enough is enough...new bridgedeck needed

[Joef]

Men:

As i've admitted before, my boat is not a B31...its a 31 Northcoast. Its a C. Jannace express designed boat. Like most express fisherman, there is a flat brdigedeck over the engine space. UNDER that deck is a pair of cat 3208T engines, 2 60 gallon saddle tanks, 2 4D batteries and about 3 gallons of my dried blood. Maintenance had been made manageable by building some custom "tools" for hard to reach items and other tricks here and there to make things doeable. The bridge deck is made up of 5 seperate pannels...1 big one in the middle and and two smaller ones on each side of it. The top of the engines nearly contact the bottom of the deck panels in a few places. There are also 2 main support stringers made of wood and glass that have been cutaway in a few places to allow space the the crankcase breather vents. All of this cutting here and there as well as 20 yrs of age are making the deck sag.

Last weekend, i cut the top of my had on a random sharp piece of fiberglass under the deck as i struggled to remove the oil filler cap (was topping off the oil). The scab keeps getting pulled off everytime i put my hand in my pocket. I've absolutely had it.

So, i've had it. I'm resolving to redo this deck over the winter into something more modern. Perhaps a 1peice deck that lifts manually or hydraulically. I'm considering having the local CAT guys remove the engines (have a minor rear seal leak on one anyway) and really redoing the whole middle of he boat to improve safety, maintenance ease and style.

I'm going to take some photos and post them here so you can see the challenges.

I've read through some of your old posts where you guys have rebuild decks...seems several ways to skin the cat. Some used plywood, some honeycomb or foam composits. I'd love to take as much weight out of the boat as possible as i've exchanged several emails and phone calls to C. Jannace who's told me i need to put the boat on a diet (the 2 cats are not helping!)

Anyway - no real question here...this project will not get started until the tuna stop biting this fall. I will post drawings and photos soon as i'd like to get, and will no doubt need some good advice. I expect this could become one of those "while i'm at it" projects where 3/4 of the boat gets rebuilt, painted or upgraded once the saws-all gets pulled out of the holster

Thanks
Joe

[Bruce]

Since your design is a below deck engine install, not much your gonna be able to do to increase engine access other than making the deck over the engines removable all the way out to the sides and from rear deck to cabin bulkhead.

Any floor support channels need to be removed.

The B31 is unique in that with the deck level tilt back engine boxes and removable companion way panels and in most cases wing panels, most engines give a comfortable 360 degree access all except the 3208 because of its wide V8 configuration.

If you had 4's or 6's you'd find it much easier. Can't change engine dimensions.