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Finally finished piecing the deck together on my Chesapeake 17! I have a few questions about the next steps.
- I ran planks long through the cockpit area. The shearwater instructions has a cockpit apron which the CH17 doesn't. When should I cut the cockpit to shape? Before/after fiberglassing the underside of the deck?
- I'm 6'3" and always have to twist to get in. I am thinking of widening the fore portion of the cockpit combing so that the width is the same all the way around giving me a few more inches getting my knees/legs in and out. I figure I'm tall enough that I don't need that portion of the combing/deck for bracing. Has anyone done this? Any forseen drawbacks (other than short people not being able to use my boat)?
- Finally, the kit came with nails for securing the deck. The Shearwater instructions glue the hybrid deck down. I assume that I should glue. It should look nicer and I'd worry about the cedar slat splitting.
Thanks in advance for the advice!
John
3 replies:
RE: Hybrid deck questions
Do you use a spray skirt? If you change the dimension of the cockpit opening to an odd size, you may not be able to fit a skirt.
RE: Hybrid deck questions
Not planning on changing the outer demensions of the cockpit, just taking an inch or so out of the front "keyhole" shape so that the thickness/width of the combing is the same all the way around - so I can still use my spray skirt.
john
RE: Hybrid deck questions
» Submitted by tgroot - Thu, 9/13/12 » 1:22 PM
Im not sure I can help but I found it interesting that im at the exact point you are at with the chesapeake 17 hybrid. I was planning on smoothing or rough cutting the planks that run through the cockpit and then fiberglassing the underside. I would offically cut the cockpit after this, possibly after I fiberglass the topside of the deck????? Anyone else know for sure???
Im also 6'3" I would be afraid to lose bracing support if I widened the fore portion of the cockpit but my legs may be thinner than yours??? Im guessing i could widen the fore portion of the cockpit at a later stage if I run into the same issues. Hopefully someone with more experience will post.
Thickened epoxy for the deck. I think the nails were just part of the original Chesapeake 17 kit. Thanks Tom