Hi all,
I have a new (to me!) DS1 with a solid, flat floor above the bilge. (air space in the bilge) I took a couple of core samples last weekend and the floor sandwich (looks like fiberglass, plywood, fiberglass) was completely soaked and there was some water in the bilge.
My plan (subject to your input) is to rip out the entire floor, add oak cross pieces (frames) and epoxy/glass them to the hull (with proper drain limbar holes) and then put in removable floorboards that will sit on the cross pieces. This will not be watertight so rain water will collect in the bilge below the waterline... possibly sinking the boat if it's not attended to.
This would probably make the boat ineligable for class races, but that's not really an issue for me.
What does the group think?
Thanks,
Dick, Portland, ME