Comfort and convenience — watchwords for the off watch
Issue 93 : Nov/Dec 2013
Those of us who sail boats that heel or roll sometimes need help staying in our bunks. Traditionally, a leecloth is fastened under a batten along the inboard edge of a settee berth and held up by lacing or clips. Although it’s not exactly comfortable, you lie in the vee formed by the junction of the cloth and the edge of the mattress. Once in the bunk, you must tighten the lacing or flip it over hooks to hold the cloth in place. Over time, the cloth gets grungy, but removing it for cleaning is a time-consuming exercise that entails removing the fastening screws.
A snaphook on the forward end of the leecloth clips into an eye on the bulkhead, above.
A quick-release tackle at the aft end makes it easy to adjust the leecloth and get into and out of the bunk, below
The leecloths in the saloon of my 31-footer, Talisman, are made from marine canvas and have boltropes along the lower edges that fit into alloy tracks. The tracks are fastened outboard so the cloths wrap under the cushions, cradling the sleepers securely and more comfortably. The seams are underneath and outside, leaving a smooth surface inside for the sleepers to lie against.
The upper edge of each leecloth is reinforced and has strong eyelets at both ends. When in use, the forward end is clipped to the bulkhead and the after end has a small tackle the occupant can easily tension while lying down. It’s easy to release the cleat when you want to get out of the bunk.
To stow the leecloths, you simply unclip and fold them under the mattresses. For laundering, slide them out of the boltrope tracks, remove the lines at each end, and throw them in the washing machine.
Petrea McCarthy is an Australian freelance writer, long-term liveaboard cruising sailor, and former yacht rigger. She has been sailing for 45 years, circumnavigated Australia, crossed the Tasman and Coral Seas, built two yachts from bare hulls and decks, and fitted out several others. Her idea of a mid-life change is racing a Laser on a freshwater lake near her home in north Queensland, where she is also a sailing instructor.
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