Hi, I've almost finished a complete refit of my 22 but want to add a better water tank and perhaps some access hatches under the v-berths. Mine currently has no access hatches. Has anyone done this? I expect I'll find some floatation material when I cut a peek hole. Any advice would be helpful.
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Clay Wright
I peeked
Hi Gene, I recently purchased a '76 Oday 22 and pried the plywood up in the vee berth area to take a look. It's filled with scrap styrofoam chunks (and in my case, old beehives). My Oday literature claims that this foam plus the foam material under the cockpit sole (missing on my boat) gives the vessel positive flotation in the case of flooding. I've looked at a lot of Catalina 22s which have tons of storage everywhere including the entire vee-berth area and am sorely tempted to open the space up since the chance of flooding the boat are remote (write that on my epitaph)! The Catalina people obviously don't think it's necessary! I'm still undecided so I'm not being any help to you, just thought I'd commiserate since we're thinking along the same lines! I'll probably wind up flipping a coin. Good luck! Clay Wright
Hi Gene, I recently purchased a '76 Oday 22 and pried the plywood up in the vee berth area to take a look. It's filled with scrap styrofoam chunks (and in my case, old beehives). My Oday literature claims that this foam plus the foam material under the cockpit sole (missing on my boat) gives the vessel positive flotation in the case of flooding. I've looked at a lot of Catalina 22s which have tons of storage everywhere including the entire vee-berth area and am sorely tempted to open the space up since the chance of flooding the boat are remote (write that on my epitaph)! The Catalina people obviously don't think it's necessary! I'm still undecided so I'm not being any help to you, just thought I'd commiserate since we're thinking along the same lines! I'll probably wind up flipping a coin. Good luck! Clay Wright
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Bob Todd
I don't have a 22, but...
I put an access hatch under the V in my 272LE. Pictures on my web page, linkage below. Cheers, Bob
I put an access hatch under the V in my 272LE. Pictures on my web page, linkage below. Cheers, Bob
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Stu Timm
Under the Vee Berths
Hi Gene; I have a 1979 O'Day 22 CB masthead sloop, and it has a roughly 24" by 24" opening in the fiberglass deck that supports the vee berth cushions for access below. I am not sure if it is a standard feature in the boat as there was no matching hatch cover. I store water water jugs down there usually, but try not to put too much weight up forward. The O'Day 22 has a lot of bouyancy aft, but not much forward. The effect of a water tank that far forward might cause the boat to lie low in the water by the bow. I am thinking about putting a water tank under the port seatee in the cabin to offset the weight of the outboard (stbd side). Happy sailing! Stu Timm "Karakahl" 1979 22' CB
Hi Gene; I have a 1979 O'Day 22 CB masthead sloop, and it has a roughly 24" by 24" opening in the fiberglass deck that supports the vee berth cushions for access below. I am not sure if it is a standard feature in the boat as there was no matching hatch cover. I store water water jugs down there usually, but try not to put too much weight up forward. The O'Day 22 has a lot of bouyancy aft, but not much forward. The effect of a water tank that far forward might cause the boat to lie low in the water by the bow. I am thinking about putting a water tank under the port seatee in the cabin to offset the weight of the outboard (stbd side). Happy sailing! Stu Timm "Karakahl" 1979 22' CB
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Gene Kauffman
Thanks
Thanks guys! Clay, I still have foam under my cockpit but if I'm goin' down I'm not going with the boat anyway so out comes the foam up forward and in goes my water tank. My 9.9 long shaft is way too heavy for my transom so maybe the water tank will offset it a bit. This forum is great!
Thanks guys! Clay, I still have foam under my cockpit but if I'm goin' down I'm not going with the boat anyway so out comes the foam up forward and in goes my water tank. My 9.9 long shaft is way too heavy for my transom so maybe the water tank will offset it a bit. This forum is great!
