Hello everyone! New guy to the forum here with some questions regarding my Widgeon. Its a great boat except for one thing, it doesn't have any storage compartments. This has become a pain because everything aboard ends up in the bottom of the boat where I trip over or step on it; including crew, this issue might be unrelated though. I have seen some widgeon's with storage compartments in the forward bulkhead and even one with a locker under the bench seat. My question is has anyone added any compartments to their boats to give me some ideas. Also I would like to know if there are any flotation tanks or structural pieces to avoid before I start cutting holes for compartments. Thanks!
Widgeon Storage
- Thread starter jbsboat
- Start date
I assume that your boat is a 1963-70 model? Those were the ones that were completely open bow to stern, with a narrow deck around the sides, a seat/tank in the bow (flotation), a seat/tank in the stern (flotation), a cross seat that the mast steps through, and removeable wooden seats between the stern tank and the cross seat (mast partner). That was what mine (1969 model) had.
I added a stowage compartment between the forward flotation tank/seat and the mast partner ("seat" that the mast steps through). I'm not sure what I may have for pictures...... but I'll look! Basically, I glassed in a platform across the boat sitting on the "box-beam" that contects the CB trunk to the forward flotation tank/seat, then glassed in a bulkhead from that platform up to the level of the mast partner, this was cut to conform to the inside of the hull and glassed to the inside of the hull. The top was supported by a frame that was screwed and glued to the aft side of the forward flotation tank/seat about 2" or so below the top and spanned the top of the created box. I permanantly installed a triangle piece of plywood at each side of the top to square up the top opening and had 2 hatches that covered the compartment. I never did get the box totally watertight from above (so it did tend to leak when it rained!), it was tight from below, but I should have worked a bit more on designing a leak-proof cover!
One side benefit to this compartment was that because the metal "frame" that O'DAY originally molded into the mast partner had rusted and was no longer firmly attached to the underside of that mast partner, my boat would actually squeeze together while sailing due to the pull of the windward shroud and the boat twisted slightly from bow to stern rue to the lever force of the mast. After adding the stowage compartment.... it reduced the twisting and pretty much eliminated the squeezing inward from hte shrouds.
The forward flotation tank/seat is filled with a pretty solid chunkl of foam, the aft flotation tank/seat is also full of foam (styrofoam!) There is foam up under the gunwales almost all the way around the boat.
I'll see what other pics I have, or at least find/make some sketches.
I added a stowage compartment between the forward flotation tank/seat and the mast partner ("seat" that the mast steps through). I'm not sure what I may have for pictures...... but I'll look! Basically, I glassed in a platform across the boat sitting on the "box-beam" that contects the CB trunk to the forward flotation tank/seat, then glassed in a bulkhead from that platform up to the level of the mast partner, this was cut to conform to the inside of the hull and glassed to the inside of the hull. The top was supported by a frame that was screwed and glued to the aft side of the forward flotation tank/seat about 2" or so below the top and spanned the top of the created box. I permanantly installed a triangle piece of plywood at each side of the top to square up the top opening and had 2 hatches that covered the compartment. I never did get the box totally watertight from above (so it did tend to leak when it rained!), it was tight from below, but I should have worked a bit more on designing a leak-proof cover!
One side benefit to this compartment was that because the metal "frame" that O'DAY originally molded into the mast partner had rusted and was no longer firmly attached to the underside of that mast partner, my boat would actually squeeze together while sailing due to the pull of the windward shroud and the boat twisted slightly from bow to stern rue to the lever force of the mast. After adding the stowage compartment.... it reduced the twisting and pretty much eliminated the squeezing inward from hte shrouds.
The forward flotation tank/seat is filled with a pretty solid chunkl of foam, the aft flotation tank/seat is also full of foam (styrofoam!) There is foam up under the gunwales almost all the way around the boat.
I'll see what other pics I have, or at least find/make some sketches.
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That is a pretty nice addition you did to your boat Sunbird and thanks for the mini write up. Unfortunately my O'day isn't open all around, the bow is enclosed with a deck on top. I should have posted pictures earlier but I was having technical difficulties.
For some reason I still can't attach an image but here is the link.
Here how the interior of my boat is set up.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/v60lzlsqzk62gtc/AAAo_xxNF0GydXYnybR0Kvlya
This is how I thought of doing a set up.
Two little storage lockers up in the bow, but was unsure of how deep they were and what is behind them.
http://www.sailingtexas.com/Pics/picoday12ac.jpg
For some reason I still can't attach an image but here is the link.
Here how the interior of my boat is set up.
https://www.dropbox.com/sc/v60lzlsqzk62gtc/AAAo_xxNF0GydXYnybR0Kvlya
This is how I thought of doing a set up.
Two little storage lockers up in the bow, but was unsure of how deep they were and what is behind them.
http://www.sailingtexas.com/Pics/picoday12ac.jpg
Basically, the whole volume under the forward deck is open, so if you added access hatches like the O'DAY optional ones, you would have pretty good stowage! I would suggest adding a tray or floorboard in there (I guess it would need to be i npieces to get through the hatches?) but anything that goes into that compartment will be sitting in an area open to any bilge water...so might not stay dry without some kind of tray/floorboard to keep gear above any bilge water. I have the dimensions and locations of those optional hatches, as soon as I can scan them I'll post them.
I assumed that your boat was an early (1963-70) model when you mentioned no stowage space, just assumed that if you had a 1971-83 model with the forward deck that you could use that. Oh Well!!
As I say, other than some foam that should be glued to the underside of the foredeck, the entire volume under there is wide open space.
I'll scan that drawing as soon as I have a chance! In the mean time, I have included a few pics of Widgeons with those hatches and even found one showing the space under the foredeck! Not sure how helpful that one pic if, but....... at least it is a clue!
I assumed that your boat was an early (1963-70) model when you mentioned no stowage space, just assumed that if you had a 1971-83 model with the forward deck that you could use that. Oh Well!!
As I say, other than some foam that should be glued to the underside of the foredeck, the entire volume under there is wide open space.
I'll scan that drawing as soon as I have a chance! In the mean time, I have included a few pics of Widgeons with those hatches and even found one showing the space under the foredeck! Not sure how helpful that one pic if, but....... at least it is a clue!
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