Floatation

[Pete in NY]

The best flotation I had in a boat was a wooden 1" flat bottom skiff I built about 30 years ago.

Cypress on oak with a 1/2" marine plywood bottom and solid oak transom. The skiff could be filled with water (totaly swamped) and the powerhead of the 15hp Evinrude would still stay out of the water. It was unsinkable. I could also steer it by standing upright, holding onto a bow line and lean left or right when it was up on plane.

It would be nice to have a boat today that is as unsinkable as my 14 ft cypress skiff was and has the capability of my CD25.

[thataway]

We had a CO2 bottle with a inflatable valve fitting, to inflate a dinghy in an emergency, rather than carrying a life raft. Definately one wants to stay out of the water!

[ArthurDaniel]

Do the new 22 c-dory cruisers have a flotation compartment ?

Can you get into the hull to foam it?

You would just have to foam it beyond the differential of the boat
displacement of water under water. Sure seems as though someone
must have tried. Seats with large attached storaged boxes and a
few additional items filled with foam would go a long ways if there
is already a flotation compartment and room to add in the hull area.

[Larry H]

Arthur,

Welcome to the site.

I'm guessing from your post that you have not seen the interior of a CD 22. Basically, there are no hidden spaces in the hull that are not accessible. The space under the sides and forward area of the v-berth is sealed and foam filled. The main cabin area under or inside the cabinets is storage. Other than the cabinets, there is no liner or hidden hollow spaces. It would be possible to sacrifice some storage to add floatation, but that would make the boat less useful.

Don't worry about this topic excessively. As far as I know, only one 22 has swamped off the Oregon Coast when it missed the entrance and was caught in the surf. It floated bow high and was washed ashore. The other sinking was a 25 in Cook inlet in Alaska, a dangerous place. The anchor rode became fouled in the props due to operator error, effectively anchoring the boat by the stern. The high chop then swamped the boat, but the people were rescued by nearby charter boats. One boat in SE alaska took water through the open center window (which should have been closed) in a current rapids, but that didn't sink or seriously threaten the boat.

I have operated my 22 for 16 years and over 1,000 hours including two trips to SE Alaska and offshore in Southern California and never taken any water beyond spray into the boat.

Many others have operated their boats in big water and have returned safely.

The member who started this thread is planning an expedition down the Mackenzie River in Northern Canada and his requirements are extreme and unique.

Generally, these boats can take more than the people can.

The C-Dorys shorter than 20 ft have the built-in floatation.

[ffheap]

To Old Growth,

Please see the comment about what happened in the Fastnet Race in the Ditch Bag Thread. You never step into a life raft unless you step UP. The best thing to do is stay with the boat. It will be seen even if it is swamped. A swamped boat will not move as much as a Life raft, so when you let your EBERP signal, it will be easier to find you. Also, a bow up swamped boat still has the windshield to stand on.

Just one man's idea.

Fred

[Byrdman]

Well.... my next door neighbor who is one of the very few remaining survivors of the USS Indianapolis, .... I feel sure would speak volumes of having something between you .....and the sharks...

I also found it interesting reading his book Beyond The Depths: A Survivers Story, that the 1st food he had to eat in days.....was the inside core of a potato...and one of my best C-Dory owning friends is ol Tatter Head himself.....Roger Johnson.... a potato farmer Extraordinaire

http://www.indysurvivor.com/

[mikeporterinmd]