Doors on sailboats--Do we need them?

[Kings Gambit]

I’ve been often annoyed about the cabin & head doors on the Bavaria. They seem always to be in the way, and/or else banging back and forth if not secured. The fwd cabin door opens inward against the hanging (clothes) cabinets of the fwd cabin, so has to be closed or nearly so to get something out of there. The aft cabin door opens outward against the pots and pans cabinet in the galley, so has be to closed to get something out of there. The door to the aft head opens outward against the seat to the nav station; thus, blocks my access to the instrument panel unless closed. The ONLY time they are useful (as privacy doors) is when there are guests aboard; otherwise a total PITA. Same thing with certain cabinet doors. It seems to come from the dubious idea that the inside of a sailboat should look and function like the inside of a house. Yes—if your’re sitting warm and toasty reading, with a cup of coffee next to you; otherwise I’m not so convinced.

What do other people do about them? Similar issues?

 

[dlochner]

The handles are at a height that exactly matches my waist and the belt loops on my jeans or shorts. I'm surprised the handles are still attached, they seem to be stronger than the belt loops.

A simple curtain could easily replace most doors. The privacy doors provide is sometimes appreciated.

Cabinet doors are different matter. Their primary purpose is to keep the stuff in the cabinet in the cabinet when the boat is heeled. I'm staying with cabinet doors.

 

[jssailem]

KG. It sounds like your morning coffee is spiked and your capturing a Bohemian streak of rebellion. I am visioning doorways of cloth and beads on your boat. A Haight Ashbury second story flat vibe. Psychedelic posters. Jimmy Hendrix playing loud.

Total rebellion.

With out doors how do you keep the crew in their space?

 

[Benny17441]

Manufacturers put them there because the majority of the people would not buy their boats if their competition had doors and they didn't. We can tell is winter time.

 

[Kings Gambit]

KG. It sounds like your morning coffee is spiked and your capturing a Bohemian streak of rebellion. I am visioning doorways of cloth and beads on your boat. A Haight Ashbury second story flat vibe. Psychedelic posters. Jimmy Hendrix playing loud.

Total rebellion.

With out doors how do you keep the crew in their space?

Ha! I definitely think curtains would be more practical! The doors are almost always secured open. I close ‘em usually only to access whatever it is that they are blocking me from getting to. I can put caution tape around to contain the crew!

I could easily remove them; but then—another pile of boat “discards” at home

 

[Will Gilmore]

If you want to keep solid doors on your head, foulies locker, and/or master or guest suites, but lack room for full swinging doors, you could consider bifold doors; a common enough solution. Accordion doors also work, but reduce opening size significantly. If you really want to get fancy and rebuild some of your cabinet and interior space, rolltop style pocket doors could give you the best of both worlds.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Kings Gambit]

Manufacturers put them there because the majority of the people would not buy their boats if their competition had doors and they didn't. We can tell is winter time.

This comment makes me think that the new boat market is aimed at the “new” boater. I don’t know many “old” boaters who would buy a totally new boat these days. Could just be the folks I cruise with. I can remember only a couple of friends who did: an “out-of-the-box” Morgan 45 CC, around 1995 or so, and another who bought a new Islander (Bahama) 30. In any event, inside design is being driven by the “wishes” of the boating clueless, who most likely will sell within a few years, etc.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

curtains - Have NEVER had doors on any boat of mine

 

[NYSail]

Love my doors. The cabin doors stay secure and out of the way when open. Head doors I keep closed, but they swing out and don't get in the way. when kids/grand kid come for the night wife and I can go up front, close the door, lock it and be away! Just have to remember to bring enough libations.....

 

[Richard19068]

"The ONLY time they are useful (as privacy doors) is when there are guests aboard"

That sums it up for me.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I have one door in my boat and it is ingenious because it works 2 ways! It's the door to the head, which when opened is latched to separate the salon from the v-berth. I normally keep it closed to the head when I'm anchored or otherwise occupying the boat when not sailing so that there is a clear passage between the v-berth and the salon. There is no desire to expose the toilet as far as I am concerned. When I'm sailing, I will usually latch the door to close off the salon. It looks cleaner that way and allows the v-berth to be used for storage of items that can be left out. When I'm using the toilet, I close the door to the salon because the head is so cramped and it opens the head to the vanity sink. I'll have to admit that there are times when the door is just in the way, but curtains aren't for me. I like the door.

On a larger boat, I would not want an absence of doors. The boat would look awful. Why the problem with a tiny inconvenience when eliminating doors just detracts from the boat's fit and finish? Some people must have a need to complain for the smallest of reasons!

 

[rgranger]

A simple curtain could easily replace most doors.

 

[jon hansen]

a 'dog's playing poker' rug could be adapted to be such curtain i'm thinking

 

[TomY]

Doors in residential design can be a challenge but nothing compared to the tiny spaces in boat design . If designers didn't have enough room for them to function - open or closed, they probably should have left them out. But I bet doors sell boats just like berths and heads.

We have four full sized doors below and the designers got them all right.

The head door stays closed unless somebody is walking in or out of the head (if somebody leaves it open a slight sea will swing it closed and it latches). There is a full hanging locker across from it that has plenty of room to swing open with the head door closed.

A single door to the vee berth stays open. A hook and eye holds it firmly against a bulkhead out of the passageway. We rarely close it but as somebody said, it is nice at times to be able to do so. There is a second hanging locker in this passageway that swings freely with the vee berth door open or closed.

 

[dlochner]

If you want to keep solid doors on your head, foulies locker, and/or master or guest suites, but lack room for full swinging doors, you could consider bifold doors; a common enough solution. Accordion doors also work, but reduce opening size significantly. If you really want to get fancy and rebuild some of your cabinet and interior space, rolltop style pocket doors could give you the best of both worlds.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Bifold doors are a worse solution. Too hard to keep them secured. I have 2 bifold doors and 1 regular door. Never a problem with the regular door. The bifold are often swinging open becuase the little velcro dots can't secure them. I"m open to suggestions about how to secure them better.

One advantage to doors is closing off spaces that you don't want to heat or cool. Our quarter berth is used as a garage. When its cold, the door can be closed and the heat contained in the main saloon.

 

[Bob J.]

On my 28 the salon door opens into the head. The v-berth door opens into the head. If you need to use the depository you had to close the v-berth door.
Kept the salon door, put a curtain at the v- berth.

 

[Hydro Therapy]

I’m a fan of the door to the head. I could live without the door to the aft cabin. When open it limits the room in the galley. My V berth has an open plan so no door there.

 

[rgranger]

a 'dog's playing poker' rug could be adapted to be such curtain i'm thinking

Yeah.... or something more subdued like this...

 

[Kings Gambit]

Why the problem with a tiny inconvenience when eliminating doors just detracts from the boat's fit and finish? Some people must have a need to complain for the smallest of reasons!

Interesting comment. If it were a tiny inconvenience I don’t think it would be a matter of “discussion.” The doors are nearly always open. Except for privacy use of the toilet, they are closed only to get them out of the way; blocking access to something. If I’m single handing, why do I need privacy to use the toilet? Therefore, the doors are totally and unmitigatedly unnecessary; functionless, forcing frequent acts which take two hands to complete, either to open and latch, or to unlatch and then close, etc. Not consistent with the basic sailboat philosophy of utilitarian use of space through design, etc. Efficiency!!!

 

[rgranger]

But getting back to something serious... I'm surprised that pocket doors never became popular options for a boat.