Should a galley have a double sink or just a single bowl? That’s a question that I frequently see in cruising and boat-buying forums. Boat listings often play up that a boat has a double sink in the galley. But is it really that big of deal?
Supposedly, the advantage of a double sink is that you need less water for dishes. On a couple of boat-buying forums, I’ve seen people who are looking at boats with a single sink say that they can use a dishpan. I can’t imagine finding space to store a dishpan where it wasn’t a pain to get out every time you did dishes.
The reality is that I know few people who actually fill anything as large as a sink or a dishpan with water when washing dishes. You just don’t need to.
- For just a few not-real-gunky items, you can just put a little dish soap on a damp dish cloth, wash and rinse.
- If you have several items, put a little water in a dirty coffee mug or small bowl and add a bit of soap. Stick your dishrag in the soapy water as needed.
- For gunky pans, put an inch or so of water in the pan and add a bit of soap. Use this as your “dish pan” and rinse other dishes over it so that the rinse water helps to soak the pan. When everything else is done, wash out the gunky pan, which will have had a nice soak by now.
Bottom line: Despite all the experts saying that double sinks are almost mandatory in a galley, I disagree. I don’t think it really matters, with one caveat: whatever sink you have, make sure that your pans and plates will fit in it.
This was my big gripe with the double sink on Que Tal: the two halves were so small that I couldn’t put a plate in the sink, even diagonally on edge! Changing to a single bowl sink was one of the first upgrades we did (read the story here).
All that said, if you’re looking at boats and otherwise love one but the sink is too small, does that mean that you should pass on it? I wouldn’t. No boat is going to be perfect for you as is. Changing the sink (assuming there is space for a larger one; making a double into a single usually doesn’t take any extra space) is one of the least expensive upgrades you can do — much less than electronics, canvas, upholstery, dinghy, ground tackle, engine work, new sails or even just re-doing brightwork.
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Jim Shell says
We use a plastic tub used for hospital inpatients inside our large single sink. It lives in the large sink most of the time. Our plates and most of our pans fit in the tub. We consider the main sink as contaminated and don’t want our washwater there. I once considered a double sink an asset, but now we have a system that works well.
Debbie Wasserman says
I love the double sink on my boat. Both are large enough to fit my dishes and pans so I fitted one side with the in-sink dish drainer you suggested. My drying dishes are out of the way and save precious counter space.
Carlos says
We love the double sink in our boat. One used for cleaning and the other for drying…
Cheers and good winds!
Frances says
I’ve always had a double sink wiith each sink large enough for our plates (!which were bought for the boat – fish shaped – so kind of oblong – which helps them fit). I have a slight preference for the double sink because thy are smaller (though large enough) – and when we’re underway – I end up storing things in one of them.
One thing that helps make a small sink somewhat more acceptable is a faucet that goes up pretty high. That way you can fit a pot under it – to fill with water for boiling spaghetti noodles, for example. You can also fit a piece of clear tubing on it which gives you more flexibility in where the water goes.
Brenda Harbottle says
I love our single sink. I have a plastic dish dryer that completely flattens for storage that we bought at RV World that I use and move over the sink when the dishes are washed. I’d rather have the counter space for prepping and cooking and holding cocktail stuff in the evenings. (We have a tiny ’76 Catalina 30). The double sinks look cool but I don’t think I would use both enough to warrant it.
Julie Sandler Lambert says
Love my single bowl!
Kathleen Spidell says
Single is best for me! Collapsible dish drainer is great, also.
Jennifer Davis says
I like my double sink simply because I can leave dirty dishes on one side & soapy ones in the other while I rinse them, but it’s not a crucial detail. I agree on the collapsible dish rack, I got a bamboo one at TJ Maxx for $10, looks great & easy to fold up & stow when underway.
Paulag says
I have loved the double sinks on both our Seafarer, and now our Caliber. I use one sink to wash (I never fill a sink with water to wash, but rather use the water-conserving measures you describe in this article) and one to (air) dry. I leave the clean, drying dishes in the second sink, with a dish towel draped over them for a neater look until I have time to put them away. But, more than that, the nice deep sinks in the Caliber are perfect for holding things that could spill or crash while underway. I sit my thermos coffeepot with melitta filter in one sink while it drips, underway or not. If I am down below getting a meal ready, while heeled, placing various items I’m using in the empty sink keeps them secure and close at hand, avoiding a mess. I value double sinks in any house I live in, as well as on my boat. I think a single sink on a boat could quite possibly be a deal-breaker for me, because I really love my double sinks and use them all the time.
Phyllis Pardee says
One large sink for me after having double sink in sailboat for 17 years….dishes didn’t fit, pots didn’t fit….I gladly use a dish pan in my big sink and am able to wash everything I need….and I can even clean a fish in the big one!!!
Richard M. Burger says
One to wash, one to rinse.
Monika Ludewig Bradley says
Two reasonable size deep sinks in my trawler cat. My square Corelle dishes are a perfect match! Best purchase ever.
