Cockpit Sole Suggestions Please

[Konrad]

It's official:  My facelift project of my Vacationer has brought the boat back to just-built condition.  YAY..!!   

I have posted a few photos on my blog.  It sure is amazing what $50.00 of Interlux, some new spar varnish, and new sealant will do for a used boat.

Now, the fun part.  Going above and beyond the original build.  First project is simple enough:  Doing something with the floor of the cockpit.  I've been thinking about getting a couple of cedar 2x4's and making some kind of spaced lattice floor something-or-other, but I really don't have anything solid in my head yet. 

The main challenge is that the Vacationer has that danged bottom panel joiner (1x4) going across the cockpit floor side-to-side.  So I have to have something that accommodates that 3/4" obstruction.  Ideas welcome.  Photos welcome. 

Here's a "before" shot, so look past the dirt and the old paint, it looks much better now.

I'm posting the photo so you Weekender owners can see the 1x4 joiner that I have to work around.

[Frank Hagan]

A cedar grate would work ... but I would make them in sections so you can easily remove them.  You don't have to do the half-lap style; you could have all the bottom strips running lengthwise, and all the top strips at right angles running from side to side.  If the strips are at least 3/4" thick, sections could nest around the joiner on the bottom. 

[Konrad]

Yeah, I was thinking it would just lay in there so it could be lifted out.

[capt jake]

You might want to consider little toes. They might tend to get stuck in the spaces.  Just a thought.

[PAR]

I prefer slats over grates for the little toes issue. A few cedar boards screwed to stringers underneath is all that's needed and it's easy to build then a grate. The stringers will lift the boards over the bottom planking cleat or they could rest on it.

[Bud_Wilson]

Konrad- I have Dri-Dek in the cockpit of both my boats. It comes in  12 colors in 1'X1' squares that snap together. I have green in the P/C and blue and white squares in the Hen. This is a Kendall company. Website at www.dri-dek.com Phone 1-800-348-2398. Customer service coordinator Brad Collins, contact them and ask them to send you a sample and info. I really like this stuff. Mailing address is Kindall Products  P.O. Box 8656  Naples Fl. 34101-8656 USA. Bud

[Craig]

K-rad did you ever put in the cockpit drains?  You could cut out that panel joiner and glue in a 1/8" sheet of ply over the entire floor and then build your removable grates over that.  3/4" drains in each side of the sole at the cabin bulkhead does wonders for easing the cleanup chores.

[Konrad]

Hmm, never thought about drains before.

Mostly because I just use a sponge and it seems to clean up well for me.

I could just do a regular piece of nice ply with 1x's on either side of the joiner, I suppose.

Never thought of that before either.    Hmm....

And you can't beat the pragmatic approach of the Dri-dek. 

Nothing wrong with that.

But the ply... Hmmm.....  I'm getting a vision of....

I think I have an idea...

More to come.