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I have my steering all out, wheel is off the back end under the dash is apart. There is nothing left except for a round plate under the dash. I can't figure out how to get that plate off. Any recommendations?

I thought it was just stuck up there but I tried to wedge a putty knife between it and the plywood but nothing.

Mikey has been through this! Hopefully he will chime in with the answer.

Not sure what model you have, Tony, Brain fart. Mine is an express and everything bolted on with obvious bolts. If you're talking about a backing plate it may just be stuck in caulking. Got pictures?

Mikey

I have the fly bridge cruiser.

I will see if I can get pics over the weekend. Might be tough since I have to squeeze under the dash through the door and then take picture from about a foot away. But I will give it a go. Its actually looks like it was a backing plate of some type that the gear box attached to then the steering shaft as attached to it. The shaft slid out and I screwed off the bezel and I was left with the plate unerneith with a couple of bolts that hang down that the gears bolted to. I know its not screwed up there since I remove the screws. I will give it a good hit with the hammer on Saturday and see if it pops off, but it seems like it is attached to the plywood. I just can not figure out how.

Tony,
If someone 5200 the plate in place, of which I have run into many times, good luck.

Tony,

The thin plywood under the dash isn't thick enough to hold screws, so it's a pretty good bet that the only thing holding it is 5200. Use a propane torch, directing the flame around the middle of the plate until the metal is about 200 degrees. If you don't have a way to measure the temp, spit on a finger will sizzle on the plate... Should come off easily then.

Br,

Patrick

Capt. Pat

I will give it a try. Little scary with a torch under there. Not much room especially when you have to squeeze your head and arms into that little opening.

I have a small pencil torch. I will give that a shot. Don't know if I am brave enough to put propane torch under there.

Capt. Pat

Thanks for the advice. Got it off. Finally was able to tap the blade of a putty knife between the plate and the plywood. Believe it or not, not one once of sealant or 5200. Just 33 years of never being removed, and what ever was in the plywood had it stuck like it was glued on. Go figure.

Tony, how is it going? What do you have done and still to go?

Any progress photos? JJJ

John

Its coming along. The struts held me up. Had them bored out and they held us up. The bulkhead is in, rudder shelf, and new fiberglass strut pads. They just move the boat today over to Forked River Diesel and Generator. I will give him the struts on Saturday and he is going to make the aluminum caps for the engine beds then set in the engines and line everything up so we can then put in the shaft logs.

After that its redo the bonding, put in the stern shelf that holds the deck up in the back.

After the engines are in, we are going to spray them down and shrink wrap them until we are ready to put the engine covers back on.

I was hoping to get in by the end of June but that is starting to look like it is not going to happen. All of sudden its weddings and birthday parties. Family obligations.

The killer is I have a wedding on Memorial day weekend, right in the middle. That kills the weekend for me.

We will get there, it just might take a little longer than I wanted it too.

How are you doing? Hopefully in the water and chasing those strippers.

If Oil goes to $200 a barrel like they say, I don't think any of us are going to use the boats to many times. That will give us $8 gas easily. Looks like my timing is off again. Spend all this money and then can't afford to run the boat.

Oh well, easy come easy go.

You will look great having a cocktail at the dock though!!

Rawleigh

Not if my wife shoots me for spending all this money on a boat that became unaffordable virtually overnight.

Tony,
We need pictures!

Mikey

I am going to take some additional ones this weekend then I will try and figure out how to post. I have to set up an account with snap fish or one of the other hosting sites.