Dear dougal99, full size sailing yachts i.e. those with sails, have stanchions with a flexible wire / rope threaded through, you can cock your leg over the wire and stand astride as I said. Frequently there is a more robust pulpit and possibly a pushpit from where the wire is attached.
Yachts the size of Endeavour at 130 feet loa have this arrangement.
On a sail boat if you are upright you are probably going somewhere and then will sit down. If you are standing upright you could be on the helm or holding onto the mast or shrouds. Leaning on the stanchion wires you are not! They give a little support where necessary and will stop you going overboard if you lose your balance.
I have not been sailing for about 11 or 12 years but little has changed in that time, when I was, I was crewing on a Moody 425 which is 42.5 feet loa and visiting quite a few marinas, I saw many sailing boats, but do not remember any with rail stanchions or of a height and robustness you could lean on. But who am I? I bet there is a boat out there, somewhere, that makes me a liar!
regards to all Roy.