Tournament 192 Bilge Access

[hardasset16]

I have posted about this issue before. My 2002 Tournament 192 has very poor bilge access. Access is currently provided by two pie plates in the splash well. It is difficult to work through these. I am contemplating having a large hatch installed in their place. I haven't measured yet to determine whether this is able to be performed without glassing over the holes from the pie plate and cutting a new hole. I am hoping the two pie plate holes that are already there are close enough together that they are inside of the hole that will need to be cut for the new hatch. Has anyone done this? Alternatively, if someone has a newer Freedom model, can you tell me whether the access is the same, and if not, how access is now provided? Thank you!

 

[trapper]

hardassset, I enlarged the the hatches in the splash well a few years ago as access was almost impossible. Left the space between the original hatches and cut larger diameter holes and install the Armstrong 10 inch deck plates. Totally waterproof, now easy access. Trapper https://www.armstrongnautical.com/armstrong-boat-deck-plates/

 

[hardasset16]

hardassset, I enlarged the the hatches in the splash well a few years ago as access was almost impossible. Left the space between the original hatches and cut larger diameter holes and install the Armstrong 10 inch deck plates. Totally waterproof, now easy access. Trapper https://www.armstrongnautical.com/armstrong-boat-deck-plates/

Thanks trapper. Did you use and enlarge the existing holes, or did you cut two entirely new holes and leave the original pie plates. If you did enlarge the existing holes, what did you use to cut them out?

 

[trapper]

I believe I left the space between the original two holes for support and cut the new 10 inch holes to port and starboard of the originals, including the originals holes. They need fibreglass under the rims to seal they are a compression seal, not a screw in. Used a rotozip also a down cutting blade on a jig saw works well, I talked to Grady before making those big holes to see if it would compromise splash well and structure, No problem. Good luck! trapper