H30 Water Heater Removal

[newage1461]

I have a 1981 H30 T with the electric water heater just in front of the fuel tank. While in this well planned out location access to the steering, fuel tank and the shaft packing is limited or not even possible.
I didn't notice a brand name, but it is round and looks to be about 15-18" in diameter.
Has anyone had the pleasure of removing the heater? I didn't have a tape measure with me today, but it sure doesn't look like it will fit out through the opening to the port quarter berth ( which has already been doubled in size ). Is it necessary to use a sawsall to cut the tank in into pieces to remove?

 

[Dalliance]

Dealt with this last year on my 1982 H30 w/ T cockpit. If your '81 is the same design, then they built the boat around the water heater. Literally. The WH went in before the deck went on. There is a plywood bulkhead in the starboard cockpit locker which lifts out to provide better access than through the quarter berth, but the WH will not fit through it. Thinking that the new, slightly shorter height WH would fit through, we carefully cut the old one in half to remove it. Then discovered that the new one would not fit through the opening. It was within less than one inch of fitting due to the angle at which it had to pass through the opening. So we had to cut out a section of the cockpit locker floor, which is a couple inches higher than the plywood platform the WH sits on, to get it in. Once it was in place we epoxy glassed the cut out section of locker floor back in place. Given the tight fit of the original WH, I'm not sure it would have come in one piece if we had just cut the locker floor first. Sooooo.... Measure everything thoroughly and good luck.

 

[newage1461]

Thanks for the info. I'm not really too concerned with replacing the waterheater, the next owner can tackle that. I would like to have access to the fuel tank, steering and shaft packing.

 

[Dalliance]

Guess I mis-read your question. If I'm understanding your question now, and the configuration of the '81 and '82 H30's is the same, which it seems to be from your description, then I'm not sure how removing the water heater is going to be much help. The best access I have found to the fuel tank and steering is though the starboard cockpit locker as described before. Additionally, a section of the bulkhead at the aft end of that locker in my boat was cut out and made into a removeable panel by the P.O. for improved access to the steering quadrant, rudder post and cockpit scupper hoses.

 

[newage1461]

Trouble is, I'm 6'3" . About all I can get into the starboard locker is my arm. I think my son was able to squeeze into it, but could move around enough to do anything once he was in there. I need to find a mechanically inclined 6 year old.. Or remove the waterheater. BTW, I can get my head and 1 arm through the locker opening, but theres no way my fat a$$ is going through..

 

[Dalliance]

You need a skinny helper. We used a sawsall on the water heater. I'm 6'0", 150lbs and fairly limber yet, but always come out of that locker with a few aches and bruises.