Association Forum - Cockpit floor saturation/wheel helm removal

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Cockpit floor saturation/wheel helm removal

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Page: of 2

ckroll
1st Mate

Members Avatar

50 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2011 : 12:42:17

I used a 4" handheld wet saw (typically used for tile) to make the long cuts and a grinder at the corners. The wet saw was easy as I could simply adjust the depth and go. With the grinder you have to have a very steady and firm hand as if you've never used one they will want to run.

As for the scuppers, I have not sealed those up yet but we decided to do something that may be looked down upon by some here. Ours is an 80' and we have the sunken trap at the back of the cockpit. The scuppers check out OK with regards to no holes in them due to corrosion so the leak(s) appears to be where the water sits in the trap. That being the case we decided to fill the entire trip with epoxy/filler to level it out to prevent water from sitting in there and slowly leaking into the floor again. I should also add that we had access to 1/8" plastic sheets that we used in lieu of wood. Used log # grit sandpaper, steel brush and a walpaper scorer to rough up before bonding. Seems to work out well but check back with me a few years :-).

Sorry no pictures...that would have been the smart thing to do but alas that quality escapes me sometimes.

Edited by - on

trptelf
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2011 : 17:04:01

For those who asked for pictures of the Merriman pedestal, wheel, and Edson guard go to http://trptelfpics.shutterfly.com/ and click on Pictures and Videos at the top of the page.

Edited by - on

cshaw
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
460 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2011 : 20:32:16

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 When you cut the old plywood floor, to remove it, be careful to not cut or puncture the fiberglass skin beneath it, or the new resin will leak out when you pour it in.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks Steve for the good info! However, about 6 weeks ago I drilled 25 1/4" holes in the cockpit sole, and 100 holes in the inside under the cockpit (above the quarter berth). I had large pans under it and it wept plywood tea for 2 weeks.... When it looks like rain, I apply duct-tape on the cockpit sole to seal it. My initial thought on trying to repair it was to simply fill it with "Git-Rot" which I have used on past wooden boats I have had and repaired, since it seems to do a really good job. However, when I discovered all the water trapped in the sandwich of the cockpit sole, I had no option but to try to dry it out if the plan was to use the Git-Rot.

In either approach (Git rot or replace core), I plan on applying tape over the holes in the liner inside to keep the resin from leaking down onto the quarterberth....

Question is now, if I tried the Git-Rot repair, and it did not work, would that make removing the cockpit sole and replacing the core material a lot more difficult? I suspect yes, since things would be epoxied together.

Thinking out loud however, if its epoxied together really well however, then the cockpit sole is, by definition repaired??????

Hmmmmm?

Chuck

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2011 : 23:54:31

GitRot should work if the wood is dry. It will either bond the wood fibers or form what amounts to an epoxy/wood foam that is also structurally adequate. Post GitRot repair would require grinding off all of the wood/epoxy matrix

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5906 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2011 : 05:31:09

My experience with it is limited, but I have been told by people who know more than me that you can drill holes about every inch, and fill them with Git Rot or epoxy, and it might defer the need to replace the core, but they say it won't last, especially if the condition is over a large area.

Replacing the core is a big job, but it's certainly no worse than when I stripped off 20 years of old antifouling paint. After seeing my friend do it, I would be less intimidated by the job than before.

Edited by - on

trptelf
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2011 : 05:32:44

No matter what method is used to dry out or repair the cockpit floor, isn't the first issue preventing water from getting in the floor in the first place? Even if the floor is replaced with a non-wood material, if water is still getting in it can migrate to other unwanted places and still leak into the space between the liner and cockpit floor wall on the starboard side, aft berth, locker, and bilge.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9087 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2011 : 09:12:27

For a composite core, I'll also suggest [url="http://nida-core.com/english/"]Nida Core[/url]--my "pot" is mostly built of it--decks, bulkheads, cabintop, transom (3 layers), etc. It's not a foam like Corecell, but rather a rigid honeycomb sandwich that's very strong, stiff, and light-weight. The surfaces are fiberglass, either primed or gelcoated (or just polyester mat). Various boatbuilders' suppliers carry it. I suspect you could cut out the upper laminate and plywood, lay in a sheet of Nida Core on the lower laminate, seal around the edges with something like Marine Tex or fiberglass tape, and then do what you want for a non-skid surface.

Regarding new scuppers through the transom, I might suggest this "L-head" fitting by Marine East (pic from WM site):

...assuming the larger diameter threaded part is long enough to allow the nut to be screwed on outside of the transom. I'd cut off the rest. The flat edge goes against the sole. My C-25 had flared brass tubes that corroded and cracked at the bottoms, sending water down inside the transom to the bilge.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 03/12/2011 09:33:47

trptelf
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2011 : 09:26:21

I've been considering these by Perko:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_11151_10001_112519_-1?cid=chanintel_google&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=112519

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Djibouti
9087 Posts

Response Posted - 03/12/2011 : 09:35:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by trptelf
 I've been considering these by Perko...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">The trick is getting the opening level with the sole, which is what the "L" version is designed to do. (Rotate the picture clockwise 90-deg.)

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 03/12/2011 09:38:03

Page: of 2

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.