Any one know....

[gradywhite273]

they are all ex chryslers engineers.

[LuckyLady]

Originally Posted by gradywhite273

they are all ex chryslers engineers.

Is that what it is....

I forget which boat it was but it was many years ago and a larger sportfish we had to disassemble the entire port side salon and remove the slider just to get the engines out . Then there was the ever so famous filters are between the bulkhead wall and mechanics get thier arm stuck to remove them and require a quart of oil to get the mechanic out...

[Double D]

Got stuck in my bildge last year with nobody aroung to hear me yell Started to panic and damn near broke my arm. Finally calmed down and spent 10 minutes extracating myself.

Not fun

[jeff56]

My aft bilge pumps(2) for a Worldcat,are mounted on a peice of starboard,which sets on the bottom of the bilge,attached by a wingnut/stud combination.I undo the wingnut,and remove assembly,thru an armstrong deckplate,which is about 11 inches in diameter.Everything comes out,all attached together,all wires,hose etc,for inspection.Works out pretty good.

[neilinov]

The only real solution to this problem on this boat is to do what BARBARIC did. He cut out the floor and installed a huge removeble fish box and relocated the fuel tank. I was gonna do that this winter, but got caught up looking at new boats. So I'll just gripe about being stuck in the hole!

[hattrickll]

Lucky ady, you are 100% right about Wellcrafts, I have a 24 W/A and the pump is in the stern just under an access plate about 18", there is no room.

[jawz12]

Originally Posted by neilinov

Does anyone know who the jackass is who did they layout for the aft bilge pump on a 35 contender? I spent 2 hours crammed in the 18" hole in between the fuel tank and the live well replacing the whole mess today. I would really like to kick that guy in the nuts!

you guys should try doing this stuff for a living...
lemme tell ya,you get some funny looks when you tell someone how long it took to do the job...
wellcrafts??? one word...JUNK...i got stories and pictures to back up the stories that will scare the hell outta you...sea swirl???? same story...
don't even get me started about grady whites
the contenders,for the most part are put together pretty well...

[neilinov]

Originally Posted by jawz12

you guys should try doing this stuff for a living...
lemme tell ya,you get some funny looks when you tell someone how long it took to do the job...
wellcrafts??? one word...JUNK...i got stories and pictures to back up the stories that will scare the hell outta you...sea swirl???? same story...
don't even get me started about grady whites
the contenders,for the most part are put together pretty well...

Jawz, I really like your post and have a new found appreciation for your work. If I thought I had to spend another two hours in that hole tomorrow I think I would give it up!

As far as the Contender boat goes you are right. They are put together pretty well. This is my only real gripe with the boat and in all truth I really consider it quite minor. I bought the boat on the solid reputation, and it has really lived up to all my expectations. When we take her out we play rough and she takes the abuse well! Aside from routine maintenance I have never had any real issues with the boat.

However don't get me started on electolysis. I have that issue under control this year I am switching marinas!

[rocksandblues]

Originally Posted by neilinov

There is no acess hole. The deck doesn't come off, it may look like it does, but it is fiberglassed to the bulkheads. I though about cutting the seam to pull the deck. I looked everywhere and tried to find a place to cut an acess hole in. You have pull the fish box out and crawl over the fuel tank.(in between the fuel tank and the deck) It is located under the livewell all the way down. You are laying on the fuel tank reaching down to the bilge with about 18" of clearance in between the bottom of the livewell and the fuel tank. My arms are just short of reaching the pump all the way down so I had to use pliers and clamps to grab the thing and get the new one installed. Oh yeah I have a rocket launcher bolted to the deck so with the mounting plate and bolts your back gets really scratched up. Then there is the fuel guage that cuts your chest and stomach as you shimmy past it. Let me tell you it's a real treat! But like Deep said it's done now.

I assumed all those screws around the perimeter of the deck allowed its removal. no?

[neilinov]

Originally Posted by rocksandblues

I assumed all those screws around the perimeter of the deck allowed its removal. no?

That's what I thought too, but if you pull the fish box out and look around the perimeter they have fiberglassed the bulkheds to the bottom of the floor. If you cut at this junction you can pull the floor. At least that is the way it is on my boat.