Washboards - Why?

[Stemar]

My washboards are in need of some serious work, which has set me thinking.

The hole they have to fill is roughly square and we don't do the Southern Ocean, so I can't remember the last time we put them in at sea. On a small boat, they're a pain in the bum to store. (no that's not where we put 'em, though I could have been tempted with one or two people I've met...)

So, Why not have a pair of doors? I've space each side of the companionway for them to open through 180 degrees and lie flat if I fit the right kind of hinges. I can even imagine upholstering the inside so they form cushions for our backs when we're chilling in the cockpit.

I could easily make 'em at least as secure as the current washboards, which is only enough to mean you are breaking in, as a 40+ year old Snapdragon isn't going to tempt a professional thief and I'd rather a passing scrote get in to find there's nothing worth nicking without writing the boat off.

Why is this a bad idea - or is is just that washboards are easier for a cost-concious boat builder?

 

[ghostlymoron]

Great idea if you've got room. One advantage with washboards is you can leave just one in if there's a danger of shipping a bit of water but can still step over to get below .

 

[LadyInBed]

Designed to stop water going into saloon.
If you can achive this with either Bat wing style or Stable door then no reason why you shouldn't change them.

 

[yoda]

Do it. I have seen a few boats like that but it's not often the boat layout allows for it. As mentioned, think about how you can keep some ventilation without rain coming in when in harbour.

Yoda

 

[Topcat47]

Also useful at sea with the hatch closed and washboard in. If you leave the top one out, you can communicate with the helm while keeping the cabin relatively dry. You can ship a lot of water just through wave action without worrying about rain. I also helps keep the charts dry on my chart table.

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Our boat has a washboard about half way up, then Western saloon 'batwing' doors with vents.As above, does mean if a 'bit lumpy' you can just have the board in and still not be closed up.
Works pretty well, when my knees are:distress:

 

[Searush]

I have Perspex boards I can use in the rain which allow plenty of daylight below without soaking everything, but since having a full cockpit enclosure, the washboards only go in at night to keep it dark. Still useful at sea tho & not sure I see any benefit of doors. Ours are stored behind the pedestal table leg or against the seat back in the cockpit & are never in the way.

That's the key really, just create a safe place to keep them.

 

[Baggy]

Wash boards are a pain in the arse..

When on board SS Baggy, they get put straight into a locker
and out comes my purposly made canvas cover ( matches my sprayhood dont you know )
that is press studded into postion with a zip in the middlle


Thus giving easy access, when open

Keeps the wind and rain out with

a quick bit of zippideedodar

would not be without it

Washboards are so... yesterday ( bloody things )

 

[GHA]

Doors are great

 

[sarabande]

the real problem with doors is that the hinges are guaranteed to pull away when you grab hold of the door in a hurry and at a steep angle of heel while bouncing up and down.

Should be unthinkable on a small boat (i.e. even it is bigger than mine )

 

[old_salt]

Why not combine the two, doors with a top pull out.
That's what I have.
Doors have an overlap and swing open along side the companion way sides and pins drop into a SS retainer when open or closed.
Top piece drops in a conventional hatch side slide way and a chafer on the lower edge keeps the doors closed and water out a lock in the top board secures the hatch cover when it is slid home as a conventional hatch method.
The only bit to store is the top board and it being a 1/4 of the size of a normal hatch board it is not problem.
the doors can be closed securely the hatch slid over and secured again with a pin and we have a nice 4" gap at the top for ventilation.
Photos from some time ago and reprinted to day.

 

[SHUG]

Some AMEL's have a brilliant arrangement where the washboard pulls up like a sash window.
You need to have space below the aperture and parallell sides but you would be the envy of the fleet!!!!!

 

[Robin]

Our boat came with washboards and a set of doors which slide into the same place with a side frame that makes the sides vertical for the hinges. the doors open inwards in our case against the inside of the companionway. We only intend using them at sea in benign conditions, although they are under a substantial sprayhood and even a full cockpit conservatory if needs be. We use the full washboards for securing the boat from bandits when leaving it and the doors are stowed away on/under the forecabin cushions. The primary use of the hinged doors for us is in harbour or at anchor to close off the cabin and to keep the air conditioned cooled air inside and the hot/humid stuff outside whilst still allowing easy exit and entry when required. On our last sailboat we had heavy duty clear smoked acrylic washboards which were good as they allowed a clear view but were still a bit of a pain to stow underway. We did sail in rougher waters back then and fortunately there was a fixed bridge deck barrier to any rogue seas daring to fill the cockpit and the washboards sat on top of that, so were rarely put in place at sea anyway..

 

[Stemar]

the real problem with doors is that the hinges are guaranteed to pull away when you grab hold of the door in a hurry and at a steep angle of heel while bouncing up and down.

Should be unthinkable on a small boat (i.e. even it is bigger than mine )

A fair point, but more about how the system's designed, perhaps than a real problem with them compared with washboards. After all, if it's so bad you need them closed and you need to go below, you've only got one hand to hang on 'cos there's this big lump of wood jamming in the slide and coming loose at just the wrong moment in the other.

My sailing's pretty much exclusively coastal and UK waters and if it gets a bit lumpy, I prefer to keep the sprayhood up.

 

[Searush]

Why not combine the two, doors with a top pull out.
That's what I have.
Doors have an overlap and swing open along side the companion way sides and pins drop into a SS retainer when open or closed.
Top piece drops in a conventional hatch side slide way and a chafer on the lower edge keeps the doors closed and water out a lock in the top board secures the hatch cover when it is slid home as a conventional hatch method.
The only bit to store is the top board and it being a 1/4 of the size of a normal hatch board it is not problem.
the doors can be closed securely the hatch slid over and secured again with a pin and we have a nice 4" gap at the top for ventilation.
Photos from some time ago and reprinted to day.

As ever, that's a work of art, David.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

We've got doors and love them... also got a track for a washboard behind the hinges to use when needed... best of both worlds!

 

[Burnham Bob]

My washboards go on my bunk as obviously i don't use them at the same time. I also have a water tank under one seat so the spare perspex washboard for use when its raining but we are moored and want light simply slips under the cushion.

 

[Poignard]

My companionway has a flap, hinged at the bottom, to cover the lower third of the opening and two vertically hinged doors above it. It works fine.

 

[Leighb]

We have one of these.

[/URL]

It lives permanently above the sliding hatch. The washboards are stored in a locker when we are on board. If it becomes inclement either at sea or when moored we can just unroll it to keep the wet stuff or a chill wind out and still have plenty of light below.
It is easy to just slip under it if going below or coming up.

 

[boaterbaz]

My first boat, Seamew 22' had doors that were fitted on lift off hinges. opened back against the cockpit forward bulkhead on the outside or lifted out for stowage. The companionway hatch stopped them lifting off when closed.