2520 under deck?

[coolbreeze]

Hello guys I am thinking of cutting into my deck and adding a cooler hatch , My concern is I am not sure whats under there,, In the pilot house where the drain is I am sure that there is a open cavety also I have seen the pics of a live well added outside the pilot house door in the deck .. Is there a below deck detail anywhere that parker offers , I have searched all over the net and called the engeneering of parker with no luck and no return call. Is there anyone here that has done this to there boat?

 

[Jtwo]

Coolbreeze -

I can tell you exactly what is under the deck of the 2520 as mine currently has none! It's a long story for another post - but more to your question - if you contact Parker with your HIN number, they should have a stringer layout. Eric is the person you want to talk to. also you can email him. I've attached the layout for my 1998 2520 XLDV which has the 'large' 200 gallon tank option. the layout is mostly right - there is one bulkhead that is missing (short one-centerline, aft of the main tank bulkhead) but all the others are where indicated. This should give you an idea how it is laid out. The forward edge of the tank cavity is just outside the cabin door. If you cut into a space and find 'nothing', it is likely a candidate. The areas under the seats are likely full of foam....'float boxes'. All the best.

 

[THEGAME]

hey im looking to do the same put a insalled fish box in center of deck i between the gas and bilage bluk heads and the to side stringers

 

[Jtwo]

Cool, and game,

I'll post pics of all this tomorrow. But here's one to 'wet' your appitite...fish boxes would be under the area skined and being held up in the picture. All that is gone today. Full view of 'stringer layout' aft coming soon.
I need to talk with factory and see what ramifications there are of zeroing out foam float boxs back there.

In the mean time, all you readers - make sure your deck hardware is properly sealed. Good boat building is no match for crappy equipment install. And all you folks thinking of buying a boat, have it surveyed with a moisture meter even if you are buying from your Grandma. Water doesn't care who owns the boat and rots it just the same.

Jtwo

 

[TimC2520]

Interesting, I see "500 lbs of lead ballast" labeled in the spec drawing.
That's the first time I've seen or heard that mentioned regarding Parker boats.
Is that a common practice in boat building these days?

 

[sandytows]

About the ballast, it seems they only added the ballast when the boat was set up a a single engine. Makes sense they would have to account for the difference in transom weight.

 

[coolbreeze]

Those guys are the best eric was great help.. He is going to send me the layout and i'll post it here to help you guys with my model . I did ask him about the balast , this will be interesting . The ballast were put in the rear of notched transome boat to get the right level for self bailing. due to the motors of that age were mostly 200 2 strokes and not as heavy as of todays 250and 300 4s.. so if someone was to repower with larger 4 stroke today would be a good idea to remove some of that weight. he did not say for sure if they put them in all the boats of those years, but I am sure it depending on the build sheet to what motor and transome layout was.. let us know when you finish your rip out if you have any weight in yours.. I am very interested in your project . Thanks for all your help.

 

[Jtwo]

No lead. This boat is enclosed transom, with outboard bracket and twin 200s (2002 - HPDI). Plenty of weight.

 

[Jtwo]

This is what should be under your decks...and what could be under your decks... :shock:

 

[Jtwo]

Talked with Parker about fish box conversions. Code says that the boat has to have some positive floatation and some part of the boat has to float above the water when swamped. With that in mind, Parker, over the years, has done ALL KINDS of variations on their deck layouts utilizing the different spaces. in different combinations. There is still floatation all along the very outside, and forward. God forbid we are ever really pressed to use it...we're thinking boat awash vs partially sunk is same difference. Having a good ditch bag, PFDs, EPIRB, etc. and good seamanship hopefully mitigate the tradeoff? Probably overthinking this....

Jtwo

 

[DaleH]

I thought level floatation requirements were limited to a certain length vessel ... and the 25s might have it, but are over that length ??????????????

 

[Jtwo]

Thanks Dale - 20' or less is the number and in that size category level floation applies to outboards over 2 (two) hp...
Besides Coast Guard regulations, the American Boat and Yacht Council has more to say on the subject.

We decided to skip the float box converstion to fish boxes. It was too $$$ to do and didn't want to tamper with what we considered a very safe boat. Although we may never need it, if we do, it could be the detail that saves a life in bad seas and/or prolonged rescue effort inspite of all other safety precautions (ditch bag, EPIRB, etc.). This boat will have the capacity/range to get offshore.

Did find some interesting, although way too complex stuff on floatation.

C.F.R. 33 Section 183 is all about boats -
http://www.uscgboating.org/regulations/ ... tents.aspx

Found a nice presentation which will make one appreciate what the boat design folks do all day.....worth a quick look.
http://www.shipmotion.com/pds/IBEXFlotation.pdf

Jtwo