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**Sailboat Accommodations**
Published 2023-07-08; Updated 2025-02-11
Living on a sailboat for any period of time can be exceptionally enjoyable and rewarding. That is true whether you're taking a special overnight trip, making a weekend getaway with friends, or making the boat your primary home for months at a time.
When you're on a boat, you are close to nature and minimally impacting the environment. You're on the water in a beautiful location. That could be grabbing moment of peace and perspective off the city's shores, or anchored in a remote and unpopulated location. There are birds, fish, and marine mammals all around.
Aboard, you are self-sufficient in your off-grid and movable home. That home is made of cozy spaces where everything is tidily in its place and close at hand when you need it. I value boat interiors and boat life as much for their tiny-home qualities as for the fact that they enable sailing and exploring interesting places.
 The satisfaction of life aboard is enhanced when the boat is well designed and well suited to your goals, and you understand of how to take best advantage of it. This article is for helping you to achieve that by describing the accommodation options of a sailboat and how to use (and share) them.
The functions of boat living spaces correspond to land homes we're all familiar with. Yet, they must operate completely "off grid" and fit within a relatively small and oddly shaped footprint. This leads to an interesting set of compromises across diverse solutions for boat designs. The best layout depends on the goals of the owner and size and cost of the boat. Since there then will be no single best for all cases, understanding what makes a good interior requires understanding the different desirable qualities and constraints on achieving them.
In this article, I describe these constraints and the ingenious (or
otherwise) solutions that boat designers crafted to them for mid-sized
cruising sailboats. I describe boat designs and features in light of
differing goals, such as individual overnights, week-long trips or
chartering, full-time liveaboard, and bluewater passagemaking.
I'm assuming that you're probably in one of two groups reading this article. Maybe you're about to be a guest on someone else's boat, perhaps with no previous cruising experience of your own. You'd like to know what to expect when you come aboard for the long weekend and how to prepare.
Or, maybe you're a sailor (or at least an aspiring one) who is interested in chartering or buying a boat of your own. This article is one of your early sources for researching interior aspects to consider when evaluating a sailboat. You'll combine knowledge of life aboard described here with other considerations such as sailing characteristics, cost, and availability to find the right boat for you.
A sailboat's living space can be viewed as a small, open-plan apartment on the water. The main living and working areas of a boat are described below with some key terminology. All images in this section are from the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380.
Saloon :  Living room and dining room, which usually comprises a central table, sofa-like settees around the table, and some stowage shelves above the settees. This is the primary interior living space on most boats, and the public space anyone can use. If you have a private cabin, leave the storage in the saloon for the people sleeping in the saloon and for galley supplies and boat equipment. The companionway is the ladder or set of stairs leading from the exterior cockpit into the saloon.
Cabin :  Bedroom with a door, personal storage, and maybe even a private bathroom. A single berth cabin has a bed for one person that may be only half a meter wide. A double berth cabin's bed is closer to a land home "single" bed, although may not be rectangular. The owner's cabin is the nicest one, usually with a private bathroom and more storage than the guest cabins.
Heads :  A head (or "heads" in British English) is the room with a toilet and usually a sink. The head is also the name for the toilet itself; technically the room is a head compartment. A wet head has a shower faucet so that the same space can be used for bathing, usually by sitting on the toilet seat. Larger boats usually have a separate shower, which is a dedicated room with no toilet. Another popular option is a fold-out glass partition so that the toilet/sink side of the room doesn't get wet while bathing. The day head is is the one intended for everyone to use during the day, but is often also the head dedicated to one or more cabins at night. It is usually at the foot of the companionway, in the saloon. As in a house, an ensuite head is private with direct acess from a cabin.
Berth :  A berth is any bed, including one in a cabin. When referred to by itself, this means a bed in an area that has no door and may be public. A quarter berth or pilot berth is usually close to the nav station in the saloon. It is the traditional place for the skipper to sleep when off watch during an ocean crossing, so that they can reach the cockpit quickly. In a more casual setting, a pilot berth is a convenient place for a child or pet to sleep and often is just used as storage. A V berth is a triangular bed in the front of the boat, which might have a curtain or partial wall for some privacy even if not in a cabin. A side berth or saloon berth is in the saloon and has little privacy; this is like sleeping on the sofa at home. However, while they lack privacy, those saloon berths offer the most headroom, easy access to the head, and rock the least in waves.
Galley :  The galley is the kitchen, which may contain a gimballed (swinging) stove, sink, ice box (cooler), refrigerator, freezer, and storage for cooking utensils and food. Most of these are similar to the equipment in an RV or small apartment. Galleys are designed for cooking while underway. However, when cruising it is common to prepare food primarily at anchor and only cook hot beverages and sandwiches while sailing.
Foredeck : While sailing, the deck at the front of the boat is strictly off limits except for experienced crew performing specific duties. But at anchor, it becomes a wonderful place for sunbathing, reading, and socializing. Think of it as a poolside patio. Some 50-60' sailboats have a separate crew cabin (which could also be used for guests) accessible only through a hatch on the foredeck.
Cockpit :  Excepting the helm area immediately behind the wheel, the cockpit is the main outdoor living area on a boat. It is like a back porch on a house. While sailing, the cockpit where everyone will sit in reasonable weather, and is the base for socialising and eating. Some cockpits are extended at the stern with sugar scoop stairs and a small deck by the water for swimming and reaching a dock or the dinghy. Others have swim platform or bathing platform fold-down decks at water level for that purpose. Sometimes a grill or refrigerated storage will even be available in the cockpit.
Nav Station :  Chart table (desk) in the saloon, with access to critical electronics such as instruments, circuit breakers, and radio, which corresponds to sort of a small home office and utility room.
Technical Area : Also called the engine compartment or engine room, this is the equivalent of a basement or boiler room on land. It contains large systems such as the engine, watermaker, airconditioning compressor, various pumps and filters, and maybe some tool storage. This area is generally never observed or used by guests or most crew.
These areas can be configured in various ways on even production boats. Below are examples of variations for the running example of the Jeanneau 380. Part of choosing the right boat is selecting the layout best suited to your use. This is why understanding the tradeoffs is important even once the particular desired yacht has been chosen. Just as with cars and houses, it is also a fun passtime to configure one's fantasy yacht even with no intention of purchasing. Many manufacturers have interactive tools on their website as well as catalogs showing all of the options.
<script src="util.js"></script> <script> makeScroller('jeanneau-380/#.jpg', 1, 12); </script>Here are examples of different boat interiors. I chose them to show the range of interior designs. A 35-45' production performance cruiser is sort of boat you are most likely to find yourself chartering or buying for general sailing and casual cruising. From that average, consider the other categories as shifts in priorites. They are oriented more towards full time live-aboard, racing, day sailing, or a luxury lifestyle.
The exact layout shown is not necessarily what any given boat will be like even for that model and year. Most new boats can be ordered with several options and standard configurations. Older boats may have been modified heavily from their original design on the interior.
Prices vary significantly with the current market conditions, options, and regional demand. They also do not factor in regional taxes and import duties, which could be as high as 30%. So, prices listed are useful for understanding the relative affordability range and level of luxury and space to expect at that range, but are not accurate for budgetting.
Production performance cruisers are the standard modern boat configuration. They meet the needs of most people at a reasonable price, and comprise a majority of the charter market.
A representative production performance cruiser is the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380. This is a 37' boat with two or three double cabins and one or two heads. It costs about US$350k. It is designed to be sailed by a couple with occasional guests for private ownership, or packed with 6 people for a week long charter. It can easily be sailed by one person in calm conditions and would feel luxuriously large to live aboard for one or two by sailboat standards.
