Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Here you can discuss Chrysler Sailing across all makes of Chrysler sailboats.
Post Reply
Gary w/C26 & LS13
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:48 am

Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by Gary w/C26 & LS13 »

The cockpit plywood backing beneath my C26 is 60% rotted away. I can visualize a number of approaches to make this repair. Undoubtedly working from below to cut out the remaining damaged wood and then replace the entire backing in one piece would preserve the original floor visually intact. This would be the best approach for cosmetic reasons. But what an ordeal working on my back in a cloud of fiberglass dust. Starting from above and just sawing out the entire floor would be more comfortable but an entire new layup including nonskid would be necessary. I can see the exposed underside of the cockpit’s fiberglass is lumpy and nowhere near flat. It was never completely or evenly bedded to the plywood backing. What have other owners done?
Holiday
Posts: 114
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:14 am

Re: Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by Holiday »

I removed the fuzzy liner and the next layer was plywood with a streak rotten from one portlight to the other. Removing the rotten plywood was not a problem. I had to use a saw to score the good plywood in two directions cutting it into 2 inch blocks. Then I used a hammer and chisel to pop them off the underside of the cockpit floor. I cut a new piece of plywood and used epoxy filled with milled fiber glass to glue it in place. It took several jacks and supports to hold it in place. Then I used fiberglass tape and epoxy around the edges of the plywood. The glass and gelcoat in the cockpit floor stayed in place.

The worst part was removing the nasty fuzzy cloth. Wear a face shield and good respirator and the sawing is not too bad.
Gary w/C26 & LS13
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:48 am

Re: Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by Gary w/C26 & LS13 »

Unfortunately only a small portion of the original plywood is left. The part nearest to the bridge deck. I pulled the two windows, obviously one was leaking. I’ve decided to cut out the entire floor. It will be easy to securely install the new plywood base because I can add dadoed oak sides to it that attach fore and aft and screw/epoxy bond them to each side the interior cockpit footwell walls. Plus I wind up with the original floor back in place for cosmetic purposes. I will avoid most of the working upside down in a confined place. I can flip the removed floor skin over and grind down the underside high spots before I bond it back in place over the new plywood base. I can epoxy closed the perimeter joints while standing on the floor. My cuts will be along the edges of the nonskid. I’m using paint stripper to remove the fake fur adhesive. Thanks for your kind input.
Erbardy
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2020 1:29 am

Re: Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by Erbardy »

I did some of this during the restauration of our C26. I cut a piece of 1" plywood to size and caked one side full of epoxy. I used a car jack from the birth under the cockpit to push it up against the cockpit sol from underneath. I them drilled 10 holes through the cockpit and put 0.25" bolts to be sure there is pressure holding the plywood to the sol from underneath. After 5 days I removed the bolts and filled in the holes and repainted the cockpit floor. I then filled in some gaps with injectadeck structural foam filler. I then put on new headliner from underneath.
Gary w/C26 & LS13
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:48 am

Re: Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by Gary w/C26 & LS13 »

I’m visualizing everything you described. Regarding the fiberglass tab that wraps around and under the three sides of the plywood edges - I assume you cut that away? Did you cut along the top edges at the sides or just the bottom edge of the plywood and leave the sides of the tabs? Cutting this out is what I’m dreading because of the resulting fiberglass dust floating in the air underneath the cockpit.
Erbardy
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2020 1:29 am

Re: Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by Erbardy »

We can talk more details over the phone if you send me a PM with your contact information. In short I did not cut away the fiberglass tabs. I just put the plywood over everything. I lost 1" of headroom as result. After everything was secure with the epoxy i put new headliner throughout the whole berth.
Gary w/C26 & LS13
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:48 am

Re: Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by Gary w/C26 & LS13 »

Happy update! I’ve gotten all the bad plywood out from under the bridge deck and the cockpit sole. I rigged up a box fan blowing into the forward hatch and two squirrel cage fans sucking air out of the cockpit porthole openings. This along with a shop vac held against the blade of my plunge saw eliminated the fiberglass glass dust. I did the cutting and removal from below, laying on my back. It wasn’t fun but not nearly as bad as I was anticipating. Replacement is next on the agenda.
Gary w/C26 & LS13
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:48 am

Re: Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by Gary w/C26 & LS13 »

It’s done. Two layers of 1/2” plywood. Fiberglass tape along all four sides. Cockpit screw holes drilled out oversized and filled with thickened West Epoxy. I used a grid pattern of gorilla glue construction adhesive to laminate the double layers in place. I’m going to paint it, no fabric headliner needed.
brigadoon
Posts: 171
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:58 pm

Re: Easiest cockpit floor fix?

Post by brigadoon »

Congratulations ? You must be getting close to finishing the major repairs , have you been able to lower the keel ? It is safe to sail with the keel up even in high wind. Several years ago Guilliume Cote ( not sure of spelling ) sailed from Quebec to Cuba and the Bahamas in his 26 by the off shore route. I know in the past forum members have noted that in rough sea conditions the keel can swing violently and potentially crack the hull. Since the San Juan straits where I sail can get pretty wild I called him and asked how he handled the rough seas , he said he kept the keel retracted any time it became an issue. The down side is up wind sailing ability is affected and of course the boat is more tender but still safe.
Rick, SV Brigadoon
Gary w/C26 & LS13
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:48 am

Re: I’ve fixed the cockpit floor.

Post by Gary w/C26 & LS13 »

I passed some major milestones on the boat this weekend. All the interior structural repairs (floor and ceiling) are finished. I paid special attention to eliminating any hidden screws, sharp corners or edges everywhere including inside the storage lockers. I don’t want any little exploring fingers to get snagged on anything. Now I can finish paint the inside berth platform and overhead, then install the new carpet hull liner on the sides of the rear berth.

I’ve reassembled the rudder. I’ve used all new hardware. New control lines and I epoxied the rotating contact surfaces with graphite mix to eliminate friction. I need to paint it with anti fouling and add a sacrificial anode. As soon as the new bearings arrive I can put it back in the boat.

Also I’ve made great strides on adding a reinforced transom so I can install the new motor bracket. I built a jig and bent the first two layers of plywood to match the stern curve profile. I laminated them together with epoxy. One more layer to go. I ground smooth the interior part of the stern locker to receive the new laminated plywood reinforcement. All this will be glassed in place and faired.

I ground out all the gel coat stress cracks in the cockpit. Filed them with thickened structural epoxy and sanded them smooth. Then I mixed up some fairing compound and made a second pass. That’s also done, it’s ready for paint.

I’ll be tackling the swing keel next. I’m confident that when I remove the bolts from the hinge shoes the whole thing will drop down from the centerboard trunk. I need to rig something like a motorcycle lift to catch and lower it. It’s the pivot pin joint that is rusted solid and seized. I’ve got my fingers crossed that everything is salvageable.

I still need to rebed the deck hardware.
Post Reply