The resurrection of a C-Dory

[handmeawrench]

Hi everyone. I've posted a few times about my father's 1987 CD 22' Angler, and learned a great deal from other owners' issues/fixes/farkles. I wanted to start a topic about the trials and tribulations of getting this particular boat in the water.

The boat (which is as-yet unnamed) was purchased a couple months ago in Montana. It looked like heck...clearly having sat outside for years (and years, and years...). Oxidized gel coat, paint baked off the motor. It's clear this boat wasn't used much, but also wasn't taken care of much. BUT...the price was right!

A good friend of mine is an ex-Navy officer, and boat fiend. He's restored wooden boats by hand, built and rebuilt motors of ALL varieties (from big diesels to lawn mowers), and is generally a very handy and knowledgeable guy. The boat has been parked in his driveway since coming to the Pacific NW, and we (okay, mostly HE) have been fiddling with it since.

Initially, there were some apparent issues with the boat which seemed minor.
1) There were some holes in the transom where things like a transducer had been attached. These needed filling.
2) Also, having read the forums, I saw that the fuel tanks were screwed directly into the deck and that this might be a point of water entry into the balsa core.
3) There were multiple holes in the cabin where instruments and random accessories were (very poorly) installed by the previous owner. These needed some sort of work, if only for cosmetic reasons.
4) The motors looked SHOT. Kicker was inoperable, and the main was 30 years old - and looked it!
5) The caulking around the cabin (aft bulkhead?) where it meets the hull/deck was basically gone. Another potential source of water intrusion.

So, all in all, not such a bad place to start. Most of this work seemed minor - if not expensive (i.e. motor replacement).

So, first...the gel coat. Here are some photos of the polishing in progress. What a difference! Can you see the line in the blue stripe for before/after? If all remediation work goes this well, we will be boating in no time!





The holes in the transom seemed like a straightforward fix. Drill out the holes a bit, undercut the core, fill with thickened epoxy, then re-drill holes as needed for either a piece of starboard or new transducer mounting holes. But wait...what's this? Stress cracks where the transom meets the gunnels on either side. Hmm...what gives?




Well, it's going to need repaired, so we may as well open it up a bit and see what's going on.




Looks like some kind of putty or something. A hard-ish filler material. Okay, not so tough to repair (assuming there is no water lurking down there in the marine plywood of the transom). A little filler (or a lot), some epoxy, a layer or two of fiberglass, and some paint or gel coat to top it off. She'll be water tight and all fancy looking in no time!

While we're scoping out the work in the transom cracks, let's take a look at those fuel tank mounting screws drilled into the deck. That seems like a surefire way for water to get into the core. Okay, the first few screws backed out fine. But this one...is not resisting as we back it out. In fact...it can probably be pulled out. Uh oh...that didn't feel right. And now that the fuel tanks are out...is the deck supposed to bow when I stand on it? As much as we all hate to do this, I think we're going to have to get in there and see if the balsa core is wet. So..what are the results?

NOTE: Only click the link below if you like horror movies.
http://s1107.photobucket.com/user/handmeawrench/media/Wet_Core.mp4.html

Okay...not so good. But before we light this boat on fire and file an insurance claim, let's at least address the issue of the aft cabin lack of water-tight seal. Just to make sure there's no water surrounding the aft cabin door, let's blow some compressed air into a hole left by the rod holder mount and see what comes out. Here we go!



Wait a second...what's that little bug? A C-mite? Hoo boy. Time to blow in a bunch of pesticide and drive 'em all out. So that's exactly what we did...carpet bomb the bulkhead, then squirt of bunch of epoxy in there, and finally caulk the holy heck out of that bulkhead/cabin joint. NOTE: That bulkhead is tabbed on the inside of the cabin, so some appropriate caulking should be fine on the outside. We're just keeping water out, and not concerned with rigidity as that's already addressed.