The 380 is slightly larger and more spacious than the common and more affordable 35' cruisers, without going into the 40'+ territory that becomes harder to sail single-handed and significantly more expensive to own or charter.
37' is about the smallest standard boat that six people can be comfortable on for a social weekend aboard. Contributing factors to the comfort level for that many people are the two heads, relatively good standing room throughout, and wide, open saloon layout. For a week-long charter it is a good size for a family of four or two couples. To live aboard for long periods of time, it is a good size for single experienced sailor or a couple.
Boats with similar layouts at varying performance and price levels include Beneteau Oceanis 30.1, Marlow-Hunter 31, Hanse 315, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349, Beneteau Oceanis 34.1, Linjett 34, Hanse 348, Catalina 355, J/112e, Hanse 348, Elan E4, Tartan 365, Dufour 37, Arcona 385, Bavaria Cruiser 37, Bavaria C38, Beneteau Oceanis 38.1, Hanse 388, Najad 395 AC, Tartan 395, X 40, Allures 40.9, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410, Arcona 415, Grand Soleil 42 LC, and Contest 42CS.
Long term live-aboard boats are often new semi-custom decksaloons or new (or used) traditional boats in the 1980s cruising style. These trade spacious aesthetics and luxury amenities for storage space, better galleys, and more robust systems. They differ from charter boats in exactly the ways that a home differs from a vacation rental.
The Sirius 35 DS is a semi-custom boat that is built to order with a specific hull and extensive options and customization flexibility. It is 35' long, and in its most common configuration it has two double-berth cabins, one head, and a separate shower. It costs US$500-750k in that configuration.
The Sirius is designed for a single sailor or a couple to sail. It works well for families or a couple with occasional guests. As a decksaloon with a clever layout, it has storage and accommodation space closer to a 40' boat achieved by placing the center cabin berth underneath the saloon.
This sort of boat is rare on the charter market. It appeals most to experienced, live-aboard sailors. It demonstrates the kind of highly optimized living space that is possible on a boat for someone whose first priority is live aboard full time. It achieves practicality and comfort by forgoing low price, racing performance, or maximizing berths for a weekend or charter (although two queen beds in 35' is a lot of berths!)
I find the whole Sirius range of decksaloons to be exceptional for living aboard even in the semi-custom cruiser category because of their relatively unique interior layouts. They are the only boats I know of with a center cabin even at 35' and 31' feet, and the 40 DS is one of the only boats with three double-berth cabins and two heads at that size.
The galley is above in the raised saloon, giving the cook great views, communication, and ventillation. That is very attractive to me for short handed sailing (where the cook is also on watch), and for not banishing cooking to the more claustrophbic and motion-sickness inducing belowdecks.
Despite a favorably low freeboard, even the 31 DS still manages to provide standing headroom throughout the entire interior, and this is of course carried through to the larger boats in the range. That is another property that is rare in boat under 45' and which makes extended living aboard much more comfortable. I chose the 35 DS as the exemplar for this category because there is no other boat under 40' so practical and spacious for living aboard. The tradeoff for all of this living space is the loss of the sleek abovedeck lines of a traditional or performance cruiser.
Other, much larger boats in this category are the Nordship 380 DS, Nauticat 385, Moody 41 DS, Sirius 40 DS, Heyman 42 PHH, Nordship 420 DS, Garcia Exploration 45, and Moody 45 DS.
Traditional cruisers have more attractive and classic exterior aesthetics than decksaloons, but lack some of the space and light of a raised saloon or pilothouse. Traditional cruisers are also often slightly more affordable at the same length, although any live aboard will be either more expensive or require much more work to retrofit than a charter-class boat.
The Island Packet 349 is an example of cruisers designed that similarly optimized to decksaloons for serious live-aboard use and sailing by a couple, but follow a more traditional layout below decks. The 349 is at the shorter/more affordable end of the spectrum for such boats and is focused on coastal cruising. Many other boats in this style are above 40' long and both more expensive and hardened for bluewater passages.
Island Packet changed ownership a few years ago and redesigned their line. The current boats follow the main points of a classic Island Packet: shallow draft, ivory deck (for reduced glare), traditional layout, and extremely seaworthy. They now add an even higher level of workmanship quality on the interior, the choice of either a cutter or solent rig, and several amenities that would not be found on an older boat. These include a washing machine and dishwasher, light wood colors, recliners instead of a second settee, and heating and air conditioning. Regardless of whether you think those all belong on a sailboat, they are impressive options to have available in a traditional-style cruiser.
Similar boats include the Malo 37, Pacific Seacraft 37, Bavaria C38, Hanse 388, Island Packet 439, Hallberg-Rassy 40C, Contest 42, Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 42, Bavaria Vison 42, Moody 42, Discovery 42S, Allures 40.9, Rustler 44 DS, and Hylas 46.
The Beneteau First 24 is representative of day sailing and pocket cruising boats. It costs about US$60k and is 24' long.
These are intended primarily for sailing during the day, without living aboard at anchor. In fact, they are often launched from a trailer. However, they have minimalist accomodations that can be used for a weekend when you don't mind roughing it a bit.
Think of this as a very nice camping tent on the water. Depending on how it is set up by the owner, the galley is usually a cooler and a small alcohol or self-contained propane stove. The toilet is a port-o-pottie (a chamberbot/bucket, maybe with some chemical disinfectant) on the floor of the cabin; if you're not single-handing, your only privacy when using it is the other person leaving the cabin and looking away.
West Wight Potter 19, Flicka 20, Catalina 22, Morris 29, Django 7.7, Saffier SE 33 Life, Rustler 33.
Serious racing boats have token accommodation to support offshore multi-day races. There is nothing luxurious or comfortable about them, and staying more than a night or two on board is impractical. These are designed foremost to sail fast, and reducing weight from the interior is key to making a boat fast.
The J/88 is an example of a high performance racing boat. It is 29' long and costs about US$250k. It demonstrates the sort of living compromises on a racing boat. The toilet is sitting right in the front cabin, which itself has no door. The bowsprit retracts directly over the berth in that cabin, and really that "berth" is intended as sail storage. The crew sleeps in the saloon, which has no table as they are expected to eat out of thermoses while sitting in the cockpit and only sleep or navigate when below. The sink is a simple basin in the saloon, and the nav station is merely a flat surface and chart storage, with no way to sit at it like a desk. There essentially is no galley--bring prepared food or use a jetboil.
The next step larger of a J/99 adds a door to the toilet-sail-locker-front-cabin, a saloon table, a miniature but usable galley with a camp stove, and two aft cabins with doors. There is no way to wash up except in the galley sink, and essentially no storage.
I describe racing boat living conditions mostly to make clear that a standard cruiser is relatively attractive and luxurious inside. Racing boats are of course not intended for anything except hardcore racing in private ownership, and the accommodations rarely will be used.
Similar boats include the Bente 28, J/99, RM 890+, Dehler 30, Beneteau First 36, and Nautor ClubSwan 43.
The 2022 Nautor Swan 58 is just about the largest typical sailboat suitable for owner operation and with a relatively standard interior, before moving to superyacht levels. It is 63' long and costs about US$2.5M. This class of luxury yacht is beautiful and spacious, although unfortunately not what most people will be able to experience.
The Swan 58 has three or four cabins and three heads. It is suitable for a family to live aboard, for charter with 8+ people, or to be sailed for the owner by a small professional crew. The layout is scaled up version of the Jeanneau and other performance cruisers.
Although marketed to wealthy couples and genuinely operable in good conditions by two experienced sailors, this size of boat is beyond what most people would want to handle without a full crew.