Jennifer Dean Neumann says
In theory, two. In reality, I have seen few boats w large enough double sinks to be able to make good use of them. I went w the largest single I could when I remodeled my galley. I love it.
Donna Chiappini says
One! I have double sink on a 40′ with decent sized galley. Nothing fits. Next boat will have one or I will retrofit.
Connie Lacelle says
boat or not, double sinks are best for me. More options.
Kerri Brooks says
I love my double sink. Smaller side on the left for washing and bigger on the right for rinsing. Also good for keeping everyone’s cups corralled while under sail. Any spills are no big deal.
Gerald Hemming says
I like deep sinks, they can hold a coffee thermos on a 20 degree heel without rattling around and they don’t spill in ruff running.
Jennifer Johnson says
We are on a cat, and my one large deep sink is perfect. I use dish pan to wash, rinse on side. All my kitchen counter things ( like olive oil) go in the sink when weather picks up. Double sinks are nice IF large enough, which I have only seen on much larger boats.
Trish Draze says
I have a double sink and I absolutely hate it….I will change it to a single when we decide to update the counter top. It is too small….barely lunch plate size across. Drives me crazy when trying to clean..constantly bumping the sides, the faucet, water goes everywhere.
If we had a larger boat then it might be different but we don’t so time to modify and make practical.
Kathy Orr says
In general, the only advantage to me in our double sink is that it’s a handy place to put things like our tea kettle or coffee pot when underway. They can be wedged in so that they don’t fall over when we rock and roll. I’d love to put a new counter top and single bowl sink in. I love the composite sinks, and have had them in a couple of houses and found them VERY easy to keep clean and looking great, unlike stainless, but don’t know if they’d hold up under the stresses on a sailboat.
The Boat Galley says
A lot of new boats are using them. Like you, I don’t know how they hold up, but I’d guess they do well.
Tony Gariepy says
Judging by the comments on the subject, I’d say this is as hot a topic as mono/multi-hull!! Lots of different opinions. Thanks Carolyn:-D
Jamie Hemphill Leavey says
I want to replace my double sink with a one bowl model, but am having a hard time finding one that will fit. Any advice on where to look? The problem is the length from front to back needs to be about 15 inches. Thanks!
Kimberly Young Price says
We just did ours. We found a steel fabrication company that did it for us. Look for local fabrication places and called around ( we are in the states). They guy we found only charged $250.
Jamie Hemphill Leavey says
Thanks! I’m looking at RV stores online right now and might have found something that would work. That’s encouraging, though, that you could have one made for around $250 – I assumed it would be a lot more. We’ll be in Boston this month, so I’m thinking one way or another, I should be able to get it done. 🙂
Kimberly Young Price says
Our original sink was damaged when we replaced the leaking faucet. I was desperate and called around to RV shops and spent hours online looking. I had no luck because the measurements were so weird. Once I lined up the fabricator, we pulled the old sink and let the fabricator use it for a size template ( of course with one bowl instead of two).
Dee Byers says
We lucked out and were able to use a “bar sink” we purchased at Lowes. Installed it backwards and it fit perfect in our Gemini.
Candy Ann Williams says
On our endeavor 37 we have 2 deep sinks and like Kathy Orr stated the only advantage is that have an extra place to put stuff while underway. On our Hamatic 40 pilot boat (English) we have a shallower large single sink with built in drain board that I dearly love…so handy. I woukd love to have the same sink in our E-37.
Ann Snider says
We don’t live aboard but we do travel on board for a few weeks at a time with a family of 6. I find the double sink to be handy not only to store stuff when we are under way but also to manage the hand washing of the dishes. Any cooking water gets put into the left hand sink as we are prepping dinner and the dirty dishes go in there after being scraped off. Then I can wash them with the cooking water and soap and put them in the right hand sink to wait until I’m done and then I rinse everything at once. As I’m rinsing one thing, the other things are also getting rinsed so by the time I am getting near done, everything left in the sink is rinsed and I can just pull it out and put it in the drain. It works well for us. 🙂 I wish I had the same set up at home!
Donna Chiappini says
We have an under mount double sink in our 45. I would prefer a single sink as neither sink is large enough for pots and pans I feel. But it would be too difficult to replace and it came with sink tops for added counter space. I used to store coffee pots etc while underway but I now use a collapsing crate in the aft stateroom for all my items that need to be put away while underway. This leaves the galley completely free for use.
Terry Bogart says
Having had both, I think the grass is always greener on the other side.
Gena Beckett Olson says
Our Bayliner came w it’s original USELESS two round sinks in the galley. We will Chang to one larger rectangular sink. I can’t believe that all previous owners put up with these sinks!
Nica Waters says
#onesinkcamp #nodoublesinksforme #notonlandoratsea
Maria Meiers says
I have had both, and I prefer the double sink, but not the two round sinks. That drives me nuts. A rectangle divided into two works for me.
