Self draining cockpits. Who needs ‘em?

[DoubleEnder]

I think that some smaller Spirit of Tradition yachts do not have self draining cockpits, but rely on a sump 'n' pump solution.
My original question was not really about blue water sailing. Or about life on a mooring, where a decent cover keeps rainwater out.

I was more curious about people's actual experience of the sort of humdrum sailing that I have done. I've never really thought 'ooo I'm glad the well is self draining!'. I have never had more than a bucketful or two in the cockpit, and if that had drained to the bilge it would have been easy and fast to pump out.

But I have been lucky! I do know those horrid seas around Dover entrance, also some other places, and seen big heaps of water close by, but none of them ever fell on us.

I do like the idea of an unbroken bulkhead instead of washboards or doors.

 

[Wing Mark]

Wind against tide around Gurnard can be good for getting the crumbs and coffee stains out of the cockpit.
I recall the SCOD had a coaming between the cockpit and the deck so lumpy spray was less likely to run into the small cockpit.
Whereas on the Sonata, spray runs from the weather side deck into the cockpit sometimes.

 

[TSB240]

I had a lifting keel Trapper that had a cockpit well for OB that also served as a drain.
We usually removed the OB if sailing and plugged the well. The plug allowed for drainage.
One spirited short down wind sail we started surfing on large standing waves with the OB still mounted.
The backwash off the prop and leg rapidly filled the cockpit.
It made the surfing very stable. Once the level in the cockpit got over the top of my wellies it was prudent to start OB in order to "pump out" the cockpit.

 

[Stemar]

Or about life on a mooring, where a decent cover keeps rainwater out

Most of the time, until it doesn't.

Unfortunately, this is likely to happen when you least need it to, when it's blowing a hoolie and the rain is like your shower, but horizontal, so you can't get out to your mooring. I was once VERY glad to have a self draining cockpit one wet, windy week in winter. The bungees holding the cover on gave up, turning it into a water catcher.

 

[DeepKeel]

Mine has a massive hole under the helmsman's seat,.......

That could be convenient for pooping as well as if pooped.

 

[Iliade]

I only recall one serious pooping and that from a breaking wave leaving me with about a foot of water in the cockpit. It would have been boring to pump out, but the boat was still usable. More to the point is all the rainwater we get here which happily falls out of the holes in the bottom of the boat without any need for pumping.

I have seen plenty of boats sunk at their moorings by rainwater...

 

[Baggywrinkle]

That could be convenient for pooping as well as if pooped.

If it came through the hole under the seat, the water would leave as fast as it arrived and just get my feet wet .... if a wave breaks over the back of the boat it has a 50x50cm hole through which the water in the cockpit can exit - which it will do way faster than through a couple of 1 inch drain holes on the cockpit floor. ?