Aft Storage Compartments in 170CC

[blacter]

Have any of you found a use for the storage compartment at the rear port side of the 170CC? I assume most boats are set up like mine, with the battery in the starboard compartment. I'd like to take advantage of the port compartment, but the way the boat is designed, it's hard to keep that compartment dry. If the boat takes on any water, it seems like an inch of it pools in the bottom of that space. Would be nice to figure a way to get that comparment to drain completely, or at least work around that flaw to get some use out of the space...maybe some kind of drop-in gizmo that would hold items off the bottom.

[cagrove]

I know what you mean. I use mine as an aft anchor locker. I also keep my flares and emergency equipment in a watertight military type ammo can in there. I know there are threads on this site that talk about putting in a shelf unit or grate of some kind to keep stuff off of the bottom.

[mtty]

I have my fuel/water separator there along with spare oil and ski rope. My buddy just bought a 170 and managed to find a square plastic bucket he could trim to hang in the opening. He put a couple of holes in the bottom so it would drain. Since to opening is not "rimmed" I don't thing you could ever have truly dry storage in that area.

[camshaft]

I made grates out of some cedar that I had kicking around my wood shop and used stainless square drive screws to screw it to two runner boards underneath so that the grate sits about 2-3" above the bilge. You have to play with the runners a little to get it to sit flat since the bottom of the bilge isn't. Pretty easy to make and cheap. I used it all last summer and it worked great. I use the locker as an anchor locker and its really nice to keep the anchor line out of the bilge water. I made a second one for the battery compartment just so they'd match but I had to buy a longer battery box strap to keep the battery down and I don't think it was worth the effort. You could go fancier with teak but the cedar works fine in fresh water.

Boat on!
Camshaft

[camshaft]

I made grates out of some cedar that I had kicking around my wood shop and used stainless square drive screws to screw it to two runner boards underneath so that the grate sits about 2-3" above the bilge. You have to play with the runners a little to get it to sit flat since the bottom of the bilge isn't. Pretty easy to make and cheap. I used it all last summer and it worked great. I use the locker as an anchor locker and its really nice to keep the anchor line out of the bilge water. I made a second one for the battery compartment just so they'd match but I had to buy a longer battery box strap to keep the battery down and I don't think it was worth the effort. You could go fancier with teak but the cedar works fine in fresh water.

Boat on!
Camshaft

[PDX Dave]

Blacter, I use mine for my sea anchor bags, and the multiple use cut out milk jug for deck wash down and/or "portable head" that I always keep on board. If it can get wet and needs to be grabbed quickly, it goes in that compartment but I know what you mean. It is a "moist" compartment.

[Tygh]

I went to West Marine and got a couple of nice dry bags. They do fine in that compartment.