PocketShip.net

Why this topic? During the past two days I was working on the companionway sill. Quite often, I stepped from the bridge deck down into the cabin and vice versa. That's ok but I realized this is a huge step. I measured a vertical distance of about 57.5 cm (~22.5") from the floorboards to the upper edge of the inner dropboard retainer. I wonder how this feels while sailing or if this will create unhappiness with persons being less tall then me.

Here is a solution I found by another builder, but it is a rather bulky thing that needs to be stored somewhere when the dropboards are in? Maybe it is only useful when not underway?

What I like to have is s.th. that does not take much space, (removable?), can serve as an additional step, is easy to build and possibly provides a seat too. So far, I don't have a good solution.

Any ideas? Any experience from builders with finished boats? Or maybe this is a stupid topic that shall be abandoned?

Definitely a good topic. I have read many posts that state that passengers tend to like sitting in the companionway so some kind of seat makes sense. I’ve been playing around with ideas myself, but haven’t decided on anything yet. I wonder if the seat and step can be looked at as two distinct things. Perhaps a small step could be built onto the centerboard trunk and the seat would be a separate, removable piece. It seems an integrated solution would be bulky. Also the step is always handy, but the seat may not be needed all the time.

When setting up and sailing the boat you will have to climb up on to the cabin to reach the foredeck, and
climb into the boat from the ground when it is up on a trailer. Compared to those, stepping into or out of the cabin
is not a big deal.

Doug

slash2 wrote:Definitely a good topic. I have read many posts that state that passengers tend to like sitting in the companionway so some kind of seat makes sense. I’ve been playing around with ideas myself, but haven’t decided on anything yet. I wonder if the seat and step can be looked at as two distinct things. Perhaps a small step could be built onto the centerboard trunk and the seat would be a separate, removable piece. It seems an integrated solution would be bulky. Also the step is always handy, but the seat may not be needed all the time.

I would tend towards this solution if at all. I'm not very tall so might like a step, but I would think you could do something very low profile mounted to the centerboard "spine". I do worry about eating up the cabin space too much.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I believe it is better to stick with the original design by now and come back to this later, when we will have some experience with sailing PS by ourselves.

Dietrich

I have tried several different seat/step arrangements in my Pocketship over the last 5 years. I mostly camp cruise alone but also day sail with one or more passengers. Depending on how you use your boat maybe one of these will be useful. The one I use all the time and is the most useful for me is the folding plastic stool (quick, cheap, compact).-

I will attach some photos of each in three messages:

This was my first one based on ideas gleaned from this forum. It has a leg that straddles the CB truck and rests on the floor. It will come apart by removing the two eye bolts which thread into barrel nuts. Can be stowed upfront between Bulkhead 1 and 2. It is very sturdy. A person running the jib or just wanting a nice view forward can sit on it easily. I have also set my stove on it for cooking while cruising. If I were to use it a lot I might make it hinge like the next version I made. When it is in place it does make it more difficult to step into cabin. I am 6'2" so do not have trouble with the step into the cabin.

This version folds compactly. Works great as seat or stove base for cooking from cabin. Intrudes into the cockpit so can be in way if someone is sitting up forward with legs on bridge deck .Eliminates the leg into the cabin. Had to add a couple tabs on inside of companionway threshold or is will slide when boat heels.

Folding plastic stool. This is the most useful for me. It is very compact when folded, and fits easily up front in storage area forward of of Bulkhead 2. It is perfect height for me to sit on facing aft while cooking on bridge deck. With a boom tent this is a great cooking solution out of weather but not inside cabin. It has non skid feet and when I am sailing I leave it on cabin floor in the open position. It has never moved around in rough conditions. I stand on it to reach things on mast like Lazy Jack cleat, to put in a reef, Putting on sail cover, attaching boom tent to mast etc. It is really handy and I no longer carry either of the ones I made unless I think some one would sit on it on during a day sail.