It was brought up about taking on water in rough seas. I would like to hear feedback about why we don't have companion ways that seal tighter than a frogs ass. Rough seas do it everytime. My point is this you can run a pump but if companion ways were made better chances are you would only have worry about the main tenancy you over looked.
Companionways
- Thread starter VV
- Start date
From my reading of Fastnet many years ago, the major danger was losing the boards, not leakage. Keeping the companionway closed or at least pinned to not open is likely important in survival conditions. I wonder how many on this board have been pooped? I've gotten pretty wet by splashes from breaking waves, but never pooped which I would think is rare with modern designs. Assuming the boards are beveled, you shouldn't get much if any water in them. Anyhow, that's my take. Will be interesting to see what others have to say.
Thank you for your response. I was thinking about really rough weather where you would have to button -up, lower your sheets and sea anchor. I know that it's not always the plan but you never know when you might end up in that kind of sea.
Sheets are the lines that control the sails.
Anybody who does not button up their companionway in a blow is just foolish. We slide it closed if we are taking any water on deck as a general rule.
That said, when I was capsized in a hurricane off Fiji some years back, it tore the secured companionway hatch right off the boat. It ripped apart a 2" galvanized pipe dodger frame, broke the main boom in two places, ripped off all the cockpit locker hatches and a dozen more bits and pieces. If you are gonna go offshore then you do the best you can, but none of us can afford that 100% bulletproof boat, if such a thing exists.
A little bit of water leaking in around a secure companionway isn't really something to worry about as one should expect water in that area anyway, just from crew passing through, if nothing else.
Anybody who does not button up their companionway in a blow is just foolish. We slide it closed if we are taking any water on deck as a general rule.
That said, when I was capsized in a hurricane off Fiji some years back, it tore the secured companionway hatch right off the boat. It ripped apart a 2" galvanized pipe dodger frame, broke the main boom in two places, ripped off all the cockpit locker hatches and a dozen more bits and pieces. If you are gonna go offshore then you do the best you can, but none of us can afford that 100% bulletproof boat, if such a thing exists.
A little bit of water leaking in around a secure companionway isn't really something to worry about as one should expect water in that area anyway, just from crew passing through, if nothing else.
For offshore races you are required to have means of fastening the hatch boards to the boat. The amount of water that leaks is trivial, if the boards aren't there, different story.
Thank you for your reply. I agree. Your campanionway was wind blown off and you capsized. Did your vessel right it's self? How did you manage to survive? My point was most companion ways do not keep enough water out in a rough sea. If they were made stronger to existing structure it would be one less challenge at storm stage.
You are questioning boat design. Many boats are not designed for severe off shore conditions that would fill the companionway with water. So we cope. Capta said it best "none of us can afford a 100% bulletproof boat". To be secure you would need a hatch that is water tight. (Along with water tight windows, and bulk heads) that you could dog down. Most yachties would not want to sail such a craft. Too much a reminder of a Navy destroyer. You can seal up a naval ship and even that is no guarantee. So we cope. Plan our route to avoid storms. Have multiple pumping systems, close the hatches as best we can, deal with the occasional splash in the companionway, hope and pray.
,,,because none of us can afford a submarine!
John's right.
My experience is that I have not "exposed" myself to conditions that would cause this to be an issue. And I have been sailing for over 35 years, for many years sailed every single Friday come-hell-or-high-water, on boats with and without dodgers, 22 to 25 to 34 feet. No dodger when it rains required boards in, but otherwise not. I have never had a wave break up behind me and into my cockpit.
I have not experienced capta's conditions, but, of course, in those conditions one sails differently, and deals with hatchboards differently than my more casual experiences.
That said, I would surmise that 95% or more of the respondents on this forum never see capta's conditions and never will. If they eventually do, they will have built-up to that "level" and will be suitably prepared.
No, the water did all the damage, not the wind, even though the wind was in excess of 100 knots. In fact, we were capsized three times in that storm.
Yes the vessel righted itself, or I wouldn't be here to have written the post. We worked our behinds off for 5 days to survive, including over 20 hours of bailing with buckets to get the water out of the boat. We covered the companionway with the floor boards, nailed on with 6" boat nails. We covered those with cloth cut from the main sail and tacked on. Waterproofing the boat was the first concern. Dewatering came next.
If you want to be prepared for an ultimate catastrophe at sea, read "Once is Enough" by Miles Smeeton. That book was the reason I knew exactly what to do in that situation, without taking valuable time to think or question. And the reason I had 6" boat nails aboard!
Yes. Today I carry 1/4X6" sheet metal screws and my Riobi cordless w/12 volt quick charger for the LI batteries.
It's a very good read but there are exceedingly few, I believe, perhaps none, who would attempt to sail from Melbourne to the UK across the Tasman Sea and around the Horn in a Hunter or Catalina of modern design, or even a Bavaria or Pearson as far as that goes. His crew was a veritable shipwright, a Canadian, who later became famous. Somebody might try it in the Hunter (Luhrs) 54, however; although I doubt it. But, as Capta pointed out, there are lessons there in how to secure and de-water a boat after rolling through 360-deg or pitch-poling.
Some insightful discussion here.
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/plan-to-save-or-to-abandon-the-ship.165801/
Last edited:
The purpose of the companionway boards is not to keep the boat dry but to prevent a large volume of water from entering the cabin and swamping the boat. Offshore sea going vessels usually have small cockpits and high and small entry ways into the cabin both with the purpose of limiting the amount of water that could enter the cabin.
Benny you're right. But if you're in a gale do you want a dry diaper or a wet one? That's not to mention you're electronics. Better designs down the road make a better bedfellow.
If you're in a gale, chances are there will be crew going in and out of the companionway at least every once in a while, even if one is single handing. Therefore, there's not a much point in spending a lot of time and/or money redesigning a companionway which, by its very nature, will let in some water when folks are using it, IMO.
Again you are right and I agree 100 percent. However when you button down for the big because you can't out run it, chances are with a good sea anchor and a sealed companio way you won't be bailing for hours and doing hail marys.
The Bounty replica went down in 2012 and the Alfaro not much after that. Now I realize that in each case there many mitigating circumstances. But my point is this in heavy seas I feel we can come out on top with better secured hatch ways on all of are sailing vessels.