Anchoring storage bins in bilge shelves on 240DA

Chris Nowell

Chris Nowell

Active Member
Nov 28, 2011
1,520
Lake Okanagan, Kelowna B.C.
Boat Info
'05 622 Hardtop w Alaska Bulkhead, 270 Mercury Marine sport inflatable, pulled by a 6.0L Silverado
Engines
4.3 MPI Merc w Alpha I drive, 5 hp 4 stroke Merc aux.
There seems to be a quantum amount of storage space in the sides of the bilge and engine compartment of our 240. I'd like to utilize this space but I'm not sure how to secure anchor locations for the lines that will secure my storage bins. It looks like there are runners of 1x3 glassed into the sides of the hull that run along the length of the shelves. Can I use this to secure a small eye bolt or should I be glassing a piece of wood to the side and the shelf to accommodate anchoring points. The shelves themselves seem to only have a thin layer of glass on them. Just don't think I should be drilling into this, but the water heater tank is secured in this fashion though. I remember seeing an engine room lighting thread from someone who used storage bins in a similar boat. Dang!!!! Should have paid attention eh?
 
Curious as to if you ever went about doing this. Considering the same in my 240...
 
No, not yet. You are the only responder to the thread. I think I saw Dennis's engine compartment sporting storage bins but I have no idea how they're anchored. I want to keep my tool boxes, spare fluids and belts, and a few other things that aren't needed very often down there but I don't want them flyin' around all over the place. Maybe someone who knows something will see the thread this time and shed some light on the subject.
 
I know Todd... Nehalennia ...has done this on his 260, he posted pic a few years ago.
 
I believe the thread you are referring to might be in the 260 Sundancer thread started by Dave S. several years ago. I was interested as well. I put 4 small SS eye bolts sealed with 5200 into the shelf on my port side to secure my grill with bungee cords. Now I am trying to find some smaller containers-8"x12" or so that will fit beside my HW heater. A lot of people are utilizing the shelf over the gas tank in front of the engine for storage. I saw a really neat picture on that thread where someone had built a box with latches that sits over top of the AC thru hull in front of the engine. Easily removable for more access, but great storage.
 
Chris,
I have a storage bin mounted on the starboard side similar to a milk crate where all the fluids, belts, funnels etc are stored, we're going out in the morning I'll take a photo after I get the crab pots in the water if I remember right it's just held in with 4 screws & 5200 doesn't take a lot to keep it in place. We've been in some rough water never had anything fly out it's not covered we used that type of bin in case it got any water in it it would drain out.
 
Bob & Sue said:
Chris,
I have a storage bin mounted on the starboard side similar to a milk crate where all the fluids, belts, funnels etc are stored, we're going out in the morning I'll take a photo after I get the crab pots in the water if I remember right it's just held in with 4 screws & 5200 doesn't take a lot to keep it in place. We've been in some rough water never had anything fly out it's not covered we used that type of bin in case it got any water in it it would drain out.
Click to expand...

glad this thread got some action... Bob & Sue looking forward to seeing those pictures do you know by chance how deep the screws went in order to secure it properly?

Thanks in advance
Mike
 
Yup, that was me with the lights and storage bins. Yes, just screwed down with LifeSeal to seal the holes. Also, yes, you can screw into the wood that's glassed into the hull sides. 1/2" screws are fine - double check before you use anything longer, though. Not sure where I posted it - whether it was a thread by itself or whether it was in the '99-'04 260DA thread started by Todd (Nehalania).
 
Right on, thanx Guys. I needed to hear that from someone who's done it before and who's boat is still floating:smt043. I assumed the sides have a strip of wood glassed in there for reinforcement that is safe to attach to, and I think the shelves must have plywood of some sort under the gelcoat and above the flotation. I'll use 1/2" screws and 4200 to secure pad eyes and cleats. (I read somewhere that the 4200 is more flexible than the 5200 and is marketed as more of a sealant than an adhesive) That way I can secure various sized bins and tool boxes with 1/4 or 5/16" line and they can be removed when there's work that needs to be done on the engine. There's a ton o' room down there in these 240's 'cause there's no ac or genny. I sort o' can't wait for tune up time on this one:grin:.

EDIT: Just reviewed both those links and MAN do those guys do nice work. Hope that "Simple Green" stuff is available up here in Canada too. I had a commercial bilge cleaner that I bought at WM a year ago but hadn't used yet. When I went to retrieve it from my dock box it had eaten a hole right through the plastic container that it was in.:wow: Just can't seem to picture a product like that being "environmentally friendly" or "safe to run through your bilge pump". If I take pictures of MY engine room I'll have to post them in the "joke" thread.
 
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Yeah those guys do some amazing work... I did a search for threads started by Lazy Daze and found some good ideas for my transom locker as well...

Simple green is awesome. You should be able to find it at any hardware store. Walmart even carries it in there automotive section. When I was in the Navy they had 55gallon barrels of it on the ship at all times....
 
SImple Green is available at Canadian Tire and lots of other places. There is an "automotive" higher concentration version that I use for bilge cleaning.

On my 330 and my last boat I installed Rubbermaid storage bins in the bilge for storage. I used the top of the water heater on the small boat. It had a plywood top cover already, so I just screwed into that with the right length screws. It was a pretty small bin though.

On the 330 I made a plywood platform with thick 2.5" dowel legs to hold it above the hoses etc running over an open and relatively flat area. Dowels were epoxied to the platform, painted it all bilge gray. Then I used very long SS screws through holes drilled down through the dowels to mount it into the top of the stringers and to corresponding spots in the bilge. I used the dowels so I could vary the length and get the platform level. THe longest dowel is about 4 inches I think so its very sturdy. (the hardest part was finding the long SS screws. Ended up getting them at a specialty industrial fastener store. The holes were filled with 4200 before the big screws went in. I did not use the wood strips in the hull sides. Then I used four fender washers with short screws to fasten the bin to the plywood. So now I can easily take the platform and bin out if the hoses need work.
 
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Thanks, guys. It takes some work to get a bilge clean but in the end it's worth it. I can go down there, even with nice clothes on, and know I won't get messy. I sit on either side of the engine and can pretty much do everything from there. FYI, Simple Green works better when you add water. Get a brush with an extending handle or tape a handle onto a brush (I use a sturdy tire/wheel brush that's about 5" square). You can use that to get into the aft areas and under the engine. Keep the bow high and go to town! Be careful how much weight you put aft - it will start to affect your planing performance. Trim tabs will obviously help, but just don't throw too much back there.
 
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Here's a pic of what I put in just to hold oil, belts, battery water and plastic jar with red cap to change the fuel filter. I just drilled the holes in 4 corners and measured how long the screws needed to be for 1/2" of penetration.

DSCN0888_zps53bb95f8.jpg
 
thanks guys... I spent about an hour yesterday morning cleaning out the bilge. Got about 90% done with just a brush on a pole and lots of simple green and water. I just sprayed it on full strength and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then I hit it with the "jet" setting on my hose nozzle and it blasted most of the gunk away. After that I hit it with a course brush on a pole. Sometime this week I'm gonna get inside the bilge and do a more detailed cleaning and begin prep for storage installation.

Man I love all the great ideas I have found on this forum.
 
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