PARKSTONE WAYFARERS

Buoyancy Testing Procedures

To race a Wayfarer at Club, Open, National and International events an annual test on the buoyancy of your boat is required. The test confirms the ability of your forward and aft buoyancy tanks to remain virtually watertight in the event of a capsize.

There are two ways of testing the buoyancy of your boat:

1. The 'dry test'. This involves creating a vacuum in each tank and then maintaining that vacuum for a period of time. The test is conducted using a manometer (U-tube gauge).
   
   
2. The 'wet test'. This involves capsizing the boat deliberately for a period of time and then, once upright again, measuring the amount of water within the two tanks. There is a set amount of water that is acceptable for a pass of the test.

There is a good section within the Wayfarer Book about buoyancy and the actual figures acceptable to pass the test. The class has a buoyancy testing kit - just ask the class captain - or you can quite easily make your own. More information about how to conduct a Dry Buoyancy Test.

The passing of the buoyancy test is recorded on your boat's Measurement Certificate. Buoyancy tests should be witnessed by the Class Captain or Vice Captain (or a past Class Captain), or by an official class measurer (Colin May, Richard Readings and Ray Scragg are all class measurers).

If you choose to enter a race at Club level without a Measurement Certificate with a current buoyancy endorsement, then you will be disqualified. More importantly, buoyancy is something that should be considered as a safety issue and is worth looking at whether racing or cruising.