Raising deck above water line...

[Bonakyon]

Hello all, new to the forum and need some advise on a modification. I have come across the hull of a 1981 Sea Ray srv 210, there is nothing original that is usable on the boat. I plan to put in a Volvo D3-160 DPS and convert it to a center console. From what I have seen, its apparent this year model did not have a self draining deck (please correct me if I am wrong.) and where I run, every now and then a wave will come over the bow, or if left overnight at another dock, and we get a heavy down pour, like we often do in these parts, I would not be able to sleep trusting in an automatic float switch that I have seen fail on enough occasions. The questions I have are, can I safely raise the deck to make it self draining without any issues..? Has anyone done this with this model before..? I?ve done a little research and from what I have learnt I believe 4 inches will be sufficient. Any thought?? Thanks in advance for any input?

 

[sheboyganjohn]

Re: Raising deck above water line...

The biggest concern is raising the center of gravity, but I don't know if the 4" would be that bad. Is that a cuddy cabin or an open bow? From the Sea Ray archives it shows the 210 as a cuddy, so I am not sure how you would make that into a center console.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Raising deck above water line...

You'd also be loosing freeboard inside when you raise the deck height, although going to a center console, I doubt you're fishing w/ unstable elderly people or small children that might be at risk of falling in.

 

[Bonakyon]

Re: Raising deck above water line...




This is what she looks like at the moment...

Yes, it is a cuddy model. I plan on cutting away most of the cuddy where the windshield is located and leave a small area in the bow that will remain a dry storage area with an access door.

here is the plant I have for now...


She will be brought home in the coming week and the clean up work will begin...

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Raising deck above water line...

Are the stingers and transom rotted?

 

[Bonakyon]

Re: Raising deck above water line...

Are the stingers and transom rotted?

Stringers are gone. The transom, I don't know yet, will know for sure in about a week, but most likely it will get replaced aswell...

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Raising deck above water line...

4" will make little difference, so raising it will be fine, and rather easy.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Raising deck above water line...

Stringers are gone. The transom, I don't know yet, will know for sure in about a week, but most likely it will get replaced aswell...

A rotten transom is just about guaranteed, even if it wasn't rotten I'd still replace it... I'm sure there'd be hidden rot somewhere in it.

 

[Chris1956]

If you are converting a cuddy to an open style, you need to stiffen the gunwales of the bow to make up for the loss of structure the closed bow provides. You will need to raise the floor, in order to have the deck above the waterline, but the extra weight of the higher deck, will tend to make the height requirement greater. So you will need to do some sort of analysis to determine how high the deck needs to be with the boat empty of people, and add some height for the "live load".

BTW - I had a boat similar to what you have. I doubt a single strong rain storm could sink it, even w/o a functioning bilge pump. A few weeks of rain is a different story. There are also drawbacks to a self-bailing cockpit. For starters, they can be wet all the time from waves hitting the transom. My current boat has a self-bailing cockpit. If everyone goes to the transom, the boat begins to take on water. That old SeaRay would have kept your feet dry.

 

[Bonakyon]

Thanks for the replies fellas, I appreciate the interest, but... the owner backed out on the deal so its back to being boatless and looking...