Structural?

[Killick69]

On my mk3 i had to cut out a large portion of plywood vertical sections on both port and starboard sides in the area under the cockpit floor. The ply was wet and rotted. I cut back to solid play, allowed months to ensure it was thoroughly dry, then sealed and fitted marine ply to replace the sections i had cut out. The mark 3 has a cockpit locker on the port side and most of the vertical section between the locker and the area aft of the bilge was removed. To get to it I had to remove a 'shelf' about 400 mm long and abou150mm deep that ran from starboard to port just aft of the companionway and between the hull on port side and hull on starboard side, just above the point where the hull sides become close to vertical.

So what I am trying to say is that with cabin steps removed if one looked into the area under the cockpit floor one would see the rudder tube and within about an arm's length of the steps is where the vertical shelf was located. I am wondering if the shelf is standard or whether it was fitted after (maybe to hold a battery or fuel container). I just want to be sure it is not a structural requirement. I assume the hull is strong enough not to need a brace between port and starboard sides, especially as at this point the hull is narrow. Shaun and other previous owners perhaps you can comment.
Does anyone else have a 'shelf in this area?'

Cheers, john

[Shaun]

Gday John,
From memory that shelf (if it the same shelf im thinking of....(the "vertical" bit has me stumped tho' )) was the shelf that the diesel fuel tank used to sit on, I removed the tank.
I'd guess it was glassed in to hold the fuel tank only, & would not be crucial to the structural integrity.

If you could compare that area with a MkIII that had not originally had an inboard motor, to see if the shelf is there.

cheers

[Troppo]

Here's a pic under my cockpit. Never had an inboard motor, so I believe.

s boat trip 420.jpg (273.33 KiB) Viewed 1824 times

Ya can't see the floor with the water container and spare anchor but it is flat all the way down from stern.

All this space is one reason I have decided I like the outboard : ).

Oh, the vertical board on the left side of the pic has been glassed in but is very thin and flexible, probably only to stop stuff (or a person sleeping) from falling off the quarter berth tunnel. It would not be structural.