Anyone cut into cabin floor to create a "bilge" area on old C22

[Carl Wonderful]

I have a 1971 c22. No access to the lowest point, and water collects there and I think that's where a musty smell is coming form. Also just don't like the idea that I cant access or see what waters down there. (Have health issues with mold and stuff so cant have any standing water or areas where mold can grow.)

To make it a little more tricky...my boat has some sort of filler or resin what must have been poured down into this area for some reason...? Maybe to strengthen the hull, I dunno? But it must have been poured in, covering the whole length of under the little walkway. Water collects under the walkway, and under this red filler, so I really cant see whats there or access it. I want to either drill a big hole or cut out a access bilge door but worried it might be a bad idea or not sure exactly where to put it?

Anyone put in their own "bilge" area/access?

Why would Catalina make the lowest point of the boat unacceptable...or is it just my boat?

Does anyone know exactly where the lowest point is on the old c22s so I know where to cut my access hole/door?

Whats this red stuff/filler and why wold it be there?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Swing or fixed keel?

 

[Carl Wonderful]

Swing or fixed keel?

Swing keel. I know there's a little bump under there that is the top of the keel trunk... so I'd have to look out for that.

 

[Joe]

For some reason I thought C22's had drain plugs....you know... because they are trailor friendly.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Has the idea of trapping water been tested or is it still theoretical? You can also seal the filler at the edges. You also might be able to dump some algecide in there to prevent marine growth. I know very little about algecides however.

 

[Carl Wonderful]

Has the idea of trapping water been tested or is it still theoretical? You can also seal the filler at the edges. You also might be able to dump some algecide in there to prevent marine growth. I know very little about algecides however.

Yea, water definitely sits in there under the cabin walkway/red filler. I poured few gallon of that borax solution in there...only saw a little up by the keel winch area and nowhere else....Then jacked up the front of the trailer and all the rest of the water flowed down to the keel winch area. So its just sitting under there with no way to see it or get to it. So that's where I'm at.

To seal I would need to do quite a bit of fiberglass/tabbing. Probably 10 or so feet of total tabbing to seal this whole walkway/bilge area. Maybe as a last resort I'll do that... .

I'm leaving toward guessing where the lowest spot is and drilling a (start with) 2" hole down through the walkway and through the red filler, being sure to stop before the bull obviously, lol.

Any ideas, tips, trick, info...

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Yea, water definitely sits in there under the cabin walkway/red filler. I poured few gallon of that borax solution in there...only saw a little up by the keel winch area and nowhere else....Then jacked up the front of the trailer and all the rest of the water flowed down to the keel winch area. So its just sitting under there with no way to see it or get to it. So that's where I'm at.

Yes, water sits in there but is that water actually causing an issue?

 

[Carl Wonderful]

Well.... I've cleaned pretty much ever inch of this boat and I still smell a mustiness. So I'm assuming it must be coming from the only area that I cant get to.

 

[...3TacksontheWater]

Carl:

I understand your frustration. Can you see yourself sailing her as she is now? Maybe you won't be doing the overnights that you wished for but, at least you'll be on the water and sailing. Sitting at the tiller, the mustiness should be minimal. Perhaps this boat needs to be a "proof of concept" boat and is just a stepping stone to your next "forever" boat? I'm not saying you should give up on fully drying her out but, if that keeps proving impractical at least get some time in sailing this year while you contemplate what the next steps are. I hope this helps.

George

 

[Carl Wonderful]

Yeah I hear ya, you're probably right to just get her on the water.

Since I learned to lay some fiberglass..I'm not so worried about making some holes or cuts in the cabin fiberglass. I think I'm just going to cutout a large enough section of the fiberglass cabin so I can at least see in there and maybe even lift up this red filler thing and actually see whats going on underneith...if there is even anything going on.

Wish me luck

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Most boats are a bit "musty". Most of us consider this a long term project. I would suggest picking up a copy of @Peggie Hall HeadMistress' book along with some PureAyre. The folks at PureAyre are very helpful. Their product saved a sail that had soaked up urine from a 30-40yo head that leaked and a microwave that I accidentally left a sponge in for 3 minutes (one of the most horrific smells I've encountered recently and I'm not very sensitive). The microwave was a challenge because the smell got inside of it but they had a number of suggestions that lead to a resolution.

 

[Carl Wonderful]

I've heard of Pureayre and also Peggies book I'm meaning to pick up.

I bought a $60 ozone machine and ran it a couple times for a couple hours. Not sure it helped? Run longer maybe? boat is gutted with no rubber or hoses or anything.

I just tried a Chlorine Dioxide (add water and makes a chlorine gas) last night so I'll see how that went today.

