Cape Cruiser inspecton port install

[choganoochy@yahoo.com]

Howdy. I'm a newbie.
I now own a 2006 Cape Cruiser and want to install inspection ports. I believe there is water in there under the deck. Does anyone know where to safely install them? Cockpit,cabin, vberth. I don't know exactly where to cut. I don't want to cut over a cross support or something. What size port would be best and what is the best sealant method to use.
Thanks
Larry

[NORO LIM]

Larry,

I owned a 2006 Cape Cruiser. (Absolutely fantastic boat!) I installed three inspection ports: One just forward of the cabin door; one just aft of the cabin door; and one between the fuel tanks, just forward of the "bilge." I believe they were four inch plates. I cut all three holes on the center line and did not encounter any structural pieces. The forward portion of the cockpit sole had foam beneath it. There was nothing but empty space beneath the cabin sole, and beneath the aft portion of the cockpit sole. With all three ports, I undercut the opening for the inspection plate and the holes for the mounting screws, and filled the created voids between the fiberglass sandwich with epoxy. I believe I used 5200 as the sealant.

I was happy to find absolutely no water under the cockpit sole. There was moisture under the cabin sole - but I suspected that before I started. I believe the moisture there was the result of condensation. (We did a lot of extended cruising in very wet conditions.) The inspection port in the cabin sole made it easy to sponge out the area, and I always left that port open when the boat was not being used. (A small fan kept it dry under there.) I thought about putting another inspection port forward in the cabin, but when I created storage space under the v-berth, I had access to that area.
I think some moisture under the cabin sole is likely - if not just from condensation collecting in the low point, then possibly from leaks around windows, rubrails, or the anchor locker.

There are pictures of the holes I cut (get a good hole saw blade to make a clean cut) in one of my sub albums: http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Weld-Failure&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

Good luck!

[jennykatz]

We have hull number 3 its one of the first cc23 venture series .I love the boat .But there are a few nagging problems .When one keeps a boat in the water 10 months a year moisture gets in and stays in false hull .This boat has a double hull in cockpit and all the way up to v-berth .
What I finally did was put an inspection plate 3in. between fuel tanks .Then put another one right before v-berth which is not necessary at all .I finally put in a inspection plate 5in and put in a bilge pump in and drilled hole between cabin and v-berth area the water that gets trapped now flow to front and is bilged out .Then I put in a drain plug 1in. in cockpit area of raised floor which then drains right to the rear bilge pump . I put pictures in my folder , pm me and then we can talk on phone to explain and walk through process .After doing this there will be very little moisture or water to worry about .Jim

[BrentB]

Has any changes been made to the new models being built?

[thataway]

The three sealants recommended for plastic (PVC or ABS) are Boat Life, Life Seal--a hybrid, Sikaflex 295 UV polyurethane , and 3M 4000 are compatible. Ones like 5200 or 4200 are not good choices, since they are not compatible with many plastics, and can be difficult to remove without damage. The epoxy under cut fill, and screw hole fill is very important especially in areas exposed to water or the elements.

[NORO LIM]

[NORO LIM]

[choganoochy@yahoo.com]

Thanks everybody. I appreciate the feedback. The reason I want to add deck ports is because I have been getting fresh water in my cabinets in cabin aft under fridge on starboard and under freshwater tank on port. There are no visable leaks. Seems to come out from water line chase that runs under floor between cabinets just forward of cabin door. Boat is on trailer that is propped up pretty high.
I plan to buy ports online since I live in bush Alaska. There sure are a lot to choose from. I have done a primative sounding on the deck using a hammer. I'll tap on either side of center line and it sounds hollow but sounds more solid on center line. Same method as finding a stud in a house wall. Maybe I should put one forward of fuel tank off to the side of center line. My motor oil injection tank is mounted between fuel tanks so that wouldn't be an ideal location anyway. If there is some kind of center support maybe I'll have to put a port on each side I guess.
My hull I.D. is GXK23032H607. Does anyone know how to tell what number this boat was made in the order of production?

[jennykatz]

It looks like your boat is an 2007 boat
The first 3 letters are the code for cape cruiser
I think yours were hull number 32
and built in 07 model year usually after July of 06
Casey has a 06 cc 23 also and has discussed the hull numbers I can't find it right now but do a little research of Dessert First and you will find your answer

I believe the stiffeners were added under C-dory's build

Look through my pictures you will get an idea of where to put inspection plates pm me with phone and best time to call and I'll walk you through it .The hardest part is cutting those big holes Jim

[NORO LIM]

[spd]

I just installed a deck plate in the cockpit of my 2007 Cape Cruiser (hull #41) to check for water. I found a ton of great info on this thread:

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=12924

My venture has the wooden support in the middle of the cockpit. I drilled an off center hole (that could be covered by a centered inspection plate) to check with a coat hanger as I was unsure when they started to install it. It may have been around the same time as the water tank was moved to the bow if I remember what the thread I posted above concluded.

[choganoochy@yahoo.com]

I found out where the water was coming from under my cabinets. I cut a 4" hole for deck plate install just forward of cabin door and lo and behold the void was completely full of water. Boat trailer is propped high so all the water was draining back. I pulled out about 7 gallons. Just need to pinpoint where it came from. I've already resealed rubrails and some deck hardware. Doesn't look like it's coming from anchor locker.
I also cut 2 holes for plates in cockpit. 1 on either side of center support member ( yes there is one) in front of fuel tanks. No water at all there. The cabin bulkhead must be a tight seal not to let that water from under cabin deck to not leach into cockpit void. I am fairly relieved now to be making good headway into solving my issues.

[rogerbum]

I'm not familiar with the Cape Cruiser construction details but I had a leak in my former 22 C-Dory that I ultimately traced to the fresh water fill port not being well sealed to the gunwale. On my 22, there was a small rise in the gunwale just forward of the cockpit that was designed to deflect water that would run down the gunwale away from the boat. At rest, this deflection would pool water near the water fill. When this wasn't sealed well, water would get into the cabin behind the cabinet on the port side.

[jennykatz]

go check out my photos I put in bilge pump in v-berth area and then drilled a 2 in. hole between v-berth area and cabin area water flows back and forth and gets pumped out with bilge pump
then for rear cockpit area I put in a drain plug so when boat is on plane the water flows out and is exited with rear bilge pump .Hope this helps jim

[TmBates]

How do the abs constructed inspection ports hold up compared to the stainless steel? Thank you, Tom