Built-in Sheet Boxes
Sailboat builders are getting smart and molding in sheet boxes as part of the deck mold. This eliminates the need for ugly sheet bags and usually keeps things a bit more organized in the cockpit. I was on two boats at the Oakland boat show recently and was happy to see some innovations in deck design. Two productions boats, the new Hunter 39 and the giant new Jeanneau 57, both now feature built-in boxes to store sheets and halyards to keep the cockpit tidy. On the Jeanneau, the boxes are situated between the line clutches and the cabintop winches so the lines drop in from both sides. The boxes are deep but also long so they’re very accessible and you’ll know what’s hiding in there. I’m not a huge fan of sheet bags – not only because they’re ugly but because I know someone who used to store a big brass lock in his sheet bags and then promptly broke his own tooth as he gave the line a tug and had the lock shoot out of the bag and head for his face. It’s tempting to hide stuff in sheet bags from locks to sunscreen to food. But at least with these big boxes, you’ll know what’s in there. The Hunter 39 takes a slightly different approach with deeper boxes alongside the companionway. Also close to the winches and clutches, these boxes should be enough to store quite a bit of line. This is exactly the kind of detail that shows innovation even in the sometimes stodgy sailing world. Keeping a cockpit organized makes it safer and that’s great for both racing and cruising.
Sailboat builders are getting smart and molding in sheet boxes as part of the deck mold. This eliminates the need for ugly sheet bags and usually keeps things a bit more organized in the cockpit.
I was on two boats at the Oakland boat show recently and was happy to see some innovations in deck design. Two productions boats, the new Hunter 39 and the giant new Jeanneau 57, both now feature built-in boxes to store sheets and halyards to keep the cockpit tidy.
On the Jeanneau, the boxes are situated between the line clutches and the cabintop winches so the lines drop in from both sides. The boxes are deep but also long so they’re very accessible and you’ll know what’s hiding in there.
I’m not a huge fan of sheet bags – not only because they’re ugly but because I know someone who used to store a big brass lock in his sheet bags and then promptly broke his own tooth as he gave the line a tug and had the lock shoot out of the bag and head for his face. It’s tempting to hide stuff in sheet bags from locks to sunscreen to food. But at least with these big boxes, you’ll know what’s in there.
The Hunter 39 takes a slightly different approach with deeper boxes alongside the companionway. Also close to the winches and clutches, these boxes should be enough to store quite a bit of line.
This is exactly the kind of detail that shows innovation even in the sometimes stodgy sailing world. Keeping a cockpit organized makes it safer and that’s great for both racing and cruising.
