Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos

Posted by alan heckmamleper on 02/13/18 - 3:45 PM

I have a 1999 Alert 17 and I am converting it to a center console. I cut out the rigging tube in the rear sump and everything went fine. Next I went to the marked area on the floor in the front of the boat and took a dremmel and cut out a 2 inch square to get started and took the piece out and there it was FOAM. Next I ran a length of hose in through thre rigging tube from the rear to the front of the rigging tube until it hit something,I pulled it out and laid it on the floor and found out that it ran into a blockage 4 inches short of the outside of the smooth part of the marked rectangle on the floor that is supposed to mark where to cut the rigging tube out at the front of the boat where the console should sit. Does anyone have an idea what is going on here? Or hopefully someone has done this and can give me some guidance in this problem.

Posted by Joe Kriz on 02/13/18 - 4:29 PM

Photos might help many of us to understand what you have and are trying to do.

If you already had a rigging tube, why did you have to cut it out?

Posted by alan heckmamleper on 02/13/18 - 4:54 PM

Joe, my 1999 Alert 17 was a side console and as such the rigging tube was never cut out because the control cables ran down the starboard side behind the side railing. I am in the process of converting it to a center console and want to run the rigging through the rigging tube so the tube needs to be opened. Like I said previously I had no problem cutting out the opening in the sump but the tube seems to stop 4 inches from the rectangular spot on the deck that would be under the console and whenI cut out a 2 inch square towards the front of the marked rectangle and pulled it out there was foam under it where the opening should be. The place I cut out was well inside the rectangle where the tube should be. The tube seems to be too short.

Posted by JRP on 02/13/18 - 5:13 PM

If I am following your description correctly, it sounds like some foam from hull construction migrated into the forward part of the rigging tunnel. On a CC Montauk the factory would have caught and corrected this, but they wouldn't have noticed on your side console Alert. (Maybe there is a sprue hole just forward of the rigging tunnel that they don't have access to on the side console versions?)

In your shoes, I would probably complete the cut and then auger out the foam until I reached the clear part of the tunnel. But before doing that, suggest you wait to hear from some more experienced owners.

Posted by Phil T on 02/14/18 - 6:05 AM

Alan -

ran into a blockage 4 inches short of the outside of the smooth part of the marked rectangle on the floor that is supposed to mark where to cut the rigging tube

Are you going by eye or off a Whaler/CPD document that specifies location?

Could it be the console location for the CPD version is in a different place since the consoles tend to be larger?

With the classic Montauk the opening is on the aft edge of the console. Almost at your feet.

Do you thing you can reach in with your hand and a brush and slather on epoxy to seal the foam?

You could cut the opening wider (to cover foam) and then install an inspection port to cover. The cover could be cut out and a boot installed for the rigging to exit the tunnel. Make sense?

Posted by alan heckmamleper on 02/14/18 - 9:57 AM

Got the rigging tube opened up this morning, the tube opening was at the very rear of the marked rectangle and came to the deck surface via a 45 degree elbow. Also the tube was filled solid with foam to about 8 inches back, I had to dig the foam out of the tube, good stuff. Instead of having a finished rectangular sump the 45 degree just comes to the surface of the deck. I have a small area to patch up but it will be under the console. Just glad to get the done now I can move on to finish my conversion to a Custom17. Should be painting hull inside and outside within a couple of weeks, thanks JRP your advice gave the courage to go for it and also thanks for your advice also Phil.