Dry cuddy

[bgreene]

With the V21 design of sliding bow section, completely dry cuddy has been a goal when the weather and waves are rough.

Over the past year or so, I've:
1. removed cuddy slider assembly, re caulked, re screwed, re assembled.
2. custom slider cover with rubber pressure flange and snaps.
3. clear silicone'd the entire rub railing top and bottom contact, to ensure no gaps into the hull.
4. replaced two thru hulls

Yesterday, after running back from seabass reef attempt in 2'-4' and related spray, I'm pleased to note nearly completely dry cutty. I'll add, only drips were off the cuddy door, which I figured out can also be eliminated. I believe this is about as good as it gets for this model boat.

Keeping this boat solid as it is, floor,transom, cuddy etc is good for me, and good for next owner should I ever sell........

[captpete13]

I would love for my cuddy to stay dry. I think the only way to do it would be to silicone the whole slider shut. But even if I did that it would still come over the windshield when I take waves over the bow.

[bgreene]

I hear you............ but it appears possible to keep it almost completely dry - with just a little drip, even when waves comes over bow.

I know from experience - I kept the cuddy door open when I was running in 2'-4' ocean chop with 20 + wind. When fussing with wreck anchor a big set hit with one over the bow, up the windshield, and some into the boat.

Watching inside the cuddy - it didn't take but a few drops of water dripping down from the dash.

The combination of bow slider cover I use and the other mod's made the big difference.

I had all curtains up, and chugging into the waves at approx. 15mph with tabs down, I forced heavy spray by quartering into the seas and waves.
I couldn't keep water from spitting up under where the curtains meet the windshield, but that would require pre tapping the entire thing with water proof tape and all the mess to take it off later.

If you have a V21, you can get the slider cover from Sam at Dynamic Upholstery in Cherry Hill, NJ. He kept the layout template to make more. Mine was the first, which we later modified to improve. If you want pics of mine, provide me with your email and I'll take some and send to you. It was annoying when I used to get water on the leading edge of the carpet where the storage areas are inside the cuddy, but I think I've got it beat now.

[bgreene]

I just thought of idea to reduce water spit under the curtains at the windshield - by adding a pressure rubber strip as I did with the bow slider.
The snaps keep the rubber strip pressed against the border, just enough to keep normal water from intruding.

I believe Sam could sew in the pressure strip same as he did for the bow slider cover.
Idea being just to cut that amount of water that " spits " in / under when the water slides up and wind is forcing the issue.

[Blue_Runner]

My buddy's Grady has velcro flaps sewn into the windshield zippers and velcro sewn into the part that snaps onto the windshield.

[bgreene]

Sounds like that may assist.