Vents / Cowl removal

alano · Post by **alano** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 4:02 am

Anyone removed them, I'm getting ready to paint the topsides (fairing about done, new bow rail ordered) and I'd like to take them out and blast/alodine/paint. Have crawled up under there a bunch of times and never really looked like a quick way. br, Alan.

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:04 am

Alan, I haven't done mine, but its somewhere on the list. I think the options are is to have them locally fabricated or check into the one's Capt. Patrick of B31 makes. Here's a link to his kit http://www.bertram31.com/parts/index.html If you can, snap a few pictures of you painting project. I'm going to need it soon myself. br,

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 12:34 pm

Alan... I think JohnD is referring to adding new side vent openings in the hull, rather than just replacing your deck scoops. My comments on the scoops are as follows... I removed mine about 4 months ago, they are aluminum, so I wire brushed them with a SS wheel and hand brushes, put 2 coats of self etching DuPont spray can primer on, then HVLP spray painted them inside and out with 4 coats of marine topside paint. Reinstalled them a couple of weeks ago. You will find they have 4 long studs extending from each corner, which go through the deck and two 1/2" pieces of plywood backing boards under the deck. The backing boards were rotten and falling apart, from rainwater that had gotten through the old caulking where the bottom of the scoops were resting on the deck. Mine had a 5" and 4" dia duct hose on each side, the 5â€� one being forward of the 4“. I made new backing boards out of Azek PVC wood substitute, and had also to make new transition pieces because the round duct has to connect to oval holes in the deck. There is (supposed to be anyway) some type of screen covering the holes in the deck, to keep the bugs out.. mine was broken and falling apart, so I found some nylon window screen that I cut and glued to the deck using GE 4200 adhesive. I have been advised that the screen might act as a restriction for air being sucked into the engine room by the engines, but I have also found that at least on the stbd side there is another large screen covered opening in the bulkhead that is between the engine room and the locker on the stbd side of the cockpit, that allows more air to get into the engine room. I don’t know if there is another on the port side.. I never thought to look for it. Making the transition pieces and reinstalling them was a PITA, since there is not much room to get under the deck in all four locations, and you need to have little skinn y fingers to hold the nuts and washers in place, but I had all the port and stbd side walls in the cabin removed and will be replacing them with new teak panels on the port side and new cabinets on the stbd side in the next few weeks. I hope this helps you..

alano · Post by **alano** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:05 pm

John, Frank thanks for the replys. Frank that's exactly what I was looking for, the skinny fingers will be an issue. I'll crawl up under the cabnitery and look, I think I may have missed my opportunity when putting tackle drawers in the port rear area where the refridge compressor was orginally. John, mine had the shore power inlet on the side of the house on the stbd. side which I moved to the cockpit and replaced with a standard louvered vent on each side backed with a dorado box made from a square PVC fence post. which added a 4" hose into the engine area (was thinking diesel at the time). BTW I have some photos of the guy down here that did a galley down in his 35 on my other machine - I'll try and post in the near future on your other thread. Thanks, Alan.

lobsta1 · Post by **lobsta1** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 4:30 pm

Frank, Would something like this finger wrench help? Al http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 43407&ap=1

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 6:43 pm

Alan... Glad my experience was useful to you.. I was fortunate in that I have removed everything in the main cabin except the fore and aft bulkheads, and my attention was drawn to some rainwater that had leaked in around the base of the deck scoops, and when I investigated I found the punky plywood backup pieces, which led me to replace them, which led me to remove and paint the scoops.. and so on, and so on! One thing leads to another.. you know how it is working on an old boat. Al... Unfortunately no.. the studs sticking out of the base of the scoops have to have a nut and flat washer threaded onto them, but there is only a small amount of space around some of the studs to get your fingers there. I used a 1/4" ratchet with an extension to reach up there.. a real PITA job.. but I am happy now since I have eliminated another source of fresh water leaks!

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:44 pm

Alan, I went back and re-read you post and I totally missed the point the first time. My scoops were just screwed on and I had them painted when i had my cockpit painted a few years back. I have a friend with a painting company who was able to do it over the winter when things were a little slack. br,