Floorboards

[Bearh]

I just noticed Les seems to outfit his CDs with floorboards as an option. Last summer, I ran with industrial rubber mats, but the sun did something to them, and I got black rubber soot over everything until I had the brains to pull them out of the cockpit and put them under my lawn tractor in the shed. I was going to replace with the (expensive!) Dri-dek squares, then started figuring I could build floorboards myself. Anybody else out there already done it? Any grooming tips about the project? I was thinking cedar, with slats running fore and aft, maybe two parts, covering most of the 4' x 6' cockpit ahead of my (new) fuel tank upgrade.
Also, a confession--in my wilder moments, I've thought about setting a steadying sail on Snowdon, using my Drascombe Lugger's mizzen mast, braced by the fore side of the engine well wall, butt resting agains a cleat on the floorboards. Why? I've always liked the look of the older Maine lobster boats with steadying sails, I miss the steadying effect at anchor (I've almost always sailed yawls), and I'm not quite weaned away from my beloved "rags"--that's why. I could come up with more reasons, but you and I would both recognize them as rationalizations.

[Captains Cat]

Bruce/Bearh

Asked Les about the floorboards in a PM because of his ad from EQ, all the new CDs seemed to have them. I've got those composite square waffle like things, about $5 psf that came with my boat. Darned uncomfortable on bare feet and let dirt show... Maybe he'll answer us here, asked if they would fit my '94 and how much they cost. Have seen pix of them and they look neat...

Still love the 'rags' too, my last sailing vessel was hull #51, a 1958 Pierson Ariel with an Atomic 4. Had it at Quantico, couldn't bring it here to Stafford, was up creek from a 38' clearance RR bridge...No go. Got a Bayliner 28' and spent all my days keeping it running... Truth to the best days, my best was the day I sold it (93). Was Boat Les until I got the CD 22 in Dec of 2002.

Looking forward to this summer, maybe we'll both have floorboards by then..

Charlie

[Lynn Marie]

Hi Bearh,
I've been looking at the floor boards too and I have dri-deck. What I don't like is that the cockpit is not level. I did look at putting down a piece of plywood on sleepers. I saw this on a C-Dory from Camas WA. I believe the follow goes by "Fireman". Anyway he had covered his plywood with boat deck vinyl that looked pretty good. His sleepers were about 2" tall and in the center area running for and aft, The edges just sat directly on the deck. Overall it added only 3/4" at the outside edge at the gunnel. My thought was to use pressure treated plywood covered with the vinyl and then Trex decking for the sleepers.

After I thought that one trough I got the idea that I could build up the deck with foam to level it then glass the whole thing. Seemed like a lot of messy work so now I'm looking at doing the project with a pen and paper and just write a check and lift them over the rail. I'll be up at Cathlamet with the group this week-end so I hope to check out how they'll work in my 97 cruiser.

[Captains Cat]

Tim, let us know if they'll fit the older boats as built. Don't really care what they cost, within reason, I'm not into building something like that, although I could. I'd love to have teak, built a neat cockpit grating for my sailboat years ago but it was a construction pain and a maintenance headache.

I've got the dri-deck stuff, grey in color, that I'd let go cheap (or just for shipping costs) once I get a replacement. It came with the boat and would ship in a box 1'x1' by about 3 feet tall or so.

Charlie

[Bearh]

I sent an email to Les, and he emailed me back within the evening. The guy is awesome.
The floorboards he describes a bit different than I was thinking. They're fiberglass, kind of heavy, two pieces, finished in tan or grey, and lay in and cover the cockpit area. I think I might prefer wood, myself, and I think I could build 'em fairly light but still sturdy. We'll see.

[Casey]

I planned on building floorboards for "Naknek" when we got it last summer - then I learned they were available through Les, from the factory. Decided to add them to the purchase. They work very well. The flat deck is convenient, and having a slight rise gets you above any water that may have accumulated. Plus, when you're sitting there with a scotch you know it's you (!) and not the curved deck that's listing. If you build your floorboards I would recommend that you make then two-piece (like the factory boards). Having a one piece floorboard might be pretty unwieldy (is that a word?)

Dri-Deck. We put six Dri-Deck squares together with the Dry-Decks faired edges, and ran them down the length of the cabin floor. Put a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet over that, and now have a nearly flat interior floor. It just sort of shims-up the curved hull slightly. (Plus, the Dri-Deck along the centerline raises the walk surface just enough that any moisture/condensation will be beneath the squares and carpet.)

Casey

[Captains Cat]

Casey, great idea about the cabin floor. I'll have lots of dri-deck left when I replace the cockpit stuff with boards. Les is taking some measurements for me and if they'll fit, I'll order some from Cutter Marine near me in Annapolis.

I just have a runner on the cabin floor now and, while it's OK, could be a lot better done your way!

