I have recently come into possession (last summer) of a 21' 1980
Dimarco Day Cruiser (although my reading suggests that it's not a true
day cruiser) inboard jet. This was my father-in-law's boat and my
daughter has very fond memories of lying in the 8+ feet of space
beneath the bow. My two-year-old also has fun doing the same and has
drifted off to sleep on my lap at the helm on a couple of lake trips
and given us some nice quiet time after I tossed her "below deck."

I have a couple of questions for the helpful people he

Is it safe to have a toddler under there while under way? (Reckless
driving, not withstanding)

If so, I would like to do something to manage the storage area under
there, so that she is not lying on oars and water-skis. I was thinking
of something as basic as straps looped from top to bottom of the
support structures (those vertical, flat pieces of fiberglass
perpendicular to the wall that curve inward between the floor and the
underside of the bow (ceiling?)) into which I could feed the long
unwieldy gear. Is this a good idea? Maybe someone here could suggest
something.

This boat uses what I believe is called the international lighting
scheme, with a masthead light in the "dashboard"/console. The masthead
light, which is now missing, was a pole mounted light that plugged into
a two-prong base and used a locking collar. I haven't had much luck
finding a light suited to this specific application. Can someone direct
me or should I start shopping for a whole new masthead setup or even
redo the lighting scheme? I really like the fact that the light could
be removed for day running, since that area is frequently climbed over
for sunning on the bow. (On the deck? fore-deck?)


Lastly, I'm sure that any mechanic automotive or marine could tell me
this, but I forgot to ask when I took it in to be winterized: Does
anyone have a guess as to what engine (stock) this boat has?

I have gotten a lot of great info here and wish to thank the
contributors for sharing their knowledge.

Kirk Suffka.

"Kirk" wrote in message
oups.com...

Is it safe to have a toddler under there while under way? (Reckless
driving, not withstanding)

If so, I would like to do something to manage the storage area under
there, so that she is not lying on oars and water-skis. I was thinking
of something as basic as straps looped from top to bottom of the
support structures (those vertical, flat pieces of fiberglass
perpendicular to the wall that curve inward between the floor and the
underside of the bow (ceiling?)) into which I could feed the long
unwieldy gear. Is this a good idea? Maybe someone here could suggest
something.

I'd rather see something rigid, like wooden racks, along with a redundant
feature (perhaps straps), so that unless something absolutely catastrophic
happens, there's absolutely no way anything will come loose and hurt a kid.
Some injuries can't be fixed. And, of course, she should always have a vest
on.

Hi Doug,

Thanks for the reply. She knows she has to put on her vest before she
gets into the boat. The only issue is getting Mom and Dad to set a
proper example.

About the storage: what about another wall on one or both sides of
that space parallel to the side of the boat to make a sort of cubby
with the center left free and uncluttered? I would like to put some
sort of dense gym mat down (cut to fit) over the carpet and could put
some on the walls as well. Also, I've entertained the notion of
sleeping under there the night before the start of the fishing season
here in Minnesota (sans family.) It's not a good fishing boat, I know,
but I'm not a good fisherman.

Anyway, I just really like the idea of having a child-sized space
under the bow and I'll never get another chance with this one. But it
has to be safe and functional.

Another Question: Can anyone think of any other cool amenities for my
daughters "house" as she calls it? I've ruled out the DVD player so
far, because that's not the experience I'm trying to give her (might
reconsider with the terrible two's knocking,) but any suggestions about
decorations, comfort features, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

P.S., would you call this a kiddy kabin?

"Kirk" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Doug,

Thanks for the reply. She knows she has to put on her vest before she
gets into the boat. The only issue is getting Mom and Dad to set a
proper example.

About the storage: what about another wall on one or both sides of
that space parallel to the side of the boat to make a sort of cubby
with the center left free and uncluttered? I would like to put some
sort of dense gym mat down (cut to fit) over the carpet and could put
some on the walls as well. Also, I've entertained the notion of
sleeping under there the night before the start of the fishing season
here in Minnesota (sans family.) It's not a good fishing boat, I know,
but I'm not a good fisherman.

Anyway, I just really like the idea of having a child-sized space
under the bow and I'll never get another chance with this one. But it
has to be safe and functional.

Another Question: Can anyone think of any other cool amenities for my
daughters "house" as she calls it? I've ruled out the DVD player so
far, because that's not the experience I'm trying to give her (might
reconsider with the terrible two's knocking,) but any suggestions about
decorations, comfort features, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

P.S., would you call this a kiddy kabin?


LED light. LED because it doesn't get hot, and uses lithium batteries. Clips
on wherever she wants it. It's something she can control. This one's nice:
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/attachme...=69659&I=66255

Fishing pole, naturally. Never too young to get them on the godly path of
fishing.

