In The Media
Handcrafted Boat Pillows, Written by Juliet Frederick
September 2025 Issue
When you spend time on a small boat, you typically don’t expect luxury. You give up a plush couch for a well-worn, often damp cushion; swap cool air conditioning for the salty sea air; and fully accept that an overnight stay might mean using a lifejacket as a makeshift pillow. Life aboard a small boat might not be glamorous, but in my opinion, that’s all part of the magic.
Every now and then, however, you come across something that changes the expectation of “roughing it”; a small tool, trick, or product that slightly elevates your life on the water without making it too over-the-top. For my husband and me, aboard our wooden sailboat this summer, the Harpswell Island Designs pillow has been that something. It may seem like a small thing, but in our boat, where space is limited and every item needs to earn its keep, small things can make all the difference.
Photographs by the author
Harpswell Island Designs offers many stock patterns such as appliqué nautical signal flags and yacht club burgees as well as embroidered designs like the compass rose seen here on a 20″ × 20″ pillow.
The idea that one could maximize comfort without sacrificing function is what inspired Ann Mayer Grout to launch Harpswell Island Designs in 2022 in Harpswell, Maine. Ann is a local business owner who, like me, enjoys working on wooden boats and cruising around Quahog Bay. She’s combined a lifelong interest in nautical flags and burgees, a long career in the textile and production industry, and a desire for comfort, beauty, and practicality afloat, to come up with a product where form most decidedly follows function, but sacrifices nothing in so doing.
Like many boat owners, I’ve always been cautious about bringing fabric items onboard. Between the damp (and, in our situation, salty) air, small enclosed quarters, and rainstorms that sometimes leak through our wooden deck, fabric has a way of trapping moisture. However, Ann’s pillow covers are made exclusively from water-resistant Sunbrella fabric. Sunbrella is as durable as it is stylish, and has long been used for the covering of many boat cushions. It’s crafted to withstand harsh conditions under the sun, and to be on the water year after year. And it’s easy to clean: for smaller spills (even a cup of coffee) the pillows can be spot cleaned with a sponge and soap; if a more substantial clean is needed, they can be machine-washed.
The pillows come in two sizes, 20″ × 20″ × 6 1⁄2″ and 22″ × 14″ × 5 1⁄2″. Designs are either embroidered or appliquéd and can be ordered from stock or custom-created. The covers are zipper-closed, made of water- and stain-resistant Sunbrella, and easily cleaned.
The pillows come in an extensive range of styles and colors, making choice challenging. Stock designs include yacht club burgees, International Code flags, nautical-themed patterns, and Maine-inspired designs. They can also be custom-made with applique and embroidered designs. They are available in two sizes, 20″ × 20″ × 6 1⁄2″—perfect for sleeping aboard—and 22″ × 14″ × 5 1⁄2″, for hanging out in the cockpit. All the fabric edges are heat-sealed, all the covers are removable—fastened with a YKK zip—and the inserts are of non-allergenic, water-resistant microfiber.
Quality and comfort are at the heart of every pillow. Ann is committed to using USA-sourced materials, ensuring exceptional quality and durability that holds up season after season.
Putting the boat away at the end of the season is always a sad time, but this year we’ll be able to bring the pillows back home and use them through the winter months, bringing a little piece of the boat with us through the dark and cold.
Juliet Frederick and her husband Keith Frederick have restored NEREUS, a 21′ John Alden Sloop built by Harry Bryan in 2006 and enjoy sailing her from Harpswell, Maine. They frequently log their adventures on Instagram: @sailingthenereus.
