Cockpit sole replacement- prefab or start from scratch?

barnaclebill · Post by **barnaclebill** » Nov 7th, '06, 17:59

Looks like my cockpit sole needs replacement on my 31 in Kona, but the shipping costs could be pretty high if I buy the kits I have seen on the web. Is a reasonable option to try make my own? Or is there a source for a cheaper version? I found a source in California also, so that may be more feasible. Seems like a lot to spend, but my hatches are no longer supported by the deck sole, so it is getting dangerous. Need to do something.

Thanks for any advice. Aloha.

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Nov 7th, '06, 19:51

I did my own because Cabrerra hadn't come out with (or I didn't know about) their big hatch decks at the time. I built it out of marine fir plywood epoxied on all 6 sides. I used a template and 1/4" carbide spiral router bits to cut out the hatches. That way I was able to use the cutout as the hatch. I put a layer of epoxy cloth on the surface and painted it with Awlgrip nonskid. The hatches are trimmed with the taco aluminum hatch molding and have hatch drain gutters around them. The large deck hatches are hinged with gas struts and Taco twist latches. So far it has been great, except that I made it one piece and now can't get the fuel tank out! Hell, who ever thought we would have to replace fiberglass tanks! I did it 5 years ago and have no idea what it cost. I don't really want to know

scot · Post by **scot** » Nov 8th, '06, 11:46

Rawleigh,

Did you use 1/2" or 3/4" plywood for the cockpit sole decking? Do you have any pictures of the finished job and theTaco hatch trim?

Dave Kosh R.I.P. · Post by **Dave Kosh R.I.P.** » Nov 8th, '06, 11:46

Barnicle Bill,
Well a couple things. Don't assume anything here. First there are pluses and minus . Plus being it's pretty difficult if not impossible to duplicate the finish of the Bertram or Glass Tech or Whitaker cockpits. Check on shipping costs. You can do a better job in terms of weight and sealing the deck for water into the bilge with your own doing from the cored or Honeycomb materials. Expensive, yes but last forever. If you plan on letting your 31 go within the next 5-7 years then wood glassed over would be a choice otherwise I would use all composite/glass. Ask questions on the weight of the molded decks. I did not on the Bertram and it is a lot heavier than I anticipated ( 1" thick). If you make it yourself the hatch work is incredably labor intesive and you will never duplicate the look of the ones coming out of a mold but can come close with a lot of work, care and advice from those in the know. You may scew up a few times and it will not be cheap to fix. So you will get more input here but depends on your personel situation. I know being in Kona the shipping will be high but do ask first. May not be as bad as you think if you don't mind waiting awhile. Just my two cents from someone who just did mine last year. My boxes are custom and Nidacore Honeycomb 3/4" and strong as an OX and light as a feather. The deck is Bertram and heavy however but super strong. Dave K

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Nov 8th, '06, 12:33

Scot: I used 3/4" plywood. The drip gutters are 3/4" fir epoxied to the main deck and then routed with a bowl router bit which had a 3/4" flat bottom profile with a 1/4" radius on the edge and a top guide bearing. It followed the profile of the hatch exactly and worked very well. The only change I would make is using thicker stock for the gutter lip and routing it deeper. I epoxied and faired in 3/4" PVC pipe fittings for the drains.

Right now I only have some very low quality pictures of it, but I will be glad to email them to you. I will take better pictures if you want.

scot · Post by **scot** » Nov 8th, '06, 13:55

Some close up shots of the gutters, hatch areas, etc. would be highly appreciated...but no rush, maybe the next time you find yourself on the boat with a camera in hand. I won't be anywhere near deck work until late next summer. I'm still in the design/lay out mode on this project and gathering info and ideas. The aft cockpit sole definitely requires lots of ideas and there are lot's of options and opinions.

Thanks,
Scot

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Nov 8th, '06, 15:01

I emailed some pics to you scot.

barnaclebill · Post by **barnaclebill** » Nov 8th, '06, 16:43

Thanks for the interest in this topic. I am learning a lot. I had talked to a Kona "glassman" about doing the job versus buying the prefab deck pieces I had only heard about back then and had not really reseached, and the guy told me that him doing that kind of job would be much more costly than bringing in the package deal (they usually include hatch hardware as well?). But I had no idea of the price tag at that point, and since I am on the East Coast for a few more months (working on a NOAA ship homeported in Charleston, S.C., but spending Jan & Feb in school at Piney Point, MD), I will continue to look at various options.
(A long shot is that I could get work on a new "Superferry" being built in Mobile, that will be going to Hawaii in July, and would have room for my BMW motorcycle and deck parts, and a whole Bertram 31, come to think of it!)
Meanwhile, I guess I will keep budgeting for the big hit when I need to get the job done, one way or the other.

I am looking forward to looking at some of the boats that I am seeing on this forum. They look great!
Aloha, Barnacle Bill

John Jackson · Post by **John Jackson** » Nov 8th, '06, 23:41

Have you given any thought to making a teak deck?

barnaclebill · Post by **barnaclebill** » Nov 9th, '06, 05:44

I had not considered going with anything other than the prefab glass kit or some glass ply built in place. Teak would be beautiful, but even more expensive? And then there is the maintenance factor to consider? My boat is not that pretty right now, so I had not considered upgrading the deck like that, but I am open to suggestions. Perhaps a good wood other than teak would work as well?
Thanks for the input.

scot · Post by **scot** » Nov 9th, '06, 11:08

Isn't mahogany cheap in your part of the world? I was under the impression that stuff was like pine in the South Pacific?? If so you could epoxy bond 1 x 6 planks together, run them through a planner and end up with a very unique and extremely durable deck...that would look really nice.

I'm a big fan of mahogany.

Scot

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Nov 9th, '06, 11:15

Scot: You really cn't put that much solid wood together without it selfdestructing. Too much expansion and contraction.

scot · Post by **scot** » Nov 9th, '06, 13:55

I'm certainly no wood Guru, and I'll take your word on it....but it would look cool.

I guess the old Chris Crafts expand and contract monolithically.

Scot

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Nov 9th, '06, 16:38

They have seams between them like a conventional teak deck has, and the hull is plywood.

scot · Post by **scot** » Nov 9th, '06, 16:50

Actually the hulls were panked mahogany, bronze screwed and plugged. If you take one out of the water and let it dry out it will open small gaps in the planking...when they are re-launched they leak like crazy. The wood has to take on water and swell to make them water tight.

Grew up on a 25 CC Cabin cruiser. The family boat, 283 Chevy inboard.

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Nov 9th, '06, 17:02

True, thanks Scot. My grandfather built wooden boat and I love the idea of them, but I can't live with them.

scot · Post by **scot** » Nov 9th, '06, 17:20

Only Chris Craft pin heads can live with it.

Scot

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Cockpit sole replacement- prefab or start from scratch?

Cockpit sole replacement- prefab or start from scratch?

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