To fashion proper seaberths, the above settee on board a Santa Cruz 50 can be divided by way of a bunk board, and a second seaberth becomes available when the lee cloth (far right) is deployed.

Whether you're crossing the Gulf Stream to Bermuda or the Bahamas, racing to Halifax or Hawaii, or just cruising coastal waters, having proper sea-berths for the off-watch crew is an often neglected, yet vitally important element of a good offshore boat. Why are good seaberths a shipboard necessity? Anytime a vessel is underway for more than a few hours, a rested skipper and crew are essential for the safe operation of the boat.

Even in this day of sophisticated electronic navigation, boats are occasionally lost while entering an unfamiliar port at night or in foul weather. Often a major factor contributing to dire mishaps like these is the lack of seaberths…