Making a little progress

[scot]

Finally have the "grafted" engine box under way. I'm building it from 2 B25 I/O boxes to keep a Bertram look. Also, made the cut-outs for the Dorado boxes...first B25 with Dorado boxes? Air flow design is 378hp, expandable to 504hp diesel by adding another opening in the pattern.

The top of the engine box is 63.5" x 40". Box is designed to accomodate ANY engine I want to drop in + double duty as the primary seating for the cockpit.

[JP Dalik]

You doing a center console or forward station on your girl?

[scot]

Upper station only, on a half tower. Actual helm floor height will be about 18" higher than an OEM FB. Without having to find the room for a lower station, there is boo-cu space in the cockpit.

[Pete Fallon]

Scott,
How are you going to lift that huge box, added weight of stiffners, extra glass and sound sheild it will be pretty heavy for one man operation. Are you going to put in a 12 volt electric ram system?

[Rawleigh]

Scot: Put a side stick and shifter/throttle down stairs so that you can run it while landing fish. I wanted to do that on my 31, but couldn't figureout a good way to make it fit. If you have auto pilot you can put in a push button pad or remote dodger to steer with.

[In Memory Walter K]

Raleigh-A 31 named Twilight had a small square narrow vertical box running up from the deck just below the Gunnels on the port side, midway between the transom and the engine boxes. Sitting on top of it were his throttles and gear levers (I suppose single levers would make it easier). His cables came up from underneath. Coming out from the side of it, parallel to the hull side (obviously on the inside) was a vertically mounted steering wheel. This allowed the captain, who fished alone with the owner, to handle the boat while manipulating the fighting chair by just standing between the two. Worked very well for him, but have never seen it elsewhere. Walter

[scot]

Pete,

It's actually not that heavy. I would say the box will weight no more than 100lbs, and 100lbs on a 6ft lever is an easy lift. I am installing hyd cylinders to hold it open and to stabilize the box as it is lifted and lowered. Any suggestions on a brand of stabilizers? (non-powered)...althought the 12V lift would be slick.

Raweigh,

I have pondered a minimal lower station, the steering is Sea Star hyd so that's easy enough, and I have 2 helm pumps, and a Morse side stick. But it's a boat...there is ALWAYS more neat stuff to add. I want the boat in the water by next summer. I will leave a spot open on the forward starboard bulkhead for future a mini-helm if I don't get to it by launch time. I like the jog lever idea, I assume that takes a power assist based system.

[CaptPatrick]

Any suggestions on a brand of stabilizers?

Not stabilizers, but for 12v hydraulic, hands down: Bennett Hatch Lifters. I've installed several of these and they are damn near flawless and reasonably priced... Here's just one source...

[Rawleigh]

Scot: Most any auto pilot with a dodge feature would work I would think. A single stick throttle shifter would be the only real mounted hardware that might get in the way. The sailboat throttle shifters that mount in the side of the engine box work well and are fairly low profile.

[scot]

Thanks Guys,
I did not realize Bennet made the electric over hyd system for them hatches, that would be the shizzle indeed. My vertibra would appreciate this very much.

How do you get them open if the house batt is dead?

[CaptPatrick]

How do you get them open if the house batt is dead?

They only pump fluid on the up stroke & bypasses on the down stroke. You can freely lift the hatch by hand without activating the pump. It just bypasses in reverse.