Conbrio Specific, with Haugy's blessing

[mapleleaf]

Spent tonight under the lights gutting my dual battery and amp set up from under the drivers side cockpit. Ever since I went dual battery and added amps 2 yrs ago and installed them on the starboard side My Conbrio has shown me how it feels about added weight!
Here's my question (since I'm doing it anyway) My plan is to move both amps and both batteries to the port side in hopes of balancing some equipment/driver weight. It'd be a whole lot easier if I pulled the observer seat and cut a new opening in the top cap behind the seat to access/install this stuff. Depending on the response I get here I'll either cut the hole or have my neighbor dislocate is shoulders each time he goes in to wire me up!!!
You Conbrio owners out there know how tight our forward storage is thats why I wanna butcher an access behind the observer...Haugy's thoughts will most likely dictate my final route.... damn resto purists I can't help but agree with....

[Jetlink]

Man, and I thought the comp was tight for storage space...good luck man. Might I suggest an alternative though to the neighbor, start your boys young in the trade of being an electrician.

[mapleleaf]

Shit Ben, I ordered some trailer parts and forgot a footnote specific to you, using the lead time on the trailer to fix Ole Connie a bit....Crystal Lake is gonna love us....
BTW cute flat water profile pic Ben, Zach and I will show what that looks like on a real lake...lol

[crystal waters]

Mapleleaf---- I would thing such and access should be easy done! I envision it would be similar to the access you have from the playpen area to the storage under the windshield area. If you take your time and trim it off nicely it would work. Hang the backrest of the spotters seat on two clasps similar to the back rest in the playpen area.
My only concern would be if it mitigates the structural strength of that area and opens up the possibility of more flexing , stress cracks etc?
good luck!

[mapleleaf]

Exactly why I asked, will I compromise the topcap by adding lets say a 2' x 2' access only seen with the observer out? Its a bigger storage area and will balance the boat so much better.... Plan is to dive tomorrow evening, I think I'm doing it....

[mapleleaf]

So I cut the hole, and moved the batteries and started back into the stereo this weekend, Never mind the fact that all the stereo equipment will be right below the head unit, I think putting both batt's over there will really help this little boat stay balanced. I reused my old amp rack and given this storage is bigger I'm thinking a new on is in order.. No pics yet, she's a total mess right now, and turns I found another storage compartment I'd forgotten to recarpet! Without all the life jackets in there, the "salmon" colored carpet really stands out (not in a good way!)

[Ptownkid]

I'll trade you some of my teal carpet for your salmon carpet.

[haugy]

For the record, I would have said "Do it, but make sure it's solid and strong". Not only for the seat, but for the windshield section. I've seen my windshield move while towing my old Mariah. The bouncing and jarring would cause it to flex enough to allow the center window to pop through the stopping rest. Meaning it would get stuck closed.

Cutting a hole would be beneficial, in fact, when I have to redo my boat, I will be doing the same. But I will reinforce the area to ensure it's solid and doesn't flex.

PICS PICS PICS. Your idea may inspire others, but pics can really help us learn from what you've done.

[Salty87]

i don't think the flat section there adds much structural strength unless you remove most of it. i've already cut through to store my batteries, just tall enough to slide them through. that location makes jump starts a pain though. of course, needing a jump already sucks enough.

does the conbrio have a storage compartment on that side of the dash? saltares do. between the molded dash and storage design, i think there's enough structural support already. the seats are molded too and have supports underneath. those curved molded sections of fiberglass add a bunch of strength to the design.

haugy's example is a sign of different stresses...the 2 dash sections of the topcap moving away from each other. the flat piece leaf cut wouldn't affect that. imo.

[mapleleaf]

I'll get some pics, and for the record the access does seem awesome.
My windshield is next up to bat as just about every rivet is stretched enough that I've seen what Haugy mentioned more than once. The fiberglass damage is unbearable! Rather than start a new thread, once I've drilled out the old windshield rivets, would it not be better to find some snazzy hardware to bolt all that old aluminium together or can I get a slightly bigger rivet and redrill the hole??

[jet]

Cut-R-UP! And I think you should be able to put a hinge on it after your done for easy access.

why do I love to say "easy access" lol

[mapleleaf]

oh jet,us Conbrio owners get an Observer seat and a walk through......

[jet]

I know. But I have 60 cu ft of useless space up front. lol

[Jetlink]

It's not useless space, plus it doesn't act like a gigantic water scoop to get water in the boat as efficiently as possible. Also cuts down on wind when you're trying to get early and late runs in and trying to stay warm.

[mapleleaf]

Having trouble remembering how to load up pics from my phone, but let me just say this job is almost done and it has been awesome!!! Loomed up all my stereo cable finally and have everything tucked into the observer side hold. It looks great and will still has a bunch of room for stuff! Besides the steering and throttle/tranny cables under the helm it's now empty!!! This new access I cut has made wiring everything so much easier!... Tiding up some undone upholstery that I never finished today and gonna scrub her down, she's filthy! Hoping to mix up a vinegar and lemon type of deep cleaning home made solution and see how it works! I'm pretty sure she'll be in the water tomorrow! this is the latest I've ever waited to get her out since I bought her, so I'm now finally real excited.
Her wake should be more balanced, and I think I've decided an extension pole with racks is the way to go, she's a slalom boat at heart and I don't think she needs a tower....
We also rerivetted the windshield the other night and it's purty tight now, plan is to pull the windshield off drill out the bottom rivet's next weekend and repaint while the glass can come out...Man I'm jacked, had a ton of late nights doin this and can't wait to enjoy all this hard work!!!!!

[Ptownkid]

Booyakashaa, nice work duder!

[sybrmike]

Nice work maple, do post up some pics.

I put the batteries up under the port storage in my Salt as well. Don't know what your access looks like, but mine's kinda tight without removing the seat base. FWIW - I did discover that it'd still be easy to jump start. My tractor was dead in the garage next to the boat & just lifted the doghouse cover and clamped to the battery cables at the starter.