getting under the cockpit for repairs

[jfair1954]

Bonjour !

Did anybody ever had to do maintenance for wich you had to go under the cockpit and work your way to the transom to release the nuts holding the outboard motor bracket...I need to get the old one off , install a backing plate, and then a new motor bracket...Anybody been there done that !???
At 180 pounds it is a very awkward location to get to...
JFR 

[crazycarl]

Not in a 23, but I did in our 19.  I'm 5' 8" and at the time 160lbs.  I crawled and shimmied in through the locker to remove the o/b bracket and stern ladder.   I did have my wife outside in case the fire department was needed to remove me.  It wasn't comfortable and I came out with some bruises and scratches, but it's doable.   If you go in through the quarter berth be warned, the short bulkhead at the foot is a kidney killer. 

[slode]

Aren't there access ports in the cockpit for getting to these bolts?  Can't say for sure on a 23 as I've never seen one up close, but the 19 and Eclipse have round screwed in hatches on the cockpit floor and seat backs for this purpose.  I've removed/re-installed both my swim ladder and gudgeon, and re-bedded the corner post of the gallows through these ports.

[crazycarl]

Aren't there access ports in the cockpit for getting to these bolts?  Can't say for sure on a 23 as I've never seen one up close, but the 19 and Eclipse have round screwed in hatches on the cockpit floor and seat backs for this purpose.  I've removed/re-installed both my swim ladder and gudgeon, and re-bedded the corner post of the gallows through these ports.

Are you the original owner of your 19?  Mine didn't come from the factory with those access ports and I've never seen any Compac with them.  My guess is a previous owner installed them for easy access. 

[Bob23]

JFR:
I'm not as brave (or crazy) as Carl so I cut on of those round access ports in the back behind where the gas tank is on my 23. I was able to reach in get to all of the nuts on my outboard bracket. Also came in handy when I replaced the rudder gudgeons too. One still need to be a bit of a contortionist and it helps to have long arms, which I do not. Bring extra washers and nuts... take it from someone who's been there!
Bob23

[Razor]

I did it on my 1994 CP23. It was tight but doable. I am 5'-8" and was probably 170 lbs at the time.

Terry

[jfair1954]

Thanks.
Yesterday was rehearsal : tried to get through the seat locker but it is unlikely that I will be able to fit in an efficient posture.
Plan A is to bring with me a smaller adult and go from there.
Plan B is to cut open an access port...Last year I read online of  acess ports that doubled as storage...It was approx 10 x 5inches if I remember... I could use those but how much can I cut from the cockpit wall without affecting it's structural integrity...
And is a back up plate absolutely necessary...the actual instalation is nuts and washers on the inside of the transom and a glass plate 1/4 in on the outside. Motor is 4stroke Tohatsu 8HP aprox 90 pounds pls the weight of the new mount...I do sail on lake where there is less pounding with the waves
JFR

[Bristol14]

I cut a 4 inch round access port under the gas tank cover a few years ago to replace my outboard bracket. Used a hole saw and no issues.

Last week I replaced my main sheet ?system? (swivel jam with block) on the transom. It has a stainless steel backing plate but there was no way to reach up to secure the nuts. I considered having a new thicker plate made and tapping it for the screws. Instead, I epoxied nuts to the backing plate being careful to keep the epoxy out of the threads. I then used thick monofilament line that I secured to two of the backing plate screw holes to pull the backing plate up inside the transom. Pulling the monofilament lines tight, aligned the other two screw holes so I could screw down the Garhauer system into the backing plate, hoping the epoxy would hold the screws from moving. Once tightened, I was able to push the monofilament lines down and pull them out through the access port. That allowed me to insert and tighten the remaining two screws.

I?m planning to replace my chain plates next year and will use the same method to secure a backing plate for the inaccessible stern chain plate.

[curtisv]

Bonjour !

Did anybody ever had to do maintenance for wich you had to go under the cockpit and work your way to the transom to release the nuts holding the outboard motor bracket...I need to get the old one off , install a backing plate, and then a new motor bracket...Anybody been there done that !???
At 180 pounds it is a very awkward location to get to...
JFR 

Yes.  Did exactly that in a CP23 but got rid of the motor mount and didn't put on a replacement.  No motor.  Just sails and a sculling oar except the sculling oar doesn't work all that well.  The surface back there is rough so put down something like a tarp so as to avoid fiberglass splinters in your back.  Otherwise straightforward and nothing the average contorsionist wouldn't feel comforable doing.  Got any flexible preteen or teenagers handy?  Its nuts and bolts so you'll need someone on the other side so the bolts don't spin.  The hard part is getting back out.

Curtis

[curtisv]

Thanks.
Yesterday was rehearsal : tried to get through the seat locker but it is unlikely that I will be able to fit in an efficient posture.
Plan A is to bring with me a smaller adult and go from there.
Plan B is to cut open an access port...Last year I read online of  acess ports that doubled as storage...It was approx 10 x 5inches if I remember... I could use those but how much can I cut from the cockpit wall without affecting it's structural integrity...
And is a back up plate absolutely necessary...the actual instalation is nuts and washers on the inside of the transom and a glass plate 1/4 in on the outside. Motor is 4stroke Tohatsu 8HP aprox 90 pounds pls the weight of the new mount...I do sail on lake where there is less pounding with the waves
JFR

I'd go with plan A.  Any chance you can find a kid.  A friends kid if you don't have appropriately sized kids.  I fit in and I'm 5'8 195 lb but it was a tight squeeze and not for the clostrophobic.  If you do cut a hole I'd go for the back wall of the cockpit in area behind where most people put a gas tank.  You could make a storage locker there put it would need to be water tight and sturdy in case the boat gets pooped or otherwise takes water in the cockpit.  I've had a good 6" or more of water in the cockpit but thats another story.

Curtis

[brackish]

I did it.  When I decided to replace the drop in fuel locker cover with a hinged teak cover I had to make a permanent piece that matched the curve of the back and the radius horizontal to vertical at that point.  I decided to mount it permanently with SS machine screws.  Somebody had to back the screws, so I went in the port hatch while my wife worked the outside.  Fun, no. Doable, sure. I'm 5'10" and 173 lbs. and I got in there OK and more importantly got out of there OK without having assistance of a chainsaw to make the hatch bigger. Pics of the location had four screws in there, kind of hard to reach the one all the way to starboard.

[Tim Gardner]

I am, as the last nurse said to be technically obese.  6' tall, 245 #.  I wormed my way in from and through the port settee to the extreme aft of my 19.  it is 7 feet from the cabin bulkhead!  After epoxying my tiller gougeon plate bolts back in place, I managed to squirm my way back out. I can tell you to not do this in the summertime as it is not cool (pun Intended). The belly dancing lessons helped enormously.

[USMCR O-5]

I've been there on my 1993 23/3 and I'm 6'1" and 210 pounds. I came in through the cabin and cut access through the rear interior bulkhead. I'm doing a complete refit so it ALL had to come off/out. When I put the new bulkhead in, I'm going to build in access panels in case I have to go in there again. Make sure you don't do this alone.