Seat box on 16 delaminating

Marco Flamingo · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 2:36 pm Post subject:

My seat boxes have the same forward facing opening under the footrests. It hasn't been a problem. In fact, having them open is useful. The prior owner had two canoe paddles on board. He slipped the paddles forward under the V berth and then put the handles back under the footrest. It held nice long canoe paddles very securely and completely out of the way. I do the same, except my paddle is also my fishing net. https://www.amazon.com/Frabill-3599-Hiber-Net-Accessory-Paddle/dp/B0084EESQQ. Everything on a 16 has to have a dual purpose (or more).

I've used that area for fishing poles. The poles might end up underfoot, but I've modified my footrests (using leftover Azec) so that isn't a problem. Because my new suspension seats are three inches higher than stock, I made a raised sloped footrest and can no longer stick my feet down into that area. No photos of that modification yet.

Mark

spuncopper · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 2:57 pm Post subject: 16 Seat box

Hey Marco Flamingo,

I use to carry a paddle stowed that same way. However, whenever I washed down the interior or if we got caught in a heavy rain I ended up with water under the seat box. This required me pulling out everything and sponging it out each time. Since I've added another battery under the port seat I sure didn't want to have to pull it out with every rain. And since I can't be sure water isn't infiltrating under the seams I put the 'dams' in.

We've sat through a number of heavy summer rain storms here in SC and I had one where we had water an ankle deep in the cabin area. Once the rain stopped I waded aft so the bilge pump would kick in. This was with the Bimini top up. The rain was heavy enough that all you could see was the bow and the stern, everything else was rain; straight, hard pounding rain (warm though).

Be safe, Spuncopper

Jackie · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 2:58 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone for the info on the PVC wood. I'll have to see what our one local hardware store carries, but they are good about ordering if they don't have it.

I love the seat box dam, Spuncopper. Mine is open like yours was and that is what I need. But if I remove everything to add the side gas tanks I could fabricate a fiberglass flap on the front - like the sides are - and make it waterproof then. I'm also a bit concerned about the flotation I'd be removing with the tank addition and thought I could use some of it to fill the under-footrest voids before closing them. It would really be a nearly negligible amount, but it can't hurt!

Here is a photo of the crack from the front showing the opening also. I put more photos in my album if anyone cares to see what it looks like all round the seatbox. I think because it isn't sealed on the inside at all that, as someone else mentioned, that let the water weaken the bond. And, yes, my kids very likely rode it hard and put it away wet (as we say on the farm). I can see them bouncing enough to work it loose, especially when you note how badly it was put together.

spuncopper · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 3:11 pm Post subject: 16 seat box

Hey Jackie,

Check out Marco Flamingo's, Limpet album and his gas tank installation. Plenty of gas and located on the centerline. Neat installation!

Spuncopper

spuncopper · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 3:25 pm Post subject: 16 seat box

I'll bother you one more time Jackie, just an additional thought here.

I would've had heart palpitations if I had that. Being in Alaska, if water had infiltrated into the seams there might have also been freeze heaving at work.

Spuncopper

Marco Flamingo · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 6:12 pm Post subject:

Jackie,

Now I see how your seat boxes are installed. On mine (2005) the seat box flanges were riveted to the cockpit floor and into the balsa core!! with a bead of caulking under the flange. Not good, but because the caulking had failed, any water that got in simply drained out. On yours, the flanges are glassed to the cockpit floor. No rivets is an improvement, but I'm not sure how you can easily remove the box/coaming or get the water to drain out.

As spuncopper noted, being in a freezing environment with a failing seam like that is scary. If it weren't for freezing, I would be tempted to just build a shelf to get whatever is in the box above the possible water level.

Spuncopper,

When you moved your battery to the seat box, how did you level it? That's where I built a little shelf (for both batteries in my case). Depending on the orientation of your battery, some of the plates may be exposed (if it's a typical lead acid). You won't be getting the full AH rating. You can see from this picture that they would be at quite an angle if not for the shelf.

http://www.c-brats.com/albums/album2357/102_0084.sized.jpg

You can also see in the lower right hand corner of the picture one of the screws into an epoxy plug that now holds my seat boxes in place.

