Making the CD-16 cruiser more functional for my use

[C-Pup16 in Los Angeles]

I bought my CD-16 cruiser in 2003 as a newbie to boating on the ocean. I cared enough for my wife to also buy a 4 man Givens survival raft in a duffel bag... much to the howls of laughter of old salts owning C-Dories who said I'd have to choose whether to carry the raft or my wife on such a small boat. They were kind of right, but I have carried it for all these years usually leaning it against the back of the passenger seat. I admit it robs me of scarce cockpit space. I recently looked at my need and what I could do. I need to be able to grab the raft and deploy it in seconds before the boat sinks if I get suddenly swamped. That means it can't be shoved into the v-berth and buried behind a sleeping bag, ice chest, etc. needing great effort to extract. (Also, the last thing I want is for it to deploy inside the v-berth, exploding the boat!) It can't go on the roof because its weight would make the boat less stable. So here's what I did...

1) removed the passenger seat... good-by well worn seat.
2) un-srewed the table from the hull. It is attached by three bolts coming out of the hull with hand screw plastic caps (nuts). I moved the table abaft by one bolt and screwed it back to the hull onto the two aft bolts. I then drilled a hole through the hull and added a new bolt to connect the table's third most aft hole to the the hull.
3) relocated the v-berth's porta-potty cut-out cushion to lean against the hull as a back rest for a passenger sitting on the v-berth cushion in front of the table.
4) pushed the porta-potty further under the v-berth to make its space available for a passenger's legs and feet.
5) bought a West Marine folding seat cushion for the passenger "seat".
6) bought the outrageously expensive white plastic marine board from West Marine and cut it to a size that extended the table to the aft edge of the former passenger sear platform. This increased the table almost 2X the factory table and is useful as a chart table if needed. A larger table is certainly welcomed.
7) a board was cut to create a connection between the former passenger seat platform and the v-berth shelf (where a passenger use to put their feet). Since the v-berth platform is lower than the seat platform, it created an angle that is not desired. I fixed that with some 2x4 to create a level shelf.
8)The heavy Givens duffel bag now sits in a plastic child's snow sled and fits perfectly under the new table. In an emergency, it can be pulled out with a hard yank and deployed even if the boat is sinking.
9) under the "bridge" between the old seat platform and the v-berth platform is a new storage area... also welcomed!

Outcome: I am 5'6" and average built. I can sit in the new passenger seat comfortably without being too close to the windshield. I put a large U bold on the aft corner of the factory table for a passenger to use as a grab rail. When underway at high speed or in rough seas, I'd make my passenger wear a bicycle helmet just in case the boat slams into a wave, causing his head to slam into the windshield. Frankly, I mostly boat alone so the new passenger seat is for me to relax in when anchored or drift fishing and needing to watch my fishing rod in a starboard rod holder. My wife lost her desire to boat at sea, being either sea sick or bored sick.

The Givens raft is now well centered in the boat and balanced nicely with me at the helm.

Keith
C-Pup16

[hardee]

Keith,

That 16 should have flotation in it. It is a USCG requirement for a boat that size. You probably don't need the raft, but then again, it might be a good blankie just in case. Sounds like you did a good job of using your space and ballasting. To bad you are doing it alone and your wife is missing out.

Harvey
SleepyC

[Matt Gurnsey]

The C-Dory 16 is required by law to have floatation in it. So if the boat were swamped, it wold stay afloat.

In essence, this makes the boat it's own life raft.

[T.R. Bauer]

Yeah, they are supposed to have floatation in them.....just enough that when the boat fills with water that it immediately flips upside down. Sure you could cling to the bottom for dear life, but getting into your other boat is a much better alternative. Plus, they don't really take up that much space anyway. In Alaska, the water is cold, and I prefer getting into something somewhat dry. Where you are at the story might be different, but I still like dry no matter if it is somewhat warmer.....

[C-Nile]

The requirements for boats under 21 feet is to float upright and level. However, if the weight of the boat is exceeded, all bets are off. So having a life raft in cold waters is prudent. Having had a CD 16 cruiser for 4 years, I can report it is very forgiving, however, like any boat, speed can be its enemy. If a person were to go too fast over the top of a wave, and stick the bow into the oncoming wave at an angle, there is a potential for a broach. The other thing that concerned me was what would happen if in following seas, a wave pooped the cockpit. Would the boat invert? The best thing is to avoid such situations.

[DaveS]

In 1999 when I purchased our former 16' Cruiser, the factory had a picture of the 16' filled with water. As I remember it, the vessel was filled with water up to the gunwales (upright) and was still afloat. However the water was calm around it and I know that in Puget Sound waters that it would be very cold sitting inside the water filled vessel. So yes the boat remains afloat and certainly more visible that a person bobbing around in the sound in a PFD. That being said, I'm thinking a life raft especially if it has an enclosed "roof", would be drier and warmer. Keith has somehow managed to make room for the raft on the 16'.

[C-Pup16 in Los Angeles]

Use common sense. That is hard for me to believe, given the weight on the transom.

I figure it will float bow up, or at least at a sharp angle and given the weight of the cabin roof and radar dome, probably upside down. What good is that if you're at sea and many hours away from being rescued?

Also, the low weight carry capacity of a 16 makes it quite easy to be over the top limit with fuel, fishing tackle and ice cubes in the cooler.

And as a fisherman, I don't want to be in the water when my catch gets washed into shark infested waters.

I'll post a picture later.

Keith

[C-Pup16 in Los Angeles]

start here:
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=C-Pup16&id=new_table_2X_old_table&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

[Dreamer]

Wow! Keith, That's a lot of gear on a 16

[C-Pup16 in Los Angeles]

It's possible... just have eliminate carrying heavy provisions, like beer or any crew. Every boat's compromise.