[Rhodes22-list] Cockpit Waterproofing

[S/V Lark]

Glad to know some push their boat so hard.   I didn't buy a bluewater boat,
but have certainly found myself in unexpected conditions with little boats. 
I've gotten more cautious (wimpy) with age, but its good to have reserve
capacity.  

As has been observed, decreasing the volume of the cockpit without
decreasing the surface area won't limit the amount of water dumped in by
heavy seas or a steep wave at an inlet.   Therefore you increase the risk of
overflowing the bridge deck.   Increasing the bulkhead separation from the
cockpit to the cabin and lazarette makes sense, but will only help as the
boat heals so water levels are higher then they are at the companionway.   

To my knowledge one boat under power has flipped and turtled from a
following wave.  The stub keel did not right it (of course even Vendee Globe
boats have found themselves in that predicament), but the flotation saved
the boat.   Are there other examples?  She seems a remarkably forgiving
design, and one of the more robust trailer launchable pocket cruisers, some
of the reasons I bought one from Stan.

How complete of a knockdown will it right from?  100'?   

My thoughts / concerns on surviving extreme weather (besides the obvious of
watching the weather window and wasting precious vacation days instead of
pushing the envelope) is 
1.  A tether would be useful at times.   Where do you secure it?
2.  The pop top is the biggest vulnerability I see in the event of a
complete knockdown or especially if the boat was rolled.  How do you secure
yours?
3.  I've had a roller FURLING jib unexpectedly open up or fail to reef.  
Exciting.   A partially reefed jib could become big and ugly if the line
breaks or the cleat fails.    Has anybody who pushes their boat considered a
spare halyard and a stormsail hanked over the furled jib, as a way to secure
the jib and limit canvas at the same time?   
Unless I scare my girlfriend off I expect more excursions on bigger water in
the future.    Marina hopping on a schedule means you have to be able to get
back again, even if the weather deteriorates beyond projections.  I'm also a
calculator who likes backup backup plans (and the radio doesn't count as a
backup plan).   

Alex


  





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Alex Cole
S/V Lark
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