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Weekender Cabins?


Dave R1

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Just wondering what other folks have done in the bottom of their cabins. I put down a layer of 3/4" pink foam (same thickness as the stringers and butt block between the two bottom pieces. Then I laid a piece of carpet in cut to shape. Recently I discovered a tiny bit of rot on the butt block which I expect is due to the carpet being wet in that area. I usually have a plastic tub sitting there for anchor line and other misc. stuff.

Anyway, I took care of the rot but it got me to wondering, do you all have carpet in the cabin or did you leave it empty?

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I would tend to favor a carpeted sole with this caveat. Hard to keep air moving through and across carpet and foam. Moisture has a tendency to stay there and can potentially cause just the same issue as you have had. unfortunately, if it stays there so can mold begin to work away. Mildew, mold, rot. So make it removable, roll it up and take it out and store it seperate from the boat. Make it truly a bare boat and it will be better for it.

Best thing for any of these boats is a bare bottom inside. Be a very fussy housekeeper and remove everything that can sit on the bottom or lean against bulkheads or side panels. Rope, cushions, flat boxes, etc. dirt and moisture will collect and stay there. That is all that is needed to get the bad things started. Be especially aware of things left behind for longer periods of time. Air movement is the best thing that can happen. Any thing that keeps air from moving against any surface inside isn't good for wooden boats, even encapsulated wood.

But for the day sail or overnight, the carpet sure is nice.

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Dave -

my cabin is unfinished as of yet - but, my plan is to use two blue pool floats (the closed foam stuff that doesn't hold water that i got on sale at walmart) and cut them to the shape of the weekender cabin bottom and sew covers for them out of the same hideous pink and blue striped stuff that my sail cover is made out of...that way they can double as comfortable and floatable if needed. Plus because they will be cut mated in half to the shape of the hull bottom - they will be easily removable through the companion way hatch for drying out and storing under the carport - or maybe even in the boat once they are dry (if they get wet) etc. But that is a project for this fall - my interior was also epoxied/glassed - hopefully that will help some with rot issues.

a.

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I've replaced several dozen soles that were carpet covered, from the manufacture or by the owner. I've never seen an occasion where the carpet didn't cause problems. It's traps moisture, holds it against the sole, which in most manufactured boats is plywood skinned with 'glass. Eventually a crack shows up, or a battery hold down isn't bedded, or something pierces the 'glass skin, allowing this trapped moisture to get into the ply and it rots.

I currently have a partial sole replacement and new transom going in a 70's era, frozen snot fishing boat. The transom was killed by not bedding the through bolts and other penetrations. The aft part of the sole was carpeted, the forward left with the factory nonskid. The aft portion is being replaced, while the unmolested forward area is still quite firm.

Any time you put a material against wood, even coated or 'glassed wood, it should be very well bonded or have an air gap. Even the closed cell foam will trap moisture against the ply, which can lead to problems, if a check or other breach in the coating goes unnoticed, until the area feels like walking on a mattress.

This is one reason traditional builders often just varnish the inside of boats, with no attempt to cover things up. Varnish will not mask leaks, localized rot pockets or other small problems and they can be fixed before they're a big mess. Paint will mask these "signs" and covering areas of lumber or plywood with foam will do the same, plus trap moisture.

Traditional builders go to a lot of trouble to insure there are good air gaps around each piece, so the spaces inside a boat can vent. The only places that should touch are the contact patches inside joints, where a water proof glue should be living, or under bedded hardware.

This is why gratings are so popular as a sole treatment. If a grating isn't your cup of tea, removable pieces should be considered, which can be removed from time to time, the area under cleaned, dried and ventilated. Boat cushions are a big source of cockpit problems, if left in the boat. The vinyl covered cushions trap moisture against the seats and you know the rest. Stand up the cushions on edge or better yet remove them after a sail, so the surfaces can dry out and any condensation can evaporate during storage. Ditto with gratings, sole boards, locker lids, hatches, etc. Locking her down isn't going to stop anyone interested in stealing your stuff, it will just promote rot, mold and mildew, so let her breath.

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Dave I first epoxied then I painted. It still hurt my knees, next I installed padding like you put down for kids to play on. it comes 2' sq.and is dove tailed around the edge. I snapped it together down the center line and cut it to fit around the edges. Snug fit not glued down and can easealy be removed to dry or repair if need be. Any big box store has it. Mine came from Lowe's. Y'all Come Cap'N Bud. :)

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