How important is Being able to remove cockpit deck?

[trace elements]

How important do you consider the ability to remove the rear deck to be? I am going to be rebuilding my cockpit this coming winter and am debating whether or not I should build a three-piece removable deck, or a single-piece, glassed-in deck. Both have their advantages.

Single-piece, Glassed in:
PROS
1. Better draining, less water in the bilge.
2. Has a more "finished" look to it.
CONS
1. Poor access to items in the bilge,

Three-piece, removable:
PROS
1. Remove to service underdeck items.
2. Access to the fuel tank
CONS
1. Not as good looking, IMHO
2. Allows more water into bilge unless sealed very well.

I am leaning towards doing my deck like Sea Hottie. I believe L&H did the deck. How's everyone feel about removing the side panels as well? I like the simple look.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1972/b ... 1-3822611/

[Carl]

If your luck is anything like mine...

For years I wanted to pull the original wood deck and replace the wooden uprights with fiberglass...Do it once, do it right.

Found a Glasstech deck that was being pulled for a custom replacement and shipped up from Florida. I did a nice refinish, bought all the fiberglass materials to support the deck and got started.

Knowing the original fiberglass gas tank was bulletproof and lifetime I choose to leave in place unbolting all the bolts for the uprights with the heads in place...had to locate each hole with templates to drill the glass and fit. When done bolting I fiberglassed all the seams and connections. I built it rigth knowing I'd never have to do again...maybe you see where I'm going with this...

Deck Job was done and ethanol in the gas started eating my tank that season...it took a year to figure that out, but when I did figure it out...YUP the tank had to be removed. Which meant the deck and uprights had to come out.

So if you're like me and you do everything under that deck before putting down a one-piece deck...dollars to doughnuts that deck will need to come out for some reason.

[Ironworker]

This is a great question!

I can make a great case either way. My question back to the OP is can you fiberglass? Its not a big deal to cut a couple of layers of fiberglass to remove the deck if needed then re-fiberglass the deck back in. I've thought about something similar myself!

A multi tool and 10 minutes and the deck is loose.

[Reelcrazy]

trace i have a 31 bahia mar. I built a 1 piece deck 20 some odd years ago . needs paint but i'm in jersey also you. can stop by and look at it if you want.
call me @732 278 3880. if you want

[trace elements]

Thanks, ReelCrazy. Very generous of you. I am very capable with fiberglass and will be building the deck from scratch, 1708 biaxial and 1.5 nidacore. I would really like to glass in the deck, and like Ironworker said, I guess it really isn't that big of a deal to have to cut the deck out, as long as it isn't for something minor.

[ktm_2000]

I went down the path of making a once piece deck which is fully glassed in with the thought process that most everything that I want to get at besides the fuel tank are underneath hatches and if something were to go wrong with the fuel tank I could set a saw blade for the right height and cut out the deck over the fuel tank, reusing the center portion when I was done.

I put a 3/4" layer of nidacore over my stringers to bring up my deck height so if I cut through my 1" nida deck towards the outside of stringer cover there would be a big enough lip around the fuel tank to support the center portion of the deck when it goes back in.

before the deck went down
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dHrWuC8DzqE9HYdQ6

fully glassed in
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xGdcNT6RkGDmJSX56

my strategy was to put 2 layers of glass on the bottom of the nida and 1 layer on top to get it rigid outside the boat, once it went in the boat, 2 more layers of 1708 and 1 layer of 1.5oz mat on top.

so, long story short - if you do go to glass it in, plan in advance how you would get at critical items if you had to. Also take lots of photos so you can remember.

[Rawleigh]

I did a one piece glassed in plywood cored deck in the early 2000's with a non-skid Awlgrip finish.. It has been great, but I still have the fiberglass tank. If it ever has to come out I will go back over the deck with a Sea Deck type material.

[Ironworker]

I did a one piece glassed in plywood cored deck in the early 2000's with a non-skid Awlgrip finish.. It has been great, but I still have the fiberglass tank. If it ever has to come out I will go back over the deck with a Sea Deck type material.

The Sea Deck material is a good idea.