Similar boats include Oyster 495, Amel 50, Allures 51.9, Italia 14.98, Elan Impression 50.1, Allures 519, Oyster 565, Contest 62CS, Amel 60, Swan 65, and Kraken 66.
These boats are outside of the "mid-sized monohull" range that the rest of this article considers. I include them because it is nice to dream of spending a week on one would be like. They to show what a sailboat living space can be when outside of any constraints on price, size, and sailing it without a professional crew.
The more tasteful sailing superyachts have separate crew apartments with galleys, walk-in engine rooms, spiral staircases, pianos, hottubs, bars, libraries, and so on as beautiful mansions that sail oceans. The Spirit 111 and Shenandoah of Sark are a great examples from different centuries of the ridiculous excesses of these boats. Which, I am nonetheless very jealous of and glad are out there on the seas! The notion of architectural spaces or a grand piano on a sailboat is wild.
Superyachts are of course fully customizable or custom yachts, whether built new or acquired and retrofitted. Their extreme price points start above tens of million US dollars with no upper limit. Often only one or two of a design are ever built.
Some interesting sailing superyachts include Y9, Oyster 885, Southern Wind Seatius, Gunboat 78 (Catamaran), Southern Wind 105, Swan 105, J-Class Endeavour and Alloy Yacht Destination.
The saloon is the indoor social heart of the boat in the way that the cockpit is the outdoor one. When living at anchor, you'll spend most of your indoor time here, on the settees.
Most saloons are nearly identical. There are choices of fabric and wood color of course, and whether to have hull windows. The largest variation in the saloon itself between similar sized boats is whether they have two matching settees, one settee and two armchairs opposite it, or a linear galley opposite a C-shaped or full-round settee.
A saloon is normally relatively low in the boat, with the coachroof and side decks forming the ceiling. On older or more traditional boats, this can feel a bit like living in the basement. Modern boats have hull windows as well as portholes to make it more airy and give a better sense of what is going on outside. Raised saloons lift roof a bit and add coachroof windows for improved light and visibility. True deck saloons and pilothouses lift the roof and floor a lot--to the point where it feels like a catamaran saloon with full visibility, and there's extra accomodation space below. There are not many true decksaloons that aren't motorsailors; Nordship, Sirius, PHH, and Moody are the only ones in regular production currently, although there are many older models and custom builds from others afloat.
Boats built in the 21st century are quite wide (beamy), and often have light colored fabric and wood. This makes the saloon bright and makes it especially pleasant at anchor compared to classic cruisers. For strictly good weather, daylight coastal cruising, it is also nice to have a wide saloon with high ceiling. This gives a pleasant airy feeling and makes it easy to move around, especially with people trying to pass each other when packing in lots of guests on a charter.
 
However, for bluewater passages or other cruising in more serious seas, it is better to have a saloon with only narrow spaces in which to brace oneself. Open spaces are just areas that you can be thrown across. This is one of the tradeoffs of boat design. A nice saloon at anchor is not a safe one while sailing, and vice versa. Choose the appropriate boat for how you will use it most of the time.
Compare the Rustler 37 and Bavaria C38, which are about the same size. The Rustler is designed to a traditional aesthetic with dark materials. It is configured for safety and practicality at sea, with lots of fiddles and poles to grab, and favors storage and narrow spaces over room to stretch out. There's a full size nav station at the foot of the companionway and only one aft cabin as the other side is storage. Because of the storage and minimizing windows for strength, there is less light and going into the saloon feels like entering a basement. The Bavaria has light materials, hull windows, full-length porthole style windows, and two aft cabins for more guests. It is has a foot more beam than the Rustler and does not have much saloon storage, so presents a much wider saloon. Overall, it is bright, spacious, and friendly like a vacation apartment. It is also not a good place to be in a storm and has much less capacity for provisions and gear on a long trip. Both the Rustler and the Bavaria are excellent boats, for very different lifestyles and sailing goals.
The hot water tank and some safety equipment are usually stored under the settees. There is also general purpose storage in there, including for food. Since folks will be sitting (or sleeping!) on settees in the evenings, plan ahead and favor settee storage for gear that you only expect to need during the day. This avoids asking everyone to get up and temporarily shuffle into cabins when something is needed.
The rails above the settees are great places for storage of books, sunscreen, sunglasses, binoculars, and anything you want easy to access easily. The seat backs on the settees also fold down and have storage pockets behind them that are only slightly less convenient.
Modern boats often have multiple hatches overhead for light and ventillation. These have bug screens that slide from one side and light blocking screens from the other side.
On the sides, portholes are standing height windows that open. The standing height windows are also often called coachroof windows regardless of whether they open. These usually have snap on curtains for privacy and darkness. The porthole over the galley stove is important for ventillation when cooking--not just for fresh air, but to vent steam and the water vapor produced by a gas stove.
Always keep hatches and portholes closed and latched while sailing. For hatches with vents in them, ensure that the vent is also sealed. Obviously closing these blocks rain or waves from splashing inside, but it is also important for safety. Boats are designed to recover from capsize and being swamped by waves only when all hatches are closed. Even a small gap can produce shocking amounts of water ingress and endanger the boat.
Some boats also have hull windows that provide more visibility and
light closer to the waterline. These are really nice when at sitting
height for providing a view and comfort. While underway, it is
fascinating to look out the leeward hull windows, which will be
underwater. You can see the water racing by. When sailing in clear
water you can see rocks, fish, and coral underwater, as if the ocean
were a giant aquarium.
For a boat that you own, porthole and hatch gaskets are a source of annoying leaks and are something that has to be replaced periodically.
Good hull windows should last for quite a long time. While the concept of having a large hole in the hull is obviously concerning, most manufacturers seem to seal their hull windows quite well and the actual glass may be stronger than the hull itself. I don't have any safety concerns about these on a well-maintained boat built in a good yard.
Hatches with built-in solar fans are fantastic for getting ventillation at anchor in the rain or when the boat is left on the dock. They can be another failure point, of course, so need to be inspected periodically. For offshore sailing I'd consider whether they compromise the strength of the hatch as well.
The central table has leaves that fold out to form a large dinner table, and collapse to provide more room for people passing through. The table also probably has a small amount of storage hidden under the center, usually for wine bottles.
The pole that the table is attached to is either the actual mast (for a "keel stepped mast") or a compression post for a deck-stepped mast. Compression posts are more common in modern boats. That post is structural. If you own the boat, obviously do not remove or modify the compression post. In a storm, beware that a metal mast or compression post is forming a large conductor sticking up that may be struck by lightning. Masts are grounded around these to the keel, but I still would avoid holding on to the post in a storm.
 When many people are seated around the extended table, beware that it may be very difficult for any of them to slip out if the boat is shorter than 45'. While eating or playing games the table is full and the wings can't be collapsed. The only way in or out at that point is at the end of the table. So, when someone needs to check the pot in the galley, use the toilet, or poke their head out to check the anchorage, everyone has to shuffle down the settee in order. It is therefore best for the skipper and cook to sit at the companionway end of the table.
The settees are couches at day and overflow berths at night (or off watch). While narrow and lacking privacy, these have the advantage of easy access to the head, nav desk and cockpit, and high headroom.
 When a boat is wide enough for a U-shaped settee, the table often can be lowered to form a large berth or day bed. This is nice for anyone to lounge on and a favorite place of small children (or pets) to play and nap. With a leeboard, it can even be a makeshift crib.
On traditional straight settees, there is often a board and extra cushion that can be placed next to one settee to make it a wider berth at night.
