I guess the part about "reserve bouyancy" didn't really mean anything?

Rich Hampel wrote:
Oh really? I guess you missed the part that equates to too much
bouyancy in the stern causes the stem to dive/plunge when a large wave
comes astern.

Not necessarily.

If you want to have a serious discussion, let's. But your earlier post
seemed mocking.


If conditions are that bad, then one would most prudently be either
reaching off under very small sail or else lying to a sea anchor.

Yup, open sterns equate to optimally light weight (low scantling
numbers) boats that coudnt stand the pounding.

Depends on the builder and the intent of the design, doesn't it?
Certainly there is nothing inherent about an open transom that requires
flimsy construction.

There are plenty of instances of modern designs sticking out weather
that hammered more traditional boats, including (sadly) breaking up.



A heavy displacement boat and/or double ender would be even worse off in
the same scenario, getting hit by breaking crests much harder as it
responds less to the waves.

Not so, most double enders (Perry, Creighlock, Harris, etc. designs)
have quite a bit of 'bustle' to the stern. In those designs one
considers that the 'protuberance' of the tumblehome canoe stern is just
a cosmetic/styling addition .... when you imaginarily cut the styling
off, you have essentially the same hull form bouyancy-wise.

The original Colin Archer redningskoite designs were dependent on
reserve bouyancy forward and aft... an aside, they were also built as
lightly as possible given the technology of the times...

A bustle or canoe stern isn't going to have the same reserve bouyancy as
a heavily flared stern section.

... Go look at
the line drawings of them sometime

I have, thanks.

... - the 'pinch' is an addition well
aft of where the reserve is located.

It's all about enclosed volume. If the shape reduces volume, then it
reduces bouyancy.

OTOH it's also possible to have the volume in the wrong place, such as
those beautiful old fashioned counter sterns that are utter beasts at sea.



... I guess by the same reasoning a
boat with an extended retractable bowsprit would be deemed to have less
reserve in the bow section. ;-)

Yep, I'd think so... judging by the amount of water that comes in some
of them...



Oh yeah, that's *exactly* what it's like! Funny, in all the years of
sailing open transom boats, I never thought of that!

Honestly, when was the last time you were in the OCEAN for more than an
easy coastal passage with an open stern.... didnt happen. Open sterns
are nice for protected bays and lakes..... nope not on the ocean (balls
to the wall racing excluded).

Funny, all those racing boats have to be delivered to the starts and
from the finishes. Usually they have a tight schedule and are often out
in weather that's at least a little uncomfortable. If they were that
bad, then we'd be hearing news about them sinking and loss of life etc
etc. But not a whisper... is it a cover-up?

Some people's "easy coastal passage" is another person's nightmare. It's
all relative. If you want to believe that open transoms are death traps
(and I've had several "old salt" types tell me exactly that) then be my
guest. But there isn't really much fact to support that position.

DSK