It's official...

[Tony]

As the picture shows, I have a confirmed leaking fuel tank. The shot is from the front of the bulkhead, forward of the tank. Also, when digging down through the styrofoam, I only have to go about 3 inches to get to gas soaked material!

I've gotten several good ideas from some PM's (thanks to all...), and I'm thinking of trying the following method to pop the deck off:

Put a couple 2x4's in the hatch, and then another one below the foredeck, parallel to the stripe, and use a block and tackle system to raise the deck. Of course we would manually break the seam loose so it's not like we would reef on the deck with winching. The forward support may even take the shape of a cross, and should support the deck nicely while off. Since I do not have to flip the deck over to work on it, I would just roll the trailer out from under the deck to replace the tank. Has anybody done this, and might have thoughts?

Also, is my captain's chair pedestal base attached to the cockpit liner only, or thru-bolted to the hull/stringers somehow?

Lastly, I see three "tabs" attaching the ski locker/foot rest to the hull. Cutting them should free it up, right?

[MOP]

The seats stay with the tub, the wirewiring and cabling also go up with the top and needs disconnecting, labeling and tying up to lifting supports.

Phil

[roadtrip se]

Good luck with that surgery Tony. Plenty of advice on the procedure here.

Boat or no boat, we hope to see you at the MADCOW Cruise.

Todd

[Morgan's Cloud]

Have you disconnected your batteries ?

Anytime you find leaking fuel on a boat that's the 1st thing you oughta do IMO .

Good luck with the job !

S

[Greg]

When I removed mine first we freed it up with the help of some friends. When I lifted it off we just tied a rope thru the vent holes just behind the back seat. For the front we used a 2X4 underneath and parellel to the dash, I don't remember if we tied it off thru the hole where the gauges were or attached the rope underneath. Be careful with the fore deck when lifting, it will be flopping around like the tongue of an old shoe. To support the deck and the motor cover area we attached a 2X4 in the hole where the rear lifting ring was and did the same thru the front lifting ring hole, this stabilized the deck front to back, don't use this for lifting though.

[penbroke]

The deck on my 18 was tabbed to the hull on both sides of the end of the ski tray, both front corners of the cockpit liner about where your feet go and all around the inside of the storage well to the stringers and rear tank bulkhead.

I used a 4x4 across in front of the dash and one behind the rear seat and 4 come-alongs to lift mine.

Good luck!
Frank