While underway, always keep one hand on a bracing surface when walking through the saloon. Most boats have overhead grab rails, as well as and grooved ridges on the galley and nav desk called fiddles that you can hold on to.
If you feel motion sick while in the saloon, head up to the cockpit. Sitting below deck limits your view of the horizon and fresh air, which can be disorienting.
The saloon floorboards pull up, either with a giant suction cup or via built-in rings. Underneath is cool but potentially damp storage against the hull, which is ideal for cans and bottles.
The center area under the floorboards is the bilge, where any water that comes into the boat runs down to. The bilge is ideally clean and dry, although it may require frequent cleaning if folks are tromping in with wet clothes and letting them run off onto the floor. If sea water accumulates in the bilge, then when you're sitting in the saloon you'll smell dying microorganisms.
The bilge has an automatic bilge pump in case of a serious leak to help prevent the boat from sinking. If you hear it running continuously, then take up the boards to determine whether water is accumulating or the pump is having a problem.
For older boats, the bilge may be wet due to various leaks slowly draining into it. Periodically cleaning out oil or anything solid that drifts in there will reduce odors and the chance of the pump jamming.
In some older boats, the sink and shower drain their gray water into the bilge, and then depend on the bilge pump to clear it out. This isn't great, as it will put extra hours on the pump and nobody wants dirty washing water underfoot.
The nav station contains the VHF radio, SSB if the boat is equipped with it, electrical breakers/switches for different systems, and the nav desk. The water, holding, and fuel tank status is shown on gauges here.
The desk is traditionally sized to hold admiralty charts, but as paper charts are now only a backup navigation solution, nav desks are getting smaller. On some boats the instruments and plotter are mirrored to the nav station as well.
A deck saloon (or catamaran) often will have a nav station with large plotter displays and outside visibility. It will likely have remote autopilot and throttle controls as well. That is ideal for standing watch in poor weather.
If you are the skipper, the nav station is a good laptop desk for both navigation work and general computer use. However, if you are crew or a guest, don't use the nav station without an invitation. It has critical systems and equipment that should not be touched casually and also may require unimpeded access in an emergency.
Recent charter boats often forgo the desk. They use that space for a larger settee and place the nav station controls on a wall. This is a controversial choice to traditional-minded sailors, but pragmatic as it reflects how most people really want to use the space. In practice, I do my route planning navigation and weather forecasting at the saloon table while anchored anyway. The table is larger and the settee more comfortable than a nav station. Yet, when underway, a dedicated navigation seat offers better bracing and the desk has fiddles to keep tablets and laptops from sliding off. For a boat intended to make passages I think a proper nav station is still essential, including chart storage. When the power fails, iPad dies, nav system shorts out, or GPS antenna falls off, there has to be a backup system for navigation and that is paper charts.
This article isn't really concerned with racing boats and their minimal accommodations. However, I'll observe that they tend to have minimalist nav stations to reduce weight despite rather intense navigation, weather forecasting, and communication needs. This is again all in service of saving weight. What is nice about very hardcore racing boats is that their interior navigation displays swivel across the boat. This allows the navigator to sit on the windward side and brace properly when the boat changes tacks, rather than be tied to a specific side where the equipment is installed.
On most boats, the companionway is a set of steep steps. For safety, treat these like a ladder. Go up and down them facing the steps, while holding on to the grab rail on the side.
On decksaloons, there may be no companionway at all. This is very nice for moving between saloon and cockpit and communicating with crew on each side.
The engine and at least part of the technical area is usually tucked under the companionway. Beware that if someone is going to work on the engine, then you might not be able to get in or out of the saloon for a while and plan ahead.
The galley is the kitchen of the boat. It usually has a stove, freezer or refrigerator, and sink, along with food and utensil storage and counterspace.
Galleys are described by their shape: linear, C, U, or L, and the side of the boat: starboard or port. They are traditionally located at the foot of the companionway for good ventillation. Newer designs move a linear galley opposite the saloon seating for a more social environment or locate it near the mast for more space.
![Valiant 42 U galley with a belt for bracing.](valiant42-galley.jpg width=350 attriburl="https://swiftsureyachts.com/valiant-42-surf-ride/" attrib="SwiftsureYachts") For cooking while underway or in an unprotected anchorage, it is best to have a galley with lots of bracing opportunities. The C galley or a linear one with a relatively narrow space from a bracing surface is ideal. These allow the cook to keep both hands free while secure. L and U galleys often have a large belt called a galley strap that the cook can use to brace themselves. The downside of a strap is that the cook can't move back quickly from a fire, hot pot, or dropped knife.
When cooking in calm conditions, U, L galley, and long linear gallies are more pleasant because they provide space to move about, especially if two people are in the area at once.
The main challenge in boat cooking is the limited preparation space. The countertop is usually small to begin with. Since it is also the covers for the sink and the refrigerator, it is necessary to plan carefully and take out all cold ingredients, perform all washing and draining, etc. in the right order and together to avoid having to constantly move everything.
Galley sinks have two basins. This facilitates soaking dishes in one
and rinsing in the other to reduce water use. It often also acts as
one full of dirty dishes and one used for washing. Older boats have
both fresh and sea water taps, with the sea water often provided
by a foot operated pump. Unfortunately, these are not popular on
most modern boats due to the prevalance of watermakers, so a new
boat will likely have only pressurized fresh water.
Sinks drain directly overboard as they are considered gray water. Favor approved marine or camping soaps and avoid pouring anything toxic such as bleach into the sink, as it will run out into the surrounding water unless there is a (rare) gray water tank.
If the sink is well above the waterline then it will probably drain on either tack when underway, although will work better on one tack that is better aligned with the plumbing. If the sink is close to the waterline then the outlet is also close to the waterline and it will probably not drain while heeled on that side.
The drain connects to a through-hull valve with a stop cock that should be closed when no-one is aboard, and when sailing. If there is a salt water tap then that should also be closed when the sink is not in use. A one-way valve prevents water from flowing back through these even when the through-hull is underwater, but if that valve should fail the boat could be flooded and sink from water ingress if the stop cock is not closed.
Remember that hot water is provided by cooling the engine. The hot water source is therefore limited and should be conserved. If the engine has not been run for a day there is probably no hot water at the sink at all.
I often turn off the water pressure system at night on the breaker panel. This avoids the compressor turning on and waking me up when the system loses a small amount of pressure due to air leaks. It means that invariably I wonder why the galley sink has no pressure in the morning while groggy and trying to make tea.
Many galleys have a single cold box unit for food storage. This can act as an ice box (to save electricity), a refrigerator, or a freezer. Some boats have a separate deep freeze. The top is warmer and the bottom is cooler.
The cold box will load from the top. This prevents the cold air from spilling out when it is opened and conserves electricity from having to re-cool the space. If the box is not opened and is full of cold food, it will stay quite cold for days without power. Even if opened frequently from the top it requires little power to keep cool due to the insulation. A full cold box has less room for air and thus will stay colder.
It is very nice if there is also a side door on the cold box. Opening this spills most of the cold air. If underway, it potentially also spills the objects in the box out onto the floor. However, when at anchor and with sufficient power, this is really helpful for reaching the frozen items and for cleaning the box.
Many boats have additional cold box storage in the cockpit for beverages, which may not have a cooling unit.
Pack anything deep frozen into meal sizes, as defrosting part will be impractical. Vacuum packing is great for minimizing space, freezerburn, icing, but does create additional waste from the single-use plastic bags.
Boat stoves are usually gimballed so that they can swing as the boat heels and remain upright. For this reason, they are also mounted on a side of the boat instead of abeam.
