Com-Pac 16 Berth Cushion Sizes?

[adboglek]

Boats on the hard up to camp for the winter and in need of some new cushions for the berth. I've seen it asked elsewhere along with suggestions of who to go through if I wanted to purchase new ones, but does anyone have a pattern or sizes for the berth cushions if I want to take a shot at making some myself? Most info I've been able to find is the stock cushions are about 8' in length. From pictures, the newer Legacy cushions seem to be fairly straight on the interior side while shaped to the hull outside, while the original CP-16 cushions had a radius on two sides. If anyone has detailed pattern info for the cushions or a detailed blueprint of the interior berth I'd be much appreciative.

[JTMeissner]

I may be able to send you some dimensions/templates soon.  I am gutting my CP-16 (original MK-1 model) and have the berths to take out.  I am about to make templates with some craft paper before I cut out the berths.  My model CP-16 doesn't look like some of the others I've seen on the net, the berths are straight from bow to stern instead of going together in a v-shape near the compression post.  You are correct, it's just shy of 8 full feet from the front to rear, about 2 feet at the widest point (about 2 inches overhang from the vertical support outside the keel).  Here are some pictures of the gutting if you'd like me to send templates of what I have.




-Justin

[GeeW]

adboglek
Can probably dig out a berth cushion to give you accurate measurements over the weekend if no-one chips in before.
Ours is a CP16/III but I do not think there is a difference unless somebody wishes to disagree on that point?

Gordon

[JTMeissner]

Andrew and I have corresponded via PM, but I figured I'll share the dimensions I measured with the group in case the question comes up in the future.  My boat is from the very beginning (1975), and there have been modifications so I cannot be 100% sure what things are original.  Regarding berths, as stated before, my berths are straight along the interior edges, whereas I've seen folks who have had the berths come together into a v-shape as the berths approach the bulkhead and compression post.  I've cut mine out as part of a refurb, and this is what they looked like:


The plywood has deteriorated over 40 years, and they came out in one piece only because the entire surface is covered in a layer of fiberglass mat.

I had purchased some plywood to make new berths, but I'm not satisfied with the quality so I need to get more.  While I had the old berths out I lined out some dimensions in case a template would be made versus tracing around the old one.  Having put in new bulkheads forward and stern, the measurements are not exactly the same anymore, and the old plywood is disintegrating around the edges (which may be noticeable in the photos).  On the starboard berth I measured it to be 7" 10" long along the straight line, then measured widths at one foot intervals starting at the front.








The width measurements starting along the forward bulkhead are: 10", 14", 17", 19-1/2", 20-3/4", 20-3/4", 20", 17-3/4", 14" (at the stern bulkhead).  Because the way the berths were covered with fiberglass and how I could get a blade along the hull to cut through that layer, the outside measurements should allow a slight fudge factor which will allow cushions to fit with non-vertical edges (they tend to round off over time).  The inside edges of the berths overhang the supports by a few inches (you can see the dark line in the second photo above where they sat on the supports), so adjust to your situation as necessary.

HTH,
Justin

[Chris D]

Thanks for the valuable information Justin. I have a '77 C-16 # 546 and the berth plywood is pretty rotted out and at some point ( this spring ) I need to replace them. Is your boat still on your trailer when you detached the deck? If not, how did you remove it?

Thanks
Chris

[JTMeissner]

Chris, I've been delaying a new thread with the refurb progress, but the answer to your question is the boat remains on its trailer.  I removed the tongue so the garage door would close.  I removed the rivets, sawed through the adhesive sealant (and repairs made with epoxy), and cut the scupper tubes in order to lift the deck.  It's still pretty heavy (no idea how much), but resting on 2x4s on tall sawhorses to allow me enough room to crawl inside.  It would be nice to have the deck completely out of the way, but I don't have the room. I shrunk the photos for the forum view, but they can be clicked upon to take you to the Photobucket folder with all of the shots as I've been progressing.

[Chris D]

Thank you Justin. You're looking knee deep in it. Very exciting stuff and inspiring. I look forward to watching the progress in future posts. May the glassing go easy.

[tmw]

Anybody ever consider making custom cushions from memory foam?  I saw Amazon had a memory foam twin size mattress topper on sale for like $70, and wondering if it would make good material for cabin cushions on the 16.