Seaworthy

[trays]

I often see the term "seaworthy" used. Could someone give me a definition, in terms of a trailer sailer?

Similarly, would someone care to define "seaman like"?

Ray

 

[andrewhopkins]

great question

I guess you can only say something is more seaworthy than another boat....

Things you could include as measurement are:

1. Angle of vanishing stability (how much it turns over before capsizing)

2. Displacement (how much it weighs and consequently can cut through more difficulty seas).

3. Keel weight v Displacement (How much of that weight is in the keel)

4. Rigging, hatches, water escaping from cockpit, engine mountings, Deck mountings, ,etc,etc, etc, etc

5. Safety gear on board

6. Hype (some boats have been hyped up that they stand up to weather better and would instil more confidence!!!)

7. Skipper (probably shouldnt be number 7!!)


A few of my thoughts, Why not find out the furthest any boat has sailed to. If it got to Iceland unaided in winter, it's allright by me!!

 

[billmacfarlane]

Re: great question

Not sure about that last bit Andrew. Frank Dye sailed to Norway in a Wayfarer and I doubt that makes Wayfarers seaworthy. It might make it for him and a lot of "seaworthiness" is due to the nut behind the wheel. Seaworthines is a term as difficult to describe as the differences in the British class system. One man's idea of it isn't necessary anothers. My own idea of it covers things like the boat should be easy to handle in the conditions you choose to sail it, a ballast ratio of at least 40%, the boat should not admit water through any skin fitting , the deck hardware should easily cope with the loads on the boat etc.

 

[andrewhopkins]

Stories

My last comment was a little tongue in cheek.

However, its true that you hear stories like "The Rustler 36 comes into its own in F7" or "Contessa 32's can roll right over and still have their rigging standing"

I guess I was trying to say that the more a boat type has spread around the world and the more stories might suggest it can cope with a lot.

 

[oldsaltoz]

Hi Trays.
Seaworthy is a term that can be applied to any vessel from Titanic to trailer sailer, so a defanition in terms of a trailer sailer is perhaps not relavant. It’s bit like (But not exactly like) roadworthy; it can be applied to huge trucks and tiny trikes.
Seaworthy basically means fit to go to sea. Perhaps the easiest way to describe seaworthy is to look at un-seaworthy, a boat that has a bad leak and poor pumps would be considered un-seaworthy, as would a yacht with a rig too big or a keel too small making it very tender and at risk of capsizing in moderate conditions.
The dictionary describes seaworthy as (adjective, Date 1807). “Fit or safe for a sea voyage”.
Happy Sailing Old Salt Oz

 

[quaelgeist2]

Hi

I heard the following some time ago:
A boat is seaworthy if it looks after herself (and a less seaworthy crew I guess) when left to her own devices in bad weather...

Make out of it what you want, I think it sounds nice.

chris

 

[Bergman]

Definitions are fine but you still have the problem of knowing to what extent any given boat meets whichever definition you choose.

There are no definitive parameters that give a measurement of seaworthyness.

Apart from the lack of obvious faults you will come down to one persons subjective view against another persons equally subjective view.

The only attempt I know off is the RCD which in my opinion is both flawed in concept and misdirected in operation.

 

[hugh_nightingale]

Re: great question

Apart from the "older" designs it seems to be becoming very difficult to FIND a boat with even 40% ballast ratio.

One of the ones I was looking at had 28%, and 'A' category, makes you wonder.

How about - seaworthy, when the crew gets frightened before the boat does.

Hugh