Small grippers on the side of each hob help keep pots in place, and the entire stove has a high rim. The grippers are sometimes a problem because they reduce the space available for wide frying pans and cannot be removed entirely on some models.
Most boat stoves are gas powered in order to achieve sufficient energy density. There are a few induction and resistance electric stoves. Induction electric is attractive because the surface does not stay hot and it allows using renewable power sources. However, only very large sailboats have sufficient battery banks and solar for induction cooking. There is also currently only one marine induction stove on the market, and it is extremely expensive.
Microwaves are rare on sailboats because of their intense power draw. When present, these are typically used while docked and on shore power instead of battery.
There are two options for electric cooking on smaller boats. The first is a small RV-style separate electric stove hot plate, which can be plugged into car-power 12V DC outlets or standard AC in the galley and run off the house battery. The second is an electric kettle, with the same two power options. I make even more hot beverages than meals, and avoiding firing up the stove for this and eliminating the open flame while sailing is desirable.
 Stove fuel is typically Liquified Propane Gas (LPG) in North America and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in Europe, based on what has a more readily available supply in those regions. Beware that the hobs on the stove must be switched when changing between these fuel types, and that the fittings for a given fuel might be different across countries. CNG, which is primarily methane, is generally a safer fuel. It contains less carbon and produces less carbon monoxide (an asfixiation hazard) and less CO2 (a greenhouse gas). LPG is actually a mixture of propane and butane. It is more energy dense, which is good for space efficiency. LPG is heavier than air, so in the unlikely event of a propane leak, there is the danger of the boat filling with the gas and exploding instead of it escaping upwards. Unfortunately, one is unlikely to have the opportunity to choose between them as the practical choice is dictated by the intended sailing region.
Gas stoves have several safety measures, making any sort of leak unlikely. The gas bottles are stored in dedicated, vented lockers. These are usually at the extreme ends of the boat. The bottles have valves that should be kept off when not expecting to cook that day. There is a manual valve with a flip switch near the stove that must be opened to receive gas, and which falls down and closes with a light tap. The stove itself has thermocouples, so that if the flame blows out or is drowned by a pot overflowing the gas will shut off. All areas where the bottles are stored or gas lines run inside of the hull are vented (from the bottom, for propane).
Fire, carbon monoxide, and natural gas/propane alarms should be
installed in every boat. The galley should be ventillated (with an
open porthole at anchor and open companionway while sailing) to
release carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, as well as
moisture. Boiling water and fuel combustion both release significant
moisture into the cabin, which will condense on the colder hull and
create mold if not vented.
In the 1970s, kerosene, alcohol, and diesel stoves were common. These are almost unheard of today for polution and safety reasons. Some expedition boats will still use wood stoves for heating and occasionally cooking. Wood stoves have the advantage that the fuel can be replenished in remote areas, and they also dry the cabin. A wood stove is obviously dangerous in that it has fewer safeguards and presents a large hot surface within the cabin.
Because cold storage is limited, prefer storing anything possible outside of the cold box. Hang fruits and vegetables in mesh hammocks so that they have good airflow and are not bruised while sailing.
European eggs are unwashed. They can and should be stored outside of the cold box and will last for weeks without spoiling (although taste significantly better when fresher, of course). American eggs are sold washed and must be kept cold. They will last even longer, but consume space.
Repack items from their grocery store boxes into smaller and watertight/pest-proof containers. For example, put grains, cereals, and dried beans into tightly sealing plastic bins. Using many small bins reduces the risk of spoiling the entire supply if something goes wrong and also makes it easier to find places to store them.
Always remove all paper wrapping from cans and cardboard before bringing provisions aboard. Insects lay eggs between the container and the wrapper, and will then hatch at sea and spoil food. Both because the labels have this risk and because they may become wet, scratch the names of the contents into the top of aluminum cans.
Cans and bottles are watertight, heavy, and may be best stored in a cool location. Under the floorboards is the best spot for these. Lighter foods can be stuffed into storage around the galley and saloon. Consider making a map of where everything is and an inventory of what remains if afloat for more than a few days.
Remember that everything will be tossed about a bit while sailing when storing it.
There is a small waste bin in one of the kitchen cabinets, and then excess garbage and recycling is stored in lazarettes (lockers) on the cockpit or an unused cabin when on a long trip.
There's usually no composting on a boat due to tight quarters. In many areas it is legal to dispose of food preparation waste overboard, but check carefully to be within regulations and protect the marine environment.
Part of living closer to nature and with a smaller footprint is producing less waste, especially waste that is non-degradable. This is a good value always, and especially practical when living on a boat because any waste generated on board will be with you until the next landfall.
Food waste can be minimized by taking steps to reduce spoilage, prepare only what is needed, and store and then eat leftovers.
Packaging waste is best eliminated by purchasing food that minimizes packaging at sale, and then second by removing packaging and storing supplies in reusable containers when on board. Cans can be crushed and cardboard folded down to reduce the space of inevitable recylable storage. Keeping the trash as clean as possible of food products reduces odors and attracting insects at anchor.
It is normal for a family of four to produce only a few litres of garbage and recycling in a month on board, with careful preparation to avoid food preparation waste. When chartering for a week, it is harder to minimize waste to that level. The same family might produce one bag of waste after only a week, because they will not have reusable storage containers or as much choice when purchasing provisions.
A typical double berth is entered by crawling in from the edge with the pillows. The end where your legs go usually has a lower ceiling, and the sides are flush with the walls. This gives you maximum headroom and keeps you from rolling out of bed if the boat rocks.
The settee berths in the saloon are singles that usually allow entering entering from the side as in a land bed. A pullman berth is in a cabin but also has one side accessible and one side against the hull or another wall. The term is usually applied when that berth is in a cabin, to either singles or doubles.
A more luxurious island berth is accessible from both sides. This makes it easier to enter and leave without disturbing a partner in a double berth. Lee boards are required on both sides and often down the center for such a berth when underway, so usually one sleeps in a pilot berth or the saloon when sailing and the island bed at anchor.
The berths in fore cabins are often raised up quite high. The primary reason for this is safety. If there is an emergency such as a fire, it may not be possible to escape through the saloon. From the high bed you can access the hatch on the ceiling and climb out onto the deck even if short or unable to perform a pullup.
A pilot/quarter berth is usually tucked under part of the cockpit and right behind the nav station in the saloon. It will have very narrow leg room and is the one case of a single berth accessed from the pillow end.
There are two formats for a cabin with two single berths. One is side-by side single pullman berths with a narrow space between them. This is usually an aft cabin in which a drop-in board converts the two singles to one double berth. This gives a relatively spacious feeling cabin with a small bit of privacy (or at least protection from a partner who moves in their sleep) for two people sharing it.
The other is style is bunkbeds, where one single berth is above another. The top berth might fold up when not in use. The bunkbed style is in a very narrow cabin that is forward, so feels less luxurious than the side-by-side format. It appears on boats intended to host expeditions, professional crew cabins, and children. Often a bunkbed cabin on a private boat is and used mostly for storage and only slept in when there are a large number of guests or passage crew.
The largest cabin is usually called the owner's cabin. This the equivalent of a master bedroom suite in a house. This cabin stretches the full width of the boat, has standing headroom, offers additional storage, and often provides an ensuite private head. Charter boats typically favor two smaller cabins in place of a single owner's cabin.
The owner's cabin is aft in 40' and larger boats that also have center cockpits. The owner's cabin is usually forward in all other cases, in order to have better headroom. A few interesting boats have the best cabin in the center, which I'll discuss in the next section.
