Most of you probably know what is under that step in the v-berth. I did not. Yesterday I needed to get in there to run new instrument wiring from the center v-berth locker to the nav station. There is no easy way to fish wire from that locker to the next available opening which is the hatch for the head thru-hull. So I thought I would remove the trim strip on the step, drill out the bungs, remove the screws and lift out the heavy wooden step. Wrong! Those bungs are cosmetic plugs in 1/4" plywood. That plywood was glued to a very stout plywood/glass layup with a gelcoat finish. It's almost 1" thick. Had a devil of a time getting the plywood pulled up. I cut a small hole to see if there was any wiring to worry about then cut a 7" hole to work in. It would not need to be that big just to fish wire. I thought I might want to put my new thru-hulls(log and depth) in there but have decided against it. The wires from the existing log and depth run through there but are about 6" below the step so the sabre saw blade could not reach them. I drilled 3/8" holes close together the entire perimeter because that fiberglass dulls a saw blade in a hurry. Any hole should be at least 3" forward of the vertical step up. There is a very substantial brace that you will run into otherwise. Now I wonder if I should fill in that hole or just leave it open under the cover of the plywood? At any rate it made it easy to drill a hole in the v-berth locker and get the three cables(Nexus compass, log, and depth) through the bilge to the Nav station. Next step is the display cable, nav station to the pedestal. Need more 60 degree December days on Lake Erie!
- Status
As long as...
As long as you've left a perimeter frame of about an inch to two inches with rounded corners I wouldn't spend a lot of energy worrying about it. File and sand the cut edges smooth to eliminate stress points where caacks would start, slap the wooden cosmetic cover back in place and go sailing if you're still in the water.
As long as you've left a perimeter frame of about an inch to two inches with rounded corners I wouldn't spend a lot of energy worrying about it. File and sand the cut edges smooth to eliminate stress points where caacks would start, slap the wooden cosmetic cover back in place and go sailing if you're still in the water.
Confused
Ed, I'm not sure I understand what you did, but it sounds like you went from the bilge to the big locker under the v-birth. I don't understand why the instrument wiring would need to go there, but assuming I've got it right, my concern would be that you've given water a path from the front lockers to the bilge. I went the other way, glassing up the tops of the insides of those front lockers to contain any water that might enter from a collision. If I understand what you've done, it allows water to go from those lockers to the bilge. Am I confused?
Ed, I'm not sure I understand what you did, but it sounds like you went from the bilge to the big locker under the v-birth. I don't understand why the instrument wiring would need to go there, but assuming I've got it right, my concern would be that you've given water a path from the front lockers to the bilge. I went the other way, glassing up the tops of the insides of those front lockers to contain any water that might enter from a collision. If I understand what you've done, it allows water to go from those lockers to the bilge. Am I confused?
Nope, you are right Gene.
I did exactly as you suspected. The original log and depth were already in that locker. And the original wires run through a hole about 6" above the lowest point in that locker, under that step, and into the bilge. I drilled another hole about 4" from the original. The holes are sealed and would let very little water through if any. My logic is that if I'm taking on water in that section those two 3/8" holes are the least of my problems.
I did exactly as you suspected. The original log and depth were already in that locker. And the original wires run through a hole about 6" above the lowest point in that locker, under that step, and into the bilge. I drilled another hole about 4" from the original. The holes are sealed and would let very little water through if any. My logic is that if I'm taking on water in that section those two 3/8" holes are the least of my problems.
- Status