removing C-26 interior benches

amayotte · Post by **amayotte** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:36 pm

I did some searching on the forum but couldn't find exactly what I was wondering so I'm posting another question.

Would it hurt the boats integrety if I removed some of the boat's benches in the cabin?
I am going to do a cabin makeover and would like to remove some of the seats. I find them uncomfortable and I don't think they were designed well for "my" storage needs.

Thanks for your expertise,
Adam

Gus · Post by **Gus** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:55 pm

mmmm I don't know, that's a good question. I once wanted to completely take apart an old VN 23 that I had (separate the deck from the boat, then remove the liner), and use the hull to make a new and more comforting interior out of wood, and in the process, redo the deck as something more traditional.

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:42 pm

YES, integrity may / will be compromised!!

The C-26 has little to stiffen the hull apart from the longitudinal portions of the settees. If you remove part of the interior you'll need to take remedial action to stiffen it up. With some thoughtful planning you could end up better than new; without it, the hull will not be as sturdy and resilient as it is now.

A great mod would be installing longitudinal stringers and mini bulkheads, or at least ribs. I'd look at a stringer running beneath the top of the settee, another along the chine, and reinforce along the current settee front. I'd add well tapered ribs or mini bulkheads too. Tabbing in the head and vberth bulkheads would work wonders, as well.

You may not beat your boat as hard as I do Windward, but you would still be well advised to carefully consider what you remove and ensure that some reinforcement takes its place.

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:28 pm

Not to forget the chainplates that are loosely tied into the settee backs.

If you are only looking for larger or wider bench area you could always leave the originals in place, and build larger over them. Doesn't help with the storage I suppose.

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:20 pm

I learned to listen very carefully to windward and EE onthis board... I was planning on choping the starboard settee in half at the aft end to make room for a nav station or give better access to the rear quarter berth and as I studied teh whole hull and sheel in its entirety I decided not to toouch thos setttees.... also I think the companionway stairs also provide an important strucural element to uphold the forward end of teh cockpit....

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:52 am

NYC, you may be right about the ladder, certainly from a practical standpoint. It may or not have been part of the structural design, but from experience the fore half of the cockpit floor on EE creaks when that ladder is out or poorly attached.

In order to get to that large bilge hatch I made, I removed the lower mounts on my ladder, and only use a couple pins to attach it at the top. That was also to allow easy entry to the stern berth.

After realizing how much support I lost I've decided to glass that hatch in, reattach the ladder top and bottom, them make a smaller inspection hatch between the feet of the ladder.

amayotte · Post by **amayotte** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:33 pm

That sucks, I was going to remove the stairs too.

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:53 pm

Hi Adam,

All things are doable, but it's not going to be straightforward. The stairs definitely lend structural integrity, as do the settees.

With the proper planning and reinforcement, you could do a complete makeover and actually increase strength. Adding four stringers, some strategically placed ribs or bulkheads, glassing in chainplate anchors, then adequately anchoring and supporting the cockpit, perhaps using a bulkhead aft of a new galley, could fill the bill.

You could still relocate the galley, brace the cockpit adequately and redo the ladder area, expand the head, build a hanging/wet locker, build a rode locker, expand the cockpit lockers, all without huge structural impact, so lots of opportunities there.

Realistically, unless there's an overriding reason to do it with your current boat, it would be much faster and easier, and possibly cheaper, just to get a boat whose interior better suits you. Fortunately, most of us aren't that objective when it comes to our own boats... I'm certainly not.

Let us know what you decide to do, and how.

NYCSAILOR · Post by **NYCSAILOR** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:09 pm

windward is right....I am ALWAYS balancing my time and expense on putting th e time and cash into another boat, esp. since really good and younger more modern boats are out there very cheap. I put my bilge inspection hatch aft of the ladder feet but I might redo allthat as I got a soft spot forward of the ladder fee in the sole under the carpeting so I will tear up the old carpeting and do a teak holly sole ( real or plastek) ala' EE's instructions on his site ( he did carpet )

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:59 pm

And EE reminds all to be careful cutting away the sole in that area in front of the ladder. That do be the bottom of your boat and as you can tell from the pics one slip would be a bad bad thing !