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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

cabin sole/ bilge

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John J.
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/05/2003 : 21:06:48

My boat is an 81 SK Dinette. I assume there is a bilge area under my cabin sole. What happens to the water? Is that area able to be inspected?

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2003 : 22:29:12

With the swing keel vertion water can collect in several areas under the floor or in compartments below the seat. If she is a sound boat you could probably get most of it out with a sponge. Have a look under the seat area. Pull the cushions open up the access panels and have a good look over your boat so you know whats there.

Doug&Ruth
Triska (Alberg 29)
Tacoma Wa.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2003 : 23:21:17

There should be at least one inspection/pumpout access hole on the cabin floor under the dinette table, ny '79 SK has two of then, rectangular, about 4" x 8" each.

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 08:51:26

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
There should be at least one inspection/pumpout access hole on the cabin floor under the dinette table, ny '79 SK has two of then, rectangular, about 4" x 8" each.

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Larry,

These were not factory original. We installed two on the cabin sole and one under the table (we have the booth interior)

dw

D. Wolff - "The Flying Wasp" #401 sr/sk
Chief Measurer C-25/250 National Assn.
<img src="http://www.flags.com/dreamimages/Flags/measurer.jpg" border=0>

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1772 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 09:39:22

Larry,

These were not factory original. We installed two on the cabin sole and one under the table (we have the booth interior) - Duane


Well, something weird is going on here ... maybe Bill Holcolm knows the story.

My boat is an L-dinette, and it also has two inspection plates like the ones Larry has on his boat. The holes for the inspection plates were molded into the cabin sole ... they weren't cut out and added later. What strikes me as strange is that it looks like Catalina recognized the need for the inspection holes in the earliest models (I have hull #68) ... then when they discontinued the L-dinette and started making the booth dinette they deleted them ... then they added them again in the later dinette models.

What were they thinking? Doesn't virtually every sailboat have a way to check the lowest part of the bilge? How else would you get the water out of there, or route the hose for the bilge pump, etc.?

Buzz Maring
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df23b3127cce9306a9b3abad0000001010" border=0>
~~Freya~~
C-25 SK/SR #68

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 10:14:37

Buzz - your right, there is an oddity going on here. The only thing I can think of is that the limber holes were supposed to allow the water to drain into the pump area.

D. Wolff - "The Flying Wasp" #401 sr/sk
Chief Measurer C-25/250 National Assn.
<img src="http://www.flags.com/dreamimages/Flags/measurer.jpg" border=0>

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 11:14:58

Hi All,

I don't remember all of the conversations regarding inspection plates on the cabin sole. But it seems to me that these were either running changes or optional. Good chance that they were optional. The dealer when ordering the boat has the basis boat, then has a large list of optional items. The items on a C25 ranged from keel selection and tall/std rig (yes these were options), to colors, to self-tailing winches or not, to sails, et al. By 1985 there were over 4-dozen optional choices from the factory. A dealer could go for low price and have the boat come in just about stripped; or could have the factory prepare the boat pretty much ready to go sailing ("turn-key"). Different dealers had their favorite options and their least favorite.

Some of the standard items one year would be optional the next year - and visa versa. Opening ports for the head comes to mind. They were an option in '85 and standard in '86. It is very possible that the inspection plates were optional from time to time and that some dealers elected against the expense. The idea might have been that the dealer could pretty easily install a 4" or 6" Beckson screw-in deck plate if the customer wanted.

Buzz' thoughts that an owner should be able to inspect the bilge - everywhere - parallels my own. If your boat doesn't have the inspection ports, you should consider getting some. West Marine and others sell several styles. Even some with clear covers. Prices range from around $9 for an economy model to around $80 for a bronze plate. Now, that'll dress up the interior............

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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MikeM
1st Mate

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72 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 11:45:34

My boat is number 1222 (1979), L-dinette and it does have the access ports. I agree that it must have become an option when they switched to the dinette booth designs in the early 80's.And to Bill's point this is where some dealers started ordering boats without it to cut costs.

