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LongPac Prep

Dazzler

Dazzler

m/v PACIFIC LOON
I'm hoping to start some dialogue on how others have addressed the NorCalORC Equipment List.

My Question: how have others addressed this requirement?

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Hull and Structure: Hull Openings
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2.1.1 A boat's companionway(s) shall be capable of being blocked off to main deck level. The method of blocking should be solid watertight and rigidly secured, if not permanent.
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2.1.2 A boat's hatch boards, whether or not in position in the hatchway, shall be secured to the boat (e.g. by a lanyard) for the duration of the race to prevent their being lost overboard.

My new (to me) boat has a set of plexiglass three section companionway drop boards with nothing but gravity holding them place. What is required to make them "rigidly secured" and "secure to the boat?" What have others done?

Tom
CLOUD
 
Hi Tom,

Rags has two Lexan drop boards. Each one has a small eyestrap on its inside face. The top board has a piece of cord tied to the eyestrap. The cord passes through the eyestrap on the lower drop board and then to a small cam cleat on the underside of the companionway "sill." The tail of the cord continues on and is made fast inside the boat. Thus the boards are tied to the boat and can be secured by stacking them in place and then snugging the cord in the cam cleat. The hatch could be open but the boards can't fall out. This would work just as well with three boards as with two. I'll try to remember to take a photo this weekend.

When not racing in the ocean, the whole works comes off the boat and I have a shiny single drop board for normal use.
 
Tom,

Lightspeed’s set up is pretty much like Rags but with the addition of a small round (hand sized) hole with cover that can be removed from inside/outside in the top hatch board under the padlock tab. I added is for the 2012 PacCup (and 2.1.1 rule) so I could slid the companionway hatch cover closed, reach through the hole from the inside and slide a tethered lock pin in the lock tab.
 
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Cat 1 Compliant Hatchboard

http://neversealand.downtothesea.org/2011/04/20/cat-1-compliant-hatchboard/

hatch-installed-470x352.jpg
 
Thank you all. I really appreciate the responses and hope there will be more. The single panel drop board where there is a bridge deck or high sill seems like the easiest to address. My last boat (Wyliecat 30) had a single acrylic panel with an eye-bolt at the bottom of the panel and eyes below the sill inside and out. It was not difficult to climb over to get inside.

My new boat has a low sill and high house. The bottom (of 3) washboard needs to be in place to block off the companionway up to the level of the local sheer line. Climbing over all 3 washboards is not a practical option.

Lightspeed's hand hole for being able to open up from the outside is interesting. I had to laugh because when we had our boat in Florida, for some time we were in a very public area where there was a lot of late night foot traffic (i.e. after the bars closed). So I could sleep better, I added a barrel-bolt on the inside to secure the sliding companionway hatch.

Keep the ideas coming.

Tom
CLOUD
 
On ROXANNE, I was just going to attach the two hatch boards to the companionway steps via a lanyard and a couple of eyestraps screwed into the hatch boards. Too simple?

Her companionway is entered above deck level already as designed, so I assumed I was ok on -
"2.1.1 A boat's companionway(s) shall be capable of being blocked off to main deck level. The method of blocking should be solid watertight and rigidly secured, if not permanent. "

I know this won't conform to the Category 1 level, but I figured it would conform for the LongPac. Should I re-figure? :)
 
Here's the link again to the 2013 LongPac RR&C's

They have this requirement:

4.36 All companionway hatch boards [washboards] shall be capable of being secured in position with the hatch open or shut, and shall be secured to the yacht by a lanyard. The hatch shall be able to be secured in position by the skipper whether inside the yacht, or on deck.

Hopefully Pat (2015 LongPac Race Chair) will chime in on this thread, since the LongPac rules have always followed the SH TransPac rules, not whatever NorCalORC is requiring this week. This is because LongPac exists on the SSS schedule primarily to prepare skippers and their boats for the SH TransPac. I see we've already conformed to NorCalORC's SAS seminar requirement for LongPac, but hopefully that will be the end of the compromises. I take confidence in Pat's post last month: "3. The 2015 NOR and SI will closely follow the 2013 version."

Is there a date for the first LongPac seminar?
 
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The hatch shall be able to be secured in position by the skipper whether inside the yacht, or on deck.

Yeah, that would be an issue for me. I can close the hatch from inside, but it only locks from outside. There might be a barrel bolt in my future...
 
"..secured in position by the skipper whether inside the yacht, or on deck," with a barrel bolt maybe just fine for a singlehander (yes, I know this is the SSS), but doesn't work for those of us that often also have crew.

