Install Foot Blocks On Cockpit Sole to Brace Against While Heeling?

[rardiH36]

I'm pondering about mounting a wooden block or two on my cockpit sole behind the helm so that I and passengers have another point to brace against while the boat is healing. Although I've got a 36' boat, the cockpit is rather small. Only two can fit comfortably on each side bench. A good spot for the 3rd or 4th passenger is in the far aft corner next to the helmsman. But a person there on the high side has nothing to brace against when the boat is heeling (other than the friction of derrière against the non-skid surface). And also I would appreciate another brace point when I am at the helm so I more comfortably sit on the the high (weather) side without sliding down.

Has anybody done this to their boats? Of course I would bed the blocks correctly to prevent water damage to the core; and the wood will be of a variety that will be stand up to the elements (probably IPE).

Any comments as to this being a good or bad project? Any design considerations? I've attached a picture of the sole area behind the helm which may help with comments such as shape of the blocks or location.

Thanks
rardi

(p.s. -- I am not interested to make the seat curved like I've seen on some boats.)

 

[Deadline]

Fine idea...

... except that someone will inevitably trip on the block and perhaps fall. Most likely your friendly lawyer, who will in turn sue you. Try experimenting with certain comfortable seating positions that enable one's feet to be braced without the blocks.

 

[Tim R.]

I rarely have more than 2 or 3 people on my boat. And I do not like to have anyone behind the wheel when on our ear. That type of sailing requires me to have access to jib sheets, etc and be able to move around easily without worrying about someone in my way.

That being said, can they not use the binacle to brace themselves? Or have them sit on the lee side.

 

[Benny]

I think blocks on the cockpit floor would constitute a tripping hazard given the small area of cockpit sole. I'm familiar with the Cherubini cockpits and the stern bench was not designed to fit three people. The pilot of the boat needs room to move from behind the wheel to the high or low side if he so deems necessary. Being pinned behind the wheel restricts movement and visibility.

 

[Alan]

When I'm on the helm, which is much of the time, and the boat has a good heel on, I sit on the windward coaming facing the binnacle with one hand on the wheel. I brace my feet on the side of the binnacle. From this position I can watch the genoa telltales and the waves approaching the boat.

 

[Marty A]

On our Gulfstar 37 there was a bar forward of the binnacle to brace your feet on because the cockpit well was quite wide. It certainly got tripped on, but was invaluable when there was any heel.

That's not a direct answer to your question, but hopefully another data point.

FWIW, if a foot brace/bar/cleat is what will work for you, I'd say go for it. I'd certainly take some time to study where your feet (and the feet of common crewmembers?) land when you're at the wheel, and the profile of the cleat doesn't have to be square - maybe a more rounded "speed bump" profile with a non-skid surface would work better?

Good luck and good sailing

 

[bffatcat]

foot blocks ?

In over 50 years of sailing ive never heard of anyone doing this. You might consider trying
something else.

 

[Todd Smith]

A couple of boats that I sail on have these. If I remember correctly, they are no that big. About 2 inches high+wide and sloped on the sides. They are about 2.5 feet apart behind the wheel.

 

[Jeff]

Our 1996 H26 had a foot brace running down the center of the cockpit. It was incorporated with the main sheet attachment and socket for the cockpit table leg. Very useful but certainly a toe catcher.

 

[Dalliance]

Looks pretty much like my H30 cockpit with the scupper troughs (Is there another term?) to each side of the pedestal. When heeled, I sometimes brace myself by putting a foot in the high side trough or against the pedestal. I've seen the kind of foot braces you are talking about moulded into the decks of some newer racing boats at the boat shows...and I've tripped on them too.
Perhaps a low profile tapered strip of wood to the pedestal side of each trough would enhance their usefullness as foot braces. They would be partially raised and partially recessed, so in theory less of a trip hazard. Before doing that though, what condition is your non-skid in? The cockpit sole seems to be where it wears out first.

 

[sinnettc]

Something like this might work: http://www.leftcoast.biz/iWeb/Left_Coast/Footrest.html

I have no connection to the seller, though I have chatted him on another forum and drooled over his boat when I was in Anacortes.

 

[Hermit Scott]

rardi-definitely a 2-sided tape application. Stick it to the passengers backsides or feet as necessary.

 

[Joe]

raise the center part of the helm seat 3 or 4 inches to create two somwhat "bucket" seats on each side... or put in a couple of dividers to partition the bench into three separate seats. Mock up something temporary to see if it keeps you from sliding down to leeward. Forget the foot rests. If you have two people back there you'll be facing forward anyway so a foot rest would be awkward.

 

[Ed Schenck]

I would not like something in the way back there on my H37C. Something that would work though would be one of those pop-up or folding cleats. It would be flush in the sole when you didn't need it. I kind of like Joe's idea of dividers. Seems like you could fit something in the slots of your stern seats. When alone back there I like to sit with my back against the windward coaming and my legs across the seat. Any crew back there just put an arm around a rail and hang on. And I have slippery cushions on mine.

 

[rardiH36]

Thanks all.

Seems like it’s about 50/50 pro/con.

So I will give it more thought and then do my own thing which most likely will be to do a trial installation first. That is: After deciding the likely best location for a block for a usable bracing point for a person sitting on the aft corner seat, and that also would appear not to get in the way too much, I'll cut a small piece off a 2x4 and simply attach it temporarily onto the floor with a couple of long screws. The interior of the floor is plywood so the screw will have something to grip into.

If the addition does not improve comfort and safety, then I'll simply remove the screws and block, fill the holes carefully with epoxy, and paint with matching gray paint. It’s a non-skid surface so the patch-up will be totally unnoticeable.

If I like the outcome, then I'll do it right with teak or IPE, and use SS bolts through the sole and nuts from underneath, ensuring that the sole penetration is done correctly so that water intrusion doesn't eventually soften the core.

I'll post the outcome -- good or bad.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Or you could sail the boat flat. Something I learned to do when my wife was reading with her back to the cabin on the port or starboard cockpit seats. No way was I going to tell her to move to the low side.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Or you could sail the boat flat. Something I learned to do when my wife was reading with her back to the cabin on the port or starboard cockpit seats. No way was I going to tell her to move to the low side.

That's why my "crew" or The Admiral, always sails on port tack. My favorite reading spot is the starboard side!:dance: