Would a heavy cockpit grating potentially be a good or a bad thing in a trailer sailer?

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steve yates

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I tested some cheap bamboo shower mats as a cockpit grating/floor in my bradwell 18, to see how long they lasted when varnished. About a year is the answer :)
I have some planks of rather nice composite decking left from a garden project and they would make a great cockpit grating, with excellent antislip properties. They are not light though, I estimate the total weight would be just under 50lbs., consisting of three sections to make it easy to lift up.

My question is, does that really matter? On the one hand, it might be useful ballast :), on the other, obviously more weight makes it slower. However, I don’t race, I’m rarely in a hurry, and I almost always sail singlehanded, so I’m saving the weight of another overweight human which would be a good bit more than the 50lbs :)

I could attempt to saw the planks in half reducing the depth from 12mm to 6mm, but if its not really an issue then why complicate things?

What does the panel think?
 
steve yates said:
I tested some cheap bamboo shower mats as a cockpit grating/floor in my bradwell 18, to see how long they lasted when varnished. About a year is the answer :)
I have some planks of rather nice composite decking left from a garden project and they would make a great cockpit grating, with excellent antislip properties. They are not light though, I estimate the total weight would be just under 50lbs., consisting of three sections to make it easy to lift up.

My question is, does that really matter? On the one hand, it might be useful ballast :), on the other, obviously more weight makes it slower. However, I don’t race, I’m rarely in a hurry, and I almost always sail singlehanded, so I’m saving the weight of another overweight human which would be a good bit more than the 50lbs :)

I could attempt to saw the planks in half reducing the depth from 12mm to 6mm, but if its not really an issue then why complicate things?

What does the panel think?
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If you tow your trailer sailer often then you are adding weight at exactly the wrong place; aft of the trailer axle.

otherwise probably be fine.
 
I don't know about your Bradwell 18 but my 21ft TS is very sensitive to fore and aft trim. It is especially bad for stern weight making the stern drag in the water. Hence I avoid carrying an o/b motor on transom and try to move everything moveable inside forward. From no one on board to 3 crew in cockpit will sink the bottom of the transom down by about25 cms from out of the water by 23cms to under by 2cms. (that is a guess) but with 5 people in cockpit water comes in the cockpit drains. (about 8cms above bottom of transom. My point is I would suggest you avoid any extra weight in cockpit. I just use non skid (intergrip in paint to improve grip) ol'will
 
In my Fulmar I wanted to fit a shower and was quoted £250 to £300 for a teak grating. However I found a teak shower grating/mat for £50 on Amazon that only required minor modification to fit. The shower grating is not very heavy (probably about 2Kg), so should be a good solution for you. This shows you some that are available and what my shower grating looks like.

Amazon.co.uk : teak shower mat

IMG_3679 1000pix.jpg
 
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Concerto said:
In my Fulmar I wanted to fit a shower and was quoted £250 to £300 for a teak grating. However I found a teak shower grating/mat for £50 on Amazon that only required minor modification to fit. The shower grating is not very heavy (probably about 2Kg), so should be a good solution for you. This shows you some that are available and what my shower grating looks like.

Amazon.co.uk : teak shower mat

View attachment 154064
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That looks really sharp! Nice job!
 
Minerva said:
That looks really sharp! Nice job!
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It was really simple as the grating was slightly too wide, so 15mm removed from each side. Only needed a quick plane on the ends. The corner was cut off and a small bit of the offcut from the sides was used underneath to support the loose corner. Final quick sand to smooth the edges, job done.
 
steve yates said:
I tested some cheap bamboo shower mats as a cockpit grating/floor in my bradwell 18, to see how long they lasted when varnished. About a year is the answer :)
I have some planks of rather nice composite decking left from a garden project and they would make a great cockpit grating, with excellent antislip properties. They are not light though, I estimate the total weight would be just under 50lbs., consisting of three sections to make it easy to lift up.

My question is, does that really matter? On the one hand, it might be useful ballast :), on the other, obviously more weight makes it slower. However, I don’t race, I’m rarely in a hurry, and I almost always sail singlehanded, so I’m saving the weight of another overweight human which would be a good bit more than the 50lbs :)

I could attempt to saw the planks in half reducing the depth from 12mm to 6mm, but if its not really an issue then why complicate things?

What does the panel think?
Click to expand...
Why do you need a cockpit grating? I only ask as that may help with the answer..
 
As little sister said, tho thats only in port.
Italso helps keep me feet dry at sea from any water swilling in there before it goes down the cockpit drain. Albeit the water is usually the beer or tea from me not putting my cup in the cupholder and then swearing. On her mudberth she sits at a slight angle, so some rainwater does collect and it keeps everything tidier.
Lastly, its not the most pristing of paint jobs on the cockpit sole, so the grating makes it look a much tidier little ship than it really is.
 
steve yates said:
As little sister said, tho thats only in port.
Italso helps keep me feet dry at sea from any water swilling in there before it goes down the cockpit drain. Albeit the water is usually the beer or tea from me not putting my cup in the cupholder and then swearing. On her mudberth she sits at a slight angle, so some rainwater does collect and it keeps everything tidier.
Lastly, its not the most pristing of paint jobs on the cockpit sole, so the grating makes it look a much tidier little ship than it really is.
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Paint it and improve the cosmetics if that's the issue. A grating won't stop the rainwater collecting. Wear wellies at sea.
 
I suspect from your comments to suggestions that you had already decided you would like the grating. I'd much rather have Concerto's teak grating than some synthetic wood - and I'm sure there are a number of sources ....IKEA, caravan showers etc.

Good luck

Jonathan
 
Yes, I had. I would also prefer teak bit I have the composite offcuts lying around so they are free! I was really checking about the weight.
I have decided the weight was no biggie, bit have sawed the decking in half, so its 10mm not 20mm thick this halving the weight anyway, to make it easier to lift up the two sections for cleaning, and to turn the holes running throigh it into channels for water/tea/beer to run away easier underneath it .
Thanks all.
 
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