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Rich
Gene, consider "bouyancy bags"
Hi Gene, My 1975 O'Day 22, when I adopted her, had already had the v-berth deck amateurishly replaced with some exterior plywood, painted white and screwed down with some drywall screws (about 2). Like you and many others, I became very curious to see what was under there and, upon removing the two screws (found to be rusted and worthless), I discovered hundreds of little brickettes of styrofoam just thrown in there as well as quite a few wasp nests. Likewise, I have been very tempted to remove all of that seeming trash and find a better use for that space. Maybe cutting some access holes in the vertical fiberglass walls at the aft end of th v-berth platform and installing some hinged, watertight, lockable hatches. This would allow me to slide in a lot of different things, if need be, like sails, lines, etc., etc. I might even eventually replace that plywood deck with something a bit nicer visually. But I've been very concerned about leaving NO flotation in the boat, as my foam under the cockpit sole has been virtually all removed over the years. My assessment of the purpose of positive floatation is not so much to save the life of those on board, (hey but that's good, too) as I can swim/float with my life jacket and/or throw cushions if needed, but to keep the boat from going all the way down--beyond an easily retrievable/salvagable state. If it is only partially submerged, being kept at or above the surface by positive flotation, it can probably be easily pumped out/drained and then cleaned and used just like before. I have quite a bit of experience with smaller boats (like Flying Scots, Lightnings, etc.) and that's really why the floatation is there for them--those boats capsize sometimes and the positive floatatin makes it relatively easy to re-right the boat and bail/pump it out. Stealing a concept from that "school", I have been seriously considering buying at least a couple of large "buoyancy bags" for my boat. These are essentially large waterproof, air-tight bags filled with air, placed securely under the deck or inside a compartment (sort of like a closed zip-lock bag filled with air). They weigh next to nothing but act like balloons inside your boat in the event that a capsize/swamping happens. A lot of those smaller boats/dinghys now use these buoyancy bags as replacement and/or additional forms of positive floatation. I'm thinking of maybe putting two small or one large one under the v-berth and maybe two small or one large bag under the cockpit floor. They can be expensive so I'm thinking about alternatives--maybe those heavy duty plastic bags sold on infomercials that are used to vacuum pack clothing and blankets--just fill 'em up with air instead of taking the air out. Probably not as durable as the true buoyancy bag but, heck, it's better than no foam at all. I don't know about you but I've put a lot of love, sweat, tears and money into restoring my 22 and would really hate to lose her forever--especially due to my own foolishness. Good luck. Rich Lemmler, Jr. s/v TIME BANDIT 1975 O'Day 22
Hi Gene, My 1975 O'Day 22, when I adopted her, had already had the v-berth deck amateurishly replaced with some exterior plywood, painted white and screwed down with some drywall screws (about 2). Like you and many others, I became very curious to see what was under there and, upon removing the two screws (found to be rusted and worthless), I discovered hundreds of little brickettes of styrofoam just thrown in there as well as quite a few wasp nests. Likewise, I have been very tempted to remove all of that seeming trash and find a better use for that space. Maybe cutting some access holes in the vertical fiberglass walls at the aft end of th v-berth platform and installing some hinged, watertight, lockable hatches. This would allow me to slide in a lot of different things, if need be, like sails, lines, etc., etc. I might even eventually replace that plywood deck with something a bit nicer visually. But I've been very concerned about leaving NO flotation in the boat, as my foam under the cockpit sole has been virtually all removed over the years. My assessment of the purpose of positive floatation is not so much to save the life of those on board, (hey but that's good, too) as I can swim/float with my life jacket and/or throw cushions if needed, but to keep the boat from going all the way down--beyond an easily retrievable/salvagable state. If it is only partially submerged, being kept at or above the surface by positive flotation, it can probably be easily pumped out/drained and then cleaned and used just like before. I have quite a bit of experience with smaller boats (like Flying Scots, Lightnings, etc.) and that's really why the floatation is there for them--those boats capsize sometimes and the positive floatatin makes it relatively easy to re-right the boat and bail/pump it out. Stealing a concept from that "school", I have been seriously considering buying at least a couple of large "buoyancy bags" for my boat. These are essentially large waterproof, air-tight bags filled with air, placed securely under the deck or inside a compartment (sort of like a closed zip-lock bag filled with air). They weigh next to nothing but act like balloons inside your boat in the event that a capsize/swamping happens. A lot of those smaller boats/dinghys now use these buoyancy bags as replacement and/or additional forms of positive floatation. I'm thinking of maybe putting two small or one large one under the v-berth and maybe two small or one large bag under the cockpit floor. They can be expensive so I'm thinking about alternatives--maybe those heavy duty plastic bags sold on infomercials that are used to vacuum pack clothing and blankets--just fill 'em up with air instead of taking the air out. Probably not as durable as the true buoyancy bag but, heck, it's better than no foam at all. I don't know about you but I've put a lot of love, sweat, tears and money into restoring my 22 and would really hate to lose her forever--especially due to my own foolishness. Good luck. Rich Lemmler, Jr. s/v TIME BANDIT 1975 O'Day 22
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Mike Whalen
Cheap "bouyancy bags"
Those bags sound alot like the floation bags you see in all modern whitewater canoes. They didn't make them when I started doing whitewater but we had a great, cheap forerunner, tire innertubes! Check with your local truck stop, or air national guard post. With a bicycle pump they become adjustable! one size fits all, jam it down in there and inflate till ya can't inflate no more. When ya need some cargo let a little air out and the tube will keep it all packe tight. Then when you need to clean on the waterline drag it out drop your butt in and work away. Later, Mike
Those bags sound alot like the floation bags you see in all modern whitewater canoes. They didn't make them when I started doing whitewater but we had a great, cheap forerunner, tire innertubes! Check with your local truck stop, or air national guard post. With a bicycle pump they become adjustable! one size fits all, jam it down in there and inflate till ya can't inflate no more. When ya need some cargo let a little air out and the tube will keep it all packe tight. Then when you need to clean on the waterline drag it out drop your butt in and work away. Later, Mike
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Mark
floatation
My wife and I used to canoe in the Boundary Water Canoe Area of northern Minn, and used a sealing bag to keep our stuff dry. They come in many sizes-we have/had one duffel with shoulder carry straps on it. Check out REI outdoors-an outdoor sporting goods co-op, or other wilderness canoe/kayak shop. They're spendy, but can serve double-duty. co-incidentally, my 22 also has the designer plywood v-berth treatment, with blocks, and in the star. corner of the "lazarette" as well. And under the port berth. Yours also?
My wife and I used to canoe in the Boundary Water Canoe Area of northern Minn, and used a sealing bag to keep our stuff dry. They come in many sizes-we have/had one duffel with shoulder carry straps on it. Check out REI outdoors-an outdoor sporting goods co-op, or other wilderness canoe/kayak shop. They're spendy, but can serve double-duty. co-incidentally, my 22 also has the designer plywood v-berth treatment, with blocks, and in the star. corner of the "lazarette" as well. And under the port berth. Yours also?
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