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  1. #21

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    Ok, so the biggest problem I have with the current design is engine room access. What if I did a gull door like the pics below (red outline being the new door).

    Red lines = engine room door closed


    This is what it would look like with the engine room hatch / gull door open.


    It seems to me like this gull wing with a side-ladder entry approach would be quite a bit easier access than I currently have on the boat. Thoughts?
    SOUTHPAWS
    1986 52C Hull #391 8v92TI
    PENSACOLA, FL

  2. #22

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    crudely edited out the existing engine room hatch lid to give a little better look.

    SOUTHPAWS
    1986 52C Hull #391 8v92TI
    PENSACOLA, FL

  3. #23

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    For what it is worth.

    I have a 65 convertable with a fairly easy engine room access from the cockpit. Raise the lid, open the door, and almost a vertical ladder to the engine room. I still have to watch my head, and bend a little getting in, and then almost 7 foot head room to work. Engines running, gens running and the heat and noise, Big door is nice.

    The access is easy when at dock, but when out, and I need to access for inspections, fuel valve changes, and retrieval of tackle it is a little dicey.

    My point: At the last boat show, I toured my same boat that had the mezzanine redo with the lowered engine room access. It was difficult for me to gain access, let alone If I had things in my hands. Off shore on rolling seas, in my opinion would be a pain.

    Also a customer of mine has a 53 Hatt convertible with the near same mezzanine redo. Going into his engine room is a pain, and almost like going into a house crawl space. I really feel un-easy crawling in at the dock. Once down, it is roomy, just in and out Offshore, rolling, pitching, I might not do it. Imagine if a problem involving steam or smoke.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Tim

  4. #24

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    Honestly right now the engine room access sucks on the boat. You have to turn with your back to the hatch, with nothing in front of you to hold on to. Then step down into the hole and try to find a ladder rung you can't see.

    If the ladder remains in the same place on the aft wall. And the access is from the port side. You should be able to clearly see the rung while holding onto the rim of the hatch (or grabrails).

    It seems to me like going to side access rather than aft access would make it a LOT easier to gain access to the engine room.
    SOUTHPAWS
    1986 52C Hull #391 8v92TI
    PENSACOLA, FL

  5. #25

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    Little better pic

    SOUTHPAWS
    1986 52C Hull #391 8v92TI
    PENSACOLA, FL

  6. #26

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    Trust your judgement, and every bodies needs are different. I love this site to learn more about boating through others experiences. But, if you have to make a 90 degree turn, what if the heavy part or fishing tackle will not bend easily? With my boat, batteries, gaffs, manifolds, heavy engine parts are easier to go in straight and come out straight. You may have to tip a battery to an angle that allows acid to leak?? On my customers Hatt, each battery has to be tipped at such an angle acid drips out the vent caps to pass to the person down inside the engine room.

    I have an aluminum ladder segment cut to length, that works as a ramp to slide heavy items from the cockpit down straight into the engine room and enough room for several grown adults to work in that opening. I have slid generators on their pan and complete pumps and manifolds, and of course 8ds up that ladder ramp onto a second ladder laying flat, right into a pickup bed on the dock, and back the same method. No lifting, no straps, no army of people.

    Just curious, as I too would like a mezzanine addition, but so far, I have not seen one that has the egress I have now. I have been hit with steam, hot water, 110v and 12v sparks, and sea water while at sea under an emergency. I have even had to feel around the smoke for a battery disconnect and fire extinguisher to put an alternator fire out. Having a straight visual line if sight, and un obstructed way out is the only reason I will attempt entering a engine room under extreme conditions. There are braver people that will rush into that environment, but the comfort that I can get out quickly if things go to crap fast, is a must for me. I have run in and out several times for clean cool air and back in quickly to find the problem and solve it before the problem became a disaster. My battery switches, fuel valves, crash pumps, everything that needs to be isolated while determining the problem is inside that door or all the way in past the engines and generators, on the far bulkhead. I also have 110v and 12v panels and fuel valves on that bulkhead . Along way, with smoke, roaring motors and all the heat. Sorry for the rant.

    Again just my opinion, your idea might be the bomb once completed. This is why I bookmarked this thread, I too want a different layout, you may be on to something worth duplicating.

    Have a great week,

    Tim

  7. #27

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    Quote Originally Posted by Fish Tales View Post
    Trust your judgement, and every bodies needs are different. I love this site to learn more about boating through others experiences. But, if you have to make a 90 degree turn, what if the heavy part or fishing tackle will not bend easily? With my boat, batteries, gaffs, manifolds, heavy engine parts are easier to go in straight and come out straight. You may have to tip a battery to an angle that allows acid to leak?? On my customers Hatt, each battery has to be tipped at such an angle acid drips out the vent caps to pass to the person down inside the engine room.

    I have an aluminum ladder segment cut to length, that works as a ramp to slide heavy items from the cockpit down straight into the engine room and enough room for several grown adults to work in that opening. I have slid generators on their pan and complete pumps and manifolds, and of course 8ds up that ladder ramp onto a second ladder laying flat, right into a pickup bed on the dock, and back the same method. No lifting, no straps, no army of people.

