Standing up in Boats

Even with all the headroom in the world, some people look tired of standing up, but don't have anywhere to sit!

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A good friend of mine went to SIBS in 2014, actively looking for a new boat. Sitting in the cockpit of a 34 footer (a cat as it happens) as you do when awaiting your turn down below, the salesman emerged, invited him down and enquired what he was looking for in a boat. said friend replied "ideally, standing headroom". "That shouldn't be a problem" replied the salesman (and I'll swear he looked smug) "come on down". Said friend unwrapped himself from the cockpit seat, all 6ft 9 inches of him. The salesman's smile disappeared...........
 
Interesting discussion! However one key factor we havent looked at is that if you have long term back problems you MUST have standing headroom. Likewise as the years go on crouching justisnt on the agenda. I'm 5'8, and my Trident has 5'9 headroom. We get along just fine! The forecabin is 4'9, fine for storage, but I couldnt live up there!. And the Trident looks like a 'proper yacht' with its classic traditional lines, too!
 
I know someone who lived aboard an Anderson 22 ( long bunks but 4'8" headroom ) for 18 months, with his girlfriend along for a lot of the time; as far as I know they're still on speaking terms so that must say something I suppose, maybe as much about their relationship as the boat ! :encouragement:
 
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I sometimes have back pain, and the boat that was worst for it was a Westerly 22 with just over five feet headroom; at 5 ft 4 I would shuffle around hunched over, which was the worst possible thing.

The Newbridge Coromandel I've also sailed on had 4'8 headroom so you had to sit, but at least you sat straight!
 
I have found good sitting headroom the most important thing in boats; in a big cruiser one still can't stroll around as fondly imagined at boat shows, you get thrown around whether in a Corribee or a Halberg Rassey...

So leecloths and ability to sit at the chart table - or cook with a gymballed stove equipped with pan clamps - suddenly become a lot more important than this year's latest stripes ! :)
 
vyv_cox said:
We had a test sail before buying our first cruising boat. It was a GK24. The lack of height in the saloon almost put us off the idea totally, gave me backache. Nowadays when reading boat specifications one of the first bits of info I look for is headroom.
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Reminds me of the charter family who had never sailed and booked a 44i at Sunsail as the first boat they were ever to handle alone on Flotilla which was booked because the husband insisted on the headroom.

They survived, and had a great week.
 
Seajet said:
I have found good sitting headroom the most important thing in boats; in a big cruiser one still can't stroll around as fondly imagined at boat shows, you get thrown around whether in a Corribee or a Halberg Rassey...

So leecloths and ability to sit at the chart table - or cook with a gymballed stove equipped with pan clamps - suddenly become a lot more important than this year's latest stripes ! :)
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When I get on board the boat on a Friday night I generally find that I can indeed walk around the boat as it was at the boat show and there is rarely any need for leecloths or cooking at any kind of angle.

Can't comment on this year's stripes, mine are blue just like the last boat :rolleyes:

Edit: Flippant comments aside, standing headroom probably isn't that important on passage but otherwise I find it quite useful especially as I tend to arrive straight from work Friday night and not leave until the Monday morning.
 
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