On 21 Feb 2006 14:14:11 -0800, "Kirk" wrote:

Hi Doug,

Thanks for the reply. She knows she has to put on her vest before she
gets into the boat. The only issue is getting Mom and Dad to set a
proper example.

About the storage: what about another wall on one or both sides of
that space parallel to the side of the boat to make a sort of cubby
with the center left free and uncluttered? I would like to put some
sort of dense gym mat down (cut to fit) over the carpet and could put
some on the walls as well. Also, I've entertained the notion of
sleeping under there the night before the start of the fishing season
here in Minnesota (sans family.) It's not a good fishing boat, I know,
but I'm not a good fisherman.

Anyway, I just really like the idea of having a child-sized space
under the bow and I'll never get another chance with this one. But it
has to be safe and functional.

Another Question: Can anyone think of any other cool amenities for my
daughters "house" as she calls it? I've ruled out the DVD player so
far, because that's not the experience I'm trying to give her (might
reconsider with the terrible two's knocking,) but any suggestions about
decorations, comfort features, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

P.S., would you call this a kiddy kabin?

I bought some 2'x2' sections of 'gym' or playroom mat from Home Depot.
Great stuff, about 3/4" thick. I took out the thick cushions and put that
stuff inside the cuddy. It also keeps the fishing gear from sliding around
on the bare fiberglass.

I've let young kids play in the cuddy, but only when anchored or moving
*very* slowly. A decent sized wake, while you are planing, will have the
kid bouncing all over the place.
--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

Thanks for the tip, John!
Here's a bunch of follow-up questions to deter you from helping me in
the future.

Did you mean to say that you used the foam padding naked instead of
with the vinyl(?) cover? If so, is it the kind of stuff that might
cause rashes in contact with sensitive skin? Was if a matter of
breathability? Could the padding be covered with fabric? Did you affix
them to the floor? What kind of boat do you have?

What about making the padding removable for drying (Velcro, etc)?
Also, is it worthwhile to look at padding that's marine specific (i.e.
mold, mildew resistant?)

I'm sorry about pestering everyone here, but I assure you I am taking
notes and will post pictures when I get started.

Unrelated request: suggestions for non-slip mat for the bow. It
should be removable, drain well, non-marring. Durability and ease of
storage are minor concerns. Also, the edges could be anchored to the
bases of the bow rail supports. Just so no one needs to ask, this
would not be used while underway; the boat serves a raft much of the
time, and my wife will be in her second and third trimester this
summer. I'm therefore trying to make the boat as easy to get around on
as possible.

My sincere thanks to all of you.

Kirk Suffka.

On 22 Feb 2006 07:03:09 -0800, "Kirk" wrote:

Thanks for the tip, John!
Here's a bunch of follow-up questions to deter you from helping me in
the future.

Did you mean to say that you used the foam padding naked instead of
with the vinyl(?) cover? If so, is it the kind of stuff that might
cause rashes in contact with sensitive skin? Was if a matter of
breathability? Could the padding be covered with fabric? Did you affix
them to the floor? What kind of boat do you have?

I used the padding as is. It is made to interlock, so I cut out a paper
pattern while on the boat, came home and cut out the padding on the garage
floor. It is not a 'soft' padding that would cause a rash. The body does
not sink into it. I'm not sure what you mean by breathability. Again, this
is not a soft, cushy padding. It's more like a medium soft rubber. Covering
this with fabric wouldn't work too well. I didn't even consider it because
I wanted access to the storage in my cuddy cabin. With the interlocking
pieces I can remove one or two pieces, get to the storage compartment, and
then put the pieces back. No, I didn't affix them to the floor for the
reason I just mentioned. I have a 21' Proline w/a cuddy. Similar to :

http://tinyurl.com/nqzys , but with an I/O.


What about making the padding removable for drying (Velcro, etc)?
Also, is it worthwhile to look at padding that's marine specific (i.e.
mold, mildew resistant?)


See above removability. I can easily take mine out. I've not had a mold
problem in three years of use.


I'm sorry about pestering everyone here, but I assure you I am taking
notes and will post pictures when I get started.

Unrelated request: suggestions for non-slip mat for the bow. It
should be removable, drain well, non-marring. Durability and ease of
storage are minor concerns. Also, the edges could be anchored to the
bases of the bow rail supports. Just so no one needs to ask, this
would not be used while underway; the boat serves a raft much of the
time, and my wife will be in her second and third trimester this
summer. I'm therefore trying to make the boat as easy to get around on
as possible.

You could probably use this same stuff for the bow. Not sure though. You
could consider RhinoLiner. I've got it in the bed of my pickup and it's
very non-slip. It's a spray-on, and they do boats.


My sincere thanks to all of you.

Kirk Suffka.

--
'Til next time,

John H

******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************