What to do with the roof

C

cdory25

New member
I'm fairly new to CD. Curious about the roof on a 25. I've read you're not supposed to walk around up there or it might cause the windows to leak. Problem is I can't keep the girls off the roof. They claim it's the only place to sunbathe! I even see the roof depress about an inch as they walk around up there. Is there a roof rack available for these boat? Anybody have any advise?

Thanks!
 
I've actually stood on the roof of our 22' at 190#. Probably not the best idea but I was working on the shop door motor above the boat, but I stood lightly :roll: ....my windows don't leak and the roof looks fine. Certainly, didn't do any "jumping jacks" while I was up there. (Don't know about the 25'). Distributing their weight over a wider area than their two feet would most likely be fine. Perhaps over the years construction may have varied a bit as well. So no guarantees.
 
I would guess that if they are sunbathing, you are probably on the water. Unless it's very calm, it's kinda dangerous to stand up. Falling in the water probably wouldn't hurt them but if they fell on the bow or into the cockpit they could break a bone.

If it's like the TomCat, the roof is cored and extremely strong. My roof (on a TC255) was about an inch thick, Fiberglass in and out and a thick core. I think the 22 is solid fiberglass but still ~3/8 - 1/2" thick. I'd think the 25 is thicker. They won't do any harm to the boat by being up there unless they are very large folks and jump up and down. Just be careful, "slippery when wet" or with suntan lotion on!!

Oh, and it's not a "roof". Houses have roofs, boats have cabin tops!! :lol:

Charlie
 
The roofs on different models are made differently. The roof on my C Dory 25 deflected significantly. I have seen some stress cracks on c Dory 25 roofs. If there is deflection, I would not stand on the roof, you may distribute the weight better by sitting, but be sure it is not causing deflection.
 
At 220lbs I walk on the roof of my 22 and 27 all the time. Need to to load the dinghy. Susan and I have both been up there at the same time, no issues. I even had my son and three friends up there using the top as a divlng board
 
If I lived in Florida I probably couldn’t keep me son off the roof, he’d be jumping off into the water whenever we were on the hook; don’t see any safety concerns. Sunbathing on the roof in PWS Alaska, that’s a dangerous idea, jumping off the roof into the water,,, no freaking way.
 
Having put a solar in vent in the top of C Dory I know exactly how thick the roof was-NOT VERY! 1/4" if that..........

I will admit to hanging out top side with a glass of wine on a full moon or a sunny day though....carefully. There was some roof flex......

P
 
On the cc-23 we have non-skid throughout most of the roof .I don't know how thick it is but Will-c knows, look through his album I think he cut his roof to put in A/C
 
Thanks for the input. I seem to have started some sort of debate. When people are up there, I definatly have seen roof flex. Just wondered if it would/could cause permanate damage and if anybody has seen cabin top platform of some kind for the 25?? BTW the same size Rossbourogh has a second helm topsides as a $2500 option.
 
~raises boat's center of gravity
~boat wakes will roll boat more and the roof will get it the worst
~falling off when sleeping or groggy risks hitting one's head ~ concussion
~hitting water when unconscious is not good
~ better to rig a hammock... install gunwale fishing rod holders on opposite sides of cockpit and slide hammock support poles into each.
~ Alternative is to construct a board that spans cockpit width and put a yoga mat on top for sun bathing. Add a trim on the edge to prevent rolling off in sleep. Use it as a buffet table in the evening. You can store the boards on the roof.

Risk management is all about thinking about what might go wrong and remembering Murphy's Law.
 
cdory25":1290jps7 said:
Thanks for the input. I seem to have started some sort of debate. When people are up there, I definatly have seen roof flex. Just wondered if it would/could cause permanate damage and if anybody has seen cabin top platform of some kind for the 25?? BTW the same size Rossbourogh has a second helm topsides as a $2500 option.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the Brats! If more than one of us sees a post (always), there will be a debate (usually). In your case, the thickness of the cabin top is the issue. I certainly believe those that have seen the flex in a 25 but from the pictures it looks to be at LEAST 1/2" thick and cored which should be strong. That having been said, Dr. Bob is right (as usual) and it would not be good to cause flexing by concentrating any weight.

As for a "cabin top rack", you'd probably have to have one made. Have seen many cabin top things (arches, kayak racks, solar panels, etc) but nothing like what I think you are describing. The RF246 upper helm is probably constructed so as to distribute the stress load to the lower cabin sides and on to the main deck. Anything you put up there that is non porous (lets a lot of water through) and semi permanent is going to make it very difficult to keep the top clean. Anything, like a car top roof rack (like a big basket) will make it very difficult, not to mention uncomfortable to sunbathe. If my kids (and now grandkids) insisted on it I'd explain about my radar beam and how unwise it would be! :shock: It's kinda like "bowriding", probably lots of fun but not very smart. Good luck!!

Charlie
 
Do you have room inside for some bows/ribs my 22's roof is not strong enough to walk on but I don't have enough headroom to put anything in.
Richard
 
Years ago "captd", constructed a platform for the roof of his (at that time 22' C-Dory.....he now has a Ranger Tug). If you look in the photo album of captd, you will find pictures of the construction of his rack as well as a photo of him sitting in a chair on the rack fishing on top of his 22'.

Perhaps one of you "savvy" posters can display that picture over onto this thread.
 
UncleRichie":32tiy9cj said:
Do you have room inside for some bows/ribs my 22's roof is not strong enough to walk on but I don't have enough headroom to put anything in.
Richard
Click to expand...

Great idea! 6' 5" headroom leaves plenty of room for ribs. What do you think, glue or bolts? Wood or metal?
 
Again--it depends on the model and year built--the boats are not all the same. Ribs? Wood, only if glued with epoxy--the last thing you want to do is put more screw or bolt holes in the roof of a C Dory. The bolt holes for the hand rails are too far apart to provide full support in a non cored part of the top. The part which is cored is usually plenty strong. The problem is that some boats have the outer part cored, and some the center. There may may be some boats with some core in the entire roof, but these are rare.

You could also make some fiberglass ribs, or even add core to the entire roof, if you have 6' 5" of head room--use a material like Nadi-core--which will wet out and adhere with epoxy on both sides. You will then have to put a good layer of glass on the bottom side--probably 2 layers of biaxial 1708 cloth will be adequate. Not that hard to do--but time consuming. As I recollect the center section of my 25 was only glass, and the outer cored (opposite for the Tom Cat)--see below for air conditioner support on top unit, even though it was cored. We made the cockpit deck of the 25 out of Nadi-core and 1708 cloth as described.

Thataway_airconditioner_hatch018_001.jpg
 
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