Following Seas and Cockpit Height

[PacificGreen]

Originally Posted by makobuilders

This is an interesting thread and I enjoy seeing you sailboat boys arguing cat versus monohull. I wonder how these cats fair when running in severe or survival conditions. My displacement trawler had a cockpit with the coaming at least 5ft above water. We spent a few days running in 25-30 ft seas and were pooped continuously. That cockpit was a giant swimming pool. Foaming water. We had good scuppers and enough reserve buoyancy so it didn't affect the vessel too much.

Yes very interesting thread indeed from which the topic has deviated from high cockpit vs low cockpit on a multi. I'm glad your able to share your displacement experience as that could very well be the result of not keeping up with the waves and what you according to conditions were able to survive.

Originally Posted by makobuilders

I would imagine that as long as you kept your nice, light cat from broaching that you would do much better. However, if your plans called for Southern Ocean sailing then I would seriously rethink the sliding doors. Even 1/2" tempered wouldn't hold up to direct hits by the big boys.

The guy in the video if you read all the comments really did a great job of not running into waves. He also did it in a multi with big sliding doors. Aside from the rouge wave scenario he was able to control his speed and direction but it did increase the travel time considerably. Those were the options though from my read on it as to attempt to fight the wave action may have resulted in the big glass door getting wet.

Originally Posted by makobuilders

However it's a bit confusing when you bring up the question about a 3 ton boat with outboards. That seems like a whole different category than the thread has discussed.

Here was the OP's concern in italics:

I can't help but be drawn to the higher cockpit enclosures, as I assume they are inherently more sea worthy in a following sea. Is this a valid point?

We all know the topic has deviated from that point. So what difference does it make now when the general consensus has become a discussion of sea worthy state of BOATS displacement trawlers included in the man vs. environment status quo as it relates to following seas.

As mariners we all can't help commenting on or being learned about following seas to further our knowledge. Glass doors - displacement trawlers - a three ton Multi with outboards; they all digress to the point of seaworthiness to which our obligations as mariners must comprehend to the best of our abilities.

For me it is interesting learning the different aspects of following seas in relation to river bar crossings at least that is what started my learning that resulted in me posting here. You can choose to be confused about the semantics of the categorization if you like but we all learn by sharing. Thanks for your example it made me realize that if I travel at displacement speed I can expect the worst.

My boat though is a multi and similar to a catalac 900 but more akin to the 8M line although wooden, without mast, lighter, dual outboards and having a lower encircled cockpit. Will I surf or be held at displacement?

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

Hi All,

Another newbie question, but in looking at different boats it has become very apparent that some have a much higher cockpit height or a completely enclosed cockpit, and some have what seems like very low cockpit, with only 1 or 2 stairs on the sugar scoop.

I was wondering if there was any issue in following seas with cockpit swamping with the lower designs.

I can't help but be drawn to the higher cockpit enclosures, as I assume they are inherently more sea worthy in a following sea. Is this a valid point?

I got partially swamped once. I don't know what the wave size was but they were large enough to scare me and my mates. We were running at 120 degrees to the wave train with a hankie of a jib as we were actually going 120 degrees off our intended course. Maybe 4 knots of speed with 45 knots wind that had blown for about 70 hours.

The waves get pretty mesmerizing so we were watching them constantly when I said "You see that one? I think that's going to come on board". It did and filled my cockpit with about 8" of water. I was totally surprised by how quickly it drained - like in less than 30 seconds. Palarran has a very high freeboard but is definitely ass heavy.

IMO, if a wave was big enough to swamp the boat and break the cockpit door, you have much bigger problems than a broken door. That's probably not the worry. I'd be much more concerned about tearing off a dingy, it's davits, and everything else strapped to the decks. But another concern is when boarding waves come they can get in the engine hatches. If you look at the Sunsail boat you will see how low the engine hatches are. These need very tight water seals to keep from flooding. There was one instance reported here where a boat did have the sterns flood, the boat lost propulsion and something happened - sorry but I can't remember the whole story.

A lot of sailors have their red line items that cross off certain models. This would be one for me. I'm really not going to open up that hatch, jump below, shut the hatch to keep from flooding, and fix something. No way.

[Barra]

I was talking to an owner of a leopard 46 not so long ago and he told me about the time a rogue broke over his stern in atlantic crossing west east. Reckons it broke ON his cockpit roof. He was slowed up with a tyre as a drogue.

Stove in his davit and cockpit support post, lost some gear overboard but didnt break the saloon doors in. If the waves a rogue it doesnt matter how high your cockpit height is in this scenario.