Is this idiotic design the new trend in small yachts?

People love to ride the bow. They always have, and even more so since that Titanic scene. Bows are like idiot magnets. Rails don't invite them there, they give them something to hold onto when they're there. To this day it amazes me to see how many people bow-ride with their legs dangling, like nobody can figure out what'll happen if you go over.

As for fishing off the bow, of course they do, except when trolling. If you want to go up to a jetty for Cuda or such or do some flats fishing you don't want to put your stern there. I know, wrong type of boat. I'll never forget the story I heard about Marlena (124') flounder fishing.

Anything between a fisherman and his fish is unwelcome, be it a rail or 100 nm of fuel burn.

"idiot magnet" haha that is so true

Rails

I have worked on yachts that have a fore deck rail about 2 or 3 inches above the toe rail which I was told is a Californian "thing" to put your foot under for balance and leverage when fishing.

Also if chartering you may want to look into the rules and regulations for rail heights.

Ok, so don't buy a boat from Cali builders . The amount of times I've seen people making a real mess of there toes with cleats, I can't see the logic behind that one.

Far

Rails

Read the post, I did not write "cleats"

As one who has broken more toes than he can count I'll give a big ditto to that. When I step on a boat these days and find a "No Shoes" policy, I step right back off. That California setup sounds like something that would only work for monkeys. The rest of us would find ourselves overboard with no toes still attached. I'm thinking it's maybe so you can sit with your legs over the side and have something to hold onto.

Hi,

I guess that you don't step on many boats then.

Bare feet carry sweat, diseases such as athlete's foot and fungus, and a lot more dirt than a pair of boat shoes (all of which transfers to the carpets). They also have a wonderful invention called a vacuum cleaner and companies that clean carpets, as well as disposable booties. I don't work for people who can't figure that out. I need my feet more than I need their boats.

Yes I know, I was giving an example of a situation that would relate to those rails. Cleats were the prime example!

CAP, really, shoes on 24/7 on a boat. I prefer them off... you feel more

Far

Sure do feel more. More broken toes, fish hooks, owners feet crushing your toes, burned soles, splinters from the dock, pulled back toenails, itch from the feet of the last person to walk through. I grew up a barefoot beach kid, but my father served in Korea. He taught me that once you lose your feet you're done (it cost a lot of lives there). It took me a lot of broken bones and pain, but I eventually learned.