Over the years, the sole at the base of the companionway has shown signs of needing reinforcement. The flooring around the access to the thru-hulls seems too flexible and the section directly beneath the drawers has actually come loose. Before I starting to construct an ad hoc solution, I would like to know if anyone else has addressed this issue and, if so, how so.
Galley sole reinforcement...
- Thread starter Doug/Karen
- Start date
I know just what are talking about. I keep intending to look at it but have not yet. It seems to be the strip between the large opening for the thru hulls and the storage box in front of the stove.
I was thinking about just installing a piece of 2" dia. dowel between the sole and the hull in a couple of places to take the flex out.
What are you considering for a solution ?
Bob
I was thinking about just installing a piece of 2" dia. dowel between the sole and the hull in a couple of places to take the flex out.
What are you considering for a solution ?
Bob
Escape has the same problem - I'm looking at adding support with some fiberglass box section - square tube- that's available off the shelf. I plan to mount a section horizontally under the sole with vertical supports as Bob has suggested.
Doug/Karen, How was your cruise??
Doug/Karen, How was your cruise??
Interesting problem.
Over a decade ago, I was whining to a friend (with a lot of diy experience on boats) about one place where the frp part of our cabin sole was flexing a bit. Just one... darned... place...
There was about an inch or a bit space more under it, above the inside of the hull bottom.
What was needed was a little pillar support, angled for the hull and perfectly glassed to the underside of the frp molding.
He listened and asked for a detail or two... and then suggested that perhaps -- with a little block of foam rubber and some 2" glass tape, and some epoxy -- I could insert the boating equivalent of a "bacon wrapped tenderloin" !
So I reached under with sandpaper, and roughed up both surfaces, cleaned it with some acetone, and inserted the foam with the cloth wrapped around it and tied with some string, after soaking it in some epoxy.
It cured and the flexing was totally gone.
Odd idea, but maybe worth a try.
Or, I have totally misunderstood the problem! In which case I will go back to lurking
Best of luck,
Loren
Over a decade ago, I was whining to a friend (with a lot of diy experience on boats) about one place where the frp part of our cabin sole was flexing a bit. Just one... darned... place...
There was about an inch or a bit space more under it, above the inside of the hull bottom.
What was needed was a little pillar support, angled for the hull and perfectly glassed to the underside of the frp molding.
He listened and asked for a detail or two... and then suggested that perhaps -- with a little block of foam rubber and some 2" glass tape, and some epoxy -- I could insert the boating equivalent of a "bacon wrapped tenderloin" !
So I reached under with sandpaper, and roughed up both surfaces, cleaned it with some acetone, and inserted the foam with the cloth wrapped around it and tied with some string, after soaking it in some epoxy.
It cured and the flexing was totally gone.
Odd idea, but maybe worth a try.
Or, I have totally misunderstood the problem! In which case I will go back to lurking
Best of luck,
Loren
Actually a good idea! the hull-support measurement is more like 6-8" and there's room to glass in a support under the sole support (it's pretty narrow in that spot), a matching load spreader against the hull and several fitted vertical pieces between
All good ideas.
I was thinking about something removable. I'm not sure if it would need to be. I think my strainers for the thru hulls are under there. If I needed to replace one or rebed the thru hulls would the support posts interfere ?
I have not been on the boat since May so my memory may be bad !
Bob
I was thinking about something removable. I'm not sure if it would need to be. I think my strainers for the thru hulls are under there. If I needed to replace one or rebed the thru hulls would the support posts interfere ?
I have not been on the boat since May so my memory may be bad !
Bob
ouch! why haven't you been sailing??
my weak spot is between the thru hull opening and the head. you would need to keep the thru hulls, strainers, etc clear. the fiberglass structural tubes I'm talking about are really rigid and you could probably bridge the area you need to keep clear
my weak spot is between the thru hull opening and the head. you would need to keep the thru hulls, strainers, etc clear. the fiberglass structural tubes I'm talking about are really rigid and you could probably bridge the area you need to keep clear
We haul the boat for the hurricane season in FL, launch it to sail the winter months in FL and Bahamas.
The spot I'm talking about is a narrow strip between the large thru hull opening and the large storage access in front of the stove, as Doug said in front of the drawers.
Bob
Actually. we have two "soft" areas, 1) directly forward between the thru-hull opening and the galley storage drawers and, 2) directly to port of the thru-hull opening. Both have been mentioned in these replies. Currently, I am using 2x2 wood posts cut to fit. I learned that you have to be careful not to push up very hard on the sole as it causes the thru-hull access panel not to properly bed.
Working around the thru-hulls and their respective strainers does not seem to be a problem. What does present a challenge is the sloping inner hull surface upon which my posts sit. I have been considering PVC posts (the wetness of the thru-hull pit makes wood impractical) cemented into place with 3M5200. Due to the extreme weight that can befall the sole surrounding the pit, such posts would require a good cement and a fair amount of curing time. Anyhow, that is as far as I have gone. Your comments have been helpful.
Chuck, we had a great cruise. Karen is ready to move to Canada. I should mention that every time we visit Canada, she is ready to move there. This trip was no exception. Our stay in Boston was a first for me. It was a great panorama of sights and scenes aided in no small way by excellent weather.
Working around the thru-hulls and their respective strainers does not seem to be a problem. What does present a challenge is the sloping inner hull surface upon which my posts sit. I have been considering PVC posts (the wetness of the thru-hull pit makes wood impractical) cemented into place with 3M5200. Due to the extreme weight that can befall the sole surrounding the pit, such posts would require a good cement and a fair amount of curing time. Anyhow, that is as far as I have gone. Your comments have been helpful.
Chuck, we had a great cruise. Karen is ready to move to Canada. I should mention that every time we visit Canada, she is ready to move there. This trip was no exception. Our stay in Boston was a first for me. It was a great panorama of sights and scenes aided in no small way by excellent weather.