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Cockpit Floor

  • April 05, 2014 7:57 AM
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    Message # 1531914
    Anonymous
         Pablo is a 1975 W32 with a one piece cockpit floor held in place with 24 carriage bolts with nuts and washers.
         Has anyone found a way to modify this system to make it easier to remove the floor and still be secure while underway?

  • April 05, 2014 8:50 AM
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    Reply # 1531948 on 1531914
    Anonymous member
    Steve,

    Check my Westsail Service Manual, pages C--5 and C-6
  • April 05, 2014 11:53 AM
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    Reply # 1532027 on 1531914
    Anonymous
    This is what we did, other owners had mentioned the idea in the forum.  



    Last modified: April 06, 2014 5:11 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
  • April 06, 2014 7:53 AM
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    Reply # 1532283 on 1531914
    Anonymous
    The split hatch idea is okay, but you still have the hassle of climbing over the engine in the engine room and removing the nuts and washers holding down the aft section in order to remove it.

    The "Hatch in the Hatch" idea is nice, except for the expense of the hatch (I suppose you could always get a used one) and the fact that the hole is so much smaller. It's reall roomy for work when you pull the whole cockpit floor out.

    I have an idea I am going to look into - putting threaded inserts in the deck (sort of like captive nuts) and using round headed set screws from the top, maybe with rubber washers. The screws have the round head of a carriage bolt with a hex hole in them. Then all 24 could come out easily using an Allen wrench socket in an electric screw gun or a speed handle.
  • April 06, 2014 5:17 PM
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    Reply # 1532493 on 1531914
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Pygmalion #567 uses 9 - 1/4" 20 Philips round head machine screws each with a fiberglassed nut on the engine room side of the cockpit.  Remove the throttle handle and remove the screws and the cockpit sole comes up.  (there is a engine room forced air vent on the cockpit stb wall  that requires the throttle to be removed)

    I also access the engine room from the cabin - I find thath 2 old boat cushions on top of the engine - allows me to lay on the engine as needed.

    Jay  

    Last modified: April 08, 2014 4:52 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
  • April 07, 2014 4:48 AM
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    Reply # 1532753 on 1531914
    Deleted user
    I have only 4 machine screws, one in each corner that are positioned outside the gasket so no individual gasketting needed.  The whole sole lifts out "easily" (it's heavy and awkward) without removing throttle handle etc.  Quite simple, fast, and so far waterproof. This may be standard on 1976 boats.
    Last modified: April 07, 2014 4:49 AM | Deleted user
  • April 07, 2014 9:24 AM
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    Reply # 1532980 on 1531914
    Deleted user
    This is my technique for removing and replacing the cockpit floor. I use webbing and feed it through eye straps located in the channel top and bottom. I then lock it in place by connecting clips together to connect the 2 ends. I took a video below where you can see it in action.
    video
    Peter
  • April 08, 2014 4:58 AM
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    Reply # 1533662 on 1531914
    Anonymous member
    Here is another discussion on different ways of securing the cabin floor;

    http://www.westsail.org/intheyardforum?mode=MessageList&eid=1359145&tpg=4
    Last modified: April 08, 2014 5:00 AM | Anonymous member
  • April 08, 2014 3:36 PM
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    Reply # 1534217 on 1531914
    Anonymous
    Thank you EVERYONE for your responses. 

    Peter - thank you for making that video - really nice. Mike, thank you for that link. I did a search here on the site for "cockpit floor" before I made the first posting above, but that thread didn't show up.

    Now I have some thinking to do.