X-ray vision?

[jvitiel]

Thanks guys. Sad to hear that the stringers are full height. I doubt that I will be able to do much foam removal from just the rod box access.

Pretty good idea K - I thought about cutting access under the port livewell but for tackle/storage, not battery balancing. I kind of like using the fishbox up front for storage so this might be a better option (plus shorter cables - yea!). From memory I agree that there is probably sufficient height in there.

Thinking about it some more, I'm thinking I'm pretty screwed on loosing the list save cutting the deck which is not gonna happen. I can barely straighten it out by sitting on the port livewell and I'm almost 200 lbs. Moving a 50 lb battery from one side to the other is only a 100 lb shift. Moving two batteries to the centerline as originally planned is no better left to right (although the weight would now be forward which is a plus).

[chart]

my v has the fuel tank in the front compartment. my middle comp. is storage and back is a fish box or live-well. was thinking of putting my batteries in my storage compartment just behind the fuel tank.

[13Echo70271]

jvitiel, Nice rig, very clean V, wish mine was as clean.
You can test the foam from inside the rod box opening with the box removed, if you don't see wet foam you can cut a core sample with a spade bit. Very carefully drill down into the foam from the rod box opening. If you find wet foam, tear it out. If not, seal the hole with new foam and/or sealant.

Maybe more important while you're in there, check to see that your rod holders drain to bilge or deck also. I don't see covers on them.

There is room in the aft port hatch for a battery. It can be placed without any cutting, by removing the bin inside the hatch and reaching down. Get a tray or box and fix to shelf you find inside. If there isn't a shelf you can glass a plywood shelf or use starboard. All install work can be done from above. Adding a hatch makes the work a bit easier, adds access and isn't too expensive, about $35 on ebay.
I'd move a battery there .

Good luck,
Tom

[SkunkBoat]

its interesting seeing the different configurations of theses hulls. My 84 cuddy has a much larger fuel tank hatch further aft and the in-deck storage (fishbox) is further aft. I have a battery compartment centerline under the motorwell.
and no foam except the fuel tank compartment.

I'm surprised to see the amount of inaccessible unused space aft of your fuel tank. Is there foam in there too? you would think they would have put a livewell there(between tank and motor) like the center consoles have.

[phatdaddy]

Mines like yours skunk, layout and foam-wise. I had a large blank area right out of the cabin door, where I added a in deck hatch to access storage below. I'd be very surprised if you had enough water to affect trim. Before I cut up deck, I'd put a small inspection plate where the A is in your picture.

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by phatdaddy

Mines like yours skunk, layout and foam-wise. I had a large blank area right out of the cabin door, where I added a in deck hatch to access storage below. I'd be very surprised if you had enough water to affect trim. Before I cut up deck, I'd put a small inspection plate where the A is in your picture.

Hmmm... As I recall, when I redid my soft deck on my V21 I pulled out (about) 3 1/2 40 gallon garbage cans of saturated foam. Now, I'm not suggesting that each can was exactly 40 gallons of water, but if even half of each can was actual water that would still be about 70 gallons of water total... and at 6.34 lbs. per gallon that equals roughly 450 lbs. I stress that this was evenly distributed in all the foam under my deck, not just one side, so I had no real listing problem, but I can attest that when the job was done the boat got up on plane a little faster and just seems to handle better when moving along.

I guess my point is that half of that 450 lbs was on one side of my centerline, so roughly 225 lbs. I agree that shouldn't make for a pronounced list, but it would effect list by about the same as a full grown adult male on that side would.

[phatdaddy]

Hmmmm... As I recall water is approx 8.4 lbs per gallon, so your point is even more valid