making extra storage on a bow rider

ok i have a bowrider its a chapparell with removable cushions in the front bow area. the seats are plywood bottom with vinyl covering. 3 piece seat set. bow center, port and starboard sides..under the port and starboard seats are storage wells.. but the front seat only has a solid platform under it. my question is can i cut out a section from under the center seat as the space under it is wasted useless space that i could greatly use for anchor storage and rope storage to tidy up my ski locker in the center of the deck., i know the space is empty as i can see into the bow area under the seat deck from the side storagre areas. my side storage areas are currently full of life jackets and extra prop and other general boat stuff.but my ski locker is where icurrently have my anchor and lines. and its a cluttered mess in there. oh and this is the only storage areas on the boat. under neath the side bow seats and the ski locker. i guess my biggest concern iswether or not cutting a 12 x 18 inch section out to make a storage will weaken my front end support or not. i wish i could get pics but i am 100 miles fro my boat

Re: making extra storage on a bow rider

Don't know chapparal, but that is exactly where my anchor storage is on the bayliner capri bowrider.Edit ps, if you go that route don't forget the drain to the bilge. Mine was missaligned and stopped up.

Re: making extra storage on a bow rider

My anchor locker is also in the front compartment on my Cobalt. If the boat was still under warranty, I would worry about voiding the warranty but it looks like yours is not based on your name 81 Chapparel. I am not sure about the change to structural integrity.

Re: making extra storage on a bow rider

My Larson bowrider has the anchor storage in the same place. Just the right about of space for the anchor, chain and rope.

Jim

Re: making extra storage on a bow rider

I can't see how it would hurt. You can alos drain the anchor locker directly overboard if it's higher than the waterline; if not run a big tube back to the bilge so you won't have a lot of moisture in the bow area.

Re: making extra storage on a bow rider

81_chapparel194 said:

ok i have a bowrider its a chapparell with removable cushions in the front bow area. the seats are plywood bottom with vinyl covering. 3 piece seat set. bow center, port and starboard sides..under the port and starboard seats are storage wells.. but the front seat only has a solid platform under it. my question is can i cut out a section from under the center seat as the space under it is wasted useless space that i could greatly use for anchor storage and rope storage to tidy up my ski locker in the center of the deck., i know the space is empty as i can see into the bow area under the seat deck from the side storagre areas. my side storage areas are currently full of life jackets and extra prop and other general boat stuff.but my ski locker is where icurrently have my anchor and lines. and its a cluttered mess in there. oh and this is the only storage areas on the boat. under neath the side bow seats and the ski locker. i guess my biggest concern iswether or not cutting a 12 x 18 inch section out to make a storage will weaken my front end support or not. i wish i could get pics but i am 100 miles fro my boat

Click to expand...

And I'm thinking the engineers at Chapparell would have used that space for storage, but they had a reason not to.

Maybe not.

Re: making extra storage on a bow rider

If you have the typical back to back seating in the cockpit; the area under the seats is prime real estate for more storage.

I replaced the plastic box that the boat came with, with a carpet covered plywood frame that raised the seats to the standard 18 inch seating height and gained 3 cubic feet of storage space.
It could easily hold 6-8 PFDs close at hand and free up the front storage for the Anchor and dock lines.
Not to mention that you do not have to butcher the hull in the process.

Re: making extra storage on a bow rider

roscoe said:

And I'm thinking the engineers at Chapparell would have used that space for storage, but they had a reason not to.

Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. Structural integrity. Why not just call their Tech support line and ask them if it's O.K. to do what you want?


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Re: making extra storage on a bow rider

roscoe said:

And I'm thinking the engineers at Chapparell would have used that space for storage, but they had a reason not to.

Maybe not.

Click to expand...

the reason not to is that it is cheaper not to. They can sell bowriders all day long without features for marine equipment that other types of boaters require. Installing a hatch, insert, drain line and through hull is money they won't recover, since that market's buyer won't know the difference.

I seriously doubt the structural integrity of your vessel is dependant upon a small part of a drop-in cap's flat surface at the bow. If so you have bigger problems. A well-fitted hatch will restore that integrity.

Don't over-think it.