Lifting Pennant Tube Sealing and Access to Bilge

[dbybe]

As I was working on sealing my transom drain holes I was also working on sealing the centerboard pennant tube.  The way the Sun Cat is designed there is no easy access into the bottom of the bilge, which would give you access to the pennant tube.  For this reason I removed some of the floor under the step, and installed an 8" screw in deck plate just at the aft end of the pennant in the cockpit floor. With this, and removal of a plywood floor support from the cockpit access, I was able to access the pennant tube for its full height, on both sides. 

A side benefit to all of this is that I now have direct access into the floor of the bilge for inspection, cleaning, and replacement of the intake with a shallow strum box that will start picking up bilge water at only about 1/2" deep. 

I used Flex Seal Paste at all of the joints in the pennant tube. There are joints at the top and bottom but also some sort of splice at the mid point.  It came out pretty ugly but then again none of this area is visible most of the time.

The closure of the opening from bilge to cabin is a 12" x 3.5" piece of oak.  I installed it with industrial strength velcro so that it can be easily removed for bilge inspection. 

 

[dbybe]

I am adding a few more photos.

The unfinished plywood in the photo is held on with 4 screws across the bottom.  I believe it is to help brace the cockpit floor.  I cut the curve on the centerline so that when re-installed it would clear the flex seal.