DaySailer.org Forum

Hi, I am new to the world of Daysailers and I am in love with our "new" DSI (circa 1962). Not supprisingly, she needs some TLC.

One problem is that there is a crack on her afterdeck running from the cockpit almost to the transom on the port side. I noticed that there are no knees supporting the deck there, so I wonder if after fixing the crack it is advisable to put a knee under the deck of both sides? Marine plywood?

Hi NavahoIII

I have a 67 DS I which I turned over last winter in order to redo the hull. In the process, I took off the coamings and inspected the two knee braces at the forward end of the cockpit. The plywood had delaminated and wasn't even supporting the deck. I also noticed cracking at the rear deck corners of the cockpit. So I made up three new knee braces for each side using 3/4" treated plywood and epoxied them in place using thickened epoxy. Once dry, I spraypainted each brace in order to protect the epoxy from UV degradation. While I was at it, I also drilled out all of the existing screw holes that had fastened the coamings with a 1/4" drill and filled the holes back up using thickened epoxy and a bovine syringe that I purchased at our local ag supply store. Very happy with the results-- a very firm side deck and firmly attached coamings. Good Luck.

Thanks for the advice!

How would you keep the knees in place while the epoxy hardens? Use screws too?

Is the 3/4" treated plywood virtually the same as marine? What is it treated with? What about plain old pressure treated lumber?

NavahoIII:

I had the boat upside down, so the knees stayed in place on their own.

And, yes, I used pressute-treated 3/4" ply. They sometimes sell 2'x2' at Home Depot and Lowes around here. I think marine would probably be better, but I can't see shelling out $ 80.00 for what the knees require.

Regards,

Wyatt