Engine room air intake

[Scarlett]

Do these louvers do anything? We are prepping for painting and they will be a PITA to paint. In pictures of other boats it looks like some have nothing here, while others have some kind of decorative covers. Suggestions please. John

 

[Pascal]

They help deflect spray away from the actual intake at the top of the box

 

[jim rosenthal]

It is worth the trouble to take them apart and get them right. It is not easy. It may be a little easier if you remove the airbox and do it off the boat.

 

[Walter P]

I wonder how necessary the louvers really are. Over the years I owned two 43DC's, a '73 with louvers and an '80 without louvers. The one without louvers didn't ingest any water from the intakes AFAIK so perhaps the Hatteras engineers figured out that they were not needed on the later boats. If this is in fact the case, I would consider removing them and filling in the rivit holes, then just leave the air boxes open like the late models. My present 1982 48MY does not have louvers and that's the way it left the factory.

Walt

 

[Scarlett]

I wonder if they are more important on the more high speed boats like sport fishers than they are on motor yachts based on the comment of keeping spray out. John

 

[Avenger]

My boat has the louvers, but later versions did not. However, the later versions had a shorter height intake so there was probably a redesign of the air box.

 

[SEVEN]

I don't have the Vents in my 1979. Looking in the engine room the pitch of the vent is aiming down to help stop water spray from entering and pitched to drain off if it did come in.

 

[Glory]

I have no louvers, and have never had an issue.

 

[Cricket]

Hatteras's without louvers are pulling engine room air via a different location, cockpit for the convertibles. The MY's without have to be getting engine air from somewhere?? If you want to stop the water add demister vents from Livos or Delta T.

 

[MikeP]

The later MYs without the louvres on the engine air intake vent employ a dorade box and screen to prevent spray entering the ER.

 

[Frivakt]

Would the type of engines reflect the type of air intake? Older engines need more air?

 

[MikeP]

No, if anything it would be the other way around. They were getting more HP out of later engines.

I suspect the change was simply a function of realizing that the louvers didn't really do a very good job of preventing spray/mist entry into the engine room so they went to rectangular dorade boxes/screens, which are effective but also require more fabricating (time and cost).

 

[Walter P]

So Mike, with the newer system no louvers, old system with louvers...better leave them in.

Walt

 

[Salty Dame]

My 1969 41C has the port louvers pointing forward and the starboard pointing aft. When I replaced them with stainless I left them that way.

 

[Scarlett]

My air boxes are the type Mike is talking about I think. It is a box with 3 sides and the top is open but it had louvers. I made the command decision after discussing with Rusty(Seven) to take my louvers off, in fact they are off on one side and in the trash, the box is sanded and fairing filler has been applied, no turning back. John

 

[jim rosenthal]

I would not throw those out. Someone restoring a similar boat may want them. Been there.

 

[SEVEN]

Good point Jim.

 

[Fair Well]

This is what I did with ours. More of a PITA then I thought it would be (what isn't on a boat) but I think its going to be worth it in the end

Before

Almost after (first coat of primer still wet) sorry could not get pic to rotate.

 

[Scarlett]

That interesting, I just looked ad Ron's 63 air boxes the look Just like the before photo. The insides were rough, not finished where mine are smooth and finished. I like the look of your new ones. I will keep the louvers from the other side if anyone wants them. They are fiberglass. John

 

[SEVEN]

Doug, since you're on the vent issue I thought I would add something that I've been thinking about doing for quite some time. I am considering cutting a hole the width of my Marquip ladder when collapsed. It would slide inside the engine room where I would have a bracket mounted to the ceiling where it would attach and lock into place while cruising. When I arrived at my destination I would simply unlock the ladder from inside and pull it through the vent and mounted on the outside of the boat. I know what most of you were thinking, what would happen if I was parked on the opposite side. I have a permanently mounted boarding ladder on the opposite side. What are your thoughts?