Securing cockpit / Required equipment question

[NATBF]

Hello-

I am trying to comply with the various required equipment lists, and have a pair of questions. I hope I will be forgiven for this third post in a short period; any suggestions appreciated.

1. Re: "A boat's companionway(s) shall be capable of being blocked off to main deck level (sheerline). The method of blocking should be solid, watertight, and rigidly secured, if not permanent."
This sounds different than just hatchboards that are secured via lanyard(s) and have some way (e.g. latches) of locking them in place.
--> What are people doing? Maybe a solid-piece of plexi that fits in the companionway slot, taking the place of the hatchboards? If so, do people make it sheerline-tall so they can still sort of step over it? Or are the hatchboards actually what's used?

2. Re: "A boat's entire cockpit shall be solid, watertight, strongly fastened and/or sealed. Weather-tight seat hatches are acceptable only if capable of being secured when closed."
--> How are people making their hinged-seat-access lockers watertight? I can't just glass it over, even if I wanted to -- need emergency access to some through-hulls down there.
Seal: I assume there is a preferred method -- just a rubber seal clamped or glued to the lip? If so, are there preferred varieties/sources?
Latches: Mine can be secured with the usual latch designed to allow a clip or lock... is it typical to put some other type of latch (or multiple latches) that clamp the seat down more securely?
And are there other considerations I've missed?

Many thanks, and apologies if I failed to find some previous thread on this in my searching.

 

[BobJ]

1. One of the (few) things about Surprise! that I don't like is that with all the dropboards removed, it would be easy to downflood the boat from the cockpit. So before heading out the Gate, I install the bottom dropboard and screw it down. This complied for the local offshore SER as well as Pacific Cup's SER. The three screw holes can be seen in the first linked photo. This also gave me a place to install the wet compass when I needed to move it:

https://www.sfbaysss.org/forum/showthread.php?2181-Surprise!&p=26615#post26615

2. The primary concern with the cockpit "seat hatch" lids is that they not fly open in rough conditions, allowing water to downflood into the interior of the boat. Mine have latches but they are loose and could easily flip open. My first fix was to tie short pieces of line through them to add friction. This worked but looked wonky, so I later drilled holes right through the body of the latch handles and installed wire pins - kind of like big ring-dings but easier to remove. This photo shows the old strings. BTW, does your boat have cockpit speakers?

https://www.sfbaysss.org/forum/showthread.php?2181-Surprise!&p=25319#post25319

 

[NATBF]

Many thanks, Bob -- those photos were exactly what I needed (particularly the one showing your new dropboard/screw holes -- I spent a good bit of time yesterday measuring to try to make such a thing, tricky due to all the various beveled edges they have). Separately, I had thought the "newboatforsled" thread and its ilk were mostly for long-time folks who knew the participants, but seeing your Surprise thread makes me realize the wealth of set-up information that is probably in the other new-boat threads as well.

Conveniently my companionway does not go all the way to the cockpit sole, but it does drop well (10") below the level of the combings near it. No speakers (of any kind, perhaps a problem in the opposite direction -- no tunes). The engine start panel has a buzzer as part of it, which is probably a similar weak link (though at least plastic-backed) but my plan based on a Farallones thread to which you also contributed is to take Philpott's/Bill Merrick's advice and duct-tape a thick Ziplock over the whole panel, key included, before I start.

I doubt I can make a good dropboard prior to the 29th, so I am hoping that securing the lower two washboards in a "rigid" manner -- probably by lashing both down with the eyebolts or whatever I install in them for the lanyards such that they cannot rise at all/are locked down for the duration will be sufficient if I get chosen for inspection (which I would expect is fairly likely since I am new.)

Similarly, I will just put clips in my cockpit locker clasps (they already have a hole) for now, but eventually think I will put some gasket along the inside edges. This has made me think about the bilge pump handle... which I think I will move to clips on the pedestal or something... if I need the manual bilge pump handle, then I guess opening a seat is probably not going to be something I'd like to be doing.

Thanks again for the links/pictures; very much appreciated.

 

[Critter]

I've never taken the "watertight" requirement literally. My hatchboards are tethered and have latches, but water could seep between them and around their edges. They do fit pretty snugly.

My cockpit lockers have 1/8" x 1" rubber gaskets partway around, but I suspect they're intended mainly to prevent rattling. So if the cockpit filled to above the lids, some water would get in. I'm confident that they're adequately splashproof. The lids have hasps for padlocks, and I found that old jib hanks make a good replacement for the padlocks while underway.

I passed inspection in 2010 with these arrangements, so I assume I'm still good. Dave H, if you see this can you confirm?

Max

 

[NATBF]

In case anyone else looks this up later, I just attended the YRA Skipper's Meeting for the Lightship Race, and per them (Andy N.), lashing the boards in using secure eyes is sufficient; one need not screw them in. It sounded like the standard on this item was less letter-of-the-law and more compliance with the spirit. Anyway, as long as the boards would stay in place if the boat were inverted, they're OK with it. I actually put through-eyes in the hatchboards; no chance they can rip off, but also won't leak in the rain, which I worried a knotted line through a hole would. Not the peak of aesthetics, but there we are. Didn't feel like drilling more for a one-off (will eventually make a plexi one like Bob J's, but that is a longer project due to the chamfering required), so glad lashing is OK.

PS: MOB Pole: I did also ask about the (somewhat expensive) inflatable (or other) danbuoy/pole requirement, which seemed pointless for a singlehander where there would be no one left to deploy it. Their response, which seemed pretty reasonable, was: no exceptions to safety gear, since you might also end up needing to deploy it for someone off another boat. I had thought of that re: the lifesling, but I guess it also makes sense for the pole.

 

[BobJ]

MOB Pole: I did also ask about the (somewhat expensive) inflatable (or other) danbuoy/pole requirement, which seemed pointless for a singlehander where there would be no one left to deploy it. Their response, which seemed pretty reasonable, was: no exceptions to safety gear, since you might also end up needing to deploy it for someone off another boat. I had thought of that re: the lifesling, but I guess it also makes sense for the pole.

Welcome to the group of extinguished singlehanders who have asked that very same question. I've come around to agreeing with their response.

With used components from Blue Pelican, eBay et seq, you can cobble together the horseshoe, MOB pole, drogue, strobe, whistle, whoopie cushion, beer and snacks they require, but what a bunch of crap hanging off the stern pulpit! At least twice, the whole works slipped over the side and I discovered I'd been towing it behind the boat. I finally bought a SOS Danbuoy at a boat show. It was heavy but much more compact. It inflated with a standard PFD cartridge, which was easily replaced. Despite being securely lashed down, the contents (but not the bag) disappeared over the side during the PacCup. I'm thinking about stuffing the bag with rocks and lashing it back on the stern pulpit. That piece of gear is to mark and possibly add flotation to the person in the water. Based on multiple tests of what actually works, your go-to is the Lifesling.