The chair is pricey at $115, but it is well constructed and wed expect it to last many years. Wed like to see a longer warranty, but its worth the cost, in our opinion. It tied the ComfortSeat for Best Choice.

Picnic Time Oniva Picnic

Times Oniva seat was the smallest chair in our test group. The polyester-covered Oniva has a steel frame and high-density foam cushion. The thick foam is comfortable, and can be accessed via zippers on the chair back, but its open-cell nature will quickly become water-logged should the chair fall or blow overboard.

The backrest, which is shorter than the others in the test, folds down flat and has six adjustable positions for reclining. The seat has an attached, adjustable webbing shoulder strap and a black bottom that hides dirt and repels dampness but does not offer nonskid traction. Testers liked the reinforced bottom, but they prefer a nonskid bottom and a cover made of durable Sunbrella rather than polyester, which is more likely to mildew, fade, and tear.

The chair comes in six colors, weighs 6.25 pounds, and carries a manufacturers lifetime limited warranty. Testers found it on several retail websites for $30 to $50.

Bottom line: The Oniva Seat was the most portable and the easiest to stow; however, its polyester cover makes it one of the least durable. However, it does have a lifetime warranty.

Picnic Time Ventura

The polyester-covered Picnic Time Ventura seat was the only chair in our test group with collapsible armrests. The armrests provide additional support, but testers noted that the space between them is not wide (15 inches); boaters with wide sterns might not fit comfortably with the armrests up. If you prefer a wider seat, the armrests can be inverted, increasing the width of the seat to 20 inches.

The adjustable backpack straps are a convenient and hands-free way to transport the Ventura. Testers found that the Ventura cushion, which is accessed via a zipper on the back, was not quite as thick as others, making it less comfortable than some for extended sitting, like on long watches. The chair has six backrest positions.

Unlike the Oniva, the Ventura has a water-resistant, black PVC-coated bottom that keeps the seat from getting damp, damaged, or soiled, and its small nubs offer good nonskid-an important feature for using the chair on deck, underway.

The chair comes in four colors and can be found online for an average price of about $50.

Bottom line: Not as durable or as comfortable as some top-tier chairs, the Ventura boasts a nonskid bottom, backpack straps, a low price, and a lifetime warranty.

• ComfortSeat

The ComfortSeat has a galvanized-steel frame surrounded by a super-dense, coated polyether foam cushion and covered with UV-resistant Sunbrella. A dark blue, rubberized nonskid covers the chair bottom and is much grippier than the Venturas nonskid. The 6-pound ComfortSeat was one of the lightest chairs in our test group, and it has a contoured, padded hand grip, allowing for slightly more comfortable hand carrying. All definite pluses, in our book.

Best of all, the ComfortSeat -which is adjustable to 14 different positions-is as its name implies: quite comfortable. It is available in six colors (and stripes), sells for $100, and is covered by a one-year warranty.

Bottom line: The nonskid bottom and molded hand strap ties the high-quality, high-comfort ComfortSeat with the Sport-a-Seat for the Best Choice; but for the price, wed expect a better warranty.

West Marine Go-Anywhere 2

West Marines Go-Anywhere Seat 2 has a powder-coated steel frame with a ratcheting, five-position hinge. Its style is very similar to the Paradise Sport-a-Seat, but the Go Anywhere 2 is slightly smaller and has a cut-out at the seat-back juncture.

Construction-wise, the two are quite different. Unlike the Sunbrella-covered Sport-a-Seat, the Go Anywhere 2 is made with a UV-resistant polyester fabric that is urethane coated to prevent moisture absorption. The chair, cushioned with high-density, open-cell polyurethane foam, does not have a nonskid bottom, but it does feature a handy mesh storage pocket and a fabric carrying strap. The Go-Anywhere Seat is lightweight and stores flat.

The $90 chair comes with a six-year warranty for the frame and three years for upholstery. Its only sold in navy blue.

Bottom line: The Go-Anywhere Seat 2 was comfortable and portable, and its slightly less expensive than the top picks. However, wed opt to spend the extra $20 or so for a chair with a Sunbrella cover and nonskid bottom.

West Marine High-back Go-Anywhere 2

Testers voted the West Marine High-back Go-Anywhere 2 as the comfort king, but they werent as keen on its hefty size and weight. Style-wise, the double-stuffed chair looks like a videogamers chair, with a high back and low armrests. It also has a number of bonus features: an adjustable headrest pillow, cup holder, mesh back pocket and smaller side pocket, and backpack carrying straps. But all this comfy luxury comes at the price of easy portability and stowability. Folded up, the High-back Go-Anywhere was by far the widest and deepest chair tested, and at 14 pounds, it was by far the heaviest.

