Removing the "tunnel" on a model 2

I am looking to remove the under deck tunnel on a model 2 so I can mount a small battery for my trolling motor up front. The tunnel looks to be held in with a calk that looks like plumbers putty. I have removed the screws but can not get a grip on the tunnel to pull it out. Has anyone removed this from their boat and if so how was it done? Any help would be greatly apprecieated.

Thanks
Roger Lohrey

My experience

I removed the tunnel from my capri a couple of months ago. I had trouble getting off the fiberglass peice that is just above it to allow water to wash over it. But once i got that peice off which took a lot of work becase of the glue used the tunnel came out easily because mine was only held in with what looked like old thick two sided tape and some screws. My suggestion would be to try letting some thinner in the crack between the boat and the tunnel because you must have some type of glue holding it in there and so far all the glue i have encoutered on my boat has been thinner soluable. Hope this might help

Thanks for the Reply

Shawn:
Thanks for the information. My tunnel was held in with screws and a very sticky calk. I needed to remove the piece of teak over the tunnel to remove it. With the teak removed I used a putty knife to cut the calk on the top then I slid a old hach saw blade down each side break the calk loose. Then I was able to remove the tunnel. I then used mineral spirits to remove the old calk from the boat and tunnel. I could have used mineral spirits to soften the calk before I removed the tunnel. With the tunnel removed there is a lot of room up front.

Thanks
Roger Lohrey

Tunnel removal

Removing the "tunnel" (e.g., the storage box) means you now need to install some kind of waterproof door to cover the opening. If you don't, you'll be in big trouble if you capsize and the boat fills with water.

Ed, what about Mod 1's

I am curious about that big cuddy I have up there, and the not water proof at all teak hatch cover. Am I in trouble as well?

Is there flotation under the cockpit seats in mod 1's? And in your surveying hints you say to crawl in the cuddy and look under the cockpit floor to inspect the marine ply-wood (yes I know I am paraphrasing - can't remember exactly how you put it), but mine has no view underneath the cockpit, only high up on the sides. Which brings me to my last question...has anyone ever modified a C14 to cut out openeing to make some storage under the seats for a lazarette..I know, its just a crazy idea, just curious though.

Flotation under seats

The reason I removed the tunnel om my model 2 was to put a small battey under the deck for my trolling motor. When I was running the wires from the stern of the boat to the bow I saw many plastic air bladders that were under the seats. They looked like empty milk jugs. This should help to keep the boat afloat if water got in the hatch. I have cut a 6" opening in the bottom of my tunnel to put a round waterproof access hatch to get at the battery for charging and venting. I am going to reinstall the tunnel back in the boat after the battery is installed.
If your hatch on the model 1 does not seal properly you could put some pool noodles up front to add flotation or try to add some weatherstripping to get a seal.

Roger Lohrey

Flotation

Yes, it's true there's some flotation bladders under the seats. So if the boat fills it won't sink, but it will still fill with water. Whatever you can do to make the door more watertight, I'd do it. Add some kind of gasket, use a better latch (or latches), whatever.

Here's a horror story for you. We were racing in the ocean off LA in 1993, when a friend opened his Mod 1 hatch to get out his lunch. At that instant a big swell capsized them and the boat filled with water. The harbor patrol came out and attached a tow line to the bow fitting and poured on the power, ripping off the front of the deck like a sardine can. Needless to say, the boat was totaled.