Sooo...back to the spongy watery deck. It's time to call in a pro. The C-Saster was taken to a local shop to see just how bad the wet core issue in the deck really, truly is. The answer: wet core from the transom all the way to the forward bulkhead. The solution is to cut up the deck, replace the core and lay the deck back on.

The process sounds simple, and looks pretty simple when a pro is doing it. Here is a recap of the process to date, as observed by my Navy buddy:
" I spoke with the guy who's actually doing the work - time well spent! He said that he pulled out between 300 and 400 lbs of wet balsa! He said some of the wood looked like it had been wet for years. Even with that, he repeatedly stated how the boat was built really strong and how impressed he was with the construction in general.

So he carefully cut the inner fiberglass floor out in straight lines and manageable sections. Then he removed all the wet balsa and prepped the inside surface of the outer hull fiberglass. Next he glassed in some 2x2 wooden stringers (see pics) under the cuts - that's where he's at now. Next up he'll screw the inner fiberglass panels down (into the stringers) and drill some relief holes in the panels. Then, he'll start at the bow (the lowest point right now) and pour in 2-part closed cell foam through the holes. He'll work his way back, as the foam expands, adding more foam along the way. The foam will completely fill all the voids, and because it is closed cell, it will be completely impervious to water. After the foam has set up, he'll patch the seams from the cuts and foam holes, then fiberglass over the entire deck with cloth and resin (encapsulating all the screws & such). When that's dry, he'll gel-coat the new fiberglass and add a non-skid texture."








This is currently where we're at. Next step will be to re-install cabin furniture and repair the miscellaneous holes. Then outfit with new electronics, a windlass and new power. Not a small amount of work, but certainly on the downhill side of the equation!

A note about power. We have decided to go with Evinrude E-TEC main power, and getting a quote from an authorized dealer in the Portland, Oregon, area has been nothing short of a complete cluster-****. At this point, there is not a single Evinrude dealer I would trust farther then I could throw them. What a bunch of disorganized people. Yes, we called the factory and yes, they lit fires under appropriate bottoms. But it's been a hassle, to say the least.

As this project progresses, I will certainly update this thread with new photos and narrative. I hope it's been interesting, and maybe enjoyable. Our pain is your gain!

Thanks for having good info for new C-Dory owners.

[thataway]

Thanks for the photos and explaination. Looks like you are doing a great job!

I certainly hope that the bug is not one of the dreaded polyester mites! Even if you seal them in, they continue to eat out the fiberglass. (See article by Bill Beavis and published in the long-defunct Yachting and Boating Weekly)

Seriously--the transom is not really Stress cracks, but in fact is some body filler, which covers the hull to deck joint in many of the boats. A proper repair will be to wrap the area with glass, then smooth and fill, gel coat.

The boat bottom is a different approach. My only concern is that the foam which is poured in, is dense enough or if there will be voids. I have used the pour in place foam mostly for insulation of freezers and refrigerators. It is very tricky, even pouring from the top, with a 4" to 6" opening. There area also high forces built up as the foam expands. There is a reason that balsa core/or a high density foam is used to give the stiffness of the hull. We used a different approach when re-doing the floor of the C Dory 25. We discarded the old floor, and laid a new floor of several layers of combination mat and roving and then rolled on thickened Gel coat to give the non skid. Are the wooden battens just laid on polyester resin, or did he use several concentric layers of mat after making fillets on the edges of the battens on the bottom of the hull?

[rjtangen]

Hi all.

I'm the O.P.'s lovely assistant.

The 2x2 battens (stringers, as the tech called them) appeared to be glued down with resin and glassed over from above. I didn't inspect them that closely, however. They're purely there to establish the thickness of the floor, and to hold the screws that will re-attach the original floor panels prior to the foam application.

I, too, wondered about the strength of the foam. A little research reveals all sorts of 2-part foam densities available - up to 16-lb. Looks like (to my amateur eye) 4-8 lb would be best for this application. I didn't ask what density he planned to use.