A barrel bolt on one or both sides doesn't really work without a way to get at it from the other side. Pogen/Temerity's solution is elegant in that it releases from both sides.

Tom
CLOUD
 
Jack (Capri 25) has two hatch boards, the bottom of which is below the deck level. I used a cut up bike tube for a gasket and secured it in place with two stainless right angle braces screwed into the companionway. The top board had a small hole with a line through it that went to a clam cleat on each side allowing it to be released on either side. I was pooped on a few occasions filling the cockpit. Securing the lower hatch board turned out to be really important. So were the two 4" drains through the transom.
 
I remember talking to Rob about this when he was going over the 2012 SHTP rules, which required either a masthead tricolor or a strobe at the masthead. Deck-level lights aren't very visible to a ship when in ocean swells. The requirement carried forward into the 2014 SHTP rules which state: "All yachts shall have a masthead tricolor light or a strobe capable of being hoisted to the masthead."

Note that strobes must be white and are not legal inside COLREGS (Inland Waters). "Capable of being hoisted" means a strobe could be mounted on a pigstick and hoisted using a topping lift or second masthead halyard. The "stored energy" type are much more effective than simply a blinking light like the combination tricolor/strobes have.
 
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A strobe light is considered a sign of distress. It will increase visibility, but USCG does not recommend it. Following is from USCG FAQ.

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesFAQ#0.3_14



14. Can I use Strobe Lights to be more visible at night? For any other lights beyond those specifically defined within the Navigation Rules they should be such lights as cannot be mistaken for the lights specified in these Rules, or do not impair their visibility or distinctive character, or interfere with the keeping of a proper look-out (Rule 20).

Displaying a strobe for "higher visibility" would confuse other vessels as to your navigational status (many aids to navigation use a strobe or flashing). Also, lights provide direction and aspect information to other boat operators. For example, if while operating my vessel I see a red light on my starboard side I know I am the give-way vessel (Rule 16, 17). The use of a strobe light could overwhelm a vessel's navigation lights and cease to provide such crucial direction and aspect information to other boat operators.

Also, Rule 36 of the International Rules addresses signals to attract attention and for the purpose of [that] rule the use of high intensity intermittent or revolving lights, such as strobe lights, shall be avoided. Rule 37 of the Inland Rules addresses strobes in regards to distress signals so that when a vessel is in distress and requires assistance she shall use...a high intensity white light flashing at regular intervals from 50 to 70 times per minute.

Since strobe light use is to be avoided (International waters) or used as a distress signal (Inland waters), it cannot be used to routinely mark vessels operating on the water.
 
Because it is considered a distress signal in Inland Waters, the strobe should only be used offshore (as I stated above). The typical scenario is to turn it on when communicating with a ship which cannot see you. Having a strobe available on a pigstick avoids SSS having to require that all boats install a masthead tricolor.
 
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Thanks for the info. I will assume that the my current masthead tri-color will suffice so I will not replace for one with strobe..

Looking forward to discuss the LongPac rules. Unfortunately I will be out of town next week and will not be at the 3BF awards meeting.

Dirk - "TIJD" First 30JK
 
Dirk, sorry to hear you will miss the 3BF meeting. Rob/Beetle and I congratulate you and Tijd as sole finisher in your division and 2nd place overall for the race - Fantastic job! Hopefully there will be someone who can take your awards for you!! Kristen
 
My companionway has three washboards, and for the duration of the ocean racing season I tie a tether to each one, between eyestraps on the inside of each board and three more eyestraps alongside the quarterberth where they are usually stowed.

Each one also has a barrel bolt on one side to lock it in place in the companionway ... although with shrinking and swelling of the wood, the boards may sit higher or lower in the taper such that the bolts don't line up well with the holes I drilled in the companionway frame. Some rethinking is called for there. I need to have two slides in place to get to legal blocked-off height (actually above), but it's still pretty easy to climb in and out. So far, I haven't bothered to make different boards, which would let me get exactly to sheer height with just one.

For inside/outside access, I filed a notch in the top of the top board. I screwed a small horn cleat to the underside of the hatch slide, and a clam cleat to the outside of the washboard. I run a short line between the two, through the notch, that I can cleat or uncleat at either end.

The "watertight" spec in the rules bothers me. My boards are a pretty tight fit, but I'm sure I would get some spray inside if a wave hit them square on.

Max
 
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Max,
Thank you for the "three washboards" answer. Is your hatch slide somehow held closed? Or is that even required?

Tom
CLOUD
 
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