Dockrell 17 help needed!

suffolktim

New member
Joined
15 Jan 2013
Messages
52
Visit site
Hey guys...so I've moved from Suffolk to Bristol and Im now on the brink of upgrading my wayfarer for something bigger to put on the dinghy trot outside my new club.

I have been offered a Dockrell 17, sat on a trailer, and with some nice bits and bobs included...and I am definately going to take it. However there are issues that need resolving, and I am looking for help. There is a Dockrell owners forum, but I cant find any pics or info on specific jobs that need doing, and info on the web seems very sparce.

I will add photos later on, but basically she has a false floor, which should be sealed as a buoyancy chamber...but the wooden bearers underneath have started to break down and rot, so the floor has become slightly flexible, allowing the join around the centreboard case, stern, and side benches to split and open slightly when the floor is walked on.

Has anyone ever had one of these boats/dealt with this issue, and if so can new fibreglass encased wooden bearers be installed through the various hatches without having to cut the floor out first?

I would love to chat/make contact with any current or previous Dockrell 17 owners, and I look forward to getting it done and having her out on the water soon!

Cheers!!
 

suffolktim

New member
Joined
15 Jan 2013
Messages
52
Visit site
Hi Clive, yes I have found the above links...thank you for taking the time to put them together though. I need to get hold of PBO and try to get the reivews they did of the boat, and I am sure somewhere someone has taken pics of their re-build, or just some completed internal pics of a Dockrell 17. I am trying to add some of my own pics to illustrate my issues now.

Thanks again for your help so far - I really appreciate it.

cheers!
 

coopec

N/A
Joined
23 Nov 2013
Messages
5,216
Visit site
Thanks again for your help so far - I really appreciate it.

Thank you for your response: it is much appreciated.

Sadly many people ask for help, OPs offer their advice but you don't hear from the originator again.

I'll see if I can find more information (I see it as a challenge and more interesting than doing cross-words)

Cheers

Clive
 

suffolktim

New member
Joined
15 Jan 2013
Messages
52
Visit site
Thanks Clive - Ive tried to get hold of those articles, and cant get hold of the PBO team on the phone, or find the articles to download. I will try them again later.

So some pictures. As I said earlier, the floor suports that are visible under the hatches are rotten, and only just holding up. I really dont want to cut the whole floor out to get to them, so Im looking for ideas as to what I can do.

I have also included a photo of the front hatch, and it looks like the bow of the boat has been filled with the dreaded expanding foam, which looks like it hasnt entirely worked, judging by the drain holes the bottom of it. I have a feeling I will be digging that out. Its just going to take up water and get heavy!

Finally I have added a few close-ups of the glassing attempt around where the floor seals, which has started to fail, and a crack line appears if you put weight on the floor near to it. I am considering chipping this away and putting new fibreglass cloth in place instead.

I would love opinions and other alternatives to these ideas, and if anyone is a D17 owner I would love to hear from them to!

Cheers!!

HATCHES EITHER SIDE OF MAST...



INSIDE ONE OF THE HATCHES, YOU CAN SEE THE WOODEN FLOOR BEARER ROTTING...







EXPANDING FOAM UNDER FRONT HATCH...



ATTEMPT TO RE-SEAL FLOOR AROUND SEATS....



CLOSE UP....



 

suffolktim

New member
Joined
15 Jan 2013
Messages
52
Visit site
With the now orange coloured seal around the seats and floor, what do people think of the idea chipping/grinding it off as much as possible and replacing it with cloth tape instead?
 

forelle541

Member
Joined
12 Dec 2004
Messages
460
Location
Ipswich
Visit site
My mate has had one of these for a long while, after the Wayfarer you may find her sailing a bit sedate. Very heavy if you get stuck on a beach, you will not drag her back to the water! Safe for youngsters and good on a mooring.
 

suffolktim

New member
Joined
15 Jan 2013
Messages
52
Visit site
Hey forelle...that actually sounds perfect for us at the moment! Its going on a dinghy trot, and we have youngsters. Im a bit concerned that if we did manage to capsise it water would collect under the floor, and that none of the buoyancy it was designed with is currently working - I just want to make it as safe as possible for the family. I dont suppose your mate would be willing to chat would he? Where abouts is he based? Cheers!
 

William_H

Well-known member
Joined
28 Jul 2003
Messages
13,626
Location
West Australia
Visit site
The sealing around the base of the seats appears to me to be a result of flexing of this area. So sealing won't work. You need to put tape and epoxy across the gap that is sufficiently strong to stop any movement. Like at least 3mm of glass. Abrade the surface well before applying glass and epoxy. Paint it with 2 pack white.
Regarding the rotten wood in floor bearers. This is a real problem. You may be able to fill the rotten voids with epoxy and filler but that would be a real bodge. On the other hand in the big picture it may not be worth doing more. good luck olewill
 

Seajet

...
Joined
23 Sep 2010
Messages
29,177
Location
West Sussex / Hants
Visit site
Top