Spray hoods

[gdallas]

Nyachilwa is so wet that I am thinking of fitting a periscope and torpedo tubes. On Saturday we were working into a F5, with 2 reefs and the storm jib, in a nasty short chop. The boat was not undercanvassed -she is rigged for light airs and we made good boatspeed. But it was like being stood in front of a firehose. I have good oilskins but........ A small sprayhood over the hatch would be a good idea, but I only want something small without masses of framing. I know this will give less protection than a full pramhood arrangement, but the decks and boat generally are all beautifully clear and simple, which I love and want to maintain.

Does anyone have good ideas, examples, photos, suggestions? I could always move to Lake Garda I suppose.

Thank you

Graham
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b67/gdallas/Nyachilwa/relaunchNov200717.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b67/gdallas/Nyachilwa/DSCN0661.jpg

[paladin]

First...that wooden periscope is too tall, and the hatch shouldn't be open during surfacing maneuvers.

I should think....that by installing quarter turn fasteners forward of the hatch spanning the cabin top, that a single support tube would allow a reasonable sea hood to be installed.

[John B]

I had the same issue with Waone ,Graham, except we didn't have all that freeboard you have ;).
I made a full size dodger that folded very flat and had about 18 in or so of overhang back into the cockpit when up. The two tails had bungee cords and the geometry was such that we could pop those two bungee loops and drop it very fast. So we could sail most of the time with it down and pull it up at anchor and for sailing on the wind.
Incidentally , a dodger like that cuts down wind noise at anchor by a vast amount (compared to just the hatch).
You'd have to add some sprayrails on the cabin top to attach to and to ' flush' the companion way/ hatch.
down.
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/Waione_photos/waione/w_32.jpg

part up.. the tails not hooked on.

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd48/Waione_photos/waione/101_0114_1.jpg

[JimConlin]

I recently had a dodger fitted on Damfino.
The boat was truly firehose wet and the dodger helps a lot.
http://www.conlin-boats.com/img_0871d.jpg