Jump to content

Spindrift 12 #1275 - Bay & Bow storage & deck plates


J. Cote

Recommended Posts

Before I install the longitudinal bulkheads, I need to decide if I want access to the Bays. Couple of questions for the "been there, done that" crowd:

1) What types of things do you find want to store away on the boat & keep dry or not lose when I flip the boat sailing?  (Hats, flip-flops, rope, sunblock, lunch, life vests, cushion....?)

2) Which bays are worth planning access for?  (I'm thinking the aft bays & the bow.....?)

3) What deck plates do you recommend? & what sizes?  (I'm thinking...bigger is better for access...?)

 

The forward bulkhead access can wait. It is in place and playing too important of a role right now to remove to make a hole.  I can decide this one at the end of the build.

The longitudinal bulkheads are still loose. Looks like it could handle a 9" (outer rim) diameter deck plate. I would order these now & cut the holes now while it's loose.

 

See photo for reference.  Any input?1347406347_S12deadspace-mu.jpg.10217a4e2b8b3dce3ed193bd8f080f3c.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


The bigger boats have hatches built into the side tank/seats and are part of the plan/kit. But then the tanks have more room and the boats are now 4 people. If you will day sail this for periods over a couple hours you may want to try to accomplish something similar. If I were doing a 12, I would buy seat top hatches for the aft tanks and make a vertical hatch built into the bulkhead forward. It's a small boat, the storage matches.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Small inspections ports up to 8" into all compartments is not a bad idea. On badly built Spindrifts they would keep the boat alive for many more years. One boat we worked on the underside of the seat tops and inside the lockers was never coated and it rotted from the inside out. A major rebuild.  If properly coated however and sealed well, I think even with no inspection ports the boat should last indefinitely so long as everything is well sealed.  The ports need not necessarily serve for storage but rather just for "airing out" when the boat is stored. 

If I were going to put ports into the longitudinal bulkheads I would use Beckson DP-6 screw in type. We sell them for $19 a piece. 

I just checked on duckworks for pricing and it looks like they've got a new seadog one. https://www.duckworks.com/product-p/sd-335745-parent.htm could be good also. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Hirilonde said:

The bigger boats have hatches built into the side tank/seats and are part of the plan/kit. But then the tanks have more room and the boats are now 4 people. If you will day sail this for periods over a couple hours you may want to try to accomplish something similar. If I were doing a 12, I would buy seat top hatches for the aft tanks and make a vertical hatch built into the bulkhead forward. It's a small boat, the storage matches.

Thank you for your input Hirilonde. A top hatch similar to this? https://www.wholesalemarine.com/tempress-slam-hatch-white/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/29/2020 at 7:31 PM, Alan Stewart said:

Small inspections ports up to 8" into all compartments is not a bad idea. On badly built Spindrifts they would keep the boat alive for many more years. One boat we worked on the underside of the seat tops and inside the lockers was never coated and it rotted from the inside out. A major rebuild.  If properly coated however and sealed well, I think even with no inspection ports the boat should last indefinitely so long as everything is well sealed.  The ports need not necessarily serve for storage but rather just for "airing out" when the boat is stored. 

If I were going to put ports into the longitudinal bulkheads I would use Beckson DP-6 screw in type. We sell them for $19 a piece. 

I just checked on duckworks for pricing and it looks like they've got a new seadog one. https://www.duckworks.com/product-p/sd-335745-parent.htm could be good also. 

Thank you Alan.  I see the Becksons have an O-ring, the Seadog does not - it recommends Vaseline in the threads. Hence the price difference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would recommend inspection ports in all the chambers.  I had some water in one of the "airtight" chambers on my 17 after a capsize and with an inspection port I wouldn't have known and wouldn't have been able to dry it.  It only takes a pinhole to let water in, and that includes rain and spray water.  For that matter, without a port, you probably wont even know that you have a pinhole.

That said, a pinhole wont let in enough water during a typical capsize period to substantially effect the flotation effect of the chamber, in my experience.  It will still be largely full of air.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would say that an occasional capsize should be considered part of the game plan.  Under controlled circumstances capsize and recover the boat so you feel comfortable. Then you can push your limits and increase your skill. When you have crew on board who are not interested in getting wet you can ratchet back and give them a relaxed ride.

 

Flotation is there not just to keep your boat from sinking. It should be of sufficient volume and distributed throughout the boat so as to allow you to recover the boat with a minimum of water aboard.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, J. Cote said:

Thank you for your input Hirilonde. A top hatch similar to this? https://www.wholesalemarine.com/tempress-slam-hatch-white/

 

Yes.  I have no experience with any brand to make a recommendation, though some here may.  But if you will spend much time sailing, access to stored gear is a plus. Safety gear and a few comfort items and a boat can get full fast.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have been given good advise, especially regarding the need to stow and have ready access to stuff. If you will do much sailing it is not a matter of, if you will capsize but when. Remember that during a capsize, everything not stowed or tied down will be gone. Follow Joe's advise about practice capsizing but look at his capsize video first. The Spindrift is an excellent boat for recovery so you are off to a good start. Make sure that your bailer is tied in with enough length so that it can be used without having to untie it. A gallon bleach bottle with the bottom cut off at an angle is about as good as any.

