Supporting the cockpit floor

[Smier]

I have a 1980 CP16, the only thing that is supporting my cockpit floor is a rickety wooden support situated approximately in the middle of the cockpit floor.  I have read in several posts that there was foam installed in some of the Compacs to support the cockpit floor?  Does anyone have a picture they can post up?  I am about to do an extensive paint project on my boat and have some gel coat cracks to repair in the cockpit area, and don't like the "Rice Crispies" sound I get if you put a lot of weight in one spot.  I believe the cockpit was allowed to dam up with ice and snow for several years while the boat sat under a tree that plugged the cockpit drains.  The damage isn't bad, but now is the time to address it.  Thanks in advance!

[skip1930]

..."I have read in several posts that there was foam installed in some of the Com pacs to support the cockpit floor?"...

I can not speak to a cockpit sole support for a CP-16. You indicate wood.

However the CP-19 does have an blue upholstered block of foam under the cockpit sole to stiffen the floor and to keep the floor from 'oil canning'.

Many times, I have dreamed of removing this block to create more storage...to do this, I'd cut a 6mm aluminium plate, the same shape as the top-o-block and glued with Marine-Tex to the bottom of the fiberglassed floor. Then we'll need four aluminium cut legs that follow the shape of the hull, edge-wise [about one inch out from the hull] tac welded to the floor, to run down the side of the hull and bedded into a chunk of wood fiberglassed at a point equal to the normal floor height in the main saloon.

skip.

[nies]

My 1978 CP16 also has a square wood support under the cockpit area which has worked well, before losing the storage space with foam I would make a new one and use chimes to take flex out of the floor, may want to try chiming before anything else to make more firm....nies

[nies]

Oh my ,just read my post, shim not chim....please forgive...............nies

[Smier]

Storage isn't so much of an issue for us because the CP16 will primarily be a day sailor for us, and will probably spend most of its time in Canada at my inlaws place this summer at their dock.  My son and I may take an occasional overnight trip, but my wife has sworn she will never set foot in the cabin.  My concern with adding any foam is I don't want to provide any rodents with a warm place to tunnel into and nest.  I like skips idea, but I would have to hire someone to build it for me, and that would get expensive quickly.  I have thought about replacing the existing wooden support and building another further forward towards the companionway, but my fear was if it were too small, and/or not located correctly I could cause stress cracking down the road.  The giant section of foam actually probably makes the most sense, but isn't necessarily the prettiest solution.  I'd still love to see a picture of the foam support and its location if anyone has one?  My paint an other materials will be arriving in the next week, and I'd like to get this project resolved so I can finish this boat up so we can sail it this year while working on the Starwind 22 for later this year or next year.

[nies]

My experience with foam has been that if not attached top and bottom you will get a unpleasant sound of the foam rubbing between surfaces that will drive you crazy as the boat flexes under sail, .......................nies

[Smier]

Good to know about the noise potential, I'll have to crawl back in there and take a good look at everything.  I just discovered that one of my cockpit drains is leaking in my Starwind.  Whatever I do to the CP16 has to be done in a way that doesn't prohibit gaining access to the rear of the boat if I ever need to...  On a positive note, my wife seems receptive to the idea of painting the boat, so hopefully I'll have some help!

[Cevin c Taylor]

I also found that there was insufficient support under the cockpit and seats of my '83 CP16.  The seats flexed way too much for my liking, and I had several cracks in the gelcoat that I think were from the flexing.  I ended up putting 1/2 plywood under the seats, supported every 2' or so with a wood framework.  The berths are still usable, just a bit more tight.  The cockpit is much more solid now.

[kickingbug1]

   my 81 16 has a foam block (factory) but it dont think it is covered with anything. no oil canning issues and no noise although if you put foam blocks in you might cover them first.