My first rebuild. 76 170

[RickK]

Putting in rigging tubes is a good idea but a challenge also.  The original boat design was to keep the topside watertight and prevent water from entering the bilge.  That's why they had the wiring trough - gave you a way to get your control cabling and wiring harness from the console to the engine and still keep the topside water tight.
I put in rigging tubes in my redesign but had a hard time figuring out how to have them exit from under the sole and still "hide" them.  I did not close in the transom and the 170 didn't have any "cabinets" in the back to bring them up into. So what I am having to do is build some small corner cabinets in the back corners for this.  I also want to try to maintain a water tight topside and building these cabinets allows me to do that.

My 170 did not come with a bilge pump - I installed one during the rebuild.  Not sure if in '76 they added them. I would not plan direct draining of water to your bilge, that could be very dangerous.  A hard rain could sink your boat right in front of your eyes.

[bfabian76]

ah. makes sense.  not sure if mine had a bilge, but the prev owner installed one. i bought a new one for my rebuild. im sure keeping the wiring trough would make sense however im not sure how i could keep it with the new floor since it is already cut out.

[gran398]

ah. makes sense.  not sure if mine had a bilge, but the prev owner installed one. i bought a new one for my rebuild. im sure keeping the wiring trough would make sense however im not sure how i could keep it with the new floor since it is already cut out.

Ditching the rigging trough isn't a bad idea....any hidden hole/crack etc....she'll sink in a heartbeat.

Had a 22-2 named Miss Marco. Had a hole in the rigging trough the size of a golf ball from the PO. Hidden under the wiring etc.

Went to launch it...the stern flooded seawater past the console Good thing the trailer was under it, would have sunk like a rock. Pulled it back up the hill, took a wrench to the transom plug....the plug blew out 15 feet down the ramp! Must've had 200 gallons in the bilge. Closed bilge just like they all were back then.

[RickK]

What I did with my trough was run the new sole over the top of it a little all around (I was laying my new sole over the top of the lip) and then cut the overlap out, leaving another layer on top of the top edge of the trough, in essence making it 5/8" deeper.
I agree with Gran that if you are going to keep it make sure it's water tight - add another layer of glass on the underside to make sure you know what it's made of.

I realize you are butting up to the lip - are you 100% sold on doing that?  If not, laying it on top is easier but you do have to add some spacers over the stringers.  Either way is good but to save your trough might be more work now.  But could be worth it since you have no clear way to bring up the pipes into the boat without leaving them exposed.

[gran398]

Fabian, to clarify, the water in the bilge in the above example was rainwater. They'll self-bail...even though rainwater leeches from the deck into the rigging trough.  She'll dump and hold water in the rigging trough at the transom (lowest point) then self-bail.....but straight to the bilge if there is a breach.

Though you'll never know it. The bilge had no inspection ports, no pumps. Closed tight by design.

Even if the trough doesn't leak...it will hold undrained rainwater on your wiring when afloat.

Below-deck rigging tubes will hold water too guys....drill holes in your tubes where you see fit, and make sure the tubes extend well above deck on both ends. Nothing worse than your wiring harness/steering/fuel lines running through trapped water in a tube.

[bfabian76]

yes. i will be laying the new floor on top of the lip. still undecided on the rigging.. kinda need to make a decision haha. not sure which way would be easier for me

[RickK]

Ahhh, if you are going that route you might consider putting the trough back in and adding another layer on top of it like I mentioned above.  I can't think of any easy way to route the rigging via tubes without cabinets in the corners  
The only down side of the trough is that the rigging gets a little nasty sitting in there and will have to be wiped off periodically.  As long as the rigging doesn't have splices in it it'll be fine.

[Aquasport Commodore]

You could run the rigging through the deck bottom, then run something like this to the motor http://www.ebay.com/itm/T-H-Marine-Rigg ... 4897.l4275 and use the branch off kit for the fuel line and primer bulb. Instead of running through the corner like the photos in this thread, http://www.thehulltruth.com/5362199-post2.html run from floor to motor but same idea.

[gran398]

As noted, the rigging trough was engineered to allow rigging below the deck as there was no accessible bilge.

The downside was and is it holds water. The end is open to the deck at the transom to allow the rigging to exit. And water to enter.

Fabian, if you're looking to keep the boat and not flip it,  go with tubes and/or a watertight system as shown above.

[bfabian76]

i really like that kit above. i think thats the way im going to go. picked up a console today before work. pics coming soon

[bfabian76]

[bfabian76]

where are yall putting livewells?

[bfabian76]

going to fiberglass place tomorrow to get my supplies.. 2 sheets marine ply 1/2in. 10 yards 1708, 10 yards 1.5 oz mat, 3 gal resin. cabosil.. anything else? will 1.5 oz mat be ok for my final layer on the top of the floor? or should I go with cloth?

[RickK]

going to fiberglass place tomorrow to get my supplies.. 2 sheets marine ply 1/2in. 10 yards 1708, 10 yards 1.5 oz mat, 3 gal resin. cabosil.. anything else? will 1.5 oz mat be ok for my final layer on the top of the floor? or should I go with cloth?

I never answered your livewell question because I don't have one in the 170.  Guess no one else does either. The inside area of the 170/175s is pretty small so they started building in a small baitwell under the seat at the front of the console.  You could build one into the console you bought.
Here is an example of where one member has his.


Since you are doing the gelcoat nonskid 1.5 oz will give it something to grip.
You'll probably be screwing the console to the sole.  I see there is only 4 holes on the ledge of new console.  I think I would drill a couple more on each side all around. On my first floor replacement I traced the console outline onto the sole where it was going and I used some of the scrap plywood to build another layer in the outline of the console and only a little wider than the lip at the bottom of the console (inside and out). I cut a 45 degree angle on the edges.

 I attached that to the sole where the console is going and glassed over it.  This gave me double the thickness to screw into.  When you are in some choppy water the console is the only place to hang onto so it needs to really be secure. I like that the extra layer diverted water around the console too.
Another thing you could do is glass the console directly to the sole.

[bfabian76]

ah.. great idea with making that thicker.. I will deff do that.. as of now looks like the livewell will be under the seat of the console. i was considering building one into the floor under my leaning post. but i dont want the extra weight there