How did you get access to remove the skeg bolts? I've been trying to find a 4'5" mechanic but no luck so far...
Ha! its not easy.
First Disconnect engine and move forward out of the way.
Next remove bulkhead. Might have to cut one leg of it off to remove. I cut starboard side. About 6 screws hold it in place.
Now you have access behind bulkhead. Next remove Water Heater 110volt job.
The bottom outer shell had rotted completly at the bottom. Even though it held water its hitting the garbage can. 32years old for a household grader heater its seen better days. I don't plan on replacing it soon. The tank tiedown strap was missing.
Next is the fuel tank. Cut strap and disconnect hoses. I will replace all hoses. remove wires from sending unit. Pull tank forward. Then removed 4 gallons of fuel. Looked in tank, looks very clean.
Next, looked at plywood that tank and waterheater sat on and decided to remove. Started to cut down middle with vibrating cutter and the whole piece delaminated and fell apart. Totally saturated with fuel. Suspect the fuel hoses or sending unit gasket may leak. Will fix alland use aluminum to hold tank in place.
Next could now see bolts for skeg. They are 4 1/2 " Long 3/8" lag bolts SS.
I broke them loose by hand and used an impact gun to run them out. I also used the impact gun to remove the steering quadrant bolts for rudder removal.
Once the lag bolts were out then the joint between hull and skeg is cut using the vibrating cutter tool. then a little prying helped losen it. Once that is off the rudder comes out nicely.
The rudder bearings have some slop that I want to tighten up, but not too much. I'm going to make the bottom of the skeg removable so it doesnt have to be removed to drop the rudder. Still working out details.
The reason for rudder removal is that one side of the rudder is cracked real bad. I plan on rebuilding, if necessary, in my heated garage vs the winter of Nyack. Reassembly should go quickly and probably the boat will smell fresher next year without the saturated plywood.
Once the engine, bulkhead, water heater, tank and plywood are removed the whole back is accessable. Just lay down and do the work. The cockpit drain hoses will be replaced. They were plastic and as I leaned on one it broke. Not good for the boat. They used cheap corrigated pool hose for that. its aged out.
Anything else you want to know?
I need to Photo the inside of the boat. Won't be up there for a couple weeks. Snowing here today 4 inches of slush already. I want to tarp the cockpit to keep snow out, snow got me first.
This fall has been tough, if you didn't winterize at the beginning of the month the cold snap we had last week froze a couple engines, I know of one. I was winterized Nov. 1.