[Rhodes22-list] Cockpit Drainage Channel - Cracking

[Graham Stewart]

On my boat the lazerette bulkhead is sealed off but the bulkhead under the companion way has what I have always thought was a drain hole. As water intrusion below the sole is always possible, if not inevitable, it makes sense to me that it is there. 

The purpose of the foam, as I understand it, was to give the boat buoyancy should it be swamped so it was “unsinkable “. I have not heard of a case where that was actually tested. 
Personally, I would grind out the crack in the lazerette and reglass it - especially if your boat is subject to freezing in the winter. 
I would look for cracks or holes in the cabin sole where water might get in and fix them. 
If there is a drain hole below the companion way, I would make sure it isn’t blocked and then use a tube connected to a shop vac to blow air into the cavity for 12 hours or so to dry out the cavity. If the is no drain hole I would be tempted to make one. You don’t want water to get trapped there. 

If the cabin sole is very soft, you might cut it out to remove the old foam and replace it. That is not an impossible job but, personally, I would not do it unless the sole is so soft it was cracking. 

Not having full flotation makes the Rhodes 22  more like every other boat out there. Repairing fibreglass is a pita for sure but not particularly difficult.  I would be very reluctant to assume the boat is a write off if it is otherwise ok. 

Graham
Agile, 1976

> On Oct 26, 2026, at 2:10 AM, ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Otto,
> 
> There is floatation foam under the cockpit.  The foam compartment is separated from the lazerette by the bulkhead you are asking about.  If you check in the cabin, you will find a similar bulkhead at the aft end of the cabin back up under the step.  If these 2 bulkheads are compromised, it is possible for bilge water to move from the cabin bilge to the lazerette and vice versa.  If your cockpit/lazerette bulkhead shows damage; then, it is likely your cockpit/cabin bulkhead is damaged as well.  If you have water infiltration into the under cockpit foam, this would be very serious.  It’s probably not a DIY repair job.  Does your cockpit sole feel “punky” or does it oil can?  It should feel as rigid as a concrete sidewalk.  You should have the boat surveyed.  This may cost more to repair than the boat is worth.  Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
> 
> Roger Pihlaja
> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> Sanford, MI  1978
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Oct 25, 2026, at 6:09 PM, Otto Ohngren <ohngreno at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Hello from Oregon,
>> 
>> My Rhodes 22 was manufactured in 1992 and factory refurbished in 2012. It is sailed on the Columbia River near Hermiston.
>> 
>> Cracking has developed in the cockpit drainage channel at the aft end of the boat along the bottom exterior of the lazarette. The cracks are on both sides of the scupper hole. They may be the result of a prior freezing event. On the inside of the lazarette the bulkhead seems solid.
>> 
>> Visible from inside the lazarette below the bulkhead is a slightly recessed parallel secondary wall, which continues to the bottom of the hull. It is positioned near where the scupper plumbing comes through the lazarette. The aft end of the cockpit tub floor (my term) is above that thin secondary wall. There appears to be flotation material on the other side of the wall. The fiberglass fabric making up that secondary wall is deteriorated and torn.
>> 
>> I’m wondering how common these two conditions are, how serious are they, and what is the best way to repair them? Are the repairs something a versatile owner with no prior fiberglass experience can properly accomplish or are they best left to a pro? Qualified marine fiberglass professionals, if any, are scant in these parts. I’m going to be selling her one of these days and want to ensure these two issues are properly remedied.
>> 
>> Any insight or suggestions for the good of the cause will be very much appreciated. Photos are attached.
>> 
>> Thank you,
>> 
>> -Otto Ohngren
>> 
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>> Sent from my iPhone