Cutting floor to add storage area

B

brianct12

Junior Member
OK guys -  has anyone done, or thought, about doing this.  My boat is a 1988 ... and in the floor ....  has a livewell/storage forward between the seats .... the gas tank mid-ways .... and a 3' section at the back of the boat .. between the gas tank and the splashwell.   This 3' area is dead space.   I can peak into the bilge from the splashwell ... and see all the way up to the cross bulkhead at the gas tank.  Sooo, why not cut the floor and gain access to this area for storage -  maybe rope, or anchor, or bumpers, etc.   Cover the cutout with a rectangular access hatch lid.   What do you think ?   Did I describe this clearly ?  

I believe 1988 and newer have this floor design ... 1987 and older have a different layout of the gas tank and livewells.   I believe this is also the model year changeover for the raised floor. My 1988 has the cockpit floor level with the cuddy door bottom .... and I notice 1987 and older models have the floor several inches lower than the cuddy door bottom. I prefer the lower floor of the older boats .... but I think Wellcraft raised the floor to get a better functioning self-draining cockpit.
 
Well in 1975 they did not have floor gas tanks, so i have 2 floor storage tanks, and I also use the step down up front for stuff!!

Good Idea!!

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Epoxy the hatch in place make sure it is water tight. If not your floor will rot in no time - my .02.

The other thing, with no liner in there, won't things kinda get tossed around and/or dirty? Of course you could clean it out real good if you had the access.

Should be fine for bumpers and such as you mentioned.

What are you waiting for :D ??? Just be sure to take some pix!
 
I think it's a great idea, provided it's done w/BR's concerns in mind...whatever you cut; SEAL IT and find some kind of liner to sit or, better, seal into the inside of the space you open...suggestion; you'll have to fashion a hatch-lid once your new hatch is in...MJ and I have made those lids of 3/4'' Starboard w/great results... ;)...
 
Hey here are pics of a box as you're talkin of i just put in a 21 ft i'm redoing.

Notice in some of the pics where i coated the cut out with epoxy resin. Just mix some resin and coat the wood where cut out with 2 or 3 coats of resin. Then seal new box in with 5200 or Clear 100% Sealicon. This hatch with drop in insert was bought from www.boatfix.com Cost around $50 with drop in box. Before you cut out the floor must look under to see if there are stringers there.

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Thanks for the replies guys. Hey Skools - about the hatch you show in the pics. Thats exactly what I was thinking about. But - I dont want a hatch lid that will stick up to much ..... stubbing your toes on, tripping over, etc. How is the hatch you have - would it be ok to walk over in the back area part of a V20 deck ? Is that the Beckson or TH Marine hatch ? How did you get the storage box and hatch for around $50 ? The hatch alone looks to cost that much. Brian
 
Brian, I have an 83 and the tank is in the aft and fish box in the middle with the "dead"area forward. My deck rotted out becauseof the way the pedastal seats were installed and I had to remove the deck from the cabin to the fishbox. Like you, I noticed a large hole and no way to get to it, so When I replaced the deck, I installed the Tempress cam hatch. Everybody is giving good advice . Seal the raw edges , It is "dirty" storage, all of the debris and water from the cabin and the bilge will slosh through there. I keep fenders and a bucket with bait nets and mullet nets down there. The only problem I have had is the hatches don't hold up to the traffic. Where mine is , when you come of the bow, you land on the hatch. Guess I could try going starboard. I love the storage and also can access a normally hidden part of the bilge to clean and inspect
 
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