Alexina January Update

[Alexina]

This posting covers our time in Cape Verdes prior to the Atlantic crossing.

https://sites.google.com/site/alexinaofshoreham/home/2011/january

Peter

[Van]

Hi Peter,

Interesting reading about your experience taking on water in the cockpit! Do you have the as-installed cockpit drains, or did you upgrade them? They have always seemed way under sized. And did you check how much water got into the engine compartment? Did much get into the cabins?

Cheers!

Van

[Alexina]

Hi Van,

Prior to the Atlantic crossing we worried about taking a sea in the cockpit. Following excellent advice from Jeremy Lines we maintained the original cockpit drains but installed non return valves. We installed screw-downs for the cockpit floors and bedded them down on neoprene hatch seal.

When at sea, above 20 knots of wind, we always sail with the cabin doors closed. As a result when we took our sea in the cockpit no water at all made it into the cabins, to our delight no water made it into the engine compartment either. We were mightily impressed with the speed at which the cockpit drained. All in all we were very happy. Bit glum about the cockpit cushions getting wet though.

Best Regards .. Peter

[Rhapsode]

Peter,

Did you fit non-returns to the smaller drains – the ones taking away the water from the channel round the top of the engine compartment or just the two main drains in the cockpit? I found that if I left the sea cocks to the smaller drains open that the water would come in and drop down into the engine compartment necessitating the use of the bilge pump every watch or so. So I closed them and just left the main cockpit drains open.

I’ve been think of fitting non-returns to both sets of drains but wasn’t sure whether it would slow down the water draining away. Your experience says that it works fine which is a comfort.

May I ask which non-return v/vs you fitted?

Cockpit doors: The doors to the main cabin of Rhapsode are not full length – they stop short by about six inches. There is an insert that can be put in place when leaving the boat for any length of time. Is this standard?

The attraction of this arrangement is that the doors can be locked leaving a gap for ventilation when leaving the boat for short periods.

For sea passages I have a washboard and a step fitted inside the cabin so can sail with the cabin door open unless it is very wavy. If necessary I can shut the doors with the washboard in place.

Happy sailing.

Peter

[Alexina]

Hi Peter,

Yes I fitted bon return valves to both sets of drains and sail with the sea cocks open. We have taken pains to lightem Alexina in preparation for the Atlantic crossing and this no doubt helped. We used the Whale LV1215 non return valves.

I understand the mini washboards are a standard issue. We leave ours in place as they act as door stops and I have nightmares about people slamminmg the dors shut and tearing open the hinges. We did replace two of our hinges after a two and a half year saga on the internet sourcing them.

Best Regards .. Peter

[Rhapsode]

Many thanks Peter – that’s a great help!!!

Good sailing,

Peter

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