Rod Winter says
Yes
Mark Sidmore says
I agree
Michael Guelker-Cone says
Our Bayliner has two deep rectagular sinks. I’ve never had only one sink so I don’t know what I might be missing. I do know that two sinks have come in handy on more than one occasion. Food prep n one while rinsing dishes in the other.
Berit Skjolden Furuholm says
It is a MUST if you are sailing across oceans, not just island hopping
The Boat Galley says
I truly don’t get why it’s a must.
Nica Waters says
I’ve crossed the Caribbean Sea with my SINGLE sink and it was just fine.
Berit Skjolden Furuholm says
Where are you going to put everything that is dancing around if you dont have a sink, more things 2 sinks.
Les Bauman says
I just put a new double sink in. My wife Lisa Bauman says she loves it. I added a drop in piece for the small side. Best of both worlds.
The Boat Galley says
Those are big enough to actually be useful! Love them!
Lupari Sue says
Yes definitely.
Tod Mills says
I’m laying out the galley on my project boat now. (26′ Tartan with extensive modifications).
How about NO sink and no associated thru-hull? So far, the plan is for a Rubbermaid dishpan that will simply be dumped over the side as needed.
The Boat Galley says
A friend has a sink that drains into a bucket beneath with no thru-hull. I don’t see anything wrong with it other than what if the dish pan slides off the counter (it also ends up being high).
Tod Mills says
Usually sinks are a little low for me anyway, so this might work out. I can also do dishes in the cockpit!
Jan Drury says
Yes!
Kelley Gudahl says
I hate double sinks!
Nica Waters says
You and me both.
Wendy Mackey Evans says
In process of remodeling, going from a single sink to a double. I don’t care for the single sink.
The Boat Galley says
Everyone has their own preference 😎
Melvin Buster Bellwood says
We removed the double that nothing fitted in and installed a single.
Melvin Buster Bellwood says
We read your article first and replaced the double. Doing dishes from a full dinner spread one time was enough for me, #svbelle2004
Nica Waters says
drool
Harela Paglia says
Agreed. We had 2 round sinks. Nothing fit in there. Just looked good. Now 2 SS that work well. Would prefer one large
The Boat Galley says
I love your new ONE!
Chantal Gellermann says
I like my double sinks. They are a nice size though! We had tiny double sinks in a charter and nothing fit in those. Hated them
The Boat Galley says
I think a lot depends on the size!
Ted Reshetiloff says
Exactly. I like the idea of doubles but ours are too small/shallow. We use one to wash in and one to rinse in. Salt water tap for first rinse fresh for final. If our sinks were deeper I could let the dishes stack higher but the Admiral would likely have my head.
Claudia Davis Reshetiloff says
Ted Reshetiloff when was the last time you washed dishes?? LOL!
Ted Reshetiloff says
doh busted!!
Carol Simmons says
Need a small 11”- x 9”- dish drainer for my smaller double sink – Have very old one that’s falling apart. Any ideas?
Jill Corbin says
I got mine at IKEA and the rv supplier sell them too.
Carol Simmons says
Jill Corbin Thanks – what’s the name of an Rv supplier?
Jill Corbin says
Carol Simmons http://www.campingworld.com
Carol Simmons says
Jill Corbin thanks Jill Will look there
Jill Corbin says
I found it on amazon too! This one fits in my sink : https://amzn.to/2v01Gjw
Rebecca Turner Williams says
I think so.
Gale Golden Schulke says
My beloved DH uses one side for boat stuff. The other side gets used for dishes. NOT MY CHOICE, but that is how it is!!
Donna Chiappini says
No, I hate my double sinks. And I have a fairly new boat. I would give anything for a single sink. One side is larger then the other and even still, nothing fits.
Kim Kattreh says
I have a double and hubby is giving me a single.
Christian Jacques Heyer says
Double get useful in navigation using salt water in one, fresh water in the other. Beside this aspect we store all the top counter stuff in the sink when the sea state starts to be more rough.
Leanne Paras says
We replaced a double that nothing fitted in and now have a larger single love it
Pauline Smith says
Yes, but a decent size
Julia Newhouse says
Happy with the double: wash, rinse and leave if not time to put it away..no room for things to slide around.
Jill Corbin says
Wish I had one big sink or a larger double sink!
Robyn says
Where did you purchase the new sink?
Molly in SV Sabai says
We have a large single sink & use a collapsible dishpan. It’s fine & you can wash large things more easily.
Tim Litvin says
Our 40′ classic had its twin small sinks draining straight overboard, and were located so far outboard from the centerline that seawater could backflow when heeled. Under-sink stowage also made it nearly impossible to access that associated seacock. Upon galley redesign, we moved the sinks closer to the boat centerline, added access for the seacock from the settee side, and have the sinks draining into a serviceable graywater tank now.
Finally, we found oval dishes/plates that fit very nicely into the sinks, without room to slide around, so we can quickly belay dirty dishes in one of the sinks when necessary. The oval shape makes it easy to pick them out of the snug rectangular sinks.