When we removed the old engine the cockpit floor had to be cut open to gain access to the engine room.

 Cockpit Floor/Hatch 

 

 Since I had to open up the cockpit floor for the new engine, I might as well plan for the future and make it easy to do again if needed.
 I used a piece of 3/4 inch marine ply to make the hatch. By making a pattern that was slightly larger than the cut-out would be when I opened up the floor, it was a simple matter of cutting the ply, lay it on top of the existing floor in the exact position I wanted. Then a place  a few number twelve machine screws right thru the plywood and into the center of the floor.
Removed the ply, cut out the opening and then laid the ply right back over the now removed section of floor, aligned the number twelve screws and epoxy to glue the two pieces together


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I made a pattern that matched the brown non-skid area of the cockpit
Having the floor open and the engine and transmission removed, allowed us to do a pretty complete remake of the engine room.

 

After fastening the plywood to the original floor piece (pic on right), I sanded the plywood and started fairing it to take Awlgrip paint and non-skid.

 

Primed and ready to paint. We decided to paint the steering pedestal at the same time.

 
Painted Cloud White, Teri now applies the non-skid in Whisper Gray.

Ready to install. We dropped it into place over a large quantity of 4200 sealer. Then I drilled thru, placed stainless 1/4 inch carriage bolts around the edges and tightened them down.

Finished!

  
   
   
   

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