Carver 355 rear platform access

[Viper]

The tanks are aluminum and yes they do have a bad wrap in that location. Their bottoms get riddled with pinholes as mentioned above. At least that's been my experience with a few. I can tell you that one of them did NOT reveal a leak through a pressure test but once filled with fuel, it would slowly (very slowly) seep through the pin holes. Not enough to see any actual signs of fuel in the bilge but you could sure smell it. It was just enough to sweat the bottom of the tank. A pressure test is definitely the place to start though.

Have never taken them out through the cabin. Took one look the first time and opted to go through the swim platform from then on...much easier IMO.

[Elliott]

Viper,your note was a very disturbing read. I can not imagine how a company like Carver would make a boat with a tank problem.What could be more basic to boating safety than having a proper fuel system. Bad gelcoat, stringers, finishing etc ,well, one would get what one pays for, but fuel system integrity should never be on the line.
How do these tanks get pinholes, and, what about the main tanks, or are your comments just relegated to the auxiliary tank?
After reading the post prior to yours I had decided that I would not bother with trying the tank, as once there is a problem I would have to go further.,and the smell is a warning of a hazard.
Also,when you state,"take them about by the swim platform" I assume you mean cutting the back of the boat open.

Thanks

[Viper]

You cut a hole on the top of the platform and remove the tank from there. Then it's just a matter of fastening and glassing in some battens, fastening and glassing in the section you cut out, and either re-non-skid the whole platform or simply applying a composite flooring product like NuTeak or something similar.

Ever see a stern thruster on one of these boats?

Qr Bbpost.....I can not imagine how a company like Carver would make a boat with a tank problem.....

I doubt it was anything Carver foresaw happening. Could have been a poor or low quality batch of aluminum the tank manufacturer used when they produced a quantity for Carver, or the way the tanks were installed, hard to say. My theory is that for the most part, people rarely use these tanks. I suspect they often sit pretty empty and collect a lot of water from condensation, the effects of ethanol, etc. This would definitely contribute to bottom corrosion as that's where the water would sit. This auxiliary/saddle tank issue is actually pretty common with other brands too in my experience, not necessarily a "Carver" specific issue.

I've actually never had to replace any main tanks on a Carver but I can comfortably say that's not the case with some other brands, and they've been a mix of bottom pinhole leaks or bad welds. Whether that's a coincidence or not I don't know but I do know we've had a couple of threads here re main tank replacement on Mariners if I recall.

[Elliott]

Thanks, that was informative.
Maybe you know the answer to the following.
At the bottom of the rear steps, on the platform, there is a square section as wide as the steps, about 16x16 that appears as if the platform was cutout. The previous owner may have had a small issue and serviced it, but during my first summer last year 3 sides of this square seemed to have moisture coming out,. No softness at all.
I thought I would have to open it up and re glass the section of the deck, but, in my discoveries last weekend of the inside of the platform, I examined the area very carefully and there was no cutout on the inside or breakthrough whatsoever. It was just solid fibreglass.
So , I was thinking of grinding out the 3 sides the square that show the outline, cleaning it up and re sealing it. But I have no idea what to use. In my mind a white 5200 paste would do it for me. Any Ideas,

[g36]

Hi elliot I can suggest while you are concerning yourself with the rear platform is to remove the oem dock box and investigate each mounting hole for rot and repair and rebed. This is a known issue with 355 405 families. I have repaired my 405 and suggested this to others there has been issues with bad sealing and rot of the decks.

[Viper]

Qr Bbpost Hi elliot I can suggest while you are concerning yourself with the rear platform is to remove the oem dock box and investigate each mounting hole for rot and repair and rebed. This is a known issue with 355 405 families.....

+1

Qr Bbpost....At the bottom of the rear steps, on the platform, there is a square section as wide as the steps, about 16x16 that appears as if the platform was cutout. The previous owner may have had a small issue and serviced it, but during my first summer last year 3 sides of this square seemed to have moisture coming out,. No softness at all.
I thought I would have to open it up and re glass the section of the deck, but, in my discoveries last weekend of the inside of the platform, I examined the area very carefully and there was no cutout on the inside or breakthrough whatsoever. It was just solid fibreglass....

Sounds like a poor glass and possibly core repair to me. In such a case, it's not necessary to cut all the way through. One would simply cut the top layer of glass, then remove the core while leaving the bottom layer of glass intact. This gives you a glassed in surface to work with and lay your new core into.

Qr Bbpost.....I was thinking of grinding out the 3 sides the square that show the outline, cleaning it up and re sealing it. But I have no idea what to use. In my mind a white 5200 paste would do it for me. Any Ideas,

Take a sounding, you may have delamination there, and trapped moisture. Do a core sample to check it's condition of the areas in question and if it reveals an issue, remove the questionable section and do a proper fiberglass repair. Don't use caulking or you'll be starting another thread about it again in the near future. Caulking doesn't last forever.

[Elliott]

thank you. I will look. into this

[BGSTPKRFN]

QR_BBPOST I have written and asked about access to the after section of the platform since I joined this group a year ago after I bought my newer boat.
This all had to do with mounting my Surfjet on the rear, as well as how to reinforce davits etc.
To summarize, I spent 3-4 hours last year by reaching through the access port on starboard, to line up 4 nuts on bolts that were about 25" inside the platform. I used an extension piece of wood with brackets bolted onto my socket wrench so that I would not lose them in the bilge of the platform, as well as a 4 foot piece of rope leading to a cleat.
Carver does not gelcoat the inside of the platform. No body does. My arm eventually looked like a meat grinder had hit it, but I got the job done, strictly by feel of the wrench and nut contacting the protruding bolt.

Any way, that is old news.
The good news I learned this weekend was that behind the bed, on port, there is what looked like a pull tab on the headboard. I followed the design around the cabin and realized that the left side bolster / Valance under the side window has 6 small Phillips head screws (which are murder to get to, as nobody has a tool that small. Then the rear bolster comes out , by slowly peeling it off the velcro, and finally the 2x3 foot panel will pull out as well,
Now the back is open, you can access the cable locker, the auxiliary fuel tank, which I didn't know I had, and the exhausts.
Oh, and my favourite wrench did fall off last year and I really missed that size 1/4. and 3/8 ratchet. It wasn't the money, but it killed me to know it was sitting there on starboard all year and I COULDNT GET TO IT.
SOME PHOTOS




BOAT REAR FROM LEFT.jpg.

AFT ROOM OPENED.jpg

REAR TANK UNDER PLATFORM.jpg

Hello. We own a 1996 325 Aft Cabin and I'm trying to figure out how to access the area IN BETWEEN the upper and lower levels of the platform to remove the existing swim ladder which we're going to replace with a much better operating unit. There is NO access to this area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you.