X-ray vision?

[Destroyer]

As far as your rod holders go, go to home depot, plumbing dept. and buy as many 1 1/2" rubber pipe caps as you need. They come with a stainless pipe clamp but truthfully the fit is so snug that it's almost not needed... but use it anyways. Remove your rod holders or the rod boxes on the gunnels and put the caps over the bottom of the rod holders, thus sealing them off from any water getting into the boat from that source. If/when they fill up just use a turkey baster (steal your wife's or go to Dollar store) to remove the water. Cheap, fast KISS solution to the problem.

[garbubba]

Two things,

If you keep your boat under cover don't sweat the rod holders, a turkey baster, really? If you plug them up it's no biggie to put in a drain line from the bottom of the holders running to the bilge.

The other is like many of you, I'm still amazed at the different layouts of these boats. I have an '83 and an 87, both have identical decks, big tank in the rear, long box in front, but nothing in front of that. They do have differences, the rod boxes are very different, and the '83 has a wooden door on the transom, my '87 has plexy.

[jvitiel]

Ok, rainy day so I decided to poke around. I probed the foam in the three compartments on the stbd side and all I could really get at was the stuff down to the chine. It all seemed fine. There was very slight moisture at the bottom of the foam in the forward most compartment (forward of the bulkhead in front of the gas tank) but still it was really just moisture on my finger from between the hull and the foam, not wet foam.

I guess I'm going to drill through the deck to see how the deeper foam is. Will start under the pedestal seat as Skunk suggested and then move to the more exposed compartments. As much as I would like to use a 7/8" auger bit to get a good sample, I'm thinking about a 1/2" bit through the deck and then a long 3/8" bit down into the foam.

I also looked at placing one battery in the port transom locker and that seems problematic. The bait well is glassed in and I don't want to destroy it. Cutting a hatch in the front face of the locker is also problematic as there is very tight clearance and the drop to the tray below the deck would make dealing with the battery difficult. It was a great idea but I think I will stick with moving them to the forward fish box if it comes to that.













And here is a photo that I saw mounted on the wall at Louie's Oyster Bar in Port Washington Long Island. Thought it was neat...

[SkunkBoat]

awsesome pic!!!

[Pipe_Dream]

Originally Posted by SkunkBoat

awsesome pic!!!

Agreed! That is too cool!

[jvitiel]

So I clawed out a fair amount of the foam via the rod box. Except for maybe a 1/4 cup of wet foam (by an inside crack under the damaged strake) it was dry. I cut a hole under the helm pedestal and it was dry too. Can't think of any other phantom weights so I'm gonna try moving the batteries forward as was the original plan. The cable run is 14' for three conductors (the selector switch will stay by the transom). Gonna use 1/0.

I'm torn on battery trays vs boxes. There's not going to be much activity in their new home so terminal covers should be fine for shorts/sparks. The Internet says that boxes are good if a battery cracks and spills acid. Realistically how often does that happen? This is two group 24 batteries mounted amidship with a 57 year old pilot - this isn't the x-games. Not sure I want to deal with the PIA of boxes for something that is unlikely to happen. Thoughts?

BTW, thanks for the tip on the rod holder caps D. - Home Depot is just down the block..











The batteries new home - approximately where the ammo boxes are...

[kamikaze]

jvitiel

When you pulled the seats did they use wood screws or bolts to an aluminum plate under the deck?

Thanks
Kamikaze

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by jvitiel

BTW, thanks for the tip on the rod holder caps D. - Home Depot is just down the block..

You're most welcome. Happy to have been of some help.