 
Consider two Hallberg-Rassy models, the 400 versus the 40C. Both boats have the same overall length of 43', have identical hulls, offer the same saloon and fore cabin options, and were introduced at the same time in 2020. Both have very pretty lines, a hard (i.e., glass) windscreen, and the practical option of a hardtop dodger.
The 400 was designed for charter, or long term live aboard for a family with children. It has the option of three smaller cabins instead of two, and two head compartments. The bathing platform is easy to reach from the aft cockpit. The owner's cabin is forward in the V-berth, which can be an island bed, or smaller to make room for an ensuite head. This cabin is preferable to the aft cabins and is generous compared to smaller boat, but is not as luxurious as the owner's cabin on its sister ship, the 40C.
The 40C was designed for private ownership. It offers an enormous aft cabin for the owner as well as a double-size galley for serious cooking and additional food storage. This aft cabin forces the cockpit forward and upward ("C" is for center cockpit) because it creates a bulge at the back to have sufficient headroom. The drawbacks of this layout are the surprising loss of the second head (one would have expected an ensuite head for that aft cabin), reduced access to the bathing platform, and a raised up helm (shown in red). A higher helm is drier, but rocks more and has worse visibility when docking.
 Compare the difference between the full-beam, high headroom owner's aft cabin of the 40C with the guest aft cabin of the 400, which is typical of most boats. Having the double width and extra hatch and windows makes a large difference.
Overall, both boats are terrific and I like the choices Hallberg-Rassy made for different use cases. Although driven by the accommodation needs for a live-aboard owner, that center cockpit is also better for the offshore sailing that a private owner might experience. It enables a boom-end traveller and provides better stern protection. Between them, I'd definitely choose the 40C for extended live aboard, but the 400 to charter for a week in the Mediterranean with friends.
 At 40' and below, owner's cabins may still be spacious or have private heads, but are not as luxurious. Yet, the space doesn't really concern you much when you're asleep. The question is whether the cabin is practical for your intended use and feels good to you. The owner's cabin is your private room away from children and guests during the day, the room where you'll store and change clothes (sometimes while wet, or in the dark, or next to a sleeping partner, or while wearing layers and foul weather gear), as well as your bed at night. Light finishes, hull windows, and extra hatches affect the perceived space significantly, and a dark, cozy traditional interior or light modern one is also a matter of taste. Headroom over the bed is nice to enable sitting up to read, but that's not where you're putting on your pants or reaching over your head to pull on a shirt.
 I find that the most desirable properties in an owner's cabin when really living on the boat are standing headroom by the closet; enough footroom in the berth for two; shelf storage at hand for books, water, phones, and flashlights; and sufficient gear storage, even if it is under the berth.
A center cabin right next to the mast and above the keel is the best location in the boat. Unfortunately, few boats under 60' have this luxury.
A center cabin is close to the center of mass of the boat. This means that it moves the least in waves when underway or at anchor. It is also far from the bow and stern, which are where waves are most likely to pound and make noise when you are trying to sleep. The center of the boat typically has the highest headroom.
There are a few reasons that few boats have center cabins. A keel-stepped mast or the compression post of a deck-stepped mast, and the keel access are in the center of the boat. So, only half of the beam is available for use by a center cabin or that cabin has a pole int he middle of it. So, it is much easier to place an uninterrupted double berth in the fore or aft cabin than at the center.
The center is also typically where the saloon is, and few designers are willing to shorten the social saloon dramatically to create a large private space. Decksaloons are the most likely to have a center cabin at 40' or smaller because they lift the saloon above this cabin, although that takes away some headroom over the berth compared to a fore cabin.
The second best option for capturing some of a center cabin's advantages is a large fore cabin that extends aft to or past the mast, with the head of the berth as close to the center of the boat as possible.
The saloon is the open plan living room of a boat, and the cockpit is its expansive patio. The cockpit serves double duty. It is where the boat is sailed from, and acts as a working space and control room. But it is also a well-protected space that has light and ventillation, seating, and usually a table. Except in serious weather, the cockpit is usually the best place to spend one's time and appreciate the surrounding environment. It is also the best place to avoid motion sickness, due to clear views of the horizon and fresh air.
Modern cruising boats are designed with most control lines away from the center of the seating, to allow sailing without disrupting guests or off-watch crew.
The folded up center table is good for bracing in a wide cockpit while sailing. When extended at anchor it is great for eating, working with paper or laptops, and playing games.
The dodger is a plastic or glass windshield and canvas-style top that protects people at the fore end of the cockpit from sun, water, and wind. The bimini is a fold-out canvas-style sun and rain shade for the rear of the cockpit. The bimini can't be used on passages because it creates excess windage and cannot withstand strong weather, but is ideal for day sailing or coastal cruising in reasonable weather.
Liveaboard boats in cold climates have completely sealable cockpits with plastic zippered windows to retain heat and keep out wind and snow. In hot climates, additional sunshades can be rigged from the shrouds and mast to shade the decks and sides of the cockpit.
A grille mounted on the side of the railings is great for cooking outdoors. It should hang over the water, so that any coals that fall land in the water instead of the cockpit. 50' and larger modern boats often have built-in grills and outdoor sinks and coldboxes to enable cooking while standing on the bathing platform, a wonderful luxury at anchor.
The heads are the bathrooms of the boat. They are much like a land bathroom in a reasonably sized and equipped cruising yacht, but everything is smaller to save space, and water conservation is essential.
The sink in the head is like the one in the galley. It has a limited supply of hot water, and may have a salt water tap with a foot pump. It may not drain on one tack when heeled, and the stop cock should be closed when not in use while sailing or when the boat is left unattended. The sink drains overboard, so be careful what is put in it.
A good head sink has a deep basin so that water does not slosh out and so that it can be used for washing clothes and hair. In a smaller boat, the sink faucet may be on an extension hose so that it can be used as a showerhead.
 A separate shower is either a glass partition that folds out and protects the toilet and sink area from being wetted, or an entirely separate compartment. These are common on 35' and larger modern boats but rare on older boats. A wet head has the shower right in the same area. A shower curtain may protect the walls a bit.
When underway, sitting on the closed toilet lid or on a seat in the shower is both the only safe way to wash, and also gives a lot more space for elbows and headroom.
Unless you know that you have a large supply of fresh water, conserve water in the shower. Quickly rinse. Lather up your whole body, and then rinse again. For a passage, I wash singificantly less than I would at home and use a washcloth instead of spraying myself to keep the room drier and conserve water.
When cruising in relatively remote area with warm weather, the head shower is often the least attractive way to wash. Instead, one can keep clean primarily by swimming or washing in the cockpit with buckets of salt water, and using the shower sparingly to remove salt. There are special soaps and shampoos that lather in salt water. A solar shower hung from the mast or stays allows showering while standing on deck without needing the engine for hot water. A built-in cockpit or bathing platform shower allows showering in fresh water with plenty of elbow room.
Using a marine toilet is not too different from a land one. It is just a bit smaller and one has to be more careful about what goes in it, whether using a salt water, fresh water, or composting toilet.
However, maintaining a marine toilet is one of the more compromised points of boat life versus land life. It is important to choose the right solution for your needs based on many tradeoffs. This is basically choosing which kinds of unpleasant maintenance tasks you are willing to take on in exchange for which you'd very much like to avoid. No matter which ones you select, a certain amount of pragmatism about bodily needs and some inevitable bathroom cleaning, maintenance, and accidents is required.
To quote one of my salty cruising mentors, "if you can't say 'poop' then boat ownership is not for you."
The common marine toilet (which is also called a head) looks like a slightly small land toilet. It has a valve for switching between filling with sea water and draining, and a pump handle for making the water flow in or out. Unless far at sea, the black water from a toilet is always pumped into a holding tank to avoid pollution, and then emptied at a marina.