Construction is the same as the Go-Anywhere Seat 2, with a powder-coated steel frame, an encapsulated open-cell foam cushion, and a water-repellent, polyester-cover.

The stitching connecting the backpack straps to the chair tore during testing, while testers were simply carrying the chair by the strap. (The chair had seen only normal use for about two weeks before the seam came apart.) West Marine customer service confirmed that repairing it would be covered by the upholstery warranty.

For $140 (the most expensive in the test), testers would like to see upgraded construction quality. The chair carries a six-year warranty on the frame and a three-year warranty on the upholstery.

Bottom line: The High-Back Go Anywhere was the most comfortable we tested and is loaded with features, but its also the least portable and was the only chair that showed wear during our test. However, if youre looking for easy-chair comfort on board and have space to spare, you can’t beat the comfort of this chair. We Recommend it, but suggest you test drive it before buying it, locate a storage space before hauling it onboard, and never let it get wet.

All six chairs were comfortable, but the Sport-a-Seat and ComfortSeat chairs-which have Sunbrella covers and galvanized frames-were our top picks, tying for Best Choice. The main differences between the two is the ComfortSeats nonskid bottom-which we found is a must for use on deck underway-and the fact the Sport-a-Seat is Made in the USA, which speaks to its excellent construction quality.

We suspect that the marine environment will prove too tough for Picnic Times Oniva and Ventura chairs, but the chairs are lightweight, very portable, and comparatively inexpensive.

Testers felt the term portable was overly generous when used to describe West Marines High-back Go-Anywhere Seat 2, but the chair is definitely comfortable and fitted with lots of extras. We Recommend it for those looking for a living-room experience in their cockpit or saloon, who have the space to stow it, and who are looking for a chair to use at anchor or belowdeck.

• Paradise Sport-a-Seat
• Picnic Time Inc.
• West Marine

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Thank you for the article.

Note that as of May 2020, the comfortseatus.com site is no longer available online. I sent an email to the HQ in Holland but have received no reply in over a month. Fisheries Supply, their distributor in Seattle no longer has stock and has no expected date to refill the inventory.

The sport-a-seat pricing has changed. It is now $150 online.

Sport a seat also now has a 10 year warranty listed on their website.

Thanks for useful aritcle! When the weather is fine outside, it’s irresistible to go out and sail with my boat. Comfort and convenience contribute a lot to a thrilling water adventure. So boaters like me are very particular in choosing accessories and gear.

Does anyone know how to purchase the ComfortSeat by G2 Products reviewed in this article “Portable Chairs for Sitting Under Sail” Testers compare six folding seats with padded backrests. By Darrell Nicholson -Published:February 12, 2013; Updated:March 2, 2020

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Check out Moscow’s NEW electric river trams (PHOTOS)

Water transportation has become another sector for the eco-friendly improvements the Moscow government is implementing. And it means business. On July 15, 2021, on the dock of Moscow’s ‘Zaryadye’ park, mayor Sergey Sobyanin was shown the first model of the upcoming river cruise boat.

The model of the electrical boat with panoramic windows measures 22 meters in length. The river tram - as Muscovites call them - has a passenger capacity of 42, including two disabled seats. The trams will also get cutting edge info panels, USB docking stations, Wi-Fi, spaces for scooters and bicycles, as well as chairs and desks for working on the go. The boats will be available all year round, according to ‘Mosgortrans’, the regional transport agency. 

Passengers will be able to pay with their ‘Troika’ public transport card, credit cards or bank cards. 

The main clientele targeted are people living in Moscow’s river districts - the upcoming trams will shorten their travel time in comparison to buses and other transportation by five times, Mosgortrans stated. 

As the river trams are being rolled out, Moscow docks will also see mini-stations, some of which will also be outfitted with charging docks for speed-charging the boats.  

Moscow is set to announce the start of the tender for construction and supply in September 2021. The first trams are scheduled to launch in June 2022 on two routes - from Kievskaya Station, through Moscow City, into Fili; and from ZIL to Pechatniki. 

“Two full-scale routes will be created in 2022-2023, serviced by 20 river trams and a number of river stations. We’ll continue to develop them further if they prove to be popular with the citizens,” the Moscow mayor said .

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