Access to the bilge area is a must have and should be considered for anyone that does not have it. As Bill mentioned, this is an inexpensive project.

Mike M
Marblehead, MA
C25 #1212

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John J.
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 14:40:07

Thanks for the good advice. My boat, indeed, does not have any inspection ports. Now the next question is where do you recomend putting them, (outside of the obvious answer "on the floor" ). What size, shape, etc. I don't know if I have an "L" Dinette, but it is a dinette.Thanks again! It continually amazes me how much time people are willing to spend typing ,pasting, ec. to help a fellow boater. Perhaps it's just pity.

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1772 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 15:43:25

I don't know if I have an "L" Dinette, but it is a dinette.Thanks again! It continually amazes me how much time people are willing to spend typing ,pasting, ec. to help a fellow boater. Perhaps it's just pity. - John

Hi John,

If you have a booth, you have the "newer" dinette interior ... my boat only has seating along the port side, and along the bulkhead that separates the main cabin from the head ... hence the term "L-shaped" dinette.

As far as "perhaps it's just pity" ... well, IMHO, the reason people take time to post things on the Forum is because we have all been helped immensely by the topics that are discussed here. It's like the old saying "what goes around comes around" ... I for one feel indebted by the things I've learned here, so I try to contribute when I can. This is a great group with a wealth of knowledge ... most of the group find a lot of value here, and I think it would be selfish not to contribute.

BTW, the inspection holes on my boat are just to port of the swing keel trunk. I'll probably go to the boat again tonight, or at least sometime this weekend ... I can take some photos and measurements if you think that would help ... just let me know. My best advice would be to make sure you don't cut into the keel trunk when you cut your inspection holes ... that would ruin your whole day. I think if I were doing this project, I'd be tempted to use a dremel tool with a cutting wheel so I couldn't cut so deeply that I'd risk cutting into the keel trunk. If you plan to install a circular plate, I would think a hole saw chucked into a drill might work, too ... just make sure the drill bit isn't long enough to go through the bottom of the boat ... !

'Hope that makes sense ... good luck!

Buzz Maring
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df23b3127cce9306a9b3abad0000001010" border=0>
~~Freya~~
C-25 SK/SR #68

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John J.
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 16:56:57

Thanks Buzz, I have the booth you refer to. At the risk of sounding ignorant, which I freely admit I still am, (however I'm learning fast thanks to this forum), Where is the keel trunk, what does it look like? I'm not sure where not to cut if you get my drift, (which I hope to be doing in about 1 week).

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1772 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2003 : 19:10:05

Where is the keel trunk, what does it look like? - John

Hi John,

Take a look inside the settee along the bulkhead. Just aft of the compression post you will see the end of the keel trunk protruding up into the settee. The rest of the keel trunk runs along the centerline of the hull, but it doesn't protrude up from the bottom nearly as much as the tip does. Here is a photo of a keel trunk repair job that will give you an idea of where it is, and what it looks like:

<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/tech/tech25/pictures/dragn5.jpg" border=0>

Notice the panel in the sole aft of the trunk ... that is a factory-installed inspection hole. Notice also the round inspection plate in the sole on the starboard side of the keel trunk ... that is an owner-installed inspection hole.

Here is another view that was taken after the repair was complete:

<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/tech/tech25/pictures/dragn6.jpg" border=0>

If you look closely you can see that the factory-installed plate has been removed, and you can see the keel trunk running along the bottom centerline of the boat ... this is what you don't want to cut into. It looks like you'll miss it if you don't cut any closer than about 6" or 8" from the centerline.

Just in case you want to read about this repair job, here is a link to the Tech Tips article:

http://www.catalina25-250.org/tech/tech25/dragn2.html

'Hope that helps!

Buzz Maring
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3df23b3127cce9306a9b3abad0000001010" border=0>
~~Freya~~
C-25 SK/SR #68

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