ssobol":xdyee0qd said:
As I understand it, the cockpit floor of the older boats follows the shape of the hull. You are standing on the very bottom of the boat. It can be fatiguing to stand on the slanted floor for long periods. Starting in 2006 the factory started adding panels that made the cockpit floor level. These were removable and could be taken out for cleaning both the panels and space underneath. Since there was a gap reasonable amounts of water could run under the panels (through the gaps) and leave a dry floor in the cockpit. Around 2008 the factory started building the boats with a flat floor in the cockpit (mine has this). This floor is sealed to the hull, is not removable, and leaves not place for any water in the cockpit to drain off the floor (other than the bilge pump sump). On the boats with the factory flat floor, there is a gap between the edge of the floor and the aft bulkhead of the cabin. Water that comes off the front of the floor can get in this gap and end up inside the cabin. The cure for this is to fill this gap with a good sealant.
Starting around the 2008 boats, the factory stopped putting foam in the compartments under the berth and put in hatches for each compartment. This was a fairly common mod by owners of older boats and the factory started doing it as well.
Also, around this time, the factory started making the boats with a reversible forward seat on the left side (observer seat). The seat can be arranged to sit facing forward or facing aft for the dinette. My boat has this feature, but so far we've never used it. We just leave the seat set up for the dinette.
The other big change around this time was changing the interior material from Deccagard (a laminate) to molded fiberglass. This probably makes the interior more durable.
ssobol-
Hi!
Nice summary!
Not to be contrary, but I'd like to offer a different opinion on the two red toned (my addition) statements above.
First, standing on the inside of the outer hull is less work, less tiring, and offers a more secure feeling than walking around on the raised floor of the later boats.
The curved floor is the same height as the floor inside the cabin, and no step-up or step-down operation is involved in the transition, and you're less likely to bump your "noggin" on the door frame going in or out as well (!)
The curvature of the floor is very mild (2 degrees of "V" at the transom), and one becomes unaware of any significant floor curvature after becoming familiarized with moving about in the boat.
Lastly, being further down inside the hull offers a much more secure feeling than walking around on a raised platform type floor. This became apparent to us old timers when the raised floor inserts first became available. TyBoo was the first to mention it.
Now imagine raising that floor another 10-15 inches and yourself out fishing for albacore in some nasty wind driven chop and swells. Your knees are now even with or even above the top of the gunnels. Is being higher in the cockpit a good thing? Why do they put raised hand rails around the CD-25 and Tomcat, both with similar raised floors?
Nonetheless, the raised floor does have a real advantage in removing water from the from the cockpit, and this was the primary reason it was developed and added. Many C-Brants have designed built their own floor additions to solve that same problem over the years.
Secondly, the fiberglass insert is perhaps more durable than the DecaGard (3/4" marine plywood covered with a Formica like wood grained plastic surface) original cabinetry, but is much harder to modify for DIY customization projects, which has been the major objection to the newer arrangement.
Thanks for listening, just thought I'd add these comments to offer another view /opinion to your fine comments.
Joe. :teeth :thup
