OK - these are the last ones. I've focused a lot of effort into eliminating ways that water gets into places you don't want it. The original hatches on the flybridge bench seating areas were flush panels that sat on top of flanges that had very small gutters and tiny drain holes. The drains would easily clog with dirt and debris and water would then get inside the helm console and do very bad things. I glassed over the hatch openings and installed the Bomar hatches you see in the photo. The hatches do sit about 1/4" higher than the bench but under the cushions you can't tell. After this improvement and glassing down the helm console completely it is now nearly impossible for water to get inside the console. After I replaced the aft bulkhead on the port side due to water damage I decided I didn't like the way rain would wet down that bulkhead through the opening to the flybridge that the ladder passed through. After working on a newer Viking 48 that had a hatch over this opening I decided to design and fabricate one for my boat. The photos show the result. I glassed a 1/2" tall frame to the top opening and the lid hinges down over it with a gasket and latch. Simple and no rain goes down nor can anyone fall down from the flybridge. I had to modify the ladder of course since it can't stick through the opening. When I add the new aft railing for the flybridge I will incorporate some added handholds as you pass through. A few photos of the rudder support shelves, new upper rudder bearing blocks & dripless shaft seals and the new steering cylinder, etc. Not sexy stuff but I was pleased with the outcome, especially since the old ones had serious rot issues. The shelves are glass and epoxy fabrications of my own design and are lagged into the stringers and set in 5200. I had one bent rudder shaft that required replacement and the whole project was done while the boat was still in the water.
