Has anyone cut engine access hatches in the top deck?

[Davy8or]

I have a 2010 Monterey 194FS bow rider with the Volvo Penta SX-A drive and 5.0 engine. The boat maker made it so that anything on the back side of the engine, or the transom can't be serviced without pulling the engine. Super enraging because of course I have problems back there! I'm considering my options and one is to machine a custom access hatch for the top deck so I can reach down in there. Has anyone done this sort of thing before?

I am thinking along the lines of a CNC machined aluminum plate that is fastened around it's perimeter about every inch and sealed. Because it's an area where you walk, likely a polished diamond plate. Is this crazy talk? What do you all think?

 

[alldodge]

Thought about the issue many times when working on even my boat. It can be done, but is going to take a lot of thinking. If your cutting where I'm thinking, you also have to consider, does the upper half add any support

 

[Davy8or]

Thought about the issue many times when working on even my boat. It can be done, but is going to take a lot of thinking. If your cutting where I'm thinking, you also have to consider, does the upper half add any support

There are a lot of structural things going on there, that's why I would use some pretty heavy aluminum, probably 3/8" thick and lots of fasteners.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would pull the motor vs cutting the boat.

 

[Mad Props]

Do you have any pictures of where you're thinking? Might give us a better chance to give some advice.