PROJECT-A-PALOOZA!! - V-Berth Access and Mods

Ray

I made a few mods to the V-Berth to make it more useable.

I started with a small inspection hatch at the center of the forward bilge. I cut out a circle the right size for a hatch:

There was about 2 gallons of NASTY water in there:

After cleaning it all out, installed the inspection hatch:

No need to clean up - there was more to do!

Next I cut 3 access holes in under the cushions. For those that are interested, my boat (2007) had no foam or anything underneath - just air. This is actually the "after" photo - I didn't take an in-process photo as I cut them Crook

I epoxied the edges of the edges of the exposed wood after cutting.

After cutting the holes, I scuffed up the fiberglass edges underneath and also some aluminum strips that I rounded the coners on. And epoxied them in to support some lids (screws came later):

PVC tube sections make GREAT clamps. You can adjust the strength by how wide you cut each slice of the tube -- skinny ones for light pressure, fat ones for strong. I make use of a huge bucket of these all the time for various projects:

I used 1/2" plywood for the lids. I cut and rounded over a hole in the middle for removing, and then painted with Brightsides ("Hatteras Off-White is a VERY close color match to the interior gelcoat, BTW). I drilled and installed some flush-head screws and nuts into the epoxied aluminum strips also.

While I had my head down in there, I glassed and painted a couple of mounting cleats to the hull sides:

Then I mounted some hooks on them to hang stuff up out of the way of the storage junk down below. I have a row of hooks on each side for spare dock lines, bucket, etc.

Also "while I was in there", I mounted two home made LED lights to the aft bulkhead underneath:

They help illuminate all the junk down in there when it is dark:

I put a flush-mount switch for the lights right at the corner under the cushion (where there is no pressure to accidentally turn on):

It was all really easy to wire up being all locally right there at the helm power location.

This was a very useful project and gave us a TON of new storage space!

Ray

Lollygaggin · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:44 pm Post subject:

My hat's off to you for coming up with these ideas and implementing them. Looks great. You'd think the factory would have thought of this. Thumbs Up

Pat Anderson · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 8:51 pm Post subject:

Love it, Ray, this is a "must do." The only thing I don't know is whether the 2005 CD25 has foam down there or air...hoping for air but betting on foam. I love the plywood covers instead of Bomar hatches (which I was planning on). Your plywood covers will be flat, not like "The Princess and the Pea" that we would get with Bomar hatches!

Pandy Girl · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:08 pm Post subject:

Looks great, looks like you are doing a good job. Hope to see you all in the future. Very good Pics. Jim & Sandy

BRAZO · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:16 pm Post subject:

Very impressive!

lloyds · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:22 pm Post subject:

What did you use to cut the circle for the inspection plate, and how far down is the hull? Kind of curious what I might find in there as well. I put a bomar in the forward area and it is full of foam, really nasty foam. I like your hatches much better than my bomar. After doing one I decided not to do another.

Sunbeam · Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:39 pm Post subject:

Nice write-up! I did a similar project on my 22 this summer and have been meaning to post about it (I went to Powell right afterward, and I guess I forgot). I really like the improvement!

Another good paint match tip (which I got from Carpy) is that Pettit's "Easypoxy" in "off-white" color is a virtually perfect match for the "white" C-Dory gelcoat (equivalent paint to Interlux "Brightsides")

I like the lights Thumbs Up

hardee · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 12:42 am Post subject:

Really nice, job and write-up with good pix. Thanks for sharing that.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

Ray · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:36 am Post subject:

nordicstallion · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 11:48 am Post subject:

That's some very impressive work you've done there. A question... Is there no flotation ( foam) in your boat at all?

ssobol · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 1:48 pm Post subject:

My '08 CD22 had the factory installed hatches in the berth area. There was no foam.

One thing I noticed was even with the hatches these areas are so air tight that when I got the boat in '12 the original paint inside was still tacky and had that fresh paint smell. Stuff the PO put in the bins ended up with paint marks on them.

After leaving the hatches open over a winter the paint finally dried.

localboy · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 2:56 pm Post subject:

Pat, our 2007 had no foam either. Like the idea of the LED lights but since electrical is not my strong suit, I'll KISS it w/ a flashlight.

SGIDave · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 2:59 pm Post subject:

Hello Ray,

I like what you've done with your boat. Very WELL DONE modifications. AND you have the ability to communicate pertinent details well with your posts. That helps all us C-brats.

My question: Do the plywood hatch covers "rattle" when the boat is underway? There appears to be no fasteners holding them in place. Perhaps simple gravity and the berth mattress lying on top of the covers is adequate. I REALLY like the simplicity of the plywood vs factory-made covers.

Your other mods are very nice too.

Keep on Modifying!

david

Sunbeam · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 3:29 pm Post subject:

Grazer · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 3:47 pm Post subject:

I agree with others that your mods are great, and thanks for sharing.
I was wondering about the water you uncovered. Any further insights as to how or why the water got in there? There's the anchor locker drain theory and the long screws securing the brass keel strip and penetrating the hull theory.