    Just curious, as I too would like a mezzanine addition, but so far, I have not seen one that has the egress I have now. I have been hit with steam, hot water, 110v and 12v sparks, and sea water while at sea under an emergency. I have even had to feel around the smoke for a battery disconnect and fire extinguisher to put an alternator fire out. Having a straight visual line if sight, and un obstructed way out is the only reason I will attempt entering a engine room under extreme conditions. There are braver people that will rush into that environment, but the comfort that I can get out quickly if things go to crap fast, is a must for me. I have run in and out several times for clean cool air and back in quickly to find the problem and solve it before the problem became a disaster. My battery switches, fuel valves, crash pumps, everything that needs to be isolated while determining the problem is inside that door or all the way in past the engines and generators, on the far bulkhead. I also have 110v and 12v panels and fuel valves on that bulkhead . Along way, with smoke, roaring motors and all the heat. Sorry for the rant.

    Again just my opinion, your idea might be the bomb once completed. This is why I bookmarked this thread, I too want a different layout, you may be on to something worth duplicating.

    Have a great week,

    Tim

    Really the bottom line is this.... Yes, in a perfect world engine access would be a breeze with a staircase and nice hand rail and plenty of room to move everything. But in reality, that is not a reality lol. As the engine access currently sits we had to tilt batteries quite a bit to get them in/out. No acid dripped out or anything like that and my entry design in the image above would have them tilting about the same angle.

    I'm not sure I agree with the 90deg turn deal. You would climb straight up the ladder (just like you do now) and instead of stepping out, you would just step over. If you've ever climbed up on a roof in a ladder you know how much easier it is to board a ladder from the side than it is from the top. I would argue that you could get in/out of the engine room faster and safer with a side boarding ladder rather than an end boarding ladder (which is the current configuration, end boarding)

    If I'm pulling out engine pieces too big to fit out of this opening I'm probably going to be pulling up a floor panel or two in the salon.

    The only heavy items I consistently carry in/out of the ER is 5gal buckets of oil. And I've been toying with the idea of adding an oil reservoir that is fillable from the cockpit and plumbed into my oil change system. That would be ideal, but for another discussion all together.

    Bottom line is I only have so much space to work with. My goal is to make it functional and make the best of my constraints. I am NOT even considering the idea of moving the aft fuel tank.
    SOUTHPAWS
    1986 52C Hull #391 8v92TI
    PENSACOLA, FL

  8. #28

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    Totally understand. I do not have floor panels to remove, everything has to come out of the entry way, so you do have the advantage. Not trying to be a pain, but you know what they say about opinions....

    Good luck and please post pics, as stated, I want to re-model also. I want to watch your progress, need ideas.

    Have a great weekend,

    Tim

  9. #29

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    Got to the boat late last night but was able to play around with the layout. Started marking everything up with a sharpie in the cockpit. Felt kinda funny drawing and making marks all over the areas I've tried so hard to get clean and keep mark free lol.

    The engine access from the side is 100% winner winner. Honestly after climbing in/out with it in mind I don't know why all boats aren't that way from the factory. MUCH more ergonomic entry IMO. I can also gain about 5" of access by moving the bench seat aft wall aft a little bit. The compromise is I loose width on my fishbox lid. Gotta make sure those jumbo tuna will fit in the door lol.

    Hopefully this evening I'll have a chance to cut up the foam board I brought and tape everything roughly into place and see how it will be.

    In the meantime, gotta get some outrigger bolts out so I can bolt in my new pulleys so the outriggers can be re-installed tomorrow. Hopefully these bolts won't give me fits...
    SOUTHPAWS
    1986 52C Hull #391 8v92TI
    PENSACOLA, FL

  10. #30

    Re: Cockpit Mezzanine & Tuna Tube Winter Project

    Was able to get down to the boat this weekend and had time to mock everything up using Blue Foam insulation. REALLY glad I did this, was great to be able to walk around and imagine using the space.

    I didn't have our fighting chair but did work the dimensions of it into the layout.

    Couple of things to note before looking/analyzing the pics.

    1. The fighting chair pedestal will need to be moved approx 6-8" aft, this will push the rocket launcher backrest forward about as much.

    2. The ladder will be moved aft to completely clear the mezzanine and will likely land on the cockpit floor.

    3. We will probably be doing a bridge extension along with this project. This will make the ladder move MUCH easier as we can just unbolt the handrail and move the entire unit (ladder and handrail) aft rather than having to butcher or completely re-do the ladder.

    4. Engine room access. I know lots of you guys are worried about it. The bottom line is this. Engine room access will be better/easier than it currently is. Is it perfect? no. But in the end it's all about compromise. On that same note, the primary thing I find myself struggling to get into and out of the engine access hatch was 5gal buckets of oil. To completely fix that issue I'm going to be installing 2 10gal oil tanks under the engine access ladder. A vented fill hose will be ran up and mounted at the door of the engine room. So with a funnel I'll be able to just dump my change or top off oil into the tank. This also keeps me from having a 5gal bucket strapped in between the engines (which is going to be NICE).

    Honestly I never fully realized how much this would change the boat. I was literally in shock walking around the empty cockpit. No coolers, no bait tanks... no more of just crap cluttering up the cockpit. Was AMAZING how HUGE this layout made the cockpit feel. This modification is going to completely change how much we enjoy the boat.







    SOUTHPAWS
    1986 52C Hull #391 8v92TI
    PENSACOLA, FL

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