Certainly one of the biggest reasons for hiring this job out includes evoking the technical expertise of a professional and experienced fiberglass boat tech who has the appropriate tools, facilities, and materials on hand to do the work right. Another reason is to generate a path of recourse should the repair fail. Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but if the result is unsatisfactory at least there's somebody (besides me) on the hook to make it right.

The tech did specifically mention that the foam would fill all the voids, would be impervious to water, and would be applied in small pours to control the expansion pressure which could distort the floor. Obviously not his first rodeo.

He had a clean, well-organized shop, clean coveralls with his name on them, the boat was blocked up so as not to distort the bottom with the trailer rollers, and he spoke with the authority of a seasoned pro. I left there feeling like this little old boat was in very good hands.

- Randy

[starcrafttom]

If its not to late, and it probably is, why not raise the floor and make it flat with a slope to the rear that will drain any water to the bilge pump. They main draw back for me of the older boats has always been the round floor that collects water. I bought a 2005 , last year with the round floor, and had a floor pan installed to get the new boat look and function of a floor that drains. Just a thought.

[C-Val]

I have a lot of respect for you and the project you have undertaken!

I have a 1982 angler. I have been working hard too trying to bring her back into shape. You have gone a lot deeper into than me,however, taking all the floors out.

I enjoyed your pics and will follow your project with interest. Good luck!

David and Val

[handmeawrench]

Okay, so here is today's update. The C-Dory now has a name, and has a new deck! First, the name. Since this boat will ultimately be handed down from Grandpa to Grandson, we've decided to name her Lega-C.

It turns out that when the deck and balsa core were being removed, the technician found a DEEP gouge in the outer hull that you could see light through! It was "repaired" by the previous owner with filler. Thanks, buddy....So not only does she have a new core and a new deck, but she also has a new (and proper) hull repair. Here are photos of the new deck.








Next stop is some work this weekend:
- To repair the cracks to the transom/gunnel joints - as shown in previous photos.
- A re-caulking of the bulkhead to the new deck - as discussed in the initial post. You can see the gaps a bit in some of the above photos.
- Epoxy filling of some of the transom holes from the previous transducer - also discussed in the initial post.

Then, a bit longer-term, is a refinishing (if needed) of the cabin cabinetry (say THAT five times fast), and reinstallation of said cabinetry and said furniture. Even longer-term...anchor windlass, GPS, radio and new power. Then? Fishing and boating!

I'll keep updating as things get updated. Enjoy the ride!

[handmeawrench]

And today's update:

Since the last update, the bulkheads (fore and aft) have been caulked, the cracks in the transom have been glassed and painted, and the fuel tanks have been re-installed. Currently, Captain and friends are working to refinish the cabin door and all the cabinetry within said cabin.

Here are some photos and a bit of narrative:

Dri-Dek installed under the fuel tanks to allow passage of water, and Starboard mounted to the deck below the Z-shaped brackets.


Doing some prep for paint on the transom post-fiberglass repairs.






And some glorious "after" shots. My friend says it's a 5-foot paint job, but I think it looks pretty darn great.

[thataway]

Looking good! How was the Starboard fastened to the new cockpit sole?

[C-Val]

Paint job looks fantastic!

Is that sprayed on gel coat, Interlux, or something else?

[rjtangen]

2 coats primer + 2 coats Interlux Hatteras Off-white. Wet sanded between coats. Rolled on with a foam roller and tipped with a quality badger brush.

[handmeawrench]

[thataway]

My concern with the starboard blocks is that unless there was potted epoxy or some other solid material, that the screws holding the straps in place went thru the blocks into the core. Although it will not rot, it can still trap water, if there is intrusion, from around the bottom of the Starboard blocks, even with good sealant.

Keep up the good work!

[ssobol]

Starboard also has a fairly high coefficient of expansion. If the expansion of the materials is too dissimilar you will find that the sealed joint will break down and let water intrude.

[handmeawrench]

[rogerbum]