Cockpit awash

[coopec]

RCD regulations (ISO 11812) specify cockpit drain size which varies according to the size of the cockpit. As a rule of thumb a cockpit would be expected to drain in three minutes. Large cockpits should have four drains on the bottom. How often will the cockpit fill? I remember reading one of Eric Hiscock's books where he stated that in his 40 years of cruising (around the world) his decks were awash on the average two days a year.

 

[pmagowan]

I wouldn't worry about it as it is one of those things you will automatically know when the time comes. For most sailing you don't think about it and leave them out as sailing is fun so you generally don't do it if you are likely to be drowned onboard. When you need the oilys on and things are a bit hairy you will put the washboards in simply to protect down below from spray etc. it is the same as knowing when to clip on your safety line, reef the sail, batten the hatches etc. we have flooded the cockpit twice, once simply from a messy big sea in a force 8 and it simply drained out and once going through the Doris Mor on a lovely day under sail when the current spun us and the wind got square on the close hauled sail and knocked us over. All we did was drop the main sheet and she popped up. The second time we didn't have them in and some water went below but it didn't cause a problem.

 

[Moët]

Thanks again for all the interesting information and stories here.

 

[lpdsn]

Had the cockpit flooded in a F5 in a 43 footer near South Rock (Irish Sea). The wave just came over the quarter out of nowhere and there was no follow up. Cockpit fooded about two feet deep and it was a good job the lower washboard was in. Not had anywhere near that much in the cockpit since, even in a F9.