[cSickNick]

Interesting ... again. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

It's a guess, but your boat with the shorter gas tank hatch has the layout ready for and I/O or outboard setup. The wider I/O motor cover appears to lay over that imprint on your deck.

What size tank do you have? Mine is the larger 47 gal tank.
The spec page states 38 gal with the I/O.

I wonder what Fr Franks deck looks like? Mine or yours?

I will get the measurements of the Bomar hatch i installed tonight. It is a tight fit with the batteries below it in the splashwell with the switch between. You can mount the switch inside one of the rear boxes to give you more room.

I am not sure if i would cut this type of hatch into your deck to locate the batteries. If you did, the gas tank would be directly forward of the batteries and the battery would be low in the bilge with the tops being at the same height of the deck and tank.

I like my place better in that the height is higher, the battery shelf is on top of the stringers. So bottom of batteries are close to the level of the deck which puts them higher than the tank.

It probably does not make much diff though, just a false sence of security that the batteries are mounted higher in the event of deck flooding.

But thats why we are typing and feel that this boat needs;

- Raise the rear boxes and square off to gunnel height
- Place a battery on each side at deck height inside the rear deck boxes with access door opening inside towards the deck. (of course you could move the batteries in the cuddy to lighten the rear, i am not sure why i am not excited about that?)Top of boxes can be used for various storage or small livewell?
- Glass in through hull scuppers and raise the deck to make it self bailing and pitch towards middle out through the transom.
- Add a sealing deck hatch in the middle between the rear boxes for access to the dual bilge pumps.
- Make a splash door between the rear boxes.

That it ... pretty simple ... now get to work! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

- Nick