Mark

Jackie · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 6:14 pm Post subject:

Spuncopper, my heart nearly stopped when I saw it and visions of the hull splitting and us sinking flitted through my head. Then my brain started working again and I realized the floor is not the bottom of the boat! The boat has been stored inside and only used ten hours in the last 8 years - not at all since 2010. I just got it this spring so I haven't faced a freeze and will have it fixed - one way or another - before winter. Plus, I may be in Alaska but not the Alaska of people's imaginations. Ketchikan is much more like Seattle, but 3 times wetter, than it is like Nome! We rarely freeze on the saltwater here.

I agree that the Limpet album is a constant source of inspiration and, Marco Flamingo, that net is the coolest thing ever! There are other sizes too with good reviews for fairly big fish. It is going on my Christmas wish list. I do like the gas tank solution there, and think I saw even more detailed photos of the installation somewhere. The reason I want to go the route of the Navicula is that I want to keep the bow free for storage and I think the side tanks will bring the weight just enough forward and keep all internal areas free.

I do want to copy the Limpet's ground tackle set up, but am curious if it would still work with a chain attached to the anchor? What work arounds would I need to consider? I could live without being able to deploy from inside, but I really want to have the rode inside the bow and the anchor on my bow roller. I have a nice bow roller but, and I hope this isn't too ignorant of a question, what exactly is it good for if there is nowhere to store the chain and rope up front? I have probably 15 ft. of chain and I wouldn't want to run the anchor through the roller and have that chain just running along side the cabin back to the rope all coiled in a bucket.

Anyway...that is another topic that I'll get to eventually!

Jackie

Jackie · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 6:45 pm Post subject:

Marco Flamingo, yes, mine are sealed by the way they are installed so any water that gets in is trapped under the seam. There is a small drain hole at the back of the boxes but it is nearly 3/4 inches off the bottom so it doesn't drain them dry. Spuncopper's look the same in his picture. If I could get the front closed up like he did I (theoretically) shouldn't have water getting inside. And even without the freezing I'm sure the water has added to the de-lamination so I do need to get something done fairly soon!

The fact that they are glassed to the bottom makes me wonder how hard it will be to get the side panels off because I think they run down into the floor seamlessly. I need to go inspect that carefully and check that out for sure before I commit to the side gas tank idea. I think the seat boxes will have to come up along with the sides.

I'm pretty sure the small panel in my bow nose is glassed in also. (This is in reference to your anchor storage) You said yours was screwed in with small angle iron brackets which made it easier to remove. I see a really good respirator for when I'm cutting fiberglass in my future!

Jackie

spuncopper · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 7:18 pm Post subject: 16 seat box

Hey Marco Flamingo and Jackie,

My second battery is mounted on a pvc shelf similar to yours but is against the aft part of the seat box. I installed 'batter' boards made of 5/8 X 1 1/2 inch pvc. They are screwed in from the back of the seat box. I used the top edge of the seat box as my fixed point and was able to measure where to drill the holes and square the 'batter' boards.

Using the mounted batter boards I 'leveled' my battery shelf. The shelf runs port and starboard. To check the level I simply used one of my wife's measuring cups half filled with water.

I used the 'batter' boards to secure the battery with a strap which also chinches the shelf to the 'batter' boards. I did replace the battery with a sealed 'maintenance free' battery, group 24. The only thing I really use it for is reading and making coffee when we stay out overnight.

I'll take some pictures of my battery installation tomorrow.

Hey Jackie, glad to hear you don't get the freezing weather I was thinking about, that could possibly have been a real mess.

Spuncopper

Marco Flamingo · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2016 7:19 pm Post subject:

Jackie,

My forward bulkhead came out by removing 4 el brackets. Nothing was glassed. I didn't think that there would be enough room to store any chain and rode there, plus I didn't see an easy way to get it into the area from the deck. Even if you could drop it down, you need access from inside because you will definitely get tangles that have to be resolved. That's why I went with a system that pulls back into the "porta-potty" area.

I need to update my ground tackle photos because I've changed things. I don't want to change the course of this thread, so I've started another about my anchor changes.

Mark