Open Concept Saloons in a Seaway

[Shrew]

I also yell out "big wave coming" to alert crew -

To many words and complex to process. The listener has to wait until the end of the sentence to digest the concept. And that is when you are not actively in a conversation and you are requiring that they context switch their focus.

By the time you've gotten to 'big' you've only just got their attention, but scope hasn't been conveyed yet. By wave, they're starting to get it, but you could be talking about anything at this point. By coming, ok, this might be a warning and not conversation.

Much more effective would be to SHOUT

"Brace! Brace! Brace!"

By the first Brace, everything has been conveyed. By the second brace it's reinforced. The third brace is for those not really paying attention.

 

[wkearney99]

To many words and complex to process. The listener has to wait until the end of the sentence to digest the concept. And that is when you are not actively in a conversation and you are requiring that they context switch their focus.

By the time you've gotten to 'big' you've only just got their attention, but scope hasn't been conveyed yet. By wave, they're starting to get it, but you could be talking about anything at this point. By coming, ok, this might be a warning and not conversation.

Much more effective would be to SHOUT

"Brace! Brace! Brace!"

By the first Brace, everything has been conveyed. By the second brace it's reinforced. The third brace is for those not really paying attention.

Yeah, sounds good on paper, but I'm not really sold on terrifying passengers with panicked repetitive shouting. Yes, you want to get their attention and have them react accordingly.

I've found "big wake/wave coming" has worked quite well on the many times I've needed to have them be prepared for the effects.

Understanding, of course, that they've already had some amount of explanation about what kinds of warnings to expect. Because any commands, out of the blue, are going to have poor reception if they haven't had some bit of preparation beforehand. Think of the pre-flight safety spiel you get on an airline flight. Doesn't have to be that 'staged' but it hits all the high points on what people should do in the event of emergency conditions. I do this for my guests and being ready for wakes is always mentioned/stressed as important.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Three points that I would like to make.

The Admiral and I have often commented that our Albin was veery well thought out by the designer. Wherever we think there should be a stout handhold, there is one placed by the manufacturer. We have not had to add a single handhold.

Its not just handholds. I like the ability to move furniture around, in my house anyway. All berths, setees fixtures, etc are permanently mounted in our Albin. We sacrifice some flexability but in rough water everything stays put.

Finally! It is very important that whenever we leave port, we rig for rough water. Even on calm days a rogue wave can catch you unaware. Nothing worse than hearing the crash as something hits the floor.

pete

 

[eheffa]

We had the privilege to tour a relatively new 42 foot Beneteau just before the crew was setting off for the Vic-Maui race. We were astonished to see the climbing ropes and other jury-rigged hand hold apparatus strung up around the salon and other living spaces below. There were no factory installed hand-holds to be seen anywhere on this 'off-shore capable' vessel.

We went back to our humble coastal cruiser (a Nordic Tug 37) all the more appreciative of its excellent collection of overhead and chest level hand-holds and a sensible layout that is pretty easy to navigate safely in a lumpy seaway.

So, to the original poster, these things matter and it seems that some boat builders do not pay enough attention to this requirement.

-evan

 

[garbler]

We had the privilege to tour a relatively new 42 foot Beneteau just before the crew was setting off for the Vic-Maui race. We were astonished to see the climbing ropes and other jury-rigged hand hold apparatus strung up around the salon and other living spaces below. There were no factory installed hand-holds to be seen anywhere on this 'off-shore capable' vessel.

We went back to our humble coastal cruiser (a Nordic Tug 37) all the more appreciative of its excellent collection of overhead and chest level hand-holds and a sensible layout that is pretty easy to navigate safely in a lumpy seaway.

So, to the original poster, these things matter and it seems that some boat builders do not pay enough attention to this requirement.

-evan

That about says it all doesn’t it. ‘ offshore capable ‘ that’s what the salesman told us

Might be another instance where the boat can take a lot more than it’s occupants ?

 

[PierreR]

my new boat has handrails overhead, but my wife cannot reach them and has poor balance. She will need handrails continuous throughout the boat. Making the boat okay and safe for her is going to be a huge challenge. I will need her on board to tell me where they have to be.
One redeeming feature of her condition is having absolutely no propensity for sea sickness. The same cannot be said for me.