Slap, slap, slapetty, slap

C

Coastgal

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London & Southampton
www.sailblogs.com
Does this sound familiar...particularly at night when you're trying to sleep. The lovely sound of the wind around the boat, interspersed with the loud slapping of water on the hull. We had a sleepless night on the boat last night (actually, I had earplugs so was fine, but HWIMBO wasn't so lucky), so I'm keen to find something to reduce the slap.

I've heard of some "nappy" you can lower down the hull sides and tie off, but can only find "slap silencers" for sailboat transoms that slide around rudders, which aren't suitable.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Just get used to it. I find the noise of the water quite comforting. In fact, when we first sleep ashore, after weeks on the boat, I find it quite difficult to drop off /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Get a sheltered mooring or buy another boat with a decent hull design . . . . ?

The noise you describe was only evocative to sailing a clinker boat in calm waters at a gentle pace - never heard it at anchor, or on my mooring.
 
Yeah...I know what you mean...it drove me mad. My own fix to the problem was to buy a boat with the main cabin at the back of the boat! The kids get to sleep in the forecabin now and don't hear a thing. End of problem...
 
Cheap n simple solution,turn the boat round if alongside jetty/pier..If in a tidal flow work out when flow against bow causing slappity slap is going to be and make sure you are not trying to get to kip with bow into wavelettes but is hitting stern around that time.
If in marina...tough.
 
Hmm, guess there's no easy solution, so I'll just have to knock him out with some vodka!

Funny, when we had a sail boat, it was the aft cabin that always had the slapping. Ah well, I guess we'll get used to it.

Thanks all.
 
Sorry to arrive late to the party.

You can buy long (as I recall, about 2m) tubular swimming aids of expanded foam, about 100mm in diameter. Get enough of them to form a string around the bow or stern. Pierce holes in the ends and secure them closely end to end with lightweight cord. Attach longer cords to each end of the set to secure to a deck cleat or stanchion. Then lower them over the side and secure them so that they are floating on the waterline. They will break up the wavelets as they meet the hull and should substantially reduce the noise nuisance. Cost should be a few pounds each. Be sure to retrieve them before getting under way.
 
B.room stands for 'Back Room' All Brooms have one, and the only slapping going on will be your ha....

Oops, wrong forum /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Yes, it does, although of course the more agitated the surface, the less effective any device will be (one night anchored off St Vaast springs to mind).

It's much cheaper than the commercially-produced alternative, one of these, though I have also heard of (but never seen) old RIB tubes pressed into service.
 
Urquhart...better late than never...especially with such a valuable contribution! I was thinking about making something up with polystyrene strips encased in nylon, but the swimming aids are a fab solution.

Thanks loads /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
I tried this cheap solution, but it wasn't entirely successful as they were too light and just rode the wavelet allowing it to pass underneath.

I am going to modify it using an old plastic lilo and encase the tube with a skirt hanging underneath.
 
It's my pleasure to help if I can.

I gather that swimming pool staff and others call them 'noodles', and they are for sale on the internet, for example here, where you may also find extrusions to join them together more elegantly than I proposed.

The best of luck!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I gather that swimming pool staff and others call them 'noodles'

[/ QUOTE ]

I was going to mention that they're called 'Pool Noodles', available from nearly all swimming pool shops. Available in Blue, Red, Yellow & Purple, although they tend to fade over a year or two when left in sunlight.

Not a bad idea though. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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