Using the toilet involves first filling the bowl with water, addressing your bodily needs, and then pumping the bowl it clean at the end. It is very important to avoid clogging the plumbing. There is special marine/septic tank toilet paper that is thin and degrades quickly.
If a large quantity of toilet tissue lodges, or anything else is flushed (non-marine toilet paper, tampons, tissues, paper towels, condoms, food waste), the pipes are likely to clog. Clearing these is not the same as on a land toilet: one has to disassemble the system, and that will spill raw sewage and whatever caused the clog into the boat.
Because a toilet clog is such a horror on a boat, many owners ban "anything that hasn't passed through a human body first" from being put into the toilet, and have a waste basket for used toilet paper. To make that less offensive, used paper can be put into dog waste bags first, or avoided entirely by using a spray of water or hands to clean and then washing those hands well.
It is important to leave a marine toilet in the locked closed and dry-bowl setting when done, so that water can't flow into it from outside. When leaving the boat, the stopcock should be closed as on a sink.
When a (clean) marine toilet smells bad, it is not usually the waste causing the smell. It is microrganisms from the sea water that are dying in the non-aerated water in the pipes. Always flush the system thoroughly so that the waste reaches the holding tank, and then before going to bed pour fresh water in from the shower head or sink faucet and pump that towards the tank. Replace plumbing every few years if it begins to build up odors, and occasionally pour vinegar into the head and flush it. A well maintained head should not have bad odors when it has not been closed up.
Boats with watermakers and high capacity tanks can run the toilets on fresh water instead of sea water. This avoids odors and reduce the maintenance needs of valves and plumbing caused by urine precipitation in salt water.
Fresh water can also be run to a bidet function, reducing the need for paper and the risk of clogs that it creates.
Electric pump flushing toilets avoid the need to operate the manual pump and valves. This provides an experience closer to on land. They are often paired with a macerator, which is like a garbage disposal grinder for the waste. That reduces the chance of clogs from paper and other sources. Macerators are even more fragile than the plumbing itself if inappropriate objects are flushed.
While a powered flush and macerator toilet is by far preferable to use, the tradeoff is that it is not ideal to maintain. That is two more complex systems that can fail. When they fail, one is both doing fairly disgusting maintenance and using a bucket for a toilet for a day. So, these are unsurprisingly most often found on boats that are only day sailed or have a professional crew so that the owner can avoid the unpleasantness.
A marine toilet when used with a holding tank is really not an ideal system for handling human waste. The holding tank is often under a berth. It breeds bacteria and requires treatment before it can safely be released. The holding tank must be pumped out, which varies from a usually mildly unpleasant experience to a sometimes wildly disgusting one. The plumbing requires maintenance, which is never a happy task and can also be a truly disgusting one if something fails unexpectedly or there is a clog. Finally, sailing around with the weight and wasted space of raw sewage under one's berth is also undesirable.
The best alternative is a modern dessicating toilet such as the Air Head or Nature's Head. This is called a composting toilet but does not actually compost when in use on the boat. These are very different from traditional "composting" heads, which were essentially buckets of sawdust used as cat-style litterboxes for people and had several drawbacks.
A modern composting toilet avoids the water systems and plumbing altogether. They separate and dessicate (dehydrate) dry waste from the liquid waste. This eliminates many odors, significantly reduces the environmental impact, removes the dependence on and cost of pump out facilities, gives back substantial space for storage, eliminates the extra weight of storing hundreds of litres of waste and sea water, and avoids all of the disgusting worst case scenarios.
Instead of pumping out at a marine facility like a holding tank, a composting toilet is emptied by dumping a liquids bottle daily and carrying a trash bag of dried solid waste (it looks like mulch at that point) to any dumpster.
The tradeoff for avoiding worst cases and large maintenance tasks of a flush toilet is that every use of a composting toilet is slightly less convenient. Composting toilets have trap doors over the solids storage area and one has to be careful not to let liquids into that compartment. The liquids bottle must be monitored to avoid overflow. A spray bottle of watered down vinegar and good brush are probably wise to keep on hand. The emptying task for the solids is not too hard or unpleasant, but there is some planning and work involved in re-stocking the storage with the coconut husk or peat moss used within them.
Boat interior etiquitte is driven by two considerations: limited privacy, and limited resources. A skipper should always explain expectations during the onboard briefing, so that guests and crew can use the boat effectively and get along well with one another in a small space. In return, everyone should be understanding and communicate clearly with each other, especially for guests newly learning boat life etiquitte.
I explain some of the conventions in this section. It is not intended as a list of rules to memorize. I hope that you'll be able to get the gist of what the etiquitte seeks to accomplish, to make sense of what might seem like arbitrary requests. Trust others on the boat to help you make learning about boat life interesting instead of intimidtating.
Space and privacy are at a premium on a boat. It is similar to camping or staying in a small cabin. As in those cases, an exaggerated regard for each other's privacy helps compensate for the relatively small amount of it. For example, walls are thin and the hull transmits sound completely around the boat. So, try to keep your voice and music down, especially when others are sleeping. Keep your gear to your own spaces and avoid moving anyone else's.
Boats have limited electricity, cooking gas, fresh water, hot water, and food. This is the case even on boats with watermakers and solar generators. Avoid waste and ask the skipper about expected usage per day. It is probably around a few gallons of water total, enough electricity for LED reading lights and fans at night, and electricity for charging a phone. Running a laptop, taking a long shower or washing clothes in the sink, plugging in larger electronics, or using the built-in washer/dishwasher/stove/airconditioning may consume disproportionate shared resources. Ask before doing those things.
Try to avoid blocking the companionway by standing in it or leaving gear on the stairs. Especially in wet or cold weather, it is quite pleasant to stand on the companionway steps with only your head poking out into the cockpit. However, this blocks everyone else from going in or out, blocks the airflow for those below deck, and makes it hard for them to hear and see out. Consider that the cook's view of the world is probably your backside right next to their face in this position.
Standing in the companionway is also dangerous, as you're poorly braced if the boat is suddenly struck. At anchor this isn't quite so much of a concern, of course, but blocking the doorway remains irritating.
Although there is never a door separating the nav station from the rest of the saloon, the nav station are area has critical equipment and documentation that should not be touched, and the skipper or crew on watch may need to sit there for navigation or communication. So, assume that it is the skipper's private domain unless explicitly invited to use it.
If someone's berth is in a public area, such as the saloon, be conscious of their lack of a private space. Keep that area clear of other gear near bed time and do not sit on (or drip on!) their bedding if it is out. If your berth is a saloon settee, clean up your bedding and stow everything as quickly as possible after you wake up so that others can use the space--and to keep them from sitting on your clean sheets in potentially dirty and salty gear.
Doors are kept open on cabins for good ventillation during the day. That isn't an invitation to enter. I wouldn't enter someone else's cabin without asking first regardless of whether they were in it. However, because equipment is often stored in or only accessible through a cabin, guests should assume that the skipper or other crew might need to enter their cabin and open storage cabinets. Short of an emergency, as skipper I still ask first, of course.
For ventillation, the head door is usually lashed or pinned open when not in use. When at anchor, hatches and portholes are usually left open in the head for more ventillation, but ask the skipper before doing so.
Obviously, clean the toilet and sink after using them. Dry the counter in the heads compartment if it is very wet or has soap or toothpaste on it. This is what you'd do as a guest in a home as well.
