Dorades?

[BBill]

I don't know jack about the original dorade design down to the bilge but that wouldn't do much venting in the cabin. It would surely be an obstruction The only place I've seen this is in the bow to vent the chain locker and forepeak on old wooden x military vessels. For yachts the best solution is a deck plate with screw in lid from inside...which in my experience is rare while open trim rings are the norm.

[Cheechako]

If a boat is capsized, it's not staying that way because it was capsized by rough seas. Maybe it will balance inverted on a flat calm lake. But you are not there. I would not worry about dorades and worry about having a boat with some ballast!

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

If a boat is capsized, it's not staying that way because it was capsized by rough seas. Maybe it will balance inverted on a flat calm lake. But you are not there. I would not worry about dorades and worry about having a boat with some ballast!

It's not about the boat staying inverted but when capsizing big vents pour a lot of water inside in seconds. Rather keep the the interior dry in such conditions where such thing might happen as there're enough to worry about without being soaked in salt water.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

It's not about the boat staying inverted but when capsizing big vents pour a lot of water inside in seconds. Rather keep the the interior dry in such conditions where such thing might happen as there're enough to worry about without being soaked in salt water.

Maybe we should stop using the term "Capsized" and begin to consider a "Roll Over".

Roll overs, caused by extreme waves, are rare events but they do happen. I know of some which happened to people I know, including one to some real close friends who survived, kept their mast up, and continued their passage. And we've all read about roll over events.

This is when most of these things we've talking about are likely to occur, including ingress of a lot of sea water. In every occurrence I've read about or been told about by people to whom it has happened, a lot of water gets into the boat. When it again becomes upright the boat is flooded. Always. But not often sunk.

Anyhow, it is useful to think about heavy weather preparations which might mitigate the water entry problem. These would include closing the Dorades and installing the companionway wash boards. Having all loose equipment in the interior and exterior secured should be standard practice when offshore. There are a whole lot of things to do and check which should be on your heavy weather checklist. The important thing is do it early, before you are surprised by that rogue wave.

But not included in this thought process is fantasizing about living inside an inverted vessel and certainly not building onto one the capability to do so. It's too rare and each event is too unique to be able to plan for it. It's a waste of time. Things we read like Tony Bulimore, etc, are not common events.

So figure out how you will close your Dorades and put it on the list.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by wingssail

.. snip ...

So figure out how you will close your Dorades and put it on the list.

Poking along downhill in the Southern Ocean - which the OP seems to be interested in - you don't need no dorades for ventilation.
Remove them before you sail, screw on their covers , job done.

Unless you have a steel storm hatch at the top of your companion way - usually fitted on yachts built by dreamers - you will get water below when you are rolled, pooped - or as happened to me once - stick your nose into a rather big bit of wet coming the other way and go the 'full submarine'.