[bob lico]

i have no idea were this post is going!!!!! this must be a trick question i assume. obviously a three piece deck and no it does not leak one drop into the bilge.the tool here is a router with lap joint roller bit i would imagine a 10 year old could run the router straight down the entire length of the center section on both sides and the matching lap joint on each of the outside pieces.ONLY the center section gets screwed in every 6" than 3M UV 4000 on center section lap joint than place matching outside section lap jointed pieces over the outside gets a bead of the 3m along the belly band that has been previously glass to inside of hull side. the belly band is set slightly lower so that the water rolls toward the outside then back to scupper. it takes no more than 15 minutes to remove outside sections with ZERO damage you simply lift the deck from the engine cover end and work the flat blade between lap joint and then fold the entire section over toward outside. COOSA B 26 is the only product for the deck simply because NIDA core sucks because it does not hold hinges or hatch latches for the hatches among other cross section problems.

[bob lico]

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ ... &crop=fill
https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/ ... &crop=fill

[trace elements]

i have no idea were this post is going!!!!! this must be a trick question i assume. obviously a three piece deck and no it does not leak one drop into the bilge.the tool here is a router with lap joint roller bit i would imagine a 10 year old could run the router straight down the entire length of the center section on both sides and the matching lap joint on each of the outside pieces.ONLY the center section gets screwed in every 6" than 3M UV 4000 on center section lap joint than place matching outside section lap jointed pieces over the outside gets a bead of the 3m along the belly band that has been previously glass to inside of hull side. the belly band is set slightly lower so that the water rolls toward the outside then back to scupper. it takes no more than 15 minutes to remove outside sections with ZERO damage you simply lift the deck from the engine cover end and work the flat blade between lap joint and then fold the entire section over toward outside. COOSA B 26 is the only product for the deck simply because NIDA core sucks because it does not hold hinges or hatch latches for the hatches among other cross section problems.

Bob, so the only thing holding in the two outside deck panels is 4200/adhesive?
Have any other pictures of your deck?

[bob lico]

that is correct however the front of those sections are held down byway of 12 (6 on each engine each) 2" ss screws i have a unique set up on engine hatch hinges ,notice no exposed hinges the hinges are internal 4" stainless ,so i pull hinge pins and hatches come off.14 adults on cockpit floor at the rendezvous and no problem ,1/8" line of 3M down the port and starboard sections this where i can get the room to taper the two sections down toward hull side for water run off and the KEY small regular sections are 1/4" lower to led all water to the sealed scupper box. quite a bit of thinking to come up with this flawless cockpit installation.Nida core and Divinacell are both useless because center of both of them are useless for holding all the screws from the 6' hatch covers that are constantly drop to put fish in the insulated fish boxes. COOSA blue 26 is good for a thousand years with a biaxle top and bottom layup.also the Coosa comes in 10' long pieces and you need 9 footers to do the job correctly.

[bob lico]

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ ... &crop=fill

[bob lico]

if you look under the gunnels you can see the recess key section to interlock the deck outside sections AND for water run off.notice there is no need to put a useless hatch over fuel return to tank fittings. number one all fuel fitting are threaded bronze on USCG approved blue hose.and if you open the 6' hatch you can access return fittings ---------enough said-------trust me

[trace elements]

Bob,

I am still not sure how the outside sections are held down to the belly band?

[David Davidson]

[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/g0rq347e5vyensv/Photo ... g?dl=0/img]
[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/ta6z3mnc6frfstk/Photo ... g?dl=0/img]
[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/6rqc4gljkj6x7ob/Photo ... g?dl=0/img]
[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/s89likxntf64yld/Photo ... g?dl=0/img]

One piece, Coosa and glassed in.If I need to get to the top access panel in the fuel tank, I'll cut a hatch for that when needed. No problems yet, and nice dry bilges.

[PeterPalmieri]

What size is the fuel tank to fit the genny in that spot?

[trace elements]

[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/g0rq347e5vyensv/Photo ... g?dl=0/img]
[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/ta6z3mnc6frfstk/Photo ... g?dl=0/img]
[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/6rqc4gljkj6x7ob/Photo ... g?dl=0/img]
[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/s89likxntf64yld/Photo ... g?dl=0/img]

One piece, Coosa and glassed in.If I need to get to the top access panel in the fuel tank, I'll cut a hatch for that when needed. No problems yet, and nice dry bilges.

David, that looks awesome. I think I may take that route.

Can you share any more pictures of your project?

[David Davidson]

[imghttps://www.dropbox.com/home/Bertram/Bertram%20pics/img]

Thats the folder with most of my pics. I was too busy with the work to take too many pics!
The tank is approx 740 litres (about 195 US gals).

[David Davidson]

the tank was from these guys in the UK:
[imghttps://www.tek-tanks.com/custom-tanks//img]

I am sure you have plenty of companies who can fabricate the same.