Cabin sole alternative

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Cabin sole alternative

Postby craig on Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:07 pm

Blown away by the price of nice hardwood, and unaware that pine would look so beautiful (here's looking at you, Dana), I sought alternatives for my cabin sole. I chose to somewhat replicate the look of "teak and holly" decking.

For the "teak" I used oak plywood. From the centerline of the boat, I carefully measured the distance from center and from bulkhead #2 for each floor station, then cut out the plywood to fit that size. A 4x8 sheet will cover the floor width but not the length - it's about 6 inches short. I made the short end fall under the cockpit area and covered the distance with scraps leftover from cutting out the curve, and glued with a butt joint. The grain doesn't line up of course and it looks kinda ugly - but it's invisible tucked under the footwell.

The "holly" is whitewood pine. Starting from the centerline, I used a router to cut 1/4 inch deep grooves (a mortise, I guess???) down the long edges of the plywood separated by 5 or 6 inches. I then cut thin strips of whitewood pine to fit in these grooves, then carefully planed then lightly sanded it flush. Be careful not to sand through the EXTREMELY thin face veneer of the plywood! Don't use lower than 220 grit. Once everything had been cut and laid out, I labeled and removed the strips and stained the plywood with Minwax (English Chestnut). I then glued in the strips with Titebond and varnished the whole floor. The strips are not stained, of course.

For ease of future removal, I then cut down the center of the sheet, and into three sections on each side.

This approach has some advantages over boards: It's somewhat lighter, is easier to cut to fit the boat, especially without access to a table saw, and gives a neat look. Disadvantages are that it is unsealed plywood (trouble if you take on water for extended periods), a plywood grain pattern, and lots of fiddling with router alignment and super thin strips of wood.

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Titania, launched January 2015
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Re: Cabin sole alternative

Postby DanaDCole on Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:08 pm

Good idea and looks really nice. One question, what about the lift out sections for your ballast? Thanks for the compliment on my floor. I am having a little trouble with some of the pointed ends wanting to warp up though.
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Re: Cabin sole alternative

Postby craig on Wed Mar 18, 2015 11:43 am

I don't have lift-up sections for my ballast. I debated cutting them into the plywood but ultimately decided against it. Rather, I can unscrew and remove the forward sections (port or starboard) in front of the centerboard to access where I have stored my lead ballast.
Titania, launched January 2015
craig
 
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Re: Cabin sole alternative

Postby John C. Harris on Thu Mar 19, 2015 1:45 pm

Just make sure you have a way to pump out bilge water. No, this isn't the sort of wooden boat that leaks, but there are loads of other ways that water finds its way into the bilges. With mine it's usually the companionway being left open at a show as rain showers pass overhead. Once the companionway hood drains jammed with gunk on my boat, and the hood filled with rainwater until it starting draining into the cabin. That sort of thing. I endorse plywood floorboards but recommend adding either plumbing for a proper built-in bilge pump, or a hole in the floorboards big enough to insert one of those handheld bilge pumps.
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Re: Cabin sole alternative

Postby craig on Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:22 pm

John: I installed one of those Sunfish-type self-bailers through the hull between floor 4 and 5, so that should take care of any leaks into the cabin.

Haha just kidding. I have an electric handheld pump and a manual pump on board, but you make an excellent point about quick access to the bilge. I can easily remove one of the plywood sub-panels but a hole for the pump hose as you mention would be much easier. Thanks!
Titania, launched January 2015
craig
 
Posts: 284
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Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Re: Cabin sole alternative

Postby John C. Harris on Sun Mar 22, 2015 10:37 am

I'd strongly encourage incorporating a small lift-out panel just below the companionway. This will allow a quick check of the bilges for water, easy access for pumping when needed, and the opening will allow you to sponge out the last little bit of water. (Just a cupful of water sitting in the bilges all summer long will breed all manner of ills.)

Also make sure that the perimeter of your plywood floor is open to the bilges. IE, not filleted to the hull. If you drop the bucket with your dirty dishwasher you want the gurry to sluice away into the bilges at once, not pool in your bedding.
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Re: Cabin sole alternative

Postby craig on Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:03 am

Your logic is irrefutable, John. Started cutting the lift-out panels yesterday and will finish that project up soon. Thanks for the feedback.
Titania, launched January 2015
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