Companionway drop boards seaworthiness

[Ferryworker]

I’ve read somewhere that the design of the CD25 companionway drop board’s is such that they could fall out easily, compromising the boats seaworthiness offshore. I realize the boat has other flaws as well for that particular task, but how would one go about correcting this flaw.

[bgephart]

An easy solution is to install two slide bolt latches, one on each side (inside) of the top drop board.

[Carl Thunberg]

How many people actually take a CD25 into those types of conditions where this could happen? Is this a real problem or a perceived one? Not knowing your particular situation, you may in fact be one of the very few who would consider this type of voyage in a CD25. Bly's solution is a good one, but the companionway boards also come with a tang so you can lock the boat while you are away. A snatch block (without the block) or caribiner through the lock tang would also work and can be removed quickly if you need to go below.

Personally, I'd be more worried about the lack of tankage and storage for provisions if I were planning an offshore passage on a CD25. You could run out of water pretty quickly, unless you had a water maker and a really big solar panel to drive it.

[Steve Laume]

Went through some hellish conditions, with Raven, this winter. Did not have any keepers for the hatch boards and they never went anywhere. When things were bad, I would keep at least two in place and sometimes all of them with the slide closed tight. I probably should have had a way to secure them but they seem to be fine as designed. The only way it seems they would fail, is if you went past 90 degrees. They did save a flooded cabin a couple of times and stayed in place well. These were storm conditions that you would not encounter in coastal cruising.

If you find your hatch boards flying out, you will have bigger problems, Steve.

[sunspray]

I’ve read somewhere that the design of the CD25 companionway drop board’s is such that they could fall out easily, compromising the boats seaworthiness offshore. I realize the boat has other flaws as well for that particular task, but how would one go about correcting this flaw.

Hi! I thought about the same thing when I considered an ocean trip with my typhoon.
Losing a hatch board would be unlikely, but if it happened would be a disaster, leaving a big hole for water to get in. To me a bigger problem is that the scuppers in the typhoon are too small, and it would take forever to empty if a wave filled it. Also as mentioned the space for water and provisions is very limited.