Open transoms for cruising

[geem]

There was some debate on the forum a while back about the trend on modern cruising boats now having open transoms. Lots of comments for and against. I just watched the 'Ryan and Sophie' sailing blog where Ryan is sailing single handed across the Atlantic. In what appears to be fairly benign conditions, the boat takes a following wave into the cockpit and down below. He seems to then spend the rest of the crossing with the washboards in.

 

[capnsensible]

Can happen on any boat. Even catamarans.... .

 

[dunedin]

Arguably the fold down transom can be rhe best of both worlds - open at anchor, closed at sea, but still fast draining if cockpit swamped from ahead or side

 

[mjcoon]

I've been in a small yacht that was pooped when complete with proper transom. Open cockpits struck me as a sort of inside-out infinity pool; a daft idea!

 

[capnsensible]

 

[capnsensible]

This is Ryan an hour or so before he left Lanzarote. You can see the transom of yacht Polar Seal.

 

[Tranona]

It is not difficult with a semi open transom like that one to add a drop down board to cover most of the hole but still leave good drainage. Also possible as I did to split the washboard so that the lower part creates a 30cm or so extra bridge deck. This reduces the possibility of getting water down below while maintaining the rapid draining of an open transom. Given that when cruising the majority of the time is spent not moving and of the time spent moving the majority is in conditions where pooping is unlikely, the extra accessibility an open transom offers seems to make the compromises worthwhile. Like Dunedin I liked the drop down transom on my last boat, although the platform and mechanism is vulnerable when berthing stern to.

 

[Zing]

There is an increased risk, without doubt. You can be washed overboard from bigger centre cockpit boats though, so a protected cockpit isn't necessarily enough. In fact I know someone who was washed overboard from a 48' centre cockpit. No tether in that case and that's the thing. The bigger you go, the less of a concern it usually is.

 

[capnsensible]

When I do stuff on boats with the big drop down transom.....typically a Bavaria 37...... I don't drop it until after I've completed a stern to docking maneuver.

 

[capnsensible]

It is not difficult with a semi open transom like that one to add a drop down board to cover most of the hole but still leave good drainage. Also possible as I did to split the washboard so that the lower part creates a 30cm or so extra bridge deck. This reduces the possibility of getting water down below while maintaining the rapid draining of an open transom. Given that when cruising the majority of the time is spent not moving and of the time spent moving the majority is in conditions where pooping is unlikely, the extra accessibility an open transom offers seems to make the compromises worthwhile. Like Dunedin I liked the drop down transom on my last boat, although the platform and mechanism is vulnerable when berthing stern to.

Like the split washboards. Very useful as you point out. The sea into the cockpit scenario is generally offshore so that added height prevents a lot of grief.

The vulnerability that is often overlooked, however, is the engine control panel on lots of yachts. Always rain proof but the weight of a big wave coming to say hello finds any weak link in the sealing. Knowing how to start an engine by shorting across the solenoid is a useful skill.

 

[mjcoon]

Like the split washboards. Very useful as you point out. The sea into the cockpit scenario is generally offshore so that added height prevents a lot of grief.

My sole experience of rough pooping-weather was just N of Sporades. Should not have gone out but was caught out on our own on a flotilla's "independent sailing" expedition and getting lonely! "Offshore" can come to you...

 

[LadyInBed]

I don't like the idea of sitting with my backside to a following sea, especially on a dark night! I will stick to my center cockpit thanks

 

[Daydream believer]

There was some debate on the forum a while back about the trend on modern cruising boats now having open transoms. Lots of comments for and against. I just watched the 'Ryan and Sophie' sailing blog where Ryan is sailing single handed across the Atlantic. In what appears to be fairly benign conditions, the boat takes a following wave into the cockpit and don't below. He seems to then spend the rest of the crossing with the washboards in.

I would not agree that their boat is what one would term "open transom" It has a small section that can be removed for a walk through, but is nothing like the full on open ones with just a couple of wires for protection. A wave over the transom then would wash any loose gear gear back into the sea, which could be somewhat annoying. However, these boats tend to have wide sterns so presumably lift up over the wave more readily. Still vunerable in a breaking sea, or if running with a drogue though

What a boat needs is a fairly decent step, or bridgedeck, from cockpit to cabin. Seem to be lower on some boats, presumably because it can be irritating to step over. However, makes a decent wave break.

