22 Cabin Floor Vulnerability Solutions?

D

Doryman

New member
My first C-Dory was a Tom Cat and I am currently rigging a 22 as a second boat, but I don't know as much about them as I do about the Tom Cat.

When I was at the factory yesterday, Scott and I happened to get onto the subject of the cabin sole in the 22 (dunno about which other models are the same, but not the Tom Cat). Apparently they are vulnerable to dropped heavy items which can cause microscopic tears in the fiberglass surface, through which water can get into the core and not be noticed until it is too late. This is different from water intrusion that we deal with by the enlarge, epoxy and re-drill technique.

What do you do to protect your 22's sole? Is this one of the reasons that some of you have installed fake teak decks, etc? Would a WaterHog mat help?

Warren
 
Warren-

Honestly, in 6 years or so on this site and quite a few more on the ones that preceded it, I've never heard of this problem being mentioned before!

Maybe it's just something they've experienced on their Sea Sport boats due to lighter floor laminate construction?

In any case, a good carpet and/or floor mat would guard against that type of damage, I'd think, unless you're planning on dropping heavy anchors or downrigger cannon balls on the floor.

The latter may not be all that uncommon an occurrence, come to think about it!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
My 87 only had problems where the deck was penetrated and not sealed properly or not resealed after some time, and the top skin was pretty thick as well. I would worry more about old through hulls or hardware that goes into the floor or any cored area.

Sark
 
Have to agree with Joe-sounds like a solution in search of a problem. I can't imagine dropping something so heavy it would crack the laminate. Even if it did you shouldn't normally have water standing on the cabin floor. If you should find small cracks in the floor or an area you are really worried about it would be easy to probe for water-logged areas with a small drill bit. If area is ok just plug the small hole. If you find wet core move around with the test holes til you find the perimeter, remove the damaged skin and patch with new epoxy and cloth. Should be fairly easy for most owners.
 
Warren, although I have never looked at it as "protection", we keep dri deck in our cockpit. A lot of folks don't care for the feel underfoot, but on the older 22s, it keeps your feet out of accumulated water. It would do a good job of protecting the hull/floor from a heavy object.

Steve
 
we keep dri deck in our cockpit
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Like Steve I too have Dri-Dek in the cockpit.

dropping heavy anchors or downrigger cannon balls on the floor.
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I was especially worried about dropping downrigger balls when I opted for Dri-Dek. I think it would offer the needed cushion if I ever did. It also keeps your feet dry and provides some grip. On the downside, it gets soft and mushy when it's really hot and if you drop small items, such as a swivel or a screw, they'll be a hassle to find. It's also hard on bare feet.
 
SleepyC has DriDeck in the cockpit, and a carpet on the cabin sole. Both removable for cleaning. Agree, DriDeck does get mushy when hot, and it is not sweepable.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
hardee":3akl76jx said:
SleepyC Agree, DriDeck does get mushy when hot, and it is not sweepable.
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
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.....and because of its' hard texture when cold it is not "sleepable" either... :wink
 
We used driDeck, with an industerial foam mat on the cockpit floor, and the foam on the cabin--over this we put ozite carpet.

I agree--I don't know of any cracks in the floor of the cabin or cockpit (they are the same in the 22) due to objects dropped on them. The laminate is fairly thick--as it should be.
 
just acquired a 2007 22 CRUISER which has a small crack chip where water is infiltrating into cabin ~ about 1/4 cup per day. The crack is at the front of the cabin on the floor as entering the V berth, where the instrument panel is located starboard side. (there is a slight raised step just as you enter the v berth). Boat is in the water full time and the dealer said it is likely from a raw water wash down thru hull. He claims a cavity encased in fiberglass exists under the floor between floor and the hull?? I am concerned about possible balsa core integrity and am considering a hull survey before the dealer takes the boat to his shop. We did not survey when purchased due to the baots age (3 years old) and apparent pristine condition throughout. Any and all helpful comments would be appreciated.
 
The inner sole fiberglass in my '84 Classic is approx. 3/16" thick. It's over plywood, but unfortunately it's over construction-grade plywood with some voids as wide as two inches just two plys down. The fiberglass is tough, but if I was to drop something serious on it right over a void, I'd be apt to create a situation where standing water could get in and cause problems; particularly if the cockpit is covered, slowing air movement and thwarting direct, drying sunlight on the sole. Certainly, water shouldn't be standing in the cockpit, but stuff happens and I prefer my best attempts at certainty over wishful thinking.

I'm going to fill my core voids to the best of my ability with epoxy to ensure I don't have future problems with moisture and moisture-migration there. Seems to me that a C-Dory constructed with no-void marine plywood would be the way to go over the less dense balsa and foam for a resilient, goof-resistant sole. I hit an underwater treetop at 28 knots and there was no problem with the boat - only my nerves. I wonder how a balsa-cored boat would have fared...

I had been planning on Dri-Dek to cushion my goofs to the sole, but comments from experienced compatriots about it being hard on bare feet have me reconsidering. I'd still like something on the sole that would have the cushioning effect of Dri-Dek, but that is comfortable for my aging feet.

T
 
Are you absolutely sure the water is infiltrating from there? I had a similar issue in my 2006 cruiser, a small amount of water on the cabin sole. it took a year to track the two sources down. The water was coming from the junction between the cockpit and the rear cabin wall and the external vent for the fresh water tank and was due to sloppy installation. A bead of sealant on the cockpit floor and a repair to the vent and the problem went away. I found it by noticing water tracks down the cabin wall when I was working in the storage area under the rear seat and by noticing water around the cabin "bilge" under the step at the rear of the cabin . It is very unusual for a 22 to have a raw water washdown system and more so to have a through hull at the front of the cabin. Is there any evidence of water running down the floor I'd sure triple check everything before having any work done.
 
To my knowledge the newer C Dory 22's are similar to the others built after 1987--that is there is a balsa core, with glass on both sides. If there is a raw water washdown, it SHOULD have had an epoxy seal (routing out the core around the area where the raw water pump was placed thru the core (some boats have a solid hull area, where thru hulls are put thru. I am noth aware of this on the C Dory 22).

To get a survey, you will have to have the boat out of the water for several weeks, and have it completely free of water intruding at that time. This way you can see if there is evidence of excess moisture in the core. If you take moisture meter readings shortly after hauling the boat, they will be high. Metal objects will cause high readings, bottom paint will cause high readings.

Get a photo album and take some pictures to show us ecactly where the moisture is, where the crack is and where the thru hull is located.

If water is coming from the thru hull, it means that the water is traveling thru the core--and i question this. Look for hull to deck leaks, leaks from under the V Berth (brass strip foreward, anchor locker etc). Also
 
I have (4) 3x3 lock together red rubber industrial (restaraunt kitchen type) anti fatigue mats in the cockpit area that a former owner put in many years ago. It is very comfortable even on bare feet. It is grease proof, non slip reasonably cool in the sun and provides great impact cushioning. I've dropped a few cannonballs. I think Sam's club carries the stuff around $30 a sheet. I will do it again. Really easy to estimate fish size on too with its pattern. Easy in and out too. I don't see why you couldn't put it in the cabin as well, perhaps under I/O carpet.

The only negative I have found is weight that I am guessing may be as heavy as 2# a sf. Weight, the nemisis of most boaters and many of the captains, separately.

I think I've seen the same stuff in other brat albums as well.

Chris
 
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