I've been using a borax formula I found. Borax, baking soda, TSP and HOT water. Supposed to kill and prevent mold if you leave a film of it behind. That's mainly the only cleaner that I've been cleaning and scrubbing with for a week now.

Has anyone tried any of these methods to kill mold and odors?

 

[Davidasailor26]

Yea, water definitely sits in there under the cabin walkway/red filler. I poured few gallon of that borax solution in there...only saw a little up by the keel winch area and nowhere else....Then jacked up the front of the trailer and all the rest of the water flowed down to the keel winch area. So its just sitting under there with no way to see it or get to it. So that's where I'm at.

How much did you have to jack it up? Is it possible that when the boat is sitting on its lines in the water it’ll be at an angle that drains properly? And will you be using it on the water routinely enough for that to be a good solution, or will you be mostly trailer sailing and need it to drain properly when not in the water?

 

[Carl Wonderful]

I thought about that a did some tests. It will be in a slip all season. I checked the waterline with a level and a few other tests and I think that the stern will actually be sitting a little bit higher when its in the water...which is the opposite of what I hoped.

 

[shemandr]

Maybe ventilation improvements will help with the mustiness. On my Ranger 29, which was built before gas engine ventilation requirements, the vent hoses were repurposed for the gas vapor ventilation system. The cabin was always a bit dank. I read something online about the importance of ventilation on boats - or breathing as the article put it. I decided to dismantle the gas vapor system and return to the natural ventilation system that was originally designed for the boat. The cabin quickly became more fresh. At a mooring air is supposed to enter the boat thru vents at mid boat or so and flow thru the boat to exit the stern in clamshell vent or other means. At a slip you need to be a bit more creative to insure airflow. Maybe companionway boards with vents. Maybe solar vents in a hatch or deck. Or maybe a fan. It probably doesn't take that much. We tend to want to seal the boat up to keep moisture out. Few boats have a completely dry bilge. Maybe we need to ventilate more.

 

[Carl Wonderful]

I do have a solar vent I'm installing up near the front hatch.

I also have 2 clamshell vents now.,.. but wasn't sure where to put them.

My companionway top door has 4 little 10"x1/4" sits in it.

I'm also looking for a good little silent fan to put inside (that doesn't cost $100)...maybe all the time if there's a way to do that, that's not dangerous?. I have 100ah lithium battery and solar panel I will be hooking up.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I thought about that a did some tests. It will be in a slip all season. I checked the waterline with a level and a few other tests and I think that the stern will actually be sitting a little bit higher when its in the water...which is the opposite of what I hoped.

Weight distribution of the boat also plays a roll in how it sits in the water. I'm sure there's a way to calculate this but you'll find out soon enough

I do have a solar vent I'm installing up near the front hatch.

I also have 2 clamshell vents now.,.. but wasn't sure where to put them.

My companionway top door has 4 little 10"x1/4" sits in it.

I'm also looking for a good little silent fan to put inside (that doesn't cost $100)...maybe all the time if there's a way to do that, that's not dangerous?. I have 100ah lithium battery and solar panel I will be hooking up.

Small computer fans are very quiet, draw minimal power and are cheap. Larger, low RPM fans are generally quieter than small, high speed ones. Most solar controllers have a load terminal or USB ports. These will get shut off when battery voltage gets too low. Too low means different things to different manufacturers. I have an inverter that cuts off around 10.6v. That would damage most lead acid batteries. You can buy low voltage cut off modules on amazon for less than $20 if you don't mind mounting it in a case yourself. This would let you adjust the cut off voltage to suit your specific battery type and personal preference.

It's unlikely but possible that extra intake vents need to be added.

Do you have power available on your slip? Perhaps you could save some money by hooking up to shore power instead of investing in solar. I will say that I never ran low on power with a 100w panel in Southern Lake Michigan

Going back to ventilation. I scored a couple of solar vents on ebay for $8. Even though one of the bushings was shot, it solved virtually all mold/mildew issues related to moisture levels during a particularly wet summer. I also added passive vents to the cabin benches as most of the mold was in the storage compartments. I can look up the vents if you're interested. I considered adding fans but never got around to it. Cleaning the wood boards with Formula A/B or hydrogen peroxide is a good idea as the residual solution helps to prevent future growth.

I pulled my cushions out over the winter and let them air out. The boat smell was virtually gone after a few months. Fabrics and foams do absorb smells.

I highly suggest picking up a copy of Peggy Hall's book and some PureAyre.

 

[ambler]

Someone (on this forum I think) posted pics of a Catalina 22 cut up. You can see the keel trunk and the area under the cabin walkway is solid. There is a gap between the hull and the liner on the sides.