Peltinen suoja ilmanottoaukon edessä.

harald
This is where we draw fresh air. Air in
the foot-well should be coldest available.

krapu
this installation represents poor seamanship. The watertight integrity of the boat was compromised here. Most likely this air intake is the lowest point of entry from the cockpit into the inside of the boat. In adverse conditions the cockpit might be filled with water, and water will enter the boat through this air intake. At least the heater will be broken after the first good broach.

The right way to install a new hole would have been to put it above the level of cockpit where the water would first drain overboard before entering the air intake.

Olli
In theory your argument is true, but in reality it is rather unlikely. I think that Harald installed his Webasto 2002, and has been offshore racing ever since. Webasto is still alive. This boat has probably suffered the worst broaches among the whole FE83 fleet...

harald
Yes, you're right in that this is close the lowest point. We have a sponge which we can tuck into the hole when things get rough. We haven't yet, and no damage done either. That compartment should drain fast enough through the draining tubes, if not, we could always buy a new heater :)

harald
On the other side is a vent, the previous one was actually closeable but the present not. That one is even lower. Actually, the stowing-compartment hatches leak more than these both venting holes do, due to no on inadequate sealing of the hatches.

Krapu
well, this boat is no longer eligible for offshore racing. After the Webasto installation it does not comply to ORC special regulations cat 3 which is customarily used in races on Baltic, including Offshore week, Gotland Runt etc.

The section in special regs that can be used to disqualify this boat are 3.02 and 3.09:

3.02 Watertight Integrity of a Hull
3.02.1 A hull, including, deck, coach roof, windows, hatches and all other
parts, shall form an integral, essentially watertight unit and any
openings in it shall be capable of being immediately secured to
maintain this integrity.

3.09.2 Cockpits must be essentially watertight, that is, all openings to the hull
must be capable of being strongly and rigidly secured

Rest assured that protests will flow in if the boat is winning something ;-)

krapu
and just a note on broaching - maybe fe83 fleet does not have first hand experience of bad broaches, you could for example be dragged sideways by your spinnaker for quite some time, this air intake under water, letting water inside the hull. And eventually when coming up the cockpit is full of water. Drain pipes take some time to empty the cockpit.

harald
Well, we have that sponge we can use to immediatly secure the opening. And yes, we have been hanging on for our lives in a broach :)

In real life boats have a lot of openings that can be closed, but not completly watertight, just enough to prevent flooding.

krapu
maybe we could get a statement from ORC whether that sponge satisfies the requirement of an "opening being strongly and rigidly secured" ;-)