Pultruded fiberglass grating for cockpits?

timflan

Has anyone with a CD 22 or smaller ever tried a product like this for the cockpit?

http://www.mcnichols.com/products/grating/pultruded/

It'll be familiar to many of you from dock gangways, where it provides good traction, good drainage, and good looks compared to most metal gratings.

I met these folks at the Pacific Marine Expo, and asked for a quote for my cockpit, which is 6 feet across and 4 feet fore-and-aft. I need 24 square feet of the stuff.

Now it's a really nice, high-quality product, but still...$550?! That's a lot to spend just to keep my feet dry getting in and out of the boat! Oh, it would also give me a flat cockpit floor, which has its advantages. If it were under $300, I think I'd go for it.

Any thoughts?

dogon dory · Last edited by dogon dory on Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:46 pm; edited 1 time in total

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

Grumpy · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 2:13 pm Post subject:

Tim,
For a lot less money but a certain amount of sweat equity you could do what I did and make a mahogany planked floor for the cockpit and cabin.
Look in Kingfisher sub album "details"

Forgot to ask you Sunday. Did my boat position come up on your GPS when you called my MMSI ? Yours did not appear on mine. At least the call system works !!!

Merv

timflan · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:38 pm Post subject:

SEA3PO · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:45 pm Post subject:

I wonder about that stuff we saw at last years Seattle Boat Show... it was a fake wood floor made of some sort of heavy rubber...sure looked real...
nice stuff to stand on.

Joel
SEA3PO

dogon dory · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:47 pm Post subject:

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

SENSEI · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:02 pm Post subject:

Timflan
I was at the company warehouse a coulple of months ago and looked at it. Yes, it is quite expensive but if you think of it in boat bucks it is only half a buck...lol...
unless you were to make some sort of stringers for it to lay upon it would just conform to the bottom of the boat. you would want it to lay lengthwise fore and aft for drainage purposes.They make several different grits . the least gritty would be the one of choice for me. and the 1 1/2 inch height. I have the classic with the flat sole so I would not have to worry about bridging it. I have a piece of the extra gritty that they gave me to show to others. I will have it at the boat show gathering in Jan.
this is on my to do list after the complete redo of the interior. the 83 cabinetry is showing its age...lol...
also on the to do list is a fabricated fuel tank to fit undr the motor well dead center of the boat. $$$$$$$$$$$$$

westward · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:25 pm Post subject:

I've been pleased with Dri-Dek on both of our Dories. My total cost for the Angler's cockpit and interior walkway floors (more than you'd need to do a cruiser) was $215.34 which included shipping. I ordered directly from Dri-Dek and saved around $50.00 vs. local retailers, none of whom had my color/quantity in stock anyway. It shipped right to my house in less than a week, with a follow-up letter from them for me to confirm all went well with the order. This was for 46 tiles which was exactly enough including a few that go back between the fuel tanks. I had it installed in less than an hour using a utility knife and tape measure. There are no doubt advantages to the other alternative products, but for simplicity, color match, cost, ease of installation, and a great vendor to deal with this is hard to beat. Finally, with the cored bottom construction of the 16 and 22 I think it's pretty important to protect the floor with something in case you drop a downrigger ball, etc. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Mike.

Grumpy · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:46 pm Post subject:

Tim,

Since my CD came with a "FacDory" glass fibre floor I do happen to have a "spare" cluttering up my garage.......

On the MMSI story, supposedly the "pop-up" is supposed to happen if all is wired correctly. have to research it a bit more.

PM me on the cockpit floor if you are interested.

Merv

Doryman · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 10:27 pm Post subject:

Has anyone installed Dri-Dek on a C-Dory with fishboxes (as far as I know that means just the TC)? If so, how?

I'm not sure what the advantage would be on a TC -- I have not encountered much water back there except after rains.

warren

Sea Wolf · Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:54 pm Post subject:

Warren-

As I remember, the TC 255 has a self draining, above the water cockpit deck, with scuppers. Water back there should be minimal, so.....

Maybe what you need is better traction through boots designed for boats, or the application of one of the types of non-skid tapes made by 3M?

Putting Dri-Deck over the fish boxes would seem to render them inoperative, and I can't imagine how to make that section of the Dri-Deck open and close for access to them, at least, very easily.

Just my $0.02 on a slow night before Thanksgiving!

Have a good one!

Joe.