# What is the deal with being barefoot on a yacht? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2025, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006 "2025-09-13T03:07:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/1 "2025-09-13T03:07:09Z")
I like watching some YouTube videos of yachts (living vicariously) and almost always the people showing the yacht are barefoot. Why? Do yacht owners make everyone take off their shoes before boarding? Do the owners only ever walk barefoot around yacht? Staff too? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/2 "2025-09-13T03:08:49Z")
Better grip on a wet deck, and an effort by the boat owner to not have the deck scuffed by the soles of street shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/3 "2025-09-13T03:13:36Z")
Isn’t that exactly why boat shoes were invented? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/4 "2025-09-13T03:16:34Z")
Yes; “boat shoes” (like Sperry Top-Siders) have a sole that’s built to be less likely to scuff a wooden boat deck. But, apparently not everyone (especially people who aren’t “boat people”) shows up at a friend’s boat wearing boat shoes. Also, apparently, some yacht people just prefer being barefoot; it may be part of the boat culture. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/5 "2025-09-13T03:17:39Z")
A major attraction of a yacht is that it is essentially surrounded on all sides by a swimming pool. Bare feet are part of the expected casual dress code poolside or at the beach. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/6 "2025-09-13T03:39:35Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Isn’t that exactly why boat shoes were invented? Boat shoes are good for deckhands or anyone working the foredeck on a sailing boat but the absorb water and eventually the soles pick up grit that can scratch fiberglass and woodwork, and get tracked into the cabin. Bare feet are better overall because they have a good grip, and feet dry quickly. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/7 "2025-09-13T04:04:17Z")
It is so that, even when you are cruising around on your [Moonen 110 Mustique](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWSmjJTt9Z4), you look humble. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/8 "2025-09-13T10:47:17Z")
I hate being barefoot, and a pair of shoes will have much better grip for me. I thought it was recommended to wear boat shoes. Accidentally kick a cleat, and you will agree. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/9 "2025-09-13T11:05:44Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Yes; “boat shoes” (like Sperry Top-Siders) have a sole that’s built to be less likely to scuff a wooden boat deck. Yep. Most boat decks aren’t like the floors in a home. They can be easily damaged by many shoes. Pebbles lodged in the sole can cause scratches, and high heels can create dimples. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/10 "2025-09-13T11:39:58Z")
A yacht (as opposed to a mere boat) is also one of those hyper-perfect hyper-styled environments that should always, every second, look factory fresh, totally clean, and utterly unblemished. The spoiled people who regularly inhabit such spaces demand the perfection their egos tell them they are _entitled_ to. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/11 "2025-09-13T13:36:00Z")
Were I ever on a yacht, I wouldn’t keep shoes on a second longer than needed. Few things feel as good under bare feet than sun-heated, smooth wood. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/12 "2025-09-13T14:30:01Z")
Yeah, the question isn’t why people go barefoot on a yacht. The question is why anyone ever wears shoes in other places. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/13 "2025-09-13T14:36:03Z")
The answer to that is most places aren’t designed to be amenable to bare feet. Yachts, specifically are. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/14 "2025-09-13T17:10:44Z")
And, arguably (and boy have we!), the interiors of private homes or apartments. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/15 "2025-09-13T17:28:45Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > Were I ever on a yacht, I wouldn’t keep shoes on a second longer than needed. Few things feel as good under bare feet than sun-heated, smooth wood. Yes. I’ve never owned “boat shoes”, but have owned a sailboat, and frequently sailed on the boats of others. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > A yacht (as opposed to a mere boat) is also one of those hyper-perfect hyper-styled environments that should always, every second, look factory fresh, totally clean, and utterly unblemished. Not every boat owner necessarily feels that way to such an extent, but I agree that most do. Many years ago, when a friend joined me on a week-long voyage to sail my newly purchased boat to its home port, we noticed this sense of perfection among most boats in the harbours where we docked. We were amused by one boat beside us once which was not only incredibly pristine, but the sailors insisted on coiling the loose ends of the mooring lines in a perfect spiral! We just left ours in a heap on the dock, and that pretty much reflected our approach to everything. We did make a necessary effort to keep the boat organized and shipshape, though. A sailboat isn’t large and if you don’t keep the deck and galley organized you soon have ungodly chaos. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/16 "2025-09-13T17:34:32Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > A sailboat isn’t large and if you don’t keep the deck and galley organized you soon have ungodly chaos. And a good way to keep it organized is to stow useless things like shoes until you need them to go ashore. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2025, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/17 "2025-09-14T05:01:34Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > The answer to that is most places aren’t designed to be amenable to bare feet. Yachts, specifically are. Pretty much this. I live in a horrid rocky place with indigenous plants that routinely puncture tires. Go bootless at your Peril. And once the snow falls, my tootsies are in plastic ski boot for a long time. When on the boat or Cruising (even to Alaska) I go barefoot as often as possible. Nothing like well worn Teak under foot to ease you into a state of relaxation. Besides, my feets are sexy as hell and I wanna show them off! ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2025, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/18 "2025-09-14T10:43:33Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The question is why anyone ever wears shoes in other places. Very easy to answer that - Because we are much more comfortable with shoes on. When someone takes their shoes off in my home I find it very presumptuous. “You planning on spending the night, or what?” ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2025, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/19 "2025-09-14T11:22:52Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > When someone takes their shoes off in my home I find it very presumptuous. “You planning on spending the night, or what?” If someone **doesn’t** take their shoes off in my home, I find it very insulting. “You think my house is just like a public street, except with a roof? Why don’t you bring your car in, too – you can drive it in through the front window.” ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2025, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006/20 "2025-09-14T11:29:50Z")
Is the side walk to your home filthy? That’s a serious question. Mines just clean concrete. The floor in my garage is epoxy coated concrete, very clean. My back porch and patio is clean concrete. We take care of our grass. I have no problem sitting down in it, or walking on it and into my home. I’m very uncomfortable without shoes on, it’s rude to ask me to take them off. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-deal-with-being-barefoot-on-a-yacht/1023006.md?page=2)