Engine bay clean up, and hinging the deck plate.

Saturday 14th June.

After Friday's efforts at bleeding the fuel system the engine bay was a bit of a mess so first job was chuck some absorbent pads down the engine 'ole then, send Bro down the 'ole with some rags to do some mopping up. (well he's much more supple than I am, and can crawl right round the engine to get to the other side). Whilst he was down there he tightened up the skin fitting for the bilge pump outlet and fitted the outlet hose to the fitting with a jubilee clip ready for me to attach the pump when the wiring is in place.

Next job was to place the hinges in position for the engine hatch plate, and mark and centre punch ready to drill bolt holes.

This took a while so Bro disappeared off to another appointment leaving me to get on with it. (see, I do get my hands dirty sometimes). By the time he returned the job was well under way, and I'd also drilled the deck plates ready to bolt the starboard storage box in place. Also i'd drilled and fitted the lifting handle to the hatch plate.

Bolting everything  together was so much easier with two of us working together, and we soon had it sorted.

Having the hatch plate hinged makes life so much easier. Being able to open and shut the hatch, although still heavy, is now easily a one man job. The hinges are open so the hatch can be slid off the hinge pins for complete removal if necessary.

Time was getting on by then so we called it a day, a good day's work i felt and after all the climbing in and out, in and out of the engine 'ole my legs were protesting somewhat!