Upgrade to 8" deckplates?

[gw204]

Was thinking about ordering replacements deckplates for my 227 yesterday and then remembered that I have 5 brand new 8" ivory ones sitting in the basement. I incorrectly ordered those for my old Sailfish like 5 years ago....measured the wrong part of the existing deckplates... :-|

Anyway, has anyone ever enlarged the cutout and used 8" deckplates instead? Other than not being recessed anymore, I can't see any issues. They wouldn't stick up enough to be a tripping hazard and would actually provide better access to the tank fittings/sender. I just wonder if they would look funny because the hatch over my fuel tank is pretty skinny.

Thoughts?

 

[HMBJack]

If they are the pop out kind, I wouldn't do it as they leak.

I recently removed all my pop outs and replaced them with Beckson screw in types. Very glad I did.

Not a bad idea to enlarge them as bigger is definitely better in terms of access. I just dislike those pop outs...

 

[Fishtales]

I agree with the previous post especially those in the euro transom area. The pop outs are not very secure. I would just replace. For the following reasons. 1. They are fairly inexpensive. 2. You have to cut bigger holes - why do all this work? 3. If you cut bigger holes you probably will cut into coring. On my boat the 6" areas are just glass areas. Why exposé the coring to potential water intrusion. Sell on craigslist and buy screw in ones from Beckson Marine us my advice.

 

[gw204]

I pretty much decided against it based solely on the fact that the bigger plates looked funny in the hatches. I was hoping they would be OK because there was some cracking of the glass/gelcoat from bad coring that the increased diameter would have covered up and I wouldn't have had to do any refinishing of those spots. Enlarging the holes and penetrating the core wasn't a concern. I would have simply glassed over the exposed core edges and overbored any screw holes and back filled with thickened epoxy.

Still going with pop-outs for the floor and screw-in for access to the side thru hulls. I've never had a problem with pop-outs leaking or opening up on their own and I like that they don't have any recesses to collect dir/water/scum.

We'll see, I still may do it, but the chances are pretty slim.

 

[gw204]

Still thinking about it...

6" deckplate (old one)

8" deckplate

 

[RAINMAKER]

I'd do it.......

 

[marceejay]

I agree with the previous post especially those in the euro transom area. The pop outs are not very secure. I would just replace. For the following reasons. 1. They are fairly inexpensive. 2. You have to cut bigger holes - why do all this work? 3. If you cut bigger holes you probably will cut into coring. On my boat the 6" areas are just glass areas. Why exposé the coring to potential water intrusion. Sell on craigslist and buy screw in ones from Beckson Marine us my advice.

This is sage advice, especially if your hatches are in a coring area...if they aren't, then having larger access holes to restricted-yet-critical areas is always a major plus.