Disaster Averted

[Donskihp]

Pulled my motor last month to refresh the top end of my motor. Main reason blown head gasket. After pulling the engine I hit the power hatch switch and closed the enging hatch. Couple of days later I went to open the hatch and guess What? Yep it wouldn't open. It didn't occure to me that all the ground wires were tied together at the engine block,and apparently the factory paint temporaly heald the wires together. well over night they came apart, and the hatch wouldn't open. So how do I get inside? I really got lucky, a couple of days later it just power open at least enought to get inside to bolt the wires together.

[Ratickle]

Wow, there is no accessible bypass to pull a pin or anything?

[Donskihp]

Nope! I was wondering if I was going to have to cut the hinges , or worse yet cut upholstery then knock out one of the mirrors.

[Donskihp]

What happens if one of the electric strust fail? How are most hatches put together?

[Bobcat]

I remember some of the newer boats coming out with battery terminals under the rear seat , so you could power up the hatch.

[Donskihp]

Mine has those battery terminals in the gunnel, but that still doesn't help for strut failure, just battery failure

[rschap1]

When I first read the post I was thinking how a lot of folks back feed their actuators through their cigarette lighter/map light socket to open the hatch when batteries die.
If the actuator dies, or in your case, if the ground wire is unhooked, I doubt that would be any help at all..

[old377guy]

it would be a good idea to either install a deck plate under/behind the bench seat for access OR a pull pin through the lifting tube with lanyard attached (hidden)

[old377guy]

This kind of brings up the subject of electric or hydraulic hatch lifts in general. I've never owned a boat that had (or really needed) lifts. I've always just lifted the hatch(es). I might very well install a couple of gas strut assists this year - but - I love keeping things SIMPLE.

[Donskihp]

My engine hatch/sun pad has the read seat backs attached to it so when the hatch opens the seat back goes up with it. This would make putting an access pannel impossible, I like the idea of pull pins just not sure how to go about making it work. When the hatch is pulled closed there is probably down pressure on the pin which might make them unpullable. Unpullable is that a word.

[old377guy]

Maybe an explosive pin.:26: I was thinking something like the cable system going to a halon or fire suppression cannister. Kind of like a throttle cable setup really.

[Donskihp]

did a little research and found the lift rams are made by ultraflex in Italy. They susposely can be raised by just lifting the engine hatch. Haven't tried it yet

[old377guy]

never thought of that

[Donskihp]

never thought of that

yea it didn't occure to me either

[MacGyver]

The original actuator on my Powerquest wasn't a solid connection, I could simply lift up the hatch if it failed, which it finally did. The new one is a solid connection and I have no back up plan (yet) should it fail. I've heard horror stories where people have cut the hinges to gain access that way.

[Ratickle]

Maybe I shouldn't add electric lifts to the other couple boats??????? I have to look at the BT and see if there is any kind of backup capability.....

[fund razor]

Maybe I shouldn't add electric lifts to the other couple boats??????? I have to look at the BT and see if there is any kind of backup capability.....

If you aren't going to add engines, you might as well skip the lifts. :D

[Ratickle]

They all have engines, just don't see much water time......

[TUCK646]

Maybe an explosive pin.:26: I was thinking something like the cable system going to a halon or fire suppression cannister. Kind of like a throttle cable setup really.

doesnt get any simpler than that;)