Huh? Looks perfectly safe.

Yea I can seee someone falling on that, or stepping on that and it hurting lik hell for sure.

Ah, there's the beauty of it all gentlemen. If you don't like it, don't do it to yours!

Seriously, if it doesn't work it will take about 30 minutes to put the original plates back on. The cost of fabrication was negligible so I’m not out anything by trying it and you are all the beneficiaries of my experimentation and testing. In addition, if someone steps in this area, they are most likely also stepping on my very fragile and irreplaceable plastic engine air intakes so if it hurts, good. Of course some less extreme solution that would sink the pivots under the coaming is also viable, but I wanted to avoid drilling another hole in the side of our boat. Also please bear in mind that the foam part of the pad will protrude above this plate by an inch or two offering at least some protection.

At the end of the day, I modify our boat to make boating more fun for my wife and me. Although I appreciate your interest in my work, no one says you have to like it or choose to follow my example.

Dan

This project was really about much more than just raising the rear of the hatch and that accounts for my lack progress reports on this effort. JSE1982, I hope this gives you some guidance as to what modifying the sunpad height will do for you. Of course you don't have to raise it as much as I did, but as mentioned earlier, if it proves too much then it is easily modified to a lower position. I raised the rear 3 1/4 inches from stock. If you keep the front at the original height then the hatch should sit just about level when the boat is anchored or beached. If you raise the front of the hatch 2 1/2 inches the apperance is better (the rear of the hatch does not protrude above the coaming as much or at as funny an angle) and the sunpad edge follows a contour line on the coaming inside the boat. This was part of a much larger project for me in that I removed the bench seat and made a new firewall for easier engine access. As such it will be easy for me to raise the front of the hatch (in the closed position). Not so easy if you are planning on keeping the original bench seat.

Here is a picture of rear of the hatch fully closed with the front at the orignal height.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]501217[/ATTACH]

Here is a picture of the rear of the hatch with the front raised 2 1/2 inches as I am considering doing.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]501219[/ATTACH]

We will be giving it the initial trial this weekend. I'll let you know how we like it. Good luck with yours JSE.

Dan

Well after trying out this modification this weekend I have to say that it makes the sunpad much more comfortable. It is almost level now and the fact that it protrudes slightly above the coaming makes it much better for sitting on and placing your feet on the swim platform.

I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend. Happy boating.

Dan

[ATTACH=CONFIG]501491[/ATTACH]

BajaDan, hey thanks for all the info! Sorry it has taken so long to check in. Boating season is in full force

I will def look back at this this winter. I need to get a whole new sun pad made from bottom up. Yours turned out great! Thanks for sharing