Bow area bilge ?

Greatlakesboater · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:24 pm Post subject: Bow area bilge ?

As a new owner of a 22ft C-Dory I notice that underneath the portapotty in the bow area of the boat there is a small circular recess with a removable cover. Once removed the space below is cut through the foam fill down to the fiberglass hull. Would I be right in assuming this is some sort of bilge area to catch condensation. Otherwise, I'm not sure what the point is since there is no obvious way to remove water that collects there other than to sponge it out.

Aurelia · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:31 pm Post subject:

That would normally be a owner added access to check for moisture and/or use for additional storage. If you are getting water at that location, basically something is leaking and should be fixed. I keep my tools in the same space of our boat and never get moisture in there. See my album for a couple of pics.

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album2034&id=20140315_112055_resized&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

Greg

mgarr682 · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:32 pm Post subject:

On the newer boats there is no foam in that area. My '13 Angler is without the foam and is totally open under the v-berth area. I'm not sure when they started leaving the foam out.

Sunbeam · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:45 pm Post subject:

I just finished cutting out three large hatches in the V-berth flats on my boat, so I got to see what was going on in there.

My boat (and others I have seen) have that circular hatch under the porta-potti from the builder. This may only be in the boats that did not have foam "blown in" to the forward section (mine did not have that type of foam in the main V-berth under area, but had blocks of foam just set in place). At any rate, on my boat there is a combination of hard foam and "blown in" softer foam under the "cockpit" area (if you will) of the V-berth. I don't think it would collapse without that, but it seems to have been put there as a support aid (which you could also achieve by other means, but this was easy and economical for them). If I removed that foam (which I may) I would want to be certain that that "cockpit" was adequately supported. Maybe it's fine, if others have no support there and also have no problems, but I would want to be sure.

On a 2009 22 I looked at, the builder (Fluid) had put in three hatches in the main v-berth area (like I just did) but there were also two mini-bulkheads running from side-to-side just about at the forward end of that "cockpit" well section. This is something I may very well do. It would help do the same thing that the foam underneath seems to do - stabilize the "cockpit" well there.

Mike: If your boat has no foam under the sole of that "cockpit" area (that holds the porta potti), do you have any mini bulkheads under the v-berth? Or is it all 100% wide open? Does that well move or flex at all?

As mentioned this area should not get water in it; if it does, you likely have a leak from the anchor locker or the brass stem guard (or the boat was sitting nose down and took on water from aft that flowed forward).

Sunbeam · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 7:13 pm Post subject:

I meant to add: You asked why this "bilge" is there. Well it's just because that is the shape of the hull (a slight "V") but then they also wanted to make a flat sole so that one could set down the Porta Potti and plus use it conveniently. Also there needs to be a structure to make a flat V-berth to lie on. Hence the V-berth surface and the "well" that hold the Porta potti are a big drop-in liner piece that is attached to the hull. The little bilge area, when you look at the bottom of it, that is the inside of the actual hull (not a convenient shape to stand or lie on in that area). So it's not so much that they were trying to make a bilge, as that they were making a flat sole for the Porta potti, along with a flat V-berth for a bunk.

mgarr682 · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 8:42 am Post subject:

rogerbum · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 12:34 pm Post subject:

Greatlakesboater · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 12:35 pm Post subject: Bow area bilge

Thanks for the feedback. I would guess as Greg suggests this is intended to check on moisture in the forward hull area. Apparently it was at one time a feature added at manufacture. Although I was intrigued by its use for storage it's so small that I find it hard to believe that was its original intent.

Aurelia · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 1:07 pm Post subject:

I read your post quick enough to think your hatch was near the portapotty and not under it. I don't have a hatch under the potty space. That would indeed be a slim space but the raised section after of the potty holds more than you might think. Every little bit helps on a cruising boat and because that space is always clear on our boat, the tools are always quickly at hand for repairs and adjustments that always come up.

Greg

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 1:29 pm Post subject:

As for the Inspection Port's function in checking for water, my older 1987 CD-22 Cruiser simply has a brass hull drain fitting at the back end bottom center of that compartment that drains into the cabin when the plug is removed to check for water intrusion. (Mine's always been dry.)

Doesn't allow one to look around much inside the compartment, but the source of water wouldn't probably be right there, either.

Joe. Teeth

Sunbeam · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 2:17 pm Post subject:

Sunbeam · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 2:56 pm Post subject:

oops, ran out of time...

So in summary, I think the variations we are seeing have a lot to do with how/if/where the foam was put in under the v-berth or under the well. I don't think the 6" round port was put there for us to "inspect," so much as it was put there to enable the builders to get the foam in place on boats like mine that did not have injected foam under the whole V-berth. So it's a construction artifact.

My boat: Big blocks of styrofoam under the V-berth, and hard foam put in place before the V-berth flat was lowered in, then soft foam injected through the 6" round hatch that now lives under the Porta Potti (to help support the well), the lid "slammed on" and all left to cure. No other way besides the round hatch to get that last foam in there (until now, when I have made hatches).

Later boats: The whole area under the V-berth was injected with expanding foam, through a number of 1" holes in the V-berth (later plugged), which probably also went under the well. So no need for the 6" round port under the Porta Potti (as foam was already there).

Even later boats (like Mikes): No foam under V-berth at all, and well apparently glassed in place. Probably no 6" port necessary there either.