🚀 go-pugleaf

"Self-bailing" in the context of boat advertisment means whatever
copywriters want it to mean.  But here is a sailor's (as distinct from a
powerboater's) point of view:

A "self-bailing" cockpit is scuppered and has its sole above the waterline;
seacocks (if any) are normally left open.  Thus, the sole is always dry
unless a large wave has just come aboard.

A "self-bailing" dinghy has transom and/or suction ("Elvstrom") bailers and
can be sailed dry.  Of course, some dinghy cockpits are in addition
"self-bailing" by the definition given above.

Nautical jargon has a very old and rich history, which is a nice way of
saying that words and definitions are hopelessly imprecise.  There are many
words for which I can't give you an unambiguous definition without context.
You happen to have asked about a comparatively recent one.

And while I'm wasting phone charges, are there any other Shark 24 sailors
out there?
-- 

John Hogg
Computer Systems Research Institute, UofT
{allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utcsri!hogg