I agree with Bruce's comment above, despite the fact that it doesn't
really apply to a P19. However, I never use the side decks to travel fore
and aft, a habit resulting no doubt from the fact that I store many
things there: Sunshower, fenders, assembled fender board, bag 'o masks
&fins. The handrails are a great place to lash all these items to the
boat, as well as to tie in fenders and/or fender board when they're in
use. When moving to the foredeck, I variously:
- move on my feet over the cabintop if things are not horrendously
rough.
There are enough handholds (mast, shrouds, forestay) to get around
with
at least one hand holding on at all times.
- same route in a crawl if there's water coming over the bow (actually,
I try to never have to leave the cockpit in these, thankfully rare,
circumstances).
- through the cabin to the fore hatch if very rough but no water coming
aboard. Most things that have to be done on the foredeck can, in fact,
be accomplished from the hatch, with the lower haf of one's body in
the cabin -- a comforting feeling.
Actually, I do use the small open areas on the side decks to move around
-- swinging outside the shrouds -- but usually only when anchored, moored, or docked.On a related topic, I've added sturdy cleats to the edge of the cabintop, approximately in line with the mast. These have added immeasurably to the ways in which one can arrange dock lines. Strongly reccomended.
Regards, Bill Combs WWP 19 #439 (August 1987) "Ursa Minor" Fort Walton Beach FL ttursine@gnt.net