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Yesterday, bless her soul, the Admiral bravely stayed put when sail-raising in higher-winds than anticipated put the boat over to 20 degrees.

We realized it wasn't simply subjective experience that makes her uncomfortable. Poor Admiral is barely over 5 feet soaking wet. She cannot brace her feet on the lowside bench and still sit on the highside. This places her feet on the cockpit sole, which, being just mat like used in campground showers, slips around just when you need traction.

I'd like to do two things - unrelated solutions to fix a related problem.

1] I'm going to do my hardwood mod. Going to lay down a wood sole in the cockpit. I've got piles of salvaged mahogany I'm want to make slats from. I'd liek to ensure that, whatever construction I use, it does not lose traction when wet. Suggestions?

2] I'd like to figure out how to allow her to brace her feet when heeled. I can think of five ways, in descending order of preference:
2a] permanent, retractable footholds in the benches
2b] a wedge that simply sits on the sole against the bench, removable when not needed
2c] a 2-3" horizontal strip sticking out from the bench about 1 foot up
2d] a seat extension under the butt
2e] 3" disco-era elevator shoes
Do you have any suggestions?

I like the disco era elevator shoes. you'll have to make sure to get a pair with
deck shoe treaded bottoms. Can't have her marking up the decks...

Me being totally un-PC and irreverent....

Have you considered the medieval rack stretching method

On a more serious note I will follow this with interest, my admiral is also 'vertically challenged', although she spends most of her time in the cabin and flatly refuses to go on the cabin top. When we were doing sails it was always me up top and dashing back to regain control!!

I have a very simple solution: let her take the wheel. I do this and I adjust the rigging. When she has had enough, I can now do most everything myself from the helm. In these cases, she will generally be seated quite securely at the stern next to me.

JohnCFI wrote:When we were doing sails it was always me up top and dashing back to regain control!!

I've got (or more accurately, the OP has) all lines run aft. The only thing I have to go forward for is reefing.

RobertB wrote:I have a very simple solution: let her take the wheel. I do this and I adjust the rigging. When she has had enough, I can now do most everything myself from the helm. In these cases, she will generally be seated quite securely at the stern next to me.

Yeah. Tried that. She's too freaked out.

I'm not sure if it would work well on an X, but on a M you could stretch a piece of 3" webbing between an eyebolt below the hatchway and the pedestal. Slack of webbing could be adjusted for her leg length. Hook on when needed, out of the way the rest of the time. Not as classy as the disco shoes, but you could try to find webbing in dayglow green

Jim Bunnell wrote:I'm not sure if it would work well on an X, but on a M you could stretch a piece of 3" webbing between an eyebolt below the hatchway and the pedestal. Slack of webbing could be adjusted for her leg length. Hook on when needed, out of the way the rest of the time. Not as classy as the disco shoes, but you could try to find webbing in dayglow green

? What good would webbing do? You mean like a taut line that she could stand on?

I don't think that would work. It has to be stable under her feet.

A very simple solution, and I'm surprises noone has come up with it, have her sit far enough back to allow her to brace her feet against the helm.

Only one thing for it....a TALL blond girlfriend

bartmac wrote:Only one thing for it....a TALL blond girlfriend

Now this is an appealing idea.... I wonder how I get it past the admiral

DaveC426913 wrote:

Jim Bunnell wrote:I'm not sure if it would work well on an X, but on a M you could stretch a piece of 3" webbing between an eyebolt below the hatchway and the pedestal. Slack of webbing could be adjusted for her leg length. Hook on when needed, out of the way the rest of the time. Not as classy as the disco shoes, but you could try to find webbing in dayglow green

? What good would webbing do? You mean like a taut line that she could stand on?

I don't think that would work. It has to be stable under her feet.

Webbing was apparently a poor word choice. I was thinking webbing strap, like truckers use for tiedowns - solid, strong 3 or 4 inch wide - under tension it would provide a solid brace for her feet. The amount of tension would determine how far out her feet were from the seat. It isn't designed to stand on, but to give a place to brace her legs. Rope might work, but would be hard on the feet, especially if she was barefoot.

1) Jim's web idea will work--we used them on J22's to hook feet under the strap to hang off the gunnel.
2) I replaced the single companion way hatch board with 3 sections and leave the bottom section in to prevent water from entering the cabin in the even of a knock down. I had planned to attach a strap running from the lower hatch board to the pedestal but my cockpit table gets in the way. Two of my grand kids are still vertically challenged so I am building removable angled gunnel seats that they can sit on with their feet planted on the bench.
3) Convince her to sit on the lee side--a 5' person won't have much heeling effect at 20*. My 5'9" wife plants herself on the port bench and rarely moves and steadies the helm when I finish a tack.

#3 will work as soon as you remove the scream meter

Bob

Id avoid the strips on the floor. Hard to keep those fasteners sealed. I would use a seat extender
Ix

Windsurf boards use ready-made comfortable, padded, foothold straps that can be adjusted, and are removable (somewhat). When your feet are in those, you're locked in, you feel like you're part of the board- they're secure, and yet you can pull out in an instant. They are meant for exposure to the elements, come in a choice of colours, and would also look like they belong on a boat. Might work in the right customized location for her.

You could build up a pretty nice step with 3-4 throwable cushions in the cockpit