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Where Are Your Inspection Plates?

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John J.
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/11/2003 : 15:56:10

My '81 SK dinette has no inspection plates in the cabin sole. I would like to install 2, but I really don't know where to locate them other than staying clear of the keel trunk. Are there any suppurt crossmembers or stringers under the sole? I would hate to cut a hole only to find out I cut on top of a structure leaving no access to the bilge beneath. I plan to cut the holes with a roto-zip tool so controlling the depth of the cut should be no problem. How thick is the fiberglass in the sole?

Edited by - john j. on 06/11/2003 15:59:59

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2003 : 19:10:32

I don't have the dinette model but I would guess the fiberglass is apprx 3/16" thick. The cabin sole does not rest on the stringers - at least where the inspection holes are. Actually our forward inspection plate is parallel with the keel trunk, maybe 3" to starboard.
Be prepared to buy a few bits!
Good luck

Edited by - OJ on 06/12/2003 09:10:45

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John J.
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2003 : 19:19:49

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I don't have the dinette model but I would guess the fiberglass is apprx 3/16" thick. The cabin sole does not rest on the stringers - at least where the inspection holes are. Actually our forward inspection plate is parallel with the keel truck, maybe 3" to starboard.
Be prepared to buy a few bits!
Good luck

Edited by - OJ on 06/11/2003 19:14:26
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>That's my problem, there are no inspection holes. I plan on installing round ones. If I put one about 3" to starboard of the trunk, could I go forward or aft with the hole ,without the worry of hitting a stringer?

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2003 : 20:34:30

I wonder if a 'studfinder' would sense the stringers. I've got one, and I'll give it a go this evening and see if it will sense the density changes in the fiberglass.

Currently maintaining two holes in the water...'77 Venture 23 and new to the family,
'78 Catalina 25

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 06/12/2003 : 09:16:36

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
without the worry of hitting a stringer?
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Again, where my inspection plates are located the cabin sole is not resting on the stringers. If you carefully cut through the sole a little at a time you will be fine. The stringers have a pretty generous coating of gel coat on them so it would take some time before you did any structural damage.

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folido
Deckhand

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Canada
11 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2003 : 08:53:36

Hope this phot helps. I will have to make another one. The stringer is at 7in. and the hole 5in. in diam.
<img src="http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/folido/vwp?.dir=/My+Photo+Album&.src=ph&.dnm=regard.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/bc/folido/lst%3f%26.dir=/My%2bPhoto%2bAlbum%26.src=ph%26.view=t" border=0>

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folido
Deckhand

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Canada
11 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2003 : 07:54:19

I did not succede yesterday. I read again the instructions in the test area. I then went with shtterfly and succeded.
Hope this time it will be O.K. Anyway, the picture is in the test area.
The stringer on my boat (1985sk,std)is at 7in. from the end of cabin floor.
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d835b3127cce8926374cf5770000001610" border=0>

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Doug L
1st Mate

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27 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2003 : 16:38:33

If you want to see what the area around the trunk looks like with a large area of the floor removed, go to the testing forum. There were no "stringers" at all on my boat in the exposed area. By doing this project I was able to put a lot of extra reinforcing around the trunk, but I don't recommend it, as it was a hell of a lot of work. By the way, the distance between the cabin sole and the hull is less than 3/4" on the front starboard side of my cutout.

Doug Lewis

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2003 : 18:01:03

John,

Cannot help you with the location, but I do recommend to use a Dremmel instead of a rotozip (do use a zip bit). Use it at the slowest speed where it wont bog down, "third click" or so. It's much slower, thus les heat, smoke, smell, burnmarks etc...

Good luck.

Oscar
250WB#618 Lady Kay on the Chesapeake:
<img src="http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Images/familypics/Forumshots/chesapeake.jpg" border=0>

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John J.
Navigator

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USA
157 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2003 : 10:26:48

If anybody has an inspection plate, that is not over a stringer, I'd be forever indebted if you could post how far back the center point is from the ledge where the cabin sole drops an inch or so into the lower are around the head. I'm assuming all the supports under the sole run cross-sectionally.

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.