Cockpit floor - Prout 33

Sea Devil

Sea Devil

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Boulogne sur mer & Marbella Spain, Guadeloupe
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Does anybody know if the cockpit floor of a Prout 33 is one skin or two? I want to install a 'high chair' behind the wheel - seen it on other (bigger) Prouts but I am not clear if there is an inner and outer moulding at this area of the cockpit sole.

I am intending putting in a substantial SS backing plate would like like to know if I need some extra long bolts..???? Or any other advice..

Michael
 
I was going to ask you why you chose a catameran and why a Prout?

As for the question wont there be a sandwich? or as its cockpit GRP on ply wood??As you want to mount something just mark out the place and drill a fixing hole and use it to see whats below?
 
Talbot hi,
will do that but his is a 37 and I think there are some construction differences.

Trouville hi,
I got a cat because my wife has Alzheimer's and her balance became a problem. Because of where we live, my plan was to sail the boat down the coast to the Med each spring and then come back up the Canal du Midi. I met several Prouts in the Caribbean and EC USA and was very impressed with them. Good, solid, reliable boats offering lots of accommodation and cockpit space for the LOA. She actually sails quite well and I have been surprised by her windward abilities.

Sadly my plans have fallen apart as my wife is now so ill there is no question of her ever getting on a boat again so I am not quite sure what to do next but do not want to stand behind a wheel for hours on end so need to install a comfy chair...

Michael
 
Michael, I'm not 100% sure about the cockpit floor, but basically all horizonal surfaces on Prout's decks, cabin top and hatches are balsa sandwich. Need to be carefull if you drill / cut into this. Sides of all drilled holes and balsa must be well sealed with epoxy before you fit the bolts etc. All the areas on the decks and cabin where standard fittings are fixed are solid glass.

Comfy seat sounds good. Many including me make do with large shaped cushions on the cockpit side benches - and press buttons on the auto pilot. My auto pilot in a mark 1 belt driven thing - no good in big seas but does the job on most occasions. New one is on list.

Take care
 
To enlarge on my PM, now that I have seen your post Michael, I confirm that this area is definitely end grain balsa. While the idea of fitting a large stainless plate will do no harm, it is unnecessary if you fit large penny washers to the underside as the layup is quite heavy anyway. Also don't get too paranoid about epoxy sealing, just drill the holes well oversize and put lots of sikaflex around the bolt and down the hole before fitting. The side thrust on the seat is not going to be enormous and the vertical tube will break before the fitting pulls out of the floor!
 
Just a tip about sealing the bolts I always push the thread into the hole for the lenght that the nut will need to take up THEN apply masses of (butal rubber) mastic as i push the bolt through that way the nut will go on and come off!!And the hole will be sealed.

Later i can remove the bolts which if you use polyurathen you cant!!
 
Michael, the hull moulding of my Snowgoose is solid GRP, as far as I know the hull moulding of all Quests, Snowgoose 37's and Snowgoose Elites are solid GRP. Think some of the later models like the Event and Prout 39 had balsa or foam sandwich in the hull mouldings. Maybe this only applied to the later versions of these boats. Best ask boatmike to confirm.

Take care
 
The only sandwich construction in the hull moulding of some boats was on the hull sides well above the waterline to increase stiffness and stop hard spots in way of bulkheads. Not many like this though. The decks of all boats including coachroof and cockpit soles were balsa core. Vertical areas (window areas, coachroof sides, were single skin and all areas where stressed deck fittings are (cleats etc) have ply replacing the balsa.
 
Thats what i thought ive alway found on both GRP boats ive known that the cockpit had ply the deck foam.

On an old grp mobo i looked at the balsa core had rotted and turned to a black runny goo!! Be sure to seal all holes well!! Even ply dosent like damp encapsulation

Now if i were you id look at a wooden boat???

Sorry to hear about your wife i do hope she benifits from new treatments sorry again.(dont forget to leave you wi-fi on again next time im in La Rochell some around hear have secured their connection becouse i dident eat in their cafe)
 
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