Fore-and-aft Booth-style Dinette For Cruising?

[Seafarer]

I am considering designing and building a small (24') cruising sailboat. In my discussion with another designer, he commented that my fore-and-aft booth-style dinette would not be practical for use while underway. It seems to make sense- there is nothing to brace against to stop from sliding out of the seat if the dinette is on the windward side. However, I see a lot of these in cruising sailboats and have heard nothing bad about them.

Has anyone had experience with this type of dinette while cruising? If so, what was your opinion of it versus the traditional Port & Starboard layout?

[redbopeep]

We had one fore/aft as you describe on the port side of our Rawson 30. It was very nice and an efficient use of space. And, if the boat is heeled a bit (to starboard), one could slide sideways on the bench seat risking falling off the edge. Heeled to port, one is just pushed against the outside wall. However, I routinely sat on the aft seat with my feet braced on the edge of the forward seat. This is perpendicular to the direction of heel--but with your feet there, you wouldn't slide "down-hill" unless the boat was heeled beyond the point that was reasonable to sail it.

When heeled, you'll find so much leeway going on that you're not likely to sail heeled beyond 15-20 degrees or so for any length of time anyway. Further, on a small boat, one probably wishes to be in the cockpit when sailing as well. If going out for more than a day jaunt, we found ourselves packing in so much stuff under the table of the dinette that we couldn't usually sit at the dinette while underway.

Best of luck to you!

[Seafarer]

Multi-day (multi-week) passages will eventually require eating at the dinette while the windvane sails the boat. I'll probably draw up a half-dozen different interiors before I finally settle on one.

[Swagman]

Hi,

We've an L shaped seating forward and to stbd of our table down below - and our forward seating is not suitable when underway and with any reasonable angle of heel.

Practically when sailing to windward we rarely eat from a table. Big bowls ensure most of the tucker goes down out throats instead of on the deck!

JOHN

[Seafarer]

Then where do you eat when sailing to windward?

[edsailing]

Originally Posted by Seafarer

Then where do you eat when sailing to windward?

Try the cockpit -easier to brace and more space.

[redbopeep]

We also eat in the cockpit regardless of the heel angle. Only if rainy would one of us choose to eat inside while the other person took the helm/watch. In that case, usually the person eating inside sits on the pilot berth on the starboard side of the companionway to eat. Yes, from a bowl! too

And, the "other" place to eat is standing over the galley sink. While preparing the meal for everyone else

[Seafarer]

So a traditional P & S style with fold-down table would allow you to eat in rough weather by folding down the table, sitting on the settee, and bracing against the table while eating out of a bowl....

Sounds pretty good to me. Guess they got that one right a long time ago...

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by Seafarer

So a traditional P & S style with fold-down table would allow you to eat in rough weather by folding down the table, sitting on the settee, and bracing against the table while eating out of a bowl....

Sounds pretty good to me. Guess they got that one right a long time ago...

Ummm...you're probably not wanting to eat down below in "rough weather" anyway. On the other hand, when sailing quite heeled, you might wish to eat below.

[Swagman]

Originally Posted by Seafarer

So a traditional P & S style with fold-down table would allow you to eat in rough weather by folding down the table, sitting on the settee, and bracing against the table while eating out of a bowl....

Sounds pretty good to me. Guess they got that one right a long time ago...

Yes to first statement but suggest the fore / aft layout had more to do with the conventional narrow proportions of older styled yeachts than anything else.

Plus of course a lee cloth and you can sleep someone to windward - or indeed in really big horrible stuff you can snug down to leeward and sleep out a bad one!

Cheers

JOHN