Seagoing

[Fire99]

Hi All,

Firstly, what can i say but generally, what great weather we are having for October.
Secondly, I returned yesterday from a day cruise on the Paddle Steamer Waverley down the river thames, through Tower Bridge (which they opened), and what a great day / boat that was..
Money well spent, since my Freeman 30 is now on dry dock for much needed TLC.

One question that i haven't really sorted yet is, what decides the sea-going capabilities of a Boat?
People for instance say the max for my Twin Screw Freeman 30 is about force 4 ish. How is that decision made?
Are there any standard points to measure a boat by?
Any info on this, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Happy Autumn Cruising..

Nick


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[hlb]

No standards at all. Cos a f4 might be f6 or f2 just round the corner. So to go out in an f4, you might have to endure f6 or seven in areas.

Self draining decks is a good starting point. If you ain got them. Then your not really fit for the sea.

(See life boat thread for details.)

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[Fire99]

Thanks for the reply...
I agree about the force scenario, but self draining decks?? thats a bit drastic..
Do princesses and Sunseekers have self draining decks?
I understand their purpose but, correct me if i'm wrong, if you took all the boats out of the Estuarys which dont have self draining decks, then i think the water would be a very quiet place..
But hey i could be wrong..

thanks for replying though...

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[hlb]

Well. The ones I buy do. All yachts have self draining decks as far as I know. All sea boat should have. Put it this way. I'd have been sunk loads of times if I had not got them.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[Fire99]

Blimey..

What kinda weather do you go out in? as i imagine the amount of water coming in would overwhelm a couple of electric bilge pumps??

regards,

Nick

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[oldgit]

Praaps ....the experience of the skipper is far more important than whatever the boat can handle.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.

 

[hlb]

Well. Normally I go out in F4 or maybe 5. But like I said before. It aint always f4 round the corner. Or on my way back. Theres loads of times that it goes worse than forcast. So unless staying very close to safety, you need something that aint going to sink just cos a wave came over the top.

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[Renegade_Master]

."All yachts have self draining decks as far as I know" I am sure your right on this my cockpit is self draining on the F36, as it was on my old P32. should be standard IMHO

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>

 

[longjohnsilver]

Cockpits.

My old CI 22 didn't have self draining cockpit and that was one of the best little sea boats around. Now not allowed to make them cos of the stoopid EC regs.

All decks are self draining, no?

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[hlb]

Re: Cockpits.

Whats stupid about sinking john??

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[Talbot]

It seems that you and a number of forumites are all making the elementary mistake of confusing wind speed with sea state. Granted that there is a link, but it is not a straight line relationship. You would be able to use your boat in a storm force wind if the sea state was slight to moderate. The sea state is a function of the wind strength, the length of time it has been blowing from the same direction, the degree of shelter , the type of bottom, and the depth. It is vital to understand this relationship otherwise you could get into serious difficulties. It may be of interest that I experienced seas that were slight, moderate, and rough within a couple of hours of sailing last friday - all because of the four different variables above.

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[longjohnsilver]

Re: Cockpits.

Well that's just the point, none of them sank cos they don't take on water, they just bob over all the waves.

Not like those big planing white gin palaces! /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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[BrendanS]

Re: Cockpits.

Watched a Grand Banks type boat making way from Wooton Creek to Ryde as I was heading back in other direction on Sunday. No denying it was a sea worthy boat, and was doing a good constant speed, but it was underwater 50% of the time I was watching it. When I did the same trip as they were doing ( an hour or two earlier) I had to drive my boat on the throttle, but as you say, just bobbed over the waves. Had a very dry trip, but if I'd been in that boat with on open cockpit I'd have been soaked to the skin for hours.

There's a lot of intolerance and mis-understanding of different boats capabilites and characteristics on this forum which doesn't equate to peoples boating experience

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[hlb]

Re: Cockpits.

I dont care what boat. Eventualy your going to get a wave over the top. I get one or two every year. We laugh about it and go down stairs grinning. Slow the boat down abit and just become a submarine till out of it. Brendan Ask yourself. Can your boat be a submarine. Even for the briefest of times. If the answer is yes Then it's becoming a sea boat. If no then.............

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Cockpits.

Of course I get waves over top. Twice on Sunday pm. Cold and horrible for a moment or two, but had the right gear on, and didn't think anything of it.. Friends call the boat Submarine..the serious boat types have all experienced it, before and on my boat.. Nothing like earlier in Season, this weekend was quite tame

Why worry about it if the boat's capable of taking it? everyone seems to be talking up the weekend as unusual and nasty. It was nothing unusual and quite healthy to be out and enjoying it.

I drive the boat, not just stuff it into waves for the fun of it. That makes a big difference

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[powerskipper]

Re: Cockpits.

I was out on the waters of the solent on Sunday, we had wind over tide to yarmouth from the hamble, the 43ft flybrige only let us have some heavey spray on thre flybr.. The return trip mid afternoonwas dry and we were punching into both wind and tide. We were cruising at 22knots,

BrendanS comments the boat can take it just drive it are spot on, It was great to blow the cobwebs away!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Julie

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Cockpits.

Appreciate the comments.Thank you, though I have to say conditions outsite the solent were a little different

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[MapisM]

Bobbing over the waves...

...is fine, as long as the sea allows that.
But if it doesn't, and in certain conditions it really doesn't, then I tend to agree with Haydn.
Actually, self draining deck could even be not enough.
Some long-range trawlers are built to be self righting.
They don't bob over the waves of course, but I'd rather trust one of them to cross the oceans.

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[BrendanS]

Re: Bobbing over the waves...

Crossing Oceans has never been mentioned? So why complicate things?

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[MapisM]

Re: Bobbing over the waves...

Well, force 6/7 sea is something which has actually been mentioned.
I'd confirm my previous (humble of course) opinion for such conditions, wherever they might happen.
It was just a viewpoint anyway, not meant to complicate the discussion.

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