28 TE engine box thickness?

[Tree]

Morning all - can anyone advise me as to what the thickness of the top side of the engine box is?

I'm just about to fit an extinguisher in the top but without wanting to make a mistake and drill through the GRP, some idea how thick or how long the screws need to be would be usefull.

TIA

[Tree]

Any Ideas? Its one of those five minute jobs with the right information - could be one of those horrible jobs without

[Mntry_Goodson]

I've drilled through the side of the engine box right at the top a number of times. It was about 3/8" or 9 mm as I recall.

[Tree]

I've drilled through the side of the engine box right at the top a number of times. It was about 3/8" or 9 mm as I recall.

Many thanks for that - I suspect the top is thicker but with 2" of insulation I will work on your figures for the screw lengths

[special k]

i know that on a party weekend at a local island my engine box could support two women dancing!

[Russell]

You may want to through-bolt with a carriage bolt or a countersunk phillips head. The stress when bouncing over waves may pull out such short screws.

[Tree]

You may want to through-bolt with a carriage bolt or a countersunk phillips head. The stress when bouncing over waves may pull out such short screws.

Good point Russ - i was thinking about fibreglassing a block on the underside but that would make room limited in what is already a tight space.

I am now starting to think that fitting the extinguisher to the stringer on the port side might be an easier option although its on the opposite side to the fuel pump.

[RobS]

PM Kevin on PITOU. I am fairly certain he had the ER extinguisher on his 28.

And be sure to install an engine shutdown as part of the system.

[Pitou]

PM Kevin on PITOU. I am fairly certain he had the ER extinguisher on his 28.

And be sure to install an engine shutdown as part of the system.

Yes I did have the automatic Fireboy mounted on the underside of the engine box on the 28. This was an original installed option from Albin at build. As you can see with all of the sound insulation and tape none of the mounting hardware was exposed. I do believe that their are three mounting screws / bolts. Specifically how it was mounted I cannot accurately comment on. What I do know is that the mounting hardware did not come through the topside of the cover. Possibly screws secured in epoxy or sealant or lags epoxied into the cover for machine screws, but I cannot be sure. The wiring ran beneath the insulation to the rear center and into the bilge picking up into a wire bundle.

As Rob has stated, be sure to install the automatic shutdown option as well. A diesel engine will continue to run and take the discharge out of the bilge space and your fire may reignite. Automatic shutdown is very important with diesel engines.

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[joe.baar]

I've seen studs for mounting insulation that have a 1" or 2"-square metal pad for epoxying to the fiberglass. Such fasteners would probably hold an extinguisher as well.

Aside from that, our boat came with a similar - small - Fire Boy but we and the surveyor determined it was way undersized for the engine compartment's volume. I removed it and installed a much larger extinguisher on the engine's port side, in a bracket strapped to a stanchion that supports the deck and engine box side.

[Tree]

I've seen studs for mounting insulation that have a 1" or 2"-square metal pad for epoxying to the fiberglass. Such fasteners would probably hold an extinguisher as well.

Aside from that, our boat came with a similar - small - Fire Boy but we and the surveyor determined it was way undersized for the engine compartment's volume. I removed it and installed a much larger extinguisher on the engine's port side, in a bracket strapped to a stanchion that supports the deck and engine box side.

Thats not a bad idea actually - as it happens I have two extinguishers, bought one and then a buddy sold his charter boat and gave me his spare.

Might be worth fitting both.