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Answering perhaps the most crucial need on a sailboat, a place to stash your beverage when you need to come about, I came up with a solution that I challenge anyone to beat in terms of inexpensiveness and flexibility. I used the thin-walled pipe (white outside, black inside) typically used for low-pressure applications like underground drainage. Much lighter and easier to work with than Schedule 40. $10 for a 10-foot piece. I cut it into several 5-1/2-inch pieces to start with.

Photo shows final product mounted in aft cockpit corner of a Hunter 170.

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This photo gives a better idea of the actual construction. The tabs that fold over are 2-inches long, secured by a 1/8-inch pop rivet. At the top is a keyhole cut for hanging over a screw.

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OK, like everything, it gets ugly in the close-up! This keyhole cut allows the user to slip the holder over the head of a small screw. The large hole is slightly larger than the diameter of the head of the screw. The smaller hole is the diameter of the shaft of the screw. If cut properly, the holder will snap in place when pushed down into position.

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A small stainless steel screw serves as a mounting point. Note that the shadow shows there is a gap between the mounting surface and the back side of the head of the screw. Place these wherever you think you might want to mount one of the cupholders. They are unobtrusive and will not get in the way when you dont have a cupholder hung on them.

Total project cost - $10. I made six cupholders, two of them longer for wine glasses or tallboys. Could have made twice as many. As the first photo shows, they easily accommodate a standard 12-ounce can with a foam coozie.