I could use some advice from those of you who have opened up a boat below the sole and figured out its framing. I'm not quite sure how to put everything back together again now that I've opened up my boat Sunset.
I had to remove my sole from the front of the engine running forward to the bulkhead below the mastcompression post which is located over another supporting bulkhead. I did this so I could pull out and replace my watertank.
I cleanly cut a slot that is as wide as my old access panel running this distance. He's what I found. I have several compartments below the sole. One below the motor; one for the fuel tank and one for the water tank. The watertank compartment ends at the bulkhead that supports the main bulkhead above. They appear to be in good shape.
Two issues. Now that I have cut the plywood sole, it is cantilevered out over the opening. I need to support it and to give myself something to patch my plywood sole patches into.
Second, I found a 2x4 running the length of the boat. You can see it clearly in the photo. It had been partially removed over the fueltank when a previous owner replaced that tank. But it was still there over the watertank. PSC had carefully slot cut it into each of the three bulkheads. AND IT RUNS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MAST COMPRESSION POST. It was not tabbed into the bulkheads. Left free. But tight. In the photo you can see a bench, also now removed. But the 2/4 runs directly below that bench front and up under the mastcompression post.
In cross section, the 2x4 lay firmly atop both tanks and acted as a mid CL support for the plywood sole. It was not screwed into place. I wonder whether it may have had another value other than a center support? Particularly given the mastpost? Was it intended to help keep the keel aligned? And should I replace it?
Here's what I'd like to do -- install some new wood stringers across the tops of the tanks. I can locate these once I've figured out my new access panel locations and infill elsewhere with plywood.
But if I have to reinstall that 2x4, it will run right down the middle of my access panels, limiting access. Then should I hang my stringers onto the 2x4? Even tabbed neatly, would this be strong enough? Would boat movement pull it apart?
Has anyone seen an arrangement like this?
Marshall