 

I have not had personal experience with that hatch but I have had too much experience with other brands of similar hatches and they all leaked. That is what forced me to create a better mousetrap and design our now standard cockpit hatches. They are a lot of work for a Spindrift, I would use the 8" hatches that Alan suggested and put them on the vertical faces. If you choose the screw in type, I would make a 3/4" plywood spanner to undo them as they can be hard to undo if you tighten them so that they will not leak. Drill a hole in it so that it can be tied in. I once sailed the Small Reach Regatta in my 12' Amanda which has the same cockpit as the Spindrift. I had the same screw in plastic hatches in her and I was able to stow everything that they required to meet their safety rules as well as a set of dry warm clothes and food. A compass was mounted to the trunk and the ground tackle was also lashed to the trunk and oars too. It worked great.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Designer said:

You have been given good advise, especially regarding the need to stow and have ready access to stuff. If you will do much sailing it is not a matter of, if you will capsize but when. Remember that during a capsize, everything not stowed or tied down will be gone. Follow Joe's advise about practice capsizing but look at his capsize video first. The Spindrift is an excellent boat for recovery so you are off to a good start. Make sure that your bailer is tied in with enough length so that it can be used without having to untie it. A gallon bleach bottle with the bottom cut off at an angle is about as good as any.

 

I have not had personal experience with that hatch but I have had too much experience with other brands of similar hatches and they all leaked. That is what forced me to create a better mousetrap and design our now standard cockpit hatches. They are a lot of work for a Spindrift, I would use the 8" hatches that Alan suggested and put them on the vertical faces. If you choose the screw in type, I would make a 3/4" plywood spanner to undo them as they can be hard to undo if you tighten them so that they will not leak. Drill a hole in it so that it can be tied in. I once sailed the Small Reach Regatta in my 12' Amanda which has the same cockpit as the Spindrift. I had the same screw in plastic hatches in her and I was able to stow everything that they required to meet their safety rules as well as a set of dry warm clothes and food. A compass was mounted to the trunk and the ground tackle was also lashed to the trunk and oars too. It worked great.

Thanks Graham. If you remember, Randy & I capsized his Spindrift 12 at the mess-a-bout. We were comical in our efforts to get back in the boat. Learned a lot of lessons that day. ?

I didn't realize Joe Anderson (above) is the same Joe at the mess-a-bout. I have reviewed his videos before. I will review them again before I go practice on mine the first time. Thank you for all of your suggestions above.  I have them all written down in my notes.

Jan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, Not to hijack, & Amanda plans in FL, but on the tank hatches, is an interior reinforcing ring (1/4" ply?) needed/desired to screw the tank face hatch ring into? Thought could drill it a bit to recess the locking nuts a bit to keep stuff in the tanks from snagging on the mounting screws? R

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m partial to active storage being in the open “lazarette” and in “B”.  It occurred to me that the access port on the forward bulkhead can’t be on the centerline, because if the mast.  So, that would require a pair of hatches, or one to one side or the other.

 

I’ve always put screw/in ports on all my floatation tanks, except for Two Bits.  Somebody on the forum convinced me they weren’t necessary, so she didn’t get any.  @Paul356, you have me rethinking that strategy.  They are pretty cheap, for boat stuff.  Why not include them?  Duckworks has some very inexpensive ones made out of Polypropylene.  They would be OK, in my opinion, for the occasional access/drying out needs in “A” & “F”. But they only come in black.

https://www.duckworks.com/product-p/sd-335745-parent.htm

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Thrillsbe said:

I’m partial to active storage being in the open “lazarette” and in “B”.  It occurred to me that the access port on the forward bulkhead can’t be on the centerline, because if the mast.  So, that would require a pair of hatches, or one to one side or the other.

 

I’ve always put screw/in ports on all my floatation tanks, except for Two Bits.  Somebody on the forum convinced me they weren’t necessary, so she didn’t get any.  @Paul356, you have me rethinking that strategy.  They are pretty cheap, for boat stuff.  Why not include them?  Duckworks has some very inexpensive ones made out of Polypropylene.  They would be OK, in my opinion, for the occasional access/drying out needs in “A” & “F”. But they only come in black.

https://www.duckworks.com/product-p/sd-335745-parent.htm

I opted for the Beckson because it had O-rings. Seadog does not, but suggests putting Vaseline in the threads. The lasarette is getting an 8" off to one side of the mast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Polysulphides are the compounds to avoid when bedding plastics. Do not use 3m 101 or BoatLife Lifecaulk. They are great products, but not for plastic. I used Sikaflex 291-LOT. I have no doubt that silicone will do the job well, but the down side of the product has been pointed out. 

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

Supporting Members

Supporting Members can create Clubs, photo Galleries, don't see ads and make messing-about.com possible! Become a Supporting Member - only $12 for the next year. Pay by PayPal or credit card.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.