? for Destroyer - V21 Floor

Blue_Runner

Blue_Runner

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Staff member
Destroyer - since you are the only person I know who has first hand knowledge of the V21 floor, wanted to ask you about the fuel hatch. I thought this "hatch" was bedded into place, but after feeling under the floor (via 8" inspection hatch) it seems there is no hatch after all. Feels like the wood/glass runs all the way accross and would have to be CUT in order to get the fuel hatch off. Is this correct? Are V20 fuel hatches like this?

Area in red below:

v21_floor.jpg
 
Blue_Runner said:
Destroyer - since you are the only person I know who has first hand knowledge of the V21 floor, wanted to ask you about the fuel hatch. I thought this "hatch" was bedded into place, but after feeling under the floor (via 8" inspection hatch) it seems there is no hatch after all. Feels like the wood/glass runs all the way accross and would have to be CUT in order to get the fuel hatch off. Is this correct? Are V20 fuel hatches like this?

Area in red below:

v21_floor.jpg
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean by the fuel hatch? Do you mean the center 8" floor hatch? The bulkheads under the floor are solid and run all the way across if that's what you mean. Ditto with the two braces on top of the tank. Most of the wood under my floor was completely rotted and a large part of it had fallen down on top of the tank, into the voids, etc... These are pics of what it looked like after cleaning up the rotted wood off the bottom of the deck and out of the hull.

photo5.jpg



photo6.jpg
 
I think he is talking about this "panel" looking place on the floor. I thought this was something that the caulk / screws could pulled out and remove the whole section. Is it just an indentation molded into the floor?
 

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Exactly.....indentation that says, "cut along here if you need to remove fuel tank." I thought V20's have a hatch?
 
Oh... yep..100% solid fiberglass with wood glued to the bottom of it. But they never sealed the wood, so it rots out after it gets wet... And it will always get wet just from evaporation from the bilge... That's why so many V21's have the soft floor problem, especially up front in the helm area. <sigh>
 
RWilson2526 said:
V-20's do have a hatch...how you likin that gay curved windshield now?
Click to expand...

LOL I have a 20 and a 21 so I figure I've got all the bases covered...and I've already fixed my floor and don't have to worry about opening that "hatch" for a while so I'm thinkin I like the curved windshield just fine :hide:
 
Rob, I'm ok with the "happy" curved windshield but access to the fuel tank is pretty much non-existent! :you:

Ain't cutting this floor unless it is soft. Will sell this SOB before I cut a perfectly good floor. :beer:
 
B - check out my thread in Repairs - Help removing hose barb from poly tank.....it explains why I needed better access to the tank. I've overcome all of those issues getting access, now I've pumped out the tank best I could - lots of trash in there. I am going to do some more pumping this evening.....even add a little clean gas and pump some more until I feel I've gotten most of the clutter out.....

Looking like my floor is safe from being cut - for now, thankfully!
 
Blue, I have a carter marine fuel pump that i picked up somewhere that has a water separating filter in front of it, i use it to polish fuel tanks all the time, I hook it up to the outlet on the tank, and pump it back in thru the fill, that way it keeps everything stirred up, so it will pump out and get caught by the filter, in bad cases, I pull the sender out, and have a piece of hard line that I attach to the end of the suction ,line, I use it to vacuum specific areas of the tank> I've left it hooked up the fuel tank, secured the pump in the boat, and drove around the neighbor hood to get it all sloshed up. It works pretty good.
 
Hey Destroyer, have a Q for you....when you installed the new floor did you leave a ledge around the outside edge of the floor bottom? and did you lay your wood on top of that edge and fasten down? I guess what I'm asking is how did you attach it down? I have my own ideas but wanted your advice....
 
I put a 2" ledge on the outside of the cut (the part that didn't get removed). When I replaced the wood on the part of the deck that got removed from the boat I left a 2" setback from the edge, so when it was time to remarry the deck the two pieces fit together.
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(I did have to take the floor back out and grind back a few high spots for a nice fit). After I was sure of the fit I screwed and glued the floor back in place to finalize the repair. Then some resin to fill the cracks, followed by sanding and then the Rhinoliner type topcoat.
 
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