As to Rob’s question as to its functionality, for us it’s good for keeping our feet dry if it rains or something is spilled in the cockpit. It’s also good for hiding stuff when it’s dropped and finds its way to the cockpit floor. Lifting it up is like finding change in the couch cushions.
Brian Cayer
Spirit~Wind
N30U 419
Westbrook Ct.
My 3OU came with a product called Dry-Dek on the cockpit floor. Ultra low maintenance and offers very good slip resistance. Plus keeps feet and lines dry. I liked it so much I use it in the cockpit lockers and on the bow where chain and a dropped anchor might damage the deck.
Mike
BIANKA
1986 30U
Long Island
Mike,
Good thought, Soave has Dry-Dek in some of her lockers. It’s saved lots of stuff from mold damage.
We’ve not experienced enough heavy weather to get our feet wet in the cockpit. Or maybe our understanding of wet is different having raced Flying Scots in all weather for 20 years.
Soave is dry and comfortable beyond belief in conditions that would be miserable on our Scot.
Looking forward to our 2nd season with Soave.
Rob
s/v SOAVE
NS33 #009
Cedar Point YC
Westport, CT
An added advantage of having a grate is that it adds 2 to 3 inches of height for the first mate to steer without complaining that she can’t see over the coach roof.
You guys must be taller than me. I have the teak cockpit grate but I just added an additional 3 inch “poop deck” behind the binnacle so I can see over the dodger while standing. Hopefully that is tall enough. I haven’t had the chance to try it yet.
I keep mine natural. It does not look as good as freshly finished teak, but looks much better than worn finished teak. It was grey and unfinished when I got the boat and I’ve got plenty of other things to work on in my lackadaisical style than trying to refinish gray teak boards that are just going to get walked on. It also seems to have very good traction, though that probably only matters when it is wet and mine is only ever wet when I wash it.
It is not hard to retrieve iron/steel items from beneath the grate with a magnet, but I too am often surprised at what I find when I have to lift it while retrieving something non-magnetic.