Is this a patch?

[silverghost]

I just finished cleaning 40 years worth of sand, dirt, leaves fron the aft engine compartment bilge of the "Benchseat C 18" project.
Upon inspection~ just in front of the outdrive bellhousing on the very center-line bottom of the boat under where the Ford engine once was I see a big rectangular area that looks like it may have some sort of wood core in it. There is some cracking on each side of ths area.
See Photos below~
Is this normal in late 60s-early 70s Donzi 18s?
Did the engine sit over this area?
OR
Is it some sort of of patch?
Possibly a filled-in intake grate for a jet ?
Could this boat have once been a Berkeley jet and could this have once been the jet-pump intake; now patched-up?
What is your opinion?
Ever see anything like this in an 18 C ?
Outside the hull in this area all looks normal !

Also in the center hatch area in the deck floor I can see all the way into th bilge area.
I hear about a storage lacker in the 18.
Should there be some sort of inner fiberglass liner in this hatch area to hold things?
Or can you usually see directly into the center bilge?
See photos.
Thank's

[MOP]

That is where the bilge pumps mount all the classic have that pad, neither of mine had drop in storage tubs but who know!!

[MOP]

Just noticed your along the way got water logged froze and sheared one side part way loose, I have seen that on a couple of others. Having seen that I drilled both ends and opened up a fairly wide slot, then hit it with a pressure washer to get the bad wood out. It is about 3/16" thick with enough meat to hold my two pumps and float switches, three years with no problems.

[Just Say N20]

That raised area is supposed to be there.

Yes, there is supposed to be a drop in tub that fits in the storage hole in the floor.

[gcarter]

The glass covered plywood pad in the bilge always rots out and is saturated w/very old stagnant water.
I always remove them and replace w/something plastic (PVC board, arylic, etc). If possible, I'll usually mount them so water can flow under the replacement pad.
Then I'll drill and tap the plastic for pump mounting.