Cockpit Drains
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Hello All,
I’m getting hull #101 ready for the Singlehanded Transpac, and I’m wondering if the stock cockpit drains are large enough? Anyone have any experience on the Olson 30 with stern waves? Also any thoughts on storm tactics specifically for the Olson 30 would be helpful.
Thanks, Shad
Just curious, hull #101 has a yellow gelcoat from the factory, how many were originally yellow?
I don’t know the answer to your question. Have you considered posting on the SSS forums?
http://www.sfbaysss.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?2-Singlehanded-Sailing-Society
As you probably know, the Olson 30 is the single most successful boat in the history of the Singlehanded Transpac and I believe there will be people on that forum who will have better answers. Do you know Jiri who is also preparing his Olson 30 for the STP?
RE: gelcoat, that’s interesting and I have never seen a yellow Olson 30.
Stern waves are not a problem, unless they’re mountainous huge. I swamped my cockpit while over taking waves. We had enough boat speed to climb up the backs of the waves, then surf down the face burying the bow in the back of the next wave. We had green water over the whole deck of the boat filling the cockpit. It took quite a few minutes for the cockpit to drain, it seemed like a long time, (this was twenty years ago) and the extra weight negatively effected the handling. All of the sheets got sucked through the drains. We needed to have someone reach over the stern and untie the stopper knots so we could pull the sheets back through the drains to open them up.
To get an idea of the speed of your drains, plug the drains, fill the cockpit with water, then open the drains and time how long if takes to drain.
Bill
PS, my boat was a factory yellow Olson 30
Stern waves are zero problem.
Cockpit could fill during pitchpole maneuvers :) and total knockdowns. How long it takes to drain is the real issue.
You could consider enlarging the starboard drain if you don’t mind the asymmetric look. A soft flapper over the end would prevent backwash. Rather than do this…have a two gallon bucket handy.
I opened my stern (custom cockpit) and following seas in a blow with everyone in the back will bring in (wave hits) maybe a 1/4″ of water on a rare wave hit. Needless to say, it drains immediately. You should not worry at all about stern waves.
Shad,
I’ve never filled he cockpit from a stern wave or from numerous deep water, big wave knock downs. The first time we were knocked down was in the Molokai channel. After counting crew while standing on the cockpit wall I remember being quite pleased at how stable she felt while laying on her side. And we had very little water in the cockpit. Storm conditions…I’d have a second reef point in the main and a storm head-sail. What rudder will you be using?Thanks for the replies, it definitely makes me feel more confident with this boat. SWG – I don’t know Jiri, but perhaps I’ll meet him sometime in the next year, having someone else with the same boat doing the same race will be nice to talk with. Bill – thanks for sharing the experience, as soon as the weather warms up a bit I’ll try filling the cock pit and see how it drains. Bruce – Thanks for the advice as usual. Jim – Right now I have the stock rudder. I got a quote from Ron Moore and its around $3000 for an elliptical rudder. I’m trying to figure out if I absolutely need the elliptical rudder or if I can get by with the original if I have to. Thoughts? I will be taking my mainsail in next week to get two sets of reefs in it.
Shad,
You can read about other’s opinions of eliptical rudders under Olson 30 media and facts, boat upgrades: http://www.olson30.org/the-boat/tips-and-tweaks/rudders
I could see both sides of the argument here. Single handed you should be sailing fast but not right on the edge, on the edge would be too taxing on the driver, though if the elliptical saves you a couple of crashes, it might be worth it.
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