Well I need some suggestions........

[C YENSEN]

I have an I/O for those of you who dont know and I was going to put the new battery in yesterday (i replace one every year). So i take the old one out and put the new one in, and it fell through the floor. I am not sure what the battery location looks like on an OB. but on an I/O these is a small platform on each side for it to sit on. So after a little digging, I come to find that the plywood under the fiberglass is now TOPSOIL. and that is no exaggeration. I mean TOPSOIL. I/O's are made to drain the deck through the rear deck drains across the battery platform and then through a hole down into the bilge. well I guess 24 years is too much for the battery platform to be able to take on water. So I RIPPED all of it out. and need to build a new battery platform for each side. Any suggestions I was going to use Starboard. I have pictures and will post them at lunch today. Forgot to bring the camera to work.

[C YENSEN]

NOBODY WANTS TO HELP ME

[parishht]

I think you are on the right track to make new boxes out of Starboard.
But, since it is not an area that is visible to the naked eye,
why not check out the new plastic lumbers at Home Depot?
They may end up being a lot cheaper than Starboard.

He77 if you remember, I replaced my rear hatches with left over plastisized deck boards.
Painted white with the plastic paints.

[Stillrunning]

I have not seen one on a I/O but why not just make it out of wood and encapsulate it in fiberglass? Its held up for 25 years another 25 and the boat will fall apart around the battery holder.

[C YENSEN]

i would do it in fiberglass but I got a buddy coming to town on saturday and the main reason he is coming it to go fishing. so it has to be ready to go saturday morning or he wil...... me.

so here is the pic of what it looked like when i took the battery out. you can see the drain from the deck on the right. water runs out there and works it way around the battery and down the side of the platform to a hole that leads to the bilge. (last pic)



and here it is after i cut out the fiberglass



here is the other side all torn out



and here is what came out of it.





filled the battery box full of what used to be plywood



and here is the hole under the motor where the water is supposed to drain out from under the battery box. the wall on the right is the battery box. the bottom of the bilge is too the left.

[jjjtronics]

I second Stillrunning, wood or plywood, well soaked with F.G.resin, will last a long time.
By the way, a couple of months ago I visited a friend, and he has a 17`open boat made completely out of nylon/plastic, kind of like "Little Tykes" type of hard plastic. He said it`s guaranteed for life. It looks good, and feels strong. I liked it. Wonder how long it will last.

[macojoe]

Wow my I/O was different and I am glad!! How it the rest of the deck?? I would for a quick fix just do with what ever is cheap and get the season done, over the winter you can take your time and go it right!

Plastic lumber suggested would be fine.

[C YENSEN]

The deck suprisingly is as hard as a pecker on prom night. the stern of the boat however is soft and the plywood inside the transom is wet.

This may be the last season for the old girl. She has been one hell of a boat for the last 4 years I have had her. but she is falling apart at the seams.

gonna price some starboard tonight and if too much money i will due it out of pressure treated plywood.

[Blue_Runner]

Can you connect a section of hose to those deck drains to get the water from point A to point B without having to run all over creation wreaking havoc? Not that it will help much at this point.

I say build it out of whatever you feel comfy with.

[C YENSEN]

Originally Posted by Blue_Runner

Can you connect a section of hose to those deck drains to get the water from point A to point B without having to run all over creation wreaking havoc? Not that it will help much at this point.

Forgot to mention that part. I am running a 1 1/2" clear tubing from the drain around the battery and down to the bilge