Posted by Mike Field on February 23, 2007 at 08:05:41 from 203.129.58.96 user mikefield.
In Reply to: The GOBLIN posted by Dan Lind on February 23, 2007 at 04:21:33:
Self-draining cockpits, while perhaps considered the norm nowadays, were (and still are) by no means universal. Racing vessels aside, vessels of yesteryear generally had deep, safe, and comfortable wells that didn't drain overboard, but indeed into the bilge if they weren't pumped out first. You could afford to ship a few waves into the cockpit (to cope with which you had a manually-operated bilge pump) before the level rose to where it could spill over the bridge-deck or coaming and run below.
Sanderling's cockpit is built like this, she being designed shortly after WW2. The photo shows the (totally-inadequate but decorative) bilge pump, but not the six-inch coaming that keeps water in the cockpit, and over which you have to step to go below. Even if the coaming were submerged, the ingress of water would be slowed right down if you'd had the sense to fit the wash-boards (or close the doors in other vessels) in heavy weather. (As I remember it, this is what John did on their North Sea crossing.)
As far as Goblin / Lapwing goes, I imagine the bottom-boards giving access to the engine were not only properly rebated but also bedded on rubber strips to achieve essentially a watertight seal when shut.