DaySailer.org Forum

I'm starting this new thread because we moved on from the original article that started this discussion. This is where I left off before the Texas boats took off on their adventure. Here is the image promised (near the end of the thread) of my modified cockpit:





Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 1:20 pm Post subject:

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talbot,

I'm also interested in seeing pictures of your rowing seat.

My rowing seat is a board that spans across the seats and CB trunk similar to a thwart, but is removed while under sail. I'd like to improve on it before I leave on Sunday if possible.

John
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1976 Daysailer II, sail #8075
Early 50's Beetle Boat Swan Catboat

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talbot



Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 126
Location: Eugene, Oregon
Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2010 7:10 pm Post subject:

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I've been travelling and just got back in town. I'll try to get out to the marina tomorrow and take a picture. As for the description:

I mounted 1x2 strips of oak, about 8" long, on the trunk and the opposite tanks. The 1x6 oak thwarts sit on these strips, held in place with #10 bolts.

Fine points:
The placement of the thwarts was pretty much determined by the only available space on the CB trunk. To serve as a rowing seat, they had to be as far forward as possible while clearing the jib cams and CB downhual. On the DS I, I believe the thwarts are farther forward, up by the cams.

The 8" strips are mainly held on with 3M-5200 adhesive. They have three screws as well, but I couldn't go very far into the trunk for fear of hitting the centerboard.

The #10 bolts are semi-permanently fixed to the thwarts with t-nuts, so removing each thwarts involves just lifting the whole assembly out. There are no loose parts. Once I decided I didn't need to remove the thwarts, I put nyloc nuts on the bolts. The holes in the 8" strips are reinforced wtih bronze bushings.

The trunk top is higher than the cockpit tanks. Each thwart butts against the trunk on the inboard end. Outboard, it rests on the top of the tank, with a shim to fill the space between the thwart and the support. That creates a more or less level thwart.

My centerboard trunk is not in the center of my boat, the tanks are not parallel to the trunk, and the tanks do not even converge on the cuddy at the same angle. So I had to mount the strips first, then custom-cut the thwarts for each space. I wasted some pretty wood with measurement and cutting errors. Most cuts were done with a jigsaw, with some rasping and sanding to get the pieces to conform to the irregularities of the boat.

I mitre-cut all square board ends so there are no sharp corners to catch things on. I chose to varnish the oak because it looks nice, but check back with me after it's cooked in the sun for a season.

I got a private message asking for details on my removable rowing seat/cockpit table.

I built it fast and dirty in about an hour out of some 1/2" MDO plywood I had laying around left over from the last boat I built. I doubled the thickness to 1" by nailing two layers of MDO together. I think the rest is pretty self explanitory.

Here are the photos:













This last photos shows the bit of stuff you put under rugs to keep them from sliding on hardwood floors I use between the seat and the centerboard trunk. It serves the dual function of keeping the seat from sliding around and padding the trunk.

I hope people find this useful.

Where did you rig the oarlocks?

SHort answer is "about 11-12" abaft of the aftmost edge of the rowing seat." This give pretty satisfactory geometry for fixed-seat rowing.

To attach the oarlocks I gained access to the inside of the coaming by fitting 8" screw out inspection ports to the inside of the cockpit approximately in between the jib tracks and where I wanted the oarlocks to be. This facilitates servicing both the oarlocks and the (rotting) plywood backing on for the jib tracks.

I put my oarlocks on a line approximately where the mainsheet block attached to the centerboard trunk. I used 5" access ports. After installing I wish I had used 6" or 8" ports, the size I used were definately too small.

mistermoon,

I was on the Water Tribe site the other day and noticed your already registered for the 2011 Everglades Challenge. I know your definately making preparations and I would be interested in seeing anything else you devise that you didn't have on the 2010 Florida 120. Curious, have you come up with anything special for dropping your mast (mainly supporting it while down and rowing) to get into check point 1 at the EC. I'll be trying the Texas 200 again in 2011.

John

Hello,

First of all - Thanks to everyone for all the info- a great help to new boat owner. Just bought a '73 Daysailer II and can't wait to get it on the water.

I'm setting it up to row as a backup and wanted to confirm the installation of the oarlocks... The guy at my loacl boat shop says there won't be much torque on the locks themselves and so just screwing into the boat is fine.... no need to open it up and screw the oarlocks into a backing using an inspection port. Can anyone else weigh in...

One note... For a rowing seat.....I bought a middle row canoe seat (41") and have added a 8' piece of 5/4 wood with cedar shims (to adjust for the angle) at either end. I'll post a pic soon.

Thanks for any advice!!

The guy at your boatshop is just wrong. There is a lot of torque on the oarlocks in both the fore and aft and up and down directions. This is coupled with the fact that the glass in the area of the cockpt coaming isn't very thick, so there's really nothing there for screws to bite into and hold. The glass is less than 1/8" thick. You definitely need backing large backing plates bonded to the underlying glass and the only way to access the area is with access ports.

Thanks for your quick reply and the info....That's kind of how I felt, but didn't know enough...

I found one person who used a strip of wood, but you mentioned "backing plates" - Can you explain if that's a specific thing or general term for wood or plastic?

Any online descriptions of the procedure? I recall finding some online explanations, but can't find them now...

Thanks!
Vince

I used aluminum backing plates when I installed my oar locks.

John

Some people use cut-off from premanufactured fiberglass panels (or a stack of them).

Anytime you use wood, you need to very carefully epoxy seal it (including any bore holes) or you'll eventually get rot.