What's the purpose for these slots?

[Justin_NSA]

I was opening up the cockpit sole panel to unbolt the rudder. The space below the panel is full of leaves, muck and mud nests! Why would Hunter put these large slots in the panel? There is no where for water and debris to drain out. That downturned panel fits flush to the walkthru transom. What's the thinking here?
While I have the panel home, I'm contemplating some sort of stainless or plastic mesh epoxied to the underside to keep the big stuff out of the space underneath. Any thoughts on this?
The panel slots are right behind the pedestal. The steering quadrant is under that access panel. It's where the emergency tiller goes thru. The underside has flat rims around the slots I might be able to epoxy to.
.

 

[jdrutten]

That's certainly an odd design "feature." A screen seems reasonable, but I might look to something a little less permanent than epoxy. Maybe even <gasp> silicone.

 

[Belzoni]

I have the same design on my Vision 32. Feels like it's a scupper for draining the cockpit. Except that my boat has a walk-thru transom. I figured they just used a part off the shelf from an earlier generation of Hunters that had a full transom.

This panel on my boat has a pretty unsettling amount of flex in it. I've been thinking about adding some structural support in the form of glassed-in ribs, or epoxied FRP tubing ($$) or maybe even just some pegs/blocking to transfer compression to the bottom of the cavity. I may also fill those holes while I'm at it. Pretty sure they're pointless on my boat.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

@Justin_NSA

Get in touch with Al Fooks as he is the person to go to on your question for this.
Forgot to mention at the forum store

 

[jssailem]

Justin, I believe you may have stumped us. At first blush I assumed they served to drain water from the cover to the bilge. You stated they serve no apparent purpose, except to allow leaves to accumulate and provide mud nests for undesirable insects.

Maybe we need to think outside the box... What if they are designed to pass sound from the cockpit to say underwater spies or even undersea dwellers.

Who knows what devious things the boat designer was contemplating when he required 3 holes in a piece of internal plastic.

Perhaps to much outside of the box..

Your idea of a screen to keep unwanted critters out makes sense.

 

[capta]

This panel on my boat has a pretty unsettling amount of flex in it. I've been thinking about adding some structural support in the form of glassed-in ribs, or epoxied FRP tubing ($$) or maybe even just some pegs/blocking to transfer compression to the bottom of the cavity. I may also fill those holes while I'm at it. Pretty sure they're pointless on my boat.

Do you think that perhaps the flimsy stern panel might be a quick release if the cockpit gets too full of water? With those huge cockpits and the helmsperson so far aft, that much weight aft could make the boat unmanageable running in a force 8 or above.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Let me repeat myself. Call Al at the forum store. He used to work building hunter sailboats, warranty and sold/sells hunter parts instead of guessing. He is very knowledgeable @Justin_NSA

 

[Jkutyna]

What's odd is I have the same panel on my 1993 33.5 and it does INDEED drain out the back as there is a slot for the water to drain down those 4 slotted holes, and then out of the back.

For my own inspection, and I have no facts or data to back up what Hunter intended here, but this panel pulls up easily to access the top of the rudder post and the cables to it. Inspection, lubrication, and adjustment is made possible by this panel. If it were solid, you would get an ungodly amount of growth and nastiness underneath there should it not be able to drain properly. That or you would have to seal it each and every time you pulled it up. According to Edson in my manual, those PM's on the steering are every few months. I wouldn't want to have to keep resealing that panel 4 times a year.

I could be wrong.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Jkutyna,
I am not planning to seal off the floor panel, just screen the slots. I may have it done later today. I looked at the other H30T in the yard. It's one year later than mine. He has the same setup. I think it's a dumb design personally
This is an older pic. I am attempting to show what little gap exists for crap that drops thru the slots to exit out the rear of the panel.

 

[Jkutyna]

Looking at your picture, that is slightly different. I was on my boat this Saturday attempting to see what needs be done about replacing the deck hatches, and I did take note that yes indeed, I have a cut out slot at the bottom in the rear for water drainage, that seems to be lacking on your boat there.

Being the good sailor-to-be however, I failed to snap a picture of it to post here and went on about my business at hand. I will attempt to take that picture all the same this coming Saturday, but it likely matters not. If the design doesn't work for you, then fix or modify it. You own the boat after all.