Boats have limited fresh water supplies, including hot water. To help conserve these, keep showers short (1-2 minutes total). Shut off water while brushing teeth or soaping hands and face. Beware that water is heated from the engine. The tank will easily keep it warm for 16-24 hours, but it is only replenished when the engine runs. Therefore, in the morning there is limited total hot water for showers and washing up, so in addition to conserving all fresh water, be mindful of the amount of hot water consumed.
For a manual pump toilet, pump about four times if the tank is in the head compartment and about seven times if it is not (which usually means it is under the V-berth and relatively far away). This is because you aren't just emptying the bowl. You're moving the waste all of the way through the hoses to the tank or out of the boat. Leaving it sitting in the hoses causes them to eventually smell or build up clog deposits.
When leaving the boat, or if you are the likely last one using the toilet at night, spray fresh water from the sink or shower hose into the toilet, and then pump it dry. Most of the smell from a marine sewage system is not from waste. It is from microorganisms that came in with the sea water and then decomposed in the hoses due to lack of oxygen. Leaving only fresh water in the hoses and rinsing the last sea water coating the bowl minimizes odors. Some boats with watermakers use fresh water in the toilets, so this step isn't necessary (nor is it on the Great Lakes).
Etiquitte for access to a head that is only accessible only through a cabin varies. Unless that is the only toilet on the boat, I'd ask the skipper which head they want people to use. If the private head is in the skipper's own cabin, I'd avoid putting them in an awkward position by waiting for them to explicitly offer their head instead of asking if I could use it.
Heads aren't soundproofed. I'd like to reassure any easily embarrassed folks that this probably won't be an issue for them most of the time. During the day, few people are below decks, and while sailing there is lots of ambient noise. At night, everyone else is theoretically asleep. Only at meal time is everyone gathered in the saloon right next to the day head. In that case, a bit of noisy conversation or music in the saloon may be appreciated by someone who is on the toilet and self conscious. Ultimately, even on relatively luxurious boats the heads and access to them just aren't as private as in a house. You have to accept that everyone is going to have the same human needs and be pragmatic about ignoring sounds or turning your back when someone is walking from the shower to their cabin.
If there is a dedicated cook on the boat, then they will set the rules for galley and food access. The galley is their domain in the way that the helm and nav station are the skipper's. When cooking duties rotate, the person who is making the next meal is usually in charge of the galley until they are done.
The refrigerator and freezer requires significant electricity to run and may have the compressor turned off for long periods to conserve power. Avoid opening them repeatedly or leaving them open. Top loading refrigerators don't heat up quite so quickly, but on a side-loading fridge opening it empties all of the cold air.
Ask about snack foods and beverages. Because the food supply is fixed once the boat leaves shore, the cook has carefully planned for meals. A random item grabbed as a snack might be a key ingredient needed for tomorrow's dinner. Also be careful to not disturb the careful packing of food, especially in the cold storage. Items that must be kept frozen are on the bottom, those that should not freeze are at the top, and everything is squeezed in because there is limited space compared to a land refrigerator. Someone rifling through there can disturb the order as well as jumbling items so that they don't fit well.
Since spoiled food can't easily be replaced, be extra careful about contamination and ripening. Seal well foods that must be refrigerated and put them back quickly after use. Obviously, don't put fingers or used utensils into condiments and sliced meats or drink directly from containers. Eat the ripest fruit and vegetables first, and keep the rest stored with good ventillation and protected from bruising. Don't take larger portions than you plan to eat. If everyone doesn't finish everything that was prepared, store the untouched leftovers for the next snack or lunch instead of discarding them.
It is polite for someone other than the cook to wash the dishes. However, on some boats the cook doesn't want anyone else in the galley or handling their pots. When washing up, be conscious of water consumption. The two sink (or sink and washtub) method of soaking in soapy water and only rinsing in running water is preferred for water conservation. Some boats have a salt water tap for pre-rinsing and only use fresh water for the final rinse.
Some points to be aware of in setting expectations for boat interiors when looking at images and videos compared to actually living on the boats.
Around 40' of length is where boat accommodations start to feel spacious, with standing headroom, second heads, and wide cabins.
Unfortunately, 40' is also about the size where moorage and maintenance costs get noticably higher, single-handing becomes tricky, and docking maneuvers are decidedly more challenging in tight quarters and wind. Except for the dock fees, it isn't so much about the length. An older boat such as the Valiant 42 or even a 2010 Jeanneau 40' can be fine for single handing. The issue is that newer boats are wide (beam) and high (freeboard) to provide those nice spacious accommodations. When sailing, that leads to a lot of mass to control and a lot more footprint to squeeze between other boats and finger docks.
A small amount of length can make a large difference on a modern yacht. On paper, a 38' and 40' boat sound like they are similar, and they may look similar from the outside. However, consider two factors. First, the interior space increases with the cube of the length, because a longer boat today is usually a wider and taller one as well. Second, there is constant overhead for the technical spaces and galley, and the saloon is usually long enough to fit a berth. That means that the public spaces might be nearly the same size across a 30' and 40' boat, and the extra space on the larger boat is going into the cabins and heads.
Also beware that the length of a boat is hard to judge from specifications. The Length Over All (LOA) is what I've been quoting here. That includes the bowsprit and potential overhangs at bow and stern, so is not directly indicative of the space for interior accommodations. Combine it with the Length of the Water Line (LWL) and the beam to get a better sense of how much space there may be. The numbers in the names of boats are indicative but not definitive as well. A boat called "38" or "388" is probably about 38', but this is just a marketing model number and not a specification. For example, the Dufour 37 is 35' LOA (smaller than the name implies) and the Island Packet 439 is 47' LOA (larger than the name implies).
For private ownership by a short handed couple or solo sailor, being a bit more conservative with a 30' or 35' cruiser could be more practical than a 40' or 45' boat, as well as about half the price and maintenance cost. Dropping below 40' means giving up that full-beam owner's cabin and the extra large head compartment, and possibly foregoing standing headroom in the cabins as well. From the other perspective, adding just a bit more length may pay off in much better accomodations.
So, if you can afford it, it is probably worthwhile to size charter boats in gentler waters (such as the Carribean) slightly larger than your first instinct. And if you can tolerate it, it is worthwhile to choose as a private boat one that is a bit smaller than first seems attractive. It is no surprise given this advice that the most popular coastal cruising sailboat sizes are 45' for charters and 36' for privately owned sailboats.
Boat interiors in marketing materials are almost always shown through wide angle lens photographs, with no people in the frame. This is probably not intended to be too deceptive; given the cramped conditions, it is hard to get a shot where you can actually see the space with a longer lens and people in the way. However, it means that the spaces are a lot narrower than the images present in the wide angle. The lack of scale of a standing adult can be misleading about overall size, as berths, toilets, settees, and most boat fittings are on a total overall scale smaller than in houses.
As with houses staged for sale in real estate listings, boats in brochures and at shows are empty with only token flowers and dishware set out to catch the eye. In use, there will be gear crammed everywhere and everything secured. Settees will have jackets and lifepreservers on them. The shower may have fenders hanging in it when day sailing and the foredeck covered by a dinghy for a passage. Obviously, when living aboard with children there will be books and toys everywhere.
Keeping an eye on the overhead layout as well as the nice photographs helps calibrate for how large a space really is. The only real metric that matters is getting on board the boat, of course. Boat shows are a great way to quickly get a feel for a wide range of new boats and understand how those diagrams and photos translate to real life.
In this article, I grouped and discussed boats based on their accommodations, not their performance or bluewater sea-worthiness. A sailboat can be a great home, but is hopefully also foremost a sailboat and not a houseboat. See my Cruising Sailboats article for a discussion of those other properties.
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