Collision Mat...

[MoonlightSailor]

Hey All!

Just got through reading "One Hand for Yourself One Hand for the Ship". The Author, Tristan Jones, talks about having a collision mat in the event that one needs to stop the ingress of water into the vessel. He recommends one in the form of a triangle with 4ft sides to aid a vessel of 30ft in length. We have a 65 ft vessel...hmm....Should we double the size? I'd rather have one ready to deploy when I need it rather than cut up a sail or canvas to jerry-rig one when I need it.

I started looking for one online and a quick Google search yielded only a few links without any specifics on how to have one made or where to buy one.

Landfall Navigation doesn't even sell one.

Does anyone know where to buy one or where to find the plans to have one sewn together?

[Astrid]

Fore and Aft Marine in Madeira Beach Florida sells collisions mats:

COLLISION MAT

you might also want to check out Turtle Pac in QLD Australia:

Collision Bandage - Turtlepac

[Capt Phil]

Once owned a Transpac 49 that had collision mat made out of what appears to be a heavy old working jib off a CT 41 or Ingrid 38. A sailmaker had sewn a !/2 " line into the leech and reinforced grommets every 2' around the sail with 1 inch rings through the grommets. The PO had it made for a trip to Panama and back to Mexico but never used it. Rigged it a couple of times just to try it out but never had the need to use it myself. May be cheaper way to go... Capt Phil

[boatman61]

Secondhand storm jibs work very well...
though you may have a hard time finding a four sided triangle...

[Capt Phil]

I know that CT's and Ingrids weren't known for their upwind performance, may be the square jib was the problem... CP