Cabin sole boards - screwing down

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I'm planning on fixing mine down with Hand removable machine screws or locking fastners... the sort with a D ring that can be turned by hand, and slightly recessed.... fast access, yet secure... my concern is that my sole boards are 2" thick, and very heavy, so if sent flying would do a LOT of damage.

 

[spottydog]

I would like to secure the sole hatches in my Vega, but unsure how to do it.
The sole is mostly a grp moulding, with the hatches in ply set into it. One problem is that if you are stood a the bottom of the companionway, facing aft, passing the time of day, yor feet can suddenly slide from under you as the board you are standing on decided to jump out of place. Has led to more than one spilled cup of tea!

Can only find one photo at the mo that shows the cabin sole...

Rob, On my Vega I have a couple of wooden battens screwed across the aperture with c/s screws through the recessed cabin sole moulding and the ply screwed to the battens. A suitable screwdriver is always very close by.

 

[maby]

There have been instances in the Sadlers and Starlights of people fixing screws into the hull liners and hitting water pipes which are buried in the foam infill. Very difficult to fix.

So you would not recommend 12 inch coach bolts either?

 

[snooks]

My floor boards can't be removed and I only have inspection hatches.

 

[robp]

My floor boards can't be removed and I only have inspection hatches.

Mine don't and I'd hate to have an inversion on a return from Cherbourg's wine merchants! It'd be OK though because the sole goes over the wine cartons and more wine cartons hold the sole down... Stability is good too

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

We have over 20 separate sole boards. Some are screwed done as there is nothing underneath that you need to access in a hurry. Others have lifting rings.

There are some very nice catches tht I have seen on other Rustlers that rotate so you get the best of both worlds i.e. quick access and no chance of them flying around.

 

[KellysEye]

I think it depends on what sort of sailing you do. Weeken/holiday sailing in fine weather then no need to screw the floors down. Ocean sailing doesn't really need it either except in the southern ocean where many boats have rolled. A knockdown would be unlikely to lift the floorboards unless you went further than 90 degrees.

More likely to happen is cupboards fly open in heavy weather, so secure those if you are likely to sail in that.

 

[Seajet]

The ultimate solution must be to secure the floorboards with Dzus fasteners ?

Used on supersonic aircraft to secure skin panels on equipment bays etc, basically a special anchor nut and a flush fastener which engages on it, 1/4 or 1/2 turn I can't remember...

I have heard of these being used on boats, maybe someone like Protex would know more.

On my small boat I have inspection hatches in the floors and a roving bilge pump hose, but I would be poorly placed if a hole was punched in an inaccessible bit of the bottom; it would take major surgery to change that ( or maybe me, frightened, with a crowbar ), which may or may not happen if I am spared long enough.

This is the sort of lesson of experience one would hope built into all boats, it's not news except to novices, yet we are all in the position of having to modify !

This is one of the reasons I dream of building new boats, though of course if one incorporates things like Q/D flooring, the already non-existent profit is supposed to evaporate; there must be a way...

 

[bob234]

That has occured to me Dave, drilling into the hull lining doesnt seem to sensible to me. I wonder if course velcro might do the job instead.

Hi Moody,

The purpose of fixing the floorboards, as I understand it, is not only to stop the boards flying aound, but also to stop whatever is stored under them.

I have anodes and spare pumps etc underneath the boards and velcro wouldn't hold them in place if there was a roll over.

So I think the velcro solution would only work if your boards are light and there was nothing of any weight stored underneath.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[Seven Spades]

My Bowman built Starlight has its boards screwed down. It stops them "bouncing" when you walk on them. I would think the chances of being holed below the waterline are about 1/500th of a knockdown.

 

[Polly1]

What about the engine?
If that came loose it could sink the boat

 

[Twister_Ken]

What about the engine?
If that came loose it could sink the boat

I think you'll find the engine is screwed down, not fitted loose or held in place with Velcro.

 

[Blueboatman]

Presumably it is possible in most cases to arrange a screwed on flange under one end of each sole board so that only one of these natty twist n lock devices need be purchased and meticulously fitted at t'other end on the microscopically thin, teak veneered, visible surface.

 

[Boo2]

Has anyone used these lifting catches from Seascrew ?

I was thinking of pinning the floorboards down in my boat and these look useful but it's hard to guage what they're like just from the photos.

Boo2

 

[RupertW]

I really like the look of those, and those would work very well with a flange or hinges as approproate on the opposite edge.

Look forward to feedback on them

 

[robp]

Has anyone used these lifting catches from Seascrew ?

I was thinking of pinning the floorboards down in my boat and these look useful but it's hard to guage what they're like just from the photos.

Boo2

They are nice but the problem in many cases is that the hinge or flange would be on another lifting board. If not then there is most often not enough room to hinge the baord up - only lift and slide out.

 

[prv]

Easy peasy for me, I don't have any sole boards. Just a length of rubber-backed doormat on the encapsulated ballast.

Pete

 

[Kelpie]

Similar idea on eBay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Samuel-He...734?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item5890be02e6

But what is 'Polished Chromium Plated'? Will it be suitable for marine use? I suppose it depends on what the chromium is being used to plate...

 

[James Marinero]

Bungee

Glass some plywood eyes to the top of the keel. Hooks under the boards, with finger holes. Bungee between the two. No more spilt tea, quick access when needed.

 

[PetiteFleur]

All my sole boards are screwed down with stainless screws with four inspection hatches around the centreline with lift up eyes. When I first got the boat 5 years ago all the boards were flexing and squeeky so I lifted them all, fitted new bearers, added more where it was flexing and stiffened up other areas. Then screwed them down about every 12". Now nice and firm with no flexing. I like the lift up catch as illustrated as it would allow inspection hatches to remain insitu in a knockdown situation. The opposite side to the catch would have to have a 'tongue' to slip under the adjacent board or another catch.