Thanks again.. Unweildy is a word. Not sure what it means though, it's cumbersome to use, almost unweildy.

charlie

[DaydreamC-26]

If you're of the teak persuasion try this link... Thai Teak Marine Company Limited at thaiteakmarine. com

Looks interesting for custom floorboards and lots of other products.

[Pat Anderson]

Don't know what they cost to retrofit, but the floorboards were a $450 option at the 2003 Seattle Boat Show when we bought Daydream - just didn't seem worth it. I don't mind the cockpit floor not being level. We have dri-deck which Patty just covered with gray marine carpeting (saw Fred's carpeting from Costco on Anita Marie at Gerbil's Cove and kind of copied the idea, ours came from Lowe's).

[Les Lampman]

Wow! I get busy for a couple a days and don't know what I miss!

The reason for the floorboards in the new boats is because they're not attached to the hull; if a new owner wants them they're there but if not they just lift out. They certainly aren't mandatory.

Heavy is a relative term...I wouldn't want to pay the shipping on them but each 3'x4' (approx) section can be lifted by one person with a little gusto. I've never had them on a scale but I'd say they're in the 30# to 35# range (each). Since it's an open span from the edge of the cockpit to the center of the cockpit where the floorboards split and their vertical supports are, they have to be well-built; it's entirely possible to get 2 or 3 folks standing on one floorboard at the same time. At a good C-Brat bash who knows how many could be there; how deep a pile can you make? 3/4" ply would be at least as heavy.

I'm taking some measurements today on ex-TyBoo22 which is a 1987 hull. I don't believe there's any difference in cockpit measurement from then till now but the fuel tank situation has changed and the bilge pump has been moved. Folks with smaller tanks (and no StarBoard panel in front of the tanks) may have to install some 'stop blocks' to keep the floorboards from shifting aft. If you have the big Lovett bilge pump in the forward, starboard corner of the cockpit you'll need to cut the corner out out of the floorboards to accommodate that.

The advantage I see in the factory floorboards is 1)time (you don't gotta make them ) 2) they fit and 3) they're made just like the hull so they match pretty well and don't require any more maintenance than the hull does.

On the downside, they'd be expensive to ship so if you want them get them from a local C-Dory dealer that can have them sent with a boat. They're not cheap but building a grate out of teak would not be either and would require more maintenance, but would look very nice.

I'll post more after I do some measuring.

[Lynn Marie]

Hi all,

If memory strikes me right 3/8" plywood weighs in at about 1# per sg. ft. so the 3/4" comes in at 2#, then there is the stringers. That's kind of why I didn't build my own cockpit bds.

If your interested in a teak deck take a look in our photo file at the cork and vinyl strip planking I installed in the Lynn Marie this winter. They also have a system for outside decks that can be viewed at www.marinedeck.net . I.d love the look and feal of it but the elevated floor is a must as far as I'm concerned. I really want to go with the factory boards since it will get the deck up a few inches in the middle where I have an automatic bilge pump installed that takes a couple inches to activate the switch.

Off to Cathlamet and will post more on returning.

Tim

[Les Lampman]

I finally got the chance to do a little measuring...

Each floorboard (there are two; one port, one starboard) measures 34" wide x 52-3/4" long.

I also measured the cockpit of the 1987 CD22 we have here and it's the same as the new boats; the floorboards should work just fine on the older hulls excepting the caveat regarding the smaller fuel tanks and the bilge pump location.

Our scale here (it is not certified!) says that each panel is just under 30 pounds.

[El and Bill]

Indoor-outdoor carpeting has worked great for us -- with the camper back, the cockpit doesn't get wet, so the carpeting is soft, dry, and attractive on the floor. It never slips if cut to fit tightly, easy to remove for a quick rinse with a hose and quick dry -- we have used it for almost three years, and as good as new. Of course, the cockpit floor isn't flat, but the slight curvature is no problem for us.
We like to walk in barefeet, and the dri-deck can bite. There's also the bite to the wallet from the floorboards. With carpeting, there aren't any hidden piles of dirt building up -- it's a quick lift up, glance to see how much crud there is, and an easy cleaning.
We like the simplicity.

[Les Lampman]

BTW, I agree with Bill and El. The reason that the boats in our listings have the floorboards is because they're an available option that some folks want. Since they aren't attached to the boat we order them with the boat; if the eventual purchaser doesn't want them they stay behind and if they do they're available.

In particular I think they're a nice option for boats that have no camper canvas as they do keep you up out of any water that accumulates in the center of the cockpit and being fiberglass they are easy on the feet (as compared to Dri-Deck and such).

They do add wieght and cost to the boat; maybe dollars you would rather put toward camper canvas. But those are all subjective things so you pays your money and you makes your choice.

[Pat Anderson]

We have the carpeting over the Dri-Deck, since we already had the Dri-Deck there. Maybe it will keep the underside of the carpet a little bit drier...that Dri-Deck IS a little ticklish on the ol' bare feet!