Open transoms for cruising

[Laminar Flow]

Having been pooped multiple times in storm conditions and having had seas strike the transom with the dreadful force of a steam hammer (mild conditions), I have now been assured that this was simply all due to my poor choice of boats in which to cross oceans.

Proper, open transom craft are never pooped, operating as they do in the rarefied realm of quantum mechanics and where the thin aft guardwire creates an invisible force field that protects cockpit, crew and the open companion way from the threat of boarding seas.

 

[Tranona]

Having been pooped multiple times in storm conditions and having had seas strike the transom with the dreadful force of a steam hammer (mild conditions), I have now been assured that this was simply all due to my poor choice of boats in which to cross oceans.

Proper, open transom craft are never pooped, operating as they do in the rarefied realm of quantum mechanics and where the thin aft guardwire creates an invisible force field that protects cockpit, crew and the open companion way from the threat of boarding seas.

Despite all that do you not find it amazing that thousands of boats with "open" transoms cross oceans successfully with seemingly the same success rate as other types of boats?

Yet to see headlines such as "Open transom boats are deathtraps - sailors die because because of poor choice of design of boat".

 

[flaming]

Having been pooped multiple times in storm conditions and having had seas strike the transom with the dreadful force of a steam hammer (mild conditions), I have now been assured that this was simply all due to my poor choice of boats in which to cross oceans.

Proper, open transom craft are never pooped, operating as they do in the rarefied realm of quantum mechanics and where the thin aft guardwire creates an invisible force field that protects cockpit, crew and the open companion way from the threat of boarding seas.

Open transom coupled with overloaded displacement boat sailing slowly downwind is indeed likely to ship water over the stern.

Open transom coupled with light weight planing hull is considerably less likely. It's pretty hard for a wave to break into the back of your boat when you're mostly going faster than them.

For example in this video you will note that although they are sailing downwind all of the water that is hitting them is coming from in front of them, not behind.... Granted they're not sailing like cruisers but you see the point....

And here's one of a POGO sailing much more sedately on a transat, look, they even seem to be using twin headsails! Even though they're clearly not pushing there is no sign of any waves over their stern in what look pretty similar conditions to that of the OP's example. The boat just lifts and surfs away every time.

And here's a video of a sistership to my current steed on a transatlantic crossing. Again note the surfing down waves without actually taking one over the stern... Or even close, look at the teak cockpit floor in the video, it never looks wet, other than at the 9 minute mark when quite clearly they've just been rained on and the whole boat looks wet....

As I've said before I've essentially sailed "open" transom boats almost exclusively since about 2005. In which time I've done some very dumb things, but I have never taken a wave over the stern.

 

[geem]

Open transom coupled with overloaded displacement boat sailing slowly downwind is indeed likely to ship water over the stern.

Open transom coupled with light weight planing hull is considerably less likely. It's pretty hard for a wave to break into the back of your boat when you're mostly going faster than them.

For example in this video you will note that although they are sailing downwind all of the water that is hitting them is coming from in front of them, not behind.... Granted they're not sailing like cruisers but you see the point....

And here's one of a POGO sailing much more sedately on a transat, look, they even seem to be using twin headsails! Even though they're clearly not pushing there is no sign of any waves over their stern in what look pretty similar conditions to that of the OP's example. The boat just lifts and surfs away every time.

And here's a video of a sistership to my current steed on a transatlantic crossing. Again note the surfing down waves without actually taking one over the stern... Or even close, look at the teak cockpit floor in the video, it never looks wet, other than at the 9 minute mark when quite clearly they've just been rained on and the whole boat looks wet....

As I've said before I've essentially sailed "open" transom boats almost exclusively since about 2005. In which time I've done some very dumb things, but I have never taken a wave over the stern.

How many Atlantic crossings have you done in an open transom boat?

 

[capnsensible]

How many Atlantic crossings have you done in an open transom boat?

Do you mean like Polar Seals?

 

[geem]

Do you mean like Polar Seals?

Any version of open transom. Polar Seals isn't really very open compared to many designs. Just interested if you have had anything similar whilst ocean crossing? I know you have done plenty of deliveries

 

[capnsensible]

Took a Jenneau 45 across twice. And a Bavaria 44.thats the kinda open stern ones.

Taken two Bavarias, that 44 and a 46 across the Caribbean sea. It was one of those that we took a wave that soaked the engine panel. Recovered fr9m that though, and took it on to Tahiti. As you do.

