Wash Boards

[gandy]

I've always wished there was a better way to close the companion than a couple of pieces of plywood, and the dangers of unsecured washboards have been pointed out a number of times.

I wonder how many people routinely fit the boards when at sea, and in what circumstances? Always at night? In fog? Only in heavy weather?

 

[jollyjacktar]

Washboards can be secured and have stood the test of time.

 

[LadyInBed]

The bottom one goes in when night sailing. It keeps the cold out of the lounge /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[gandy]

I agree that they can be secured and managed, but I would be interested to know how different people manage. Ours for example are only secure when the hatch is slid closed. How do others retain the boards independently?

When not fitted, its not easy to see where best to keep them so they could be fitted fairly quickly, but couldn't get lost overboard.

I guess the ideal entrance/exit would be easy to open from deck or below, and easy to close behind you so that keeping it closed isn't a hassle.

 

[graham]

Only ever fit ours in a big following sea or if heavy rain is blowing in from astern.

Why would you fit them in fog or at night?

 

[cgull]

Lonnie Donnegan could strike up a fine tune on them!

 

[Twister_Ken]

There was a lot of fuss about about this post 79 Fastnet, and several patent locks were intro'd to allow washboards to be securely fastened from both inside or outsidfe ther cabin, so that they wouldn't fall out in the event of an inversion. All we did, on the boat I was sailing at the time (OOD34), was drill a small hole, top left, on the top wash board, and fit two clam cleats on the 'step', one inside. one outside. A line through the hole and cleated both sides would allow the boards to be fixed and released from either side. Seemed to satisfy RORC scrutineers.

 

[Poignard]

My boat has doors. There is a single lower one, hinged horizontally, will close off the companionway to the height of the cockpit seats but is not too high to prevent people stepping over it. Above that are two doors hinged vertically.

I much prefer this convenient arrangement to washboards but if I ever did a long ocean trip I might be tempted fit a removable strongback behind them to prevent them being burst in by a heavy sea.

 

[DinghyMan]

Ours now has couple of 3" or 75mm brass bolts in both top and bottom board, small springs added to make bolts "self-closing", closing into holes drilled in the sides. Pull bolt back and turn to lock open and just flick to close.

Was added more for security than anything else as boat is on Windermere

 

[Frangipani]

One washboard in for each reef in the main. An extra one in at night, and all washboards in when its raining from astern.

 

[gandy]

I've seen that cord-and-cleat arrangement described, but not in use. It doesn't sound very convenient - did you actually use it, or was it just for the scrutineers?

 

[Twister_Ken]

>was it just for the scrutineers? <

You got it one!

Did work though, and cost nothing.

 

[Slow_boat]

I've got doors and hate them. They get in the way of the instruments when open and completely shut people in below when closed. There is no halfway with doors. Also, on a boat like mine with no bridge deck, there is an obvious danger of any wave coming into the cockpit going straight down below.

I've just finished making a set of washboards.

 

[LadyInBed]

As Dinhyman. Fixed in place by two small horizontally mounted slide bolts on the inside of each washboard.

 

[kengill]

Some b4stard nicked mine thirty three years ago, It had bells, Whistles, sirens, large Snake hooter and a cymbal! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif