Upgrades

[CaptJack]

OK, I bought my 1990 16/3 about 2 months ago and have been sailing it about once a week every week since. I don't have a gas motor, I have a trolling motor 40 lb thrust. Since I am on a lake with no tides or currents it works really well. My battery is right against the stern in the cockpit well. The boat also came with a battery in a  battery box between the chain locker wall and the mast brace post. I don't think I need the front battery since I hardly ever use the lites. Although I am upgrading all the lites on board. I seem to have constant water in the floor inside. I pulled up the carpet to be replaced with a wood slate sole. I have a solar panel on the sliding top of the cabin entrance. I'm installing a #8 2 conductor line from the back starboard corner to the electrical panel in the cabin. The battery now in use is a brand new deep cycle but I'm wondering do I need 2 or would 2 be to heavy? I am thinking of putting a bilge pump right at the front of the floor inside and venting it thru a thruway drilled in the side nicely above the water line. Do you think it will work or is it overkill. Also I plan to design and build a wheel steering system with the wheel facing forward in a plate covering the battery compartment. Any thought's?

[Paul]

Welcome CaptJack.  Congrats on the "new" boat and the good fortune to sail her weekly.

As far as you upgrades:

1)  If the 40# thrust trolling motor works, then great!  I have read of a good many folks who use them with success.  Quite, too, which is always a plus.

2)  Trolling motor fuel close by is a good idea, since the current dosn't have to travel so far.

3)  A second small battery in the chain locker area is still a good idea, IMHO.  That way you can isolate the usage of each without fear of accidently depleting the troll's supply.

4) As for the water issue, first find the source.  There's several possiblities in the forward end of the boat:  bow eye not sealed, rode deck plate, or other leaking harware up front.   ID and fix that water source, then you won't need another hole in the hull.  Generally, bilge pumps in these small boats are not warranted.  Personally, I will carry a hand pump and a bucket.

5) If you manage placing wheel steering on CP-16, I'd like to see it.  Personally, I try to practice the KISS principle.  So, to me, a wheel is one more thing Murphy can use against me;)

Hope this helps.  Just $0.02

Paul

[Gil Weiss]

My 1990 19/3 had leaking scupper tubes, leaking inspection port hatches on the seats and a leaking hull deck joint. There is lots of info about these problems on this site. The scupper tubes leak into a small bilger area at the stern which, when full, drains the water down the bunks and onto your cabin floor.

I successfully fixed all these leaks and my boat, which stays in the water five plus months a year, is DRY! Once you identify the p[roblems they are easily fixed. I would check the scupper tubes first as the caulk is probably dried out both inside the footwell and outside on the hull. This was my major leak area. Next were the inspection ports, which I easily replaced with a new set bedded well with caulk, and thrid was the hull deck joint.

My feeling is to solve the water issues and not bother with a bilge pump.

[multimedia_smith]

You need the weight up FRONT to offset you, a guest or two and the motor... I ran large wires from the chain locker to the stern for the motor... drilled through the upper rear of the cockpit and bolted through with the wires attached to the inside of the bolts and a small rectangular tupperware as a housing (drilled through the bottom of the container against the wall)

I also had leaking scupper tubes (re fiberglassed them), and chainplates (took off and reseated with sealer - extra on the gap by the deck joint), and windows (resealed)... now dry... I still have a hand bilge pump for I don't know what... but it and the fire extinguisher, horn, and flares, VHF, kind of go with the PFDs and tethers.

I put everything I can as far forward as I can... (flashlights, extra rope, anchor, extra links, shackles etc)  you'll find the boat handles much better that way.

Fair winds

Dale