Category 5 Special Regulations for Inshore Racing: 3.08 Hatches & Companionways

[olsenjohn]

I need some help fellow Ericson racers.

If you have followed my blog you know that I love racing in regattas with my current boat. When I finish the resurrection of my Ericson 25 CB I intend to trailer her to both relaxing cruise and participate in regattas from Michigan to Florida. Will be great fun.

As I am progressing on the resurrection I am following the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations Appendix J Category 5 requirements for Inshore Racing. My research has shown that many of the regattas that I would like to participate in require the boat to meet these regulations. If you are not familiar: "Category 5 Special Regulations are intended for use in short races, close to shore in relatively warm and protected waters where adequate shelter and/or effective rescue is available all along the course, held in daylight only." Very reasonable conditions for me to race my E25CB. But there are a few requirements on this and other regulations for Lake Michigan that I am puzzling over and need some help on. For simplicity I will stick with only one question for this posting:

Background: The cockpit of the E25CB has a cutout for the OB Motor to clamp in. This is really nice as it puts the motor controls right at the helmsman reach rather than hanging off the transom. It also makes tilting the motor easier. The cutout is essentially the same as the bigger Ericson 27, but moved over to the starboard of the transom to accommodate rudder mounted on transom.

Question: Does this cutaway section make the cockpit an "Open Cockpit - transom open to the sea", or is it still considered a "Contained Cockpit"? Has anyone with either boat had this question come up?


Problem: It makes a big difference as I read the regulations because the companionway sill extends a good 12" or more below the local shearline. Same on the E27. Meeting the regulations for the contained cockpit would be straightforward. But it appears that I could never meet the requirements for the Open Cockpit as it is not permitted. Perhaps I would if I block off the opening and move the motor to hang off the transom. Ugh, would really not want to do that. I would think with all the E25 and E27's this has been addressed before.

3.08.3 A companionway hatch extending below the local sheerline, shall:a) not be permitted in a yacht with a cockpit opening aft to the sea (3.09.6)b) be capable of being blocked off up to the level of the local sheerline, provided that the companionway hatch shall continue to give access to the interior with the blocking devices (e.g. washboards) in place


Pictures of Ericson 25 and 27 cutout:

 

[Shelman]

I'm not familiar to how those rules might be interpreted by a race comity but it sounds like 3.08.3 allows you to put some barrel bolts on the lower wash boards and lock them in place as long as you can still use the companionway while keeping them locked in place.

 

[e38 owner]

I am not an expert or familiar with the rules either but would suggest the following.
1. It is unlikely with the motor in place that you have an open cockpit. Assuming the reason for the rule is that if a wave or wake comes from behind it is to stop the boat from getting swamped. The assumption being that with the motor in place there is enough obstruction to hinder a wave.

2. In conditions that might warrant closing the cabin hatches the washboards are available. A bolt to make sure they are not knocked about may make safety sense and in combination with the above would most likely satisfy the intent of the regulation in terms of safety and wording

 

[olsenjohn]

Category 5 Regs: Getting Clearer

Thank you both for the response. Seems like we all agree that if the cockpit is considered contained, then the regulation could be met by modifying the washboards to lock in place so they won't come out.

I agree to that the regulation seems based on preventing the boat from sinking if a wave comes over the stern. If the boat has an open cockpit I guess the wave would just sweep up the cockpit unhindered, and if the companionway was lower than the sheerline, the wave would continue into the cabin and sink the boat quickly. So they disallow any boat with BOTH an open cockpit and a low companionway sill. Makes sense for safety and is a rule I would agree with.

But the question still remains; is it an open cockpit with the cutout in the transom? I agree with you with the motor in place, it should not be open enough to be considered an open cockpit. But then I am biased.

 

[olsenjohn]

Answer: Category 5 Special Regs Inshore Sailing:

I think I have found the answer! Might as well share it for documentation purposes. If someone out there is more knowledgeable than I please feel free to correct me! While I am here I might as well share a few other measurements to help out others on the forum:

First, let me clarify that I have been referencing out of date regulations. The ISAF Offshore Special Regulations Appendix J Category 5 requirements for Inshore Racing come from the 2013 ISAF manual that is no longer relevant. Strange as the 2016 NOR for Charleston Race Week references them as a requirement. Maybe I am missing something.

From my reading ISAF is now World Sailing. World Sailing has a new publication out called THE WORLD SAILING OFFSHORE SPECIAL REGULATIONS for 2016 – 2017 Governing Offshore Racing for Monohulls & Multihulls. In the updated publication there is no Category 5 anymore. It only goes up to Category 4, plus two special categories that used to be 5 and 6. They are much easier to comply with than before, but the previous Category 5 requirements I was referencing in my original question can be found in the current Category 4 requirements. So from here out I will make the boat comply with the current Category 4 requirements for "Short races, close to shore in relatively warm or protected waters normally held in daylight". That should be more rigorous than needed, which is good.

So back to the question at hand. Is the E25CB or E27 considered a contained cockpit, or open cockpit?

So in the World Sailing Publication I found the following definition: Contained Cockpit: A cockpit where the combined area open aft to the sea is less than 50% maximum cockpit depth x maximum cockpit width.

So using worst case for maximum cockpit depth being the lower point of transom height (dividing the cutout into a smaller is worse here) I got 18.4% as the number. And that doesn't include the motor taking up space, so clearly according to the definitions it is considered a closed cockpit. A simple modification of the washboards should suffice.

Good to go here! Thank you Bruce King!


3.09.2 A cockpit sole at least 2% LWL above the waterline (or in IMS boats with First Launch before 2003, at least 2% L above the waterline)

Answer for E25CB: 4-5% depending on where you measure and L versus LWL. Good to go here! Thank you Bruce King!


3.09.7 Cockpit Volume ** The maximum combined volume below lowest coamings of all contained cockpits shall be: Extract MoMu2,3,4 primary launch before April 1992: 9% (LWL x maximum beam x freeboard abreast the cockpit)

Answer for E25CB: 5-6% depending on where you measure "freeboard abreast the cockpit". Good to go here! Thank you Bruce King!


3.09.8 Cockpit Drains: Cockpit drain cross section area of unobstructed openings (after allowance for screens if fitted) shall be at least that of: ** a) 2 x 25 mm (1”) diameter or equivalent for a boat less than 8.5 m (28’) LH

Humorously enough, the cutout opening I was so originally concerned about now qualifies as a cockpit drain so it blows away the minimum requirements. Good to go here! Thank you Bruce King!

I could go on but it looks like she can easily be equipped to meet requirements, and actually already has a lot of the equipment needed. There is only one regulation I have questions about regarding the centerboard opening, but will put that in another post to keep it clean.