Have done nine other transatlantic.s. Took a big wave into the centre cockpit of our Moody a couple of days east of the Azores.....rather annoyed my wife who was on watch.

Took a large wave into the generous cockpit of a FP Lavezzi catamaran mid way on a West- East crossing.

Annoying when it happens but it's not like it's every day.

Had far worse weather tootling to and fro in the Med, but been lucky, I guess.

 

[Poignard]

I suppose the main advantage of no transom is that any water that does come inboard is immediately got rid of, whereas the danger with a boat like my Twister is that if her cockpit is filled her stern will be weighed down and buoyancy lost, and another wave might come on board before the previous load had had had time to drain away through the cockpit drains. That could be catastrophic

But this is probably academic since I would heave-to before such a situation developed.

 

[dunedin]

How many Atlantic crossings have you done in an open transom boat?

How many different threads will you start on the theme of ”any boat differnt from mine is clearly unsuitable“ (for anything)?

 

[Laser310]

I've done a lot of ocean sailing on fully open transom boats - Swan 53/54.., XP44.., X 4.9...

I haven't seen anything that concerned me.

I usually clip in at night or if it's rough when I am back at the helm

 

[geem]

How many different threads will you start on the theme of ”any boat differnt from mine is clearly unsuitable“ (for anything)?

Had a bad day? Didn't get enough sleep last night?
Thankyou for contributing to this thread. You have made such a difference

 

[Neeves]

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

We have walk through transoms and take following seas - which keep the cockpit clean (but stole one of my deck shoes one night and one deck shoe is not much use). We have a 8" sill into the saloon - the sea has never been that deep - but an older Seawind took a sea that took hours to bail out - they now have a higher sill. Our cockpit sole is 1.1m above sea level

We installed washboards, the top of the boards are about 0.65m above the cockpit sole) on both transoms, with 1" high gap at the bottom, simple glassed foam. The washboards were installed to keep the then young grandchildren on board - but they, the washboards, are dual use (and I cannot keep buying deck shoes).

Jonathan

 

[KompetentKrew]

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

I believe the boat pictured in #5 can have the transom completely closed - as well as the closing the gate-style seat, the steps beneath it lift up to fully close the gap.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I suppose the main advantage of no transom is that any water that does come inboard is immediately got rid of, whereas the danger with a boat like my Twister is that if her cockpit is filled her stern will be weighed down and buoyancy lost, and another wave might come on board before the previous load had had had time to drain away through the cockpit drains. That could be catastrophic

But this is probably academic since I would heave-to before such a situation developed.

Had mine full above seat height. Bottom washboard kept it out of the cabin. It drained quickly to about 3 inches and then much more slowly after that. The wave broke on me from abeam after I fell off one running dead down wind. Never felt like I would get pooped from astern even in 4-5 meter breaking waves.
No video of the swamping as I was busy but this is quite typical downwind off Valencia:

 

[Poignard]

Had mine full above seat height. Bottom washboard kept it out of the cabin. It drained quickly to about 3 inches and then much more slowly after that. The wave broke on me from abeam after I fell off one running dead down wind. Never felt like I would get pooped from astern even in 4-5 meter breaking waves.
No video of the swamping as I was busy but this is quite typical downwind off Valencia:

What size cockpit drains do you have?
When I bought my Twister she had two small cockpit drains connected to one seacock. I fitted two separate 1-1/2" drains.
The only time I filled the cockpit was in the Raz du Sein (stupidly, I went through at a bad time). A single wave broke abeam which, fortunately, was not repeated.
Stern buoyancy was noticeably improved when I got rid of the two Calor gas bottles from aft, and fitted an Origo cooker instead of the gas cooker.
Lovely boats, Twisters!

 

[Buck Turgidson]

What size cockpit drains do you have?
When I bought my Twister she had two small cockpit drains connected to one seacock. I fitted two separate 1-1/2" drains.
The only time I filled the cockpit was in the Raz du Sein (stupidly, I went through at a bad time). A single wave broke abeam which, fortunately, was not repeated.
Stern buoyancy was noticeably improved when I got rid of the two Calor gas bottles from aft, and fitted an Origo cooker instead of the gas cooker.
Lovely boats, Twisters!

I've got the original 2x 1" connected to one seacock. I think some of the water went through the cockpit lockers but by the time I ventured indoors the bilges were dry-ish. It was noticeably a two rate draining with the last 3 inches taking what seamed like an eternity. I thought the drain may have been blocked at the time as I sat drenched in the cockpit but in retrospect I guess it was the reduced head of pressure that slowed it down.