conocean Posted June 26, 2018 Report Share Posted June 26, 2018 Maybe a few pieces of 1/2" starboard will do the trick in making the floor under the console more rigid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradM Posted June 26, 2018 Report Share Posted June 26, 2018 6 hours ago, conocean said: Maybe a few pieces of 1/2" starboard will do the trick in making the floor under the console more rigid. Starboard flexes a pretty good amount. When I had my 19v Pathfinder, I put a 1" thick piece of Coosaboard under the console to support 3 Optima blue tops, and never once had an issue. I ran it like that for more than 8 years. Boat Outfitters will cut it to various sizes, and last I checked, had the best prices on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conocean Posted June 27, 2018 Report Share Posted June 27, 2018 My boat is under cover right now but I went in to look at my tank to make sure all the bracket fastening screws were tight. Luckily they are and the gaskets are intact as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted June 28, 2018 Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 On 6/26/2018 at 9:43 AM, conocean said: Maybe a few pieces of 1/2" starboard will do the trick in making the floor under the console more rigid. Hobo recommended to me to do the following: 1.) 3/4 " starboard 2.) 1/4 " piece of aluminum under it....I attached it using self tapping screws. 3.) I then created a battery box from starboard 4.) I then screwed in the starboard in the center console and screwed the box on to the starboard NO FLEX...... I had 4 series 31's in my Pathfinder center console. Worked well.... dc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted June 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 Cut the lifting strap loose this morning and headed to Biscayne for a shakedown run. Temporarily mounted the batteries and charger and filled her up with fuel. Of course it was flat calm so I found some Clorox bottles heading south and ran across their wakes a few times. Looks like everything is holding well, the tank didn't settle at all. I still wanna remove it and make it bigger or build a bigger tank from scratch for our 3 day winter camping trips but for now it appears to be all good. Check those mounting screws gentlemen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilemaker Posted June 28, 2018 Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 I would not use the tank to support anything. It is a critical part of the boat and should be well supported. I would glass support blocks to the side of the hull and run aluminum angle from side to side. Space the two aluminum angles far enough apart to make a shelf to hold the batteries. The tabs welded to the tank should have been designed to be strong enough to support the tank and gas, not the weight of the batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted June 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 I agree with all the above points however, there's no room to do any of those things. The batteries are are on the aft section of the tank which is supported with a piece of rubber (which contains carbon, which will eventually lead to galvanic corrosion on the bare aluminum tank) against the hull. I agree the forward tab should be strong enough to support the tank, it wasn't. Even with out the weight of the batteries all the way aft there's no way a 3" long, .125" aluminum bracket and two 1/4" screws should be supporting over 200lbs. of fuel and aluminum, especially given the movement and forces exerted on the bow end of a small OCEAN GOING boat. The forward part of the tank should be supported from underneath just like the rear. The brackets should only be used to locate the tank in the compartment. I realize the math gets tricky the farther forward you go as far as the shape of the hull bottom vs. the tank bottom but come on, seriously. This "finest of shallow water skiffs" stickered for over $51K in 2010 (boat, motor, trailer only), that's over $2800 per foot, I don't think I'm being unrealistic in my expectations. When I initially spoke to a gentleman at MBC about this issue he also said something to the effect of that's a lot of weight on the back of the tank. But when I asked where else should I mount the batteries I got nothing. When I asked if that's the case, why were these boats were offered with the option of being prewired for 24V trolling motor from the factory... with the batteries in the bow? