Engine beds
 

I''m converting a 23' Scepter I/O to a bracket with an outboard. The engine beds are wet and I have no need for them now. I'm going to cut them out. My question is do I need to replace them with some kind of stringer? I plan on adding a few knees to the transom to help support the new bracket. Should I be fine with just the knees?

Seems to me you'd want to hold onto as much structural support as possible, especially if you are hanging a heavy engine on a bracket. The beds are filled with foam, which absorbs water and does nothing structurally. Here are my "knees", tied into the engine beds. One disadvantage is that water may accumulate outboard of the beds as there is no drain to the bilge. My knees are NOT a good example of proper design and glasswork.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...psfef7bc1b.jpg

In the following image, the humps have been removed from the engine beds, creating a nice flat surface for a removable floor that I made from a sheet of synthetic board.

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...psd955e4e7.jpg

The unfinished hatches...
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...ps49fbc7b7.jpg

The finished hatches and storage:
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...ps44e98ac0.jpg
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...psbe91f885.jpg

Some images of how others did it from my files. This first one allows drainage to the bilge, which is good.
http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...pse3feab8a.jpg

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1519d15c.jpg

Handful and frizzle thanks for the suggestions. My engine beds are solid wood. 3 2x6 stacked on top of each other. They are not rotted but wet and I bet weigh a lot. Handful I really like what you did with the engine area. I plan on doing something similar. I think I will go back with some sort of small stringer with a knee at the transom.

I'm definitely going back with a stringer. I just figured it couldn't hurt to put some knees in.

A few more suggestions... If you put in transom hatches, consider a full beam width shelf behind the hatches. My shelf and support brackets are made of 1" synthetic board so rot and paint are never an issue, and the shelf is in segments to faciliate easy removal, which helps during rigging and/or servicing. My shelf holds the battery, oil tank, and water tank - see the earlier picture. The shelf behind the smaller transom hatches provides great storage for small stuff - cleaning supplies etc.

If you put in knees and a shelf, it is important that your knees not be too high on the transom or they will interfere with the shelf.

I really like the shelf on your boat. I'm going to do something similiar.

I'll be glad to get more detailed photos if that would help.

I made a concerted effort to use, and make accessible, every nook and cranny on this boat.

Handful thanks that would help alot. Especially how the shelf is supported. I plan on somewhat coping the hatch also. I like how you have it set up back there. The shelf really adds a lot of useable space that otherwise is empty. I like how it keeps the oil tank and battery up out of the bilge area.