tophatyachts.com

My mark 3 (and most from what i can tell) have a cockpit locker on the port side of the cockpit.

My locker is about 2ft deep by around 3-4ft long.

I was looking at it the other day and wondering if anyone has considered cutting the bottom out of the locker and extending it all the way down to the base of the hull. There is a lot of dead space under the port side cockpit seat which is impractical to access unless one feels like crawling up under the cockpit floor.

I estimate i could get another 2-3 feet of depth, and depending on the shaping could get even more. Would be good to have practical space for storing fuel, fenders, bits and pieces etc

Other than the work involved, does anyone envisage any issues in doing so, structurally or otherwise? Id fit a decent bilge pump in the bottom as it would be quite heavy should it somehow become swamped & filled.

Ideally I'd have a racking system in the fore corner for storing the outboard fuel tank at a level that doesn't cause too much head..

Bear in mind my Mk III has a custom fit out, the galley is located immediately inside the cabin on the port side which blocks any access directly to under the port side cockpit seat.

cheers
dan

Dan,

The mark 1 lockers (Port & Stb) have the hull as their sides and bottom .

Your idea should be no problem unless the portion you plan to cut away is supporting something.

Phillip
SEAKA

My mark III has just the locker lid in the port seat of the cockpit. There is no "bin" space below, but there is a bunk running the length of the port side under the cockpit seat. Providing the cockpit seat in yours is strong enough, you could simply cut out the bin of the locker and leave it at that.

Michael
Dulcamara