[C38] Photos of Port cockpit locker mods.

[Philip Gay]

MessageRuss and all,

I can't take credit for the port cockpit locker cut out on Que Linda but it works well for me:

On the original boat there is a large access hole in the vertical inboard wall of the cockpit locker.  The previous owner, in order to make replacing the engine easier, cut the floor liner down along the vertical lip (near the forward end of the access hole) turned outboard to within a few inches of where the floor meets the bottom of the boat.  He then went straight back (avoiding cutting the bottom of the boat) and turned inboard and up the vertical inboard wall (again near the aft end of the access hole).  The cutout is an "L" shaped piece of fiberglass to which he bolted 4 stainless plates (the plates have 4 holes, 2 of which are bolted to the cutout).  These stainless plates overlap the remaining locker floor and bolts simply drop into these holes through the plates and the floor beneath the plates.  The stainless plates provide plenty of support for the locker floor cutout and the cutout can be completely removed from the locker.  The original fiberboard access panel cover fits neatly over the original hole.  I find that I need all the space I need all the available space in the locker area to contort my body. 

Phil Gay
C38 049 Que Linda    
Everett, WA
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Duff, Russ (R.W.)<mailto:rduff at visteon.com> 
  To: 'tdtron at earthlink.net'<mailto:'tdtron at earthlink.net'> ; C38-List (Listserve at catalina38.org)<mailto:Listserve at catalina38.org)> 
  Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 8:52 AM
  Subject: Re: [C38] Photos of Port cockpit locker mods.


  I think I'm getting a better idea of what things look like. At first I thought you cut out the floor and side wall as one large L-shaped piece.  It now sounds like the side wall is a separate piece from the floor (Thanks to Don's comments).  You remove your sidewall first (Tom) then reach underneath to remove the wingnuts, then remove the separate floor piece. Tom, do you then take the floor section right out of the locker, or fold it back like Don does?  If either of you guys could do it again, how would you do it different/better?  Hopefully I can use what you learned. 

  Everyone on this list is just full of great ideas!  

  Sincerely, 
  Russ Duff 
  Catalina 38, Hull #112
  "AVANTURA"
  Lake Erie
  Grosse Ile, Michigan
  RDUFF AT VISTEON DOT COM 

   

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Tom T. [mailto:tdtron at earthlink.net] 
  Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 10:31 AM
  To: Russ (R.W.) Duff
  Subject: RE: [C38] Photos of Port cockpit locker mods.


  Right Russ!  If you don't make your cut up the inboard side of the sail locker, you have accomplished little.  The whole idea is to make it easy to get into the engine compartment but by also making access below the locker makes an added plus. 

  Thanks for bringing this oversight up.  Because the inboard corner of the sail locker will now be cut out, you will need to secure the false bottom with screws or wing nuts from underneath to keep the false bottom secured.  I used wing nuts accessed from below but if I did the procedure again, I think I'd just screw the bottom in place.  I wanted access without having to use tools but reaching around and into the area below the false floor and working the wing nuts is a royal pain.  If you drop a stainless steel wing nut, they hide forever under the engine, transmission, etc and laugh at you if you try to retrieve them with a magnet so I'm sure the best way to fasten the floor down is using self tapping screws in 4 corners of the floor.

  Tom Troncalli
  The Renata #95
  Sunny snowless St. Pete, Fla




    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Duff, Russ (R.W.)<mailto:rduff at visteon.com> 
    To: tdtron at earthlink.net<mailto:tdtron at earthlink.net>;Catalina 38 Listserve<mailto:Listserve at catalina38.org>
    Sent: 2/13/2006 9:49:44 AM 
    Subject: RE: [C38] Photos of Port cockpit locker mods.


    If I recall, you continued the cut up the sidewall of the locker?

    Sincerely, 
    Russ Duff 
    Catalina 38, Hull #112
    "AVANTURA"
    Lake Erie
    Grosse Ile, Michigan
    RDUFF AT VISTEON DOT COM 

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Listserve-bounces at catalina38.org [mailto:Listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of Tom T.
    Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 7:17 PM
    To: Catalina 38 Listserve
    Subject: Re: [C38] Photos of Port cockpit locker mods.



    Hi Russ and gang,

    This is an old sketch of the cutout I made when I cut out my sail locker floor.  I made reinforcements to go between the angle aluminum to pads bonded to the hull to give strength to the floor.

    I don't have a photo but you really can't go wrong as long as you don't try to get too close to the outside edge against the hull because the hull wraps under the sail locker and if you don't leave at least a couple of inches of lip you won't have enough room for the angle aluminum underneath that's  needed to make a lip for the cutout to sit on.

    I countersunk my bolts holding the aluminum leaving a smooth flush surface on the sail locker floor.

    Replacing the rotten wood steering stop is not fun but at least it's possible now without being 2' tall or removing the engine.  I went back with wood but I used cell cured treated lumber instead of standard wood which as we now know can and will rot.

    I have my water pump and water filter mounted under the forward original section of the locker floor which is about 7" wide from the cutout to the forward bulkhead.  Putting them there is out of the way, easy to get to when needed, and the pump is very quiet.

    I am strongly of the opinion that the sail locker should have had a false floor from the factory but at least this is a modification that we can easily do.

    Good luck.

    Tom Troncalli
    The Renata hull #95
    St. Pete, Fla



      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Duff, Russ (R.W.)<mailto:rduff at visteon.com> 
      To: C38-List (Listserve at catalina38.org)<mailto:Listserve at catalina38.org>
      Sent: 2/7/2006 2:24:15 PM 
      Subject: [C38] Photos of Port cockpit locker mods.


      This year I am finally going to remove my steering pedestal to replace the rotten wood underneath it.  To make the job a little easier, I want to cut out the floor of the port cockpit locker like discussed in this list a couple of years ago ('03? Thanks to Tom T. and Don Strong).  If you have any pictures of your modification, could you please send them to me, I would greatly appreciate it.  Thanks.  

      Sincerely, 
      Russ Duff 
      Catalina 38, Hull #112
      "AVANTURA"
      Lake Erie
      Grosse Ile, Michigan
      RDUFF AT VISTEON DOT COM 



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