LM 32 SEAWORTHINESS?

[alisdairjohnston]

Please accept my apologies if this topic has been aired before. But!  We are contemplating a round-Britain trip in "Nordlys" our LM32. We have owned her since 2016, and since then, have crossed the North Channel several times, including once getting the tides 100% wrong on arrival at Rathlin sound.  An interesting expereince!  We have found the LM to be stable, to sail quite well, and to be easy to sail short-handed.

However, I have a lingering doubt about the abilty of the boat to cope with a large wave ending up in the  cockpit.  There are 2 sipecific issues:

a.  There is, as most will know, no bridge-deck between the cockpit and wheelhouse.  Has anyone on here ever fabricated a drop-in washboard to at least the height of the cockpit lockers, to reduce the risk of flooding?

b.  Has anyone come up with a100% foolproff way of sealing the hold hatch (and keeping it in position in the event of a knockdown)?

All very extreme stuff, I agree - but "the ocean is a harsh mistress"!

[chrismunson]

3rd place to seal is the openings at aft end of cockpit seats, its wide open to bilge. Later LM32s had this closed off. Flooded cockpit would likely fill the bilge and saloon, and take out electric system. This is a serious flaw.

[alisdairjohnston]

Chris,

what do you mean by "later models" - Nordlys is a 1979 build, and I cannot see a gap such as you describe. There is a fibreglass bulkhead behind the cockpit table, but no obvious gap.

Kind regards

Alisdair

[oceandancer]

Hi Alisdair,
All the LM's have a very large cockpit in comparison to a conventional blue water cruiser. This feature always has been, for me, a question mark in relation to seaworthiness in extreme conditions. If you WERE able to contain all the water in the the cockpit following a significant stern poop then it might weigh about a ton (1 cubic metre). this would make the boat very stern heavy and maybe more vulnerable for the next big wave. It is far better to allow the accomodation to flood which would have little effect on trim. Water will flow back down to the engine compartment via the central limber channel where it could be pumped out by means of an automatic bilge pump and/or manually.

My LM27 did flood once after I installed cockpit drains which were crossed but did not have one way valves fitted. During a force 10 storm (in May!) the boat was rocked so violently that this pumped water up the drains and the accomodation was flooded to a depth of about 9 inches and halfway up the batteries!

From outside there was no visible sign of this at all, such is the reserve bouyancy of the design.

One thing I learned that day, apart from the need to fit non return valves and an automatic pump was the truth in the old saying "a frightened man with a bucket will beat any bilge pump!"

That said, an LM32 has recently crossed the Atlantic and returned safely to Denmark. The link to this odessey can be found elsewhere in the forum, however, due mostly to good forecasting they met no storms.

Regards

Mick

[chrismunson]

I am attempting to reply to the note about the seaworthiness especially the cockpit flooding of the LM 32 specifically. There is approximately a 4-foot square Gap near the area of the rudder shaft in the LM 32 that is totally open to a flooded cockpit. This is approx a 4-foot square opening direct into the bilge and accommodation area of the LM 32. I saw an image once on the web of a later LM that had this area sealed with a bulkhead with two circular hatches.

The lm-32 is a very seaworthy boat design similar to a Lifeboat, nevertheless and overwhelming sea would be a severe issue with this boat.

[chrismunson]

Apr 22, 2019 18:06:39 GMT alisdairjohnston said:

Chris,

what do you mean by "later models" - Nordlys is a 1979 build, and I cannot see a gap such as you describe. There is a fibreglass bulkhead behind the cockpit table, but no obvious gap.

Kind regards

Alisdair

Mine is a 1984 LM32. The gap into the bilge is behind the folding table in the cockpit, and is about 4 square feet in area. Its at the very aft end of the hull, behind the rudder post. Its opening is slightly higher than the cockpit seats. The attached picture shows this from the port side. Hope this helps.

[Brian & Glenda]

My 1983 LM32 has the same gap in the fiberglass at the very aft end of the boat as Chris'. Follow that vertical fiberglass bulkhead behind the folded table to it's top, where it transitions to horizontal and becomes a shelf about 10" below the underside of the deck. That shelf continues aft for about a foot or so, 'til it ceases to exist and reveals a direct opening to the bilge. If you lie on your back in the bilge, with your head at the aft end of the boat and look up, you can see the underside of the deck through this opening. That position is is the one you must assume, if you ever need to change your boarding ladder. Not comfortable, but the job got done!

Cheers,
Brian.

[Brian & Glenda]

I forgot to say a moment ago, in response to your question a) that yes, my boat came with a 'drop in washboard' such as you describe, although it is only approx. 8" tall. I see no reason why it couldn't be made taller. It fits within two "L" shaped wooden blocks that are attached one on each side of the inside edge of the sliding cockpit doors. I can post a photo if you like.

However:
If the pilothouse doors are closed, this board would serve little purpose. The water would hit the doors first!

If the pilothouse doors were open and a wave overtook the vessel; while some of that water would be restrained by this washboard, some of the water that hit this board would likely run between the board and the bottom ledge of the doorway and end up in the pilothouse, and any water that topped the board would still run into the bilge via the pilothouse floor, and likely down the companionway into the main salon.

I don't have a solution for your question 'b'.