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

ssobol · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 3:54 pm Post subject:

My CD22 had the factory hatches in the berth. However, they put small hatches in for the two side compartments (same size as the original lazarette). The front compartment has a large hatch. I enlarged the cutouts for the side compartments and put in bigger but lower profile hatches. I was going to screw the hatches in place. However, when the mattress is in place it is easier to get stuff out of the compartment by lifting the hatch up and sliding it out of the way vs. having to open the hatch normally (hinged opening). This is essentially the same as the plywood covers used in the mod in this post. The only difference is that I did not have to put in tabs to hold the covers in place because the hatches I use have a flange.

There is no noise from the hatches because the mattress holds them in place.

lloyds · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 4:08 pm Post subject:

Ray, thanks for the info. I just got back from visiting my boat and while inside the v-berth storage area I got my answer. And there is even foam in there between the area where the potti sits and the hull. Guess I won't be cutting into there.

Ray · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:24 pm Post subject:

Sunbeam · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:56 pm Post subject:

nordicstallion · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 8:14 pm Post subject:

Oh ya, those led storage lights were super cool. Some guys get everything. Good job!! Water under portapotty area.. I found some there too in my 19, maybe 1/2 gal. When I bought the boat there was about 10 to 15 gallons of water in the v berth storage with multiple high water marks plus water marks coming down from the chain locker. I fixed the chain locker drain & resealed the brass rub strip screws just to be safe. No more problems! Still wonder where the water came from under portapotty area. Maybe leaked in over the years around the plastic plug as the flotation was damp. Who knows? I agree, it would certainly be nice to have all that storage space, but my foam was pumped in & I really don't relish the idea of the removal process.

lloyds · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:36 pm Post subject:

My foam is the poured in type, totally bonded to the hull. I have removed about 3 cubic feet on the port side so far, the easy(er) stuff under the hatch I installed. To get much more I would have to install another hatch and work from there. Might do that if I totally run out of other things to do.

Sunbeam · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 12:46 pm Post subject:

I hear you on that. I was thrilled to "just" see loose styrofoam blocks after I cut out the lid holes (it was like watching a casino wheel spin as I made the cut and lifted up the first piece to reveal the contents). However, by the end of the day I was cursing like a sailor trying to get them out! It was still much, MUCH easier than the bonded foam like you have, but what made it hard was a devilishly small detail: They had laid strips of masking tape sticky side up on the hull in a grid pattern, then lowered these gargantuan, custom-cut blocks of foam onto them. Of course I didn't know that at first. So I was sawing down through these really deep foam blocks (with improvised "saws," such as my big square, since I don't have any saws with blades that long, my hands were not thanking me), and yet they would not lift out! Of course I could not grip them very well. Once I figured out the tape was there, it was still ridiculously hard to defeat, given it was just wimpy little masking tape (but in such a hard position to "do anything to").

At any rate, the good part was that once I had the blocks out the hull was clean as a whistle, but getting them out turned out to be a bit more of a battle than I thought it would be for "simply" loose blocks...

Although that night as I drifted off to sleep - and even though I had taken them to the dump, in bags - I was still having to convince myself that no, those little white balls of foam could NOT come back again. Man, keeping those corralled as I worked was a task.

I guess it just made the clean, empty space look that much nicer in the end. I should really get busy and write up that project. After all, there are plenty of "non daylight" hours these days in which to do so.

Sunbeam

PS: One clue folks can use -- the v-berth flat in my boat had absolutely none of those ~1" cover plugs that I believe typically fill the holes that were used to shoot in the spray foam. And the main foam was not spray foam - so that makes sense, and one could make a reasonable guess that their main foam is not spray foam if there are no plugs in the v-berth flat.

(My boat has a small amount of pour-in-place type "hard" foam supporting the footwell where the porta potti sits - between that and the hull; but not in the main space under the berth.)

nordicstallion · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:05 pm Post subject:

Boy, I guess they are all different. Under my portapotty footwell I found a block of foam about 2" thick. If it was attached to anything I'd guess it was adhered on the top side to the footwell as there was a space between it & the hull. That's where I found water.

Aurelia · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 5:28 pm Post subject:

I tore out most of the poured in foam on our 19 and it was worth the added storage and space to move the batteries. Barely Wink

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album2034&id=20140228_173907_resized&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

Greg

Moxieabs · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 8:20 pm Post subject:

Can those of you that removed "poured in" foam confirm Sunbeam's observation of the 1" plugs being there opposed to no plugs indicating the existence of "loose foam blocks"? I definitely have the poured in foam under the portapotty space but no plugs int he flats under the mattress. Just like to know what I might be facing before making the first cut.

Aurelia · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:52 pm Post subject:

We had small plugs visible and about centered on our foam filled side sections. The forward section had a hatch from the factory and fiberglass bulkhead separation it from the foamed sides.

greg

Sunbeam · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 10:05 pm Post subject:

Pat Anderson · Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:49 pm Post subject:

Well, this is definitely a project for some winter weekend with Daydream in the garage! I have to go do some inspection to see what I can find out about what I am going to be facing, but I am imaging shot-in foam, not loose blocks, but I really don't know yet of course.

Sunbeam · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 1:23 am Post subject:

After seeing the big, cut-to-fit blocks that were in my boat, and envisioning the process to get them in place before putting the v-berth top on, I imagine it was a lot easier/faster to drill a few holes and shoot (or pour) in the expanding type, and then pop plastic plugs into the holes). So I can imagine the progression to the latter type.

Roy & Dixie · Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 2:15 pm Post subject:

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.

I had a problem with water oozing out from behind one of the snaps that was screwed into the lower side of the portapotty area to hold the privacy curtain. It had a terrible smell. I drilled a small hole as close to the deck level as possible so the water would drain into the main cabin floor after I raised the bow as much as possible with the boat on the trailer, and with the floor carpet removed. What drained out had that terrible smell and was thick and dark in color. I removed the lower snaps for the privacy curtain so the enclosed area could breath. This slimy, smelly water slowly drained out over several days. It was obvious to me that I had foam installed and it had absorbed this liquid over a long period of time. Finally all the liquid seemed to be gone. I would estimate a pint of water had been wiped up over this time period. I replaced the snaps and used a sheet metal screw to seal the hole I had drilled. I cleaned the cabin sole area with a strong mixture of water, detergent and bleach to disinfect area and eliminate the smell. I checked the chain locker and could see no signs that water had ever leaked into that area, but I sealed the area with a spray-on rubber sealant. After a year I have had no indication of any additional water build up, but would need to remove the sheet metal screw and raise the bow to be sure.

I am convinced that this moisture occurred over a period of several years due to condensation. I have a 1999 22CD which would have allowed 14-15 years to accumulate. The liquid that drained out was truly old, smelly stuff. I'm sure we have all experienced how wet the interior walls and overhead can become under certain weather conditions. If even a small amount of condensation occurs in the enclosed area which has no air circulation to dry it out, over time a noticeable amount of water can accumulate.