 

[Stemar]

My two cockpit drains are bad enough when I drop an essential nut. I hate to think what an open transom would allow Neptune to steal

This is my kind of cockpit

 

[Tranona]

What a boat needs is a fairly decent step, or bridgedeck, from cockpit to cabin. Seem to be lower on some boats, presumably because it can be irritating to step over. However, makes a decent wave break.

From what I can remember the RCD does not have a requirement for a break of any significance at the cabin entrance but does have a generous requirement for drainage. The extra 30cm added on my old style Bav 37 was modelled on what the MCA coding required. It was held down with shoot bolts into the side framing. I used to leave it in all the time when sailing.

 

[geem]

There is an increased risk, without doubt. You can be washed overboard from bigger centre cockpit boats though, so a protected cockpit isn't necessarily enough. In fact I know someone who was washed overboard from a 48' centre cockpit. No tether in that case and that's the thing. The bigger you go, the less of a concern it usually is.

Totally agree. I know a guy who was washed out of the cockpit in a F9 mid Atlantic then washed back in on the next wave. He was on a harness line The boat lost the sprayhood and other stuff off the deck. The difference was the weather was bad so washboards were in. I was surprised it happened in benign weather to Ryan. Anything under the floor such as batteries could have been taken out. That wouldn't have been fun mid Atlantic.

 

[johnalison]

I don't like the idea of sitting with my backside to a following sea, especially on a dark night! I will stick to my center cockpit thanks

There are many boats of Continental origin that appear to be 'fair weather boats', with the wheel helmsman's seat right back against the aft guard wires. In one extreme case, which I think was the Gibsea 34 from the early 2000s the helmsman's seat was just a wooden step on the floded-up aft ladder. While it may be the case that owners tend to sail on autopilot, this isn't always ideal and I would not want to be at the helm in the middle of the Channel or N Sea in such a position. A tiller such as mine makes the cockpit seem much less exposed, but isn't always the most comfortable option downwind. I'm not convinced that a centre cockpit is any better in this respect. On several trips my centre cockpit companions in much larger boats were not only less comfortable but much wetter on fast downwind passages. My conclusion has been that there is no single good answer and we each have to choose the compromise that suits our sailing plans and sailing style.

 

[geem]

I don't like the idea of sitting with my backside to a following sea, especially on a dark night! I will stick to my center cockpit thanks

Haha, I done a fair few miles in our centre cockpit and never been close to having a following wave anywhere near landing in the cockpit. We did have one break on the beam that filled my wife's chicken curry to the brim with salt water. She said it didn't taste so good. I was eating mine at the chart table. We have a one foot high companion way step over that kept that wave out of the saloon ?

 

[flaming]

I wouldn't really call that an open transom. Certainly not like I'm used to. You'd kind of think that a problematic amount of water coming over the stern would have to have gone right over the top of those benches, rather than just through the flip down gap. Might get a bucket or two through the gap when hit by one wave, but not huge amounts surely? Not sure that a closed transom on that boat would have changed much.
Having watched a little bit of the film I'd wonder if he would have avoided that issue by going a little faster. He looked to be very conservative in his sail choice, quite understandably as he mentions his nerves etc, but that has left the boat wallowing a bit.
Coupled to which he's quite clearly added quite a bit of weight to the back of that boat...

The vulnerability that is often overlooked, however, is the engine control panel on lots of yachts. Always rain proof but the weight of a big wave coming to say hello finds any weak link in the sealing. Knowing how to start an engine by shorting across the solenoid is a useful skill.

Oh jeeze, had this... Really nasty upwind thrash across Lyme bay, with green water sluicing through the cockpit regularly (and straight out the open cockpit...) When I went to start the engine it did start but I just got the alarm sounding continuously. Lots of checking, impeller, cooling, oil, etc etc.
Worked it out in the end, the alarm panel was full of water and shorting out... So engine fine, but alarm sounding continuously. Which was annoying.... Got in to Dartmouth and went to bed. When we went to move the boat the next morning, nothing... Completely dead. Whole panel had to be replaced.

 

[capnsensible]

You got a black cat. I've got a panther......as they say in the navy.

Took a big wave into the cockpit of a Bavaria 46. Swamped the engine panel. Was half way across the Carribean sea, between Antigua, 500 or so miles behind and Colon, Panama, about 600 miles ahead.

I took the panel off and spent a day giving it lots of wd40 care. Had a Watt&Sea which kept batteries going. Got engine started like a twocker would. Finally got panel up and running but alarm noise maker dead forever.