Wayne.B wrote:
On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:05:24 -0400, "Steve P"
wrote:

"HK" wrote in message
. ..


I've been boating for more than 50 years in salt water, and I have owned
and been on dozens and dozens of boats with "full," notched or perfectly
straight across transoms. Not once in any of those waters have I
encountered a situation made dangerous by the height of the transom.
I browsed around my HD and found this .wmv of my boat in what I'd guess were
2' to maybe 3' following seas. I'd put my transom in the same class as
Harry's.

http://www.monkeybutler.com/boat/temp/Movie.wmv

Not exactly survival conditions but no wet feet either.


Agreed, but those are not the conditions where people have gotten into
trouble because the boat is moving along nicely in the same direction
as the waves. The problems start when the boat is stopped. This can
happen if someone carelessly anchors from the stern, or more commonly,
when someone "accidently" gets anchored from the stern because they
are snagged on something. The first reaction of most folks in that
situation is for one or more people to go to the stern of the boat
decreasing the already low freeboard. Along comes a wave that is a
little bigger than average and the boat becomes swamped with water.
Remember that this is not a hypothetical condition, it actually
happens to people from time to time, experienced people.

What happens next depends on both luck and whether or not the boat has
level flotation capability. Quite a few boats capsize when swamped
due to loss of stability, and quite a few sink because they lack
adequate flotation.

This is not to say that boats lacking flotation are unsafe, quite the
contrary. Boats that lack flotation need other qualities however:
adequate freeboard for conditions, self draining cockpits with large
scuppers, positive latches on hatch and compartment covers, etc.

None of this is to say that Harry bought a dangerous boat that is at
immediate risk of sinking. Anyone buying that kind of boat needs to
be aware of the risks however and make special effort to avoid them.



I'll be sure to remember this the next time I anchor a small boat from
the stern. The last time I did this...hmmmmm...I've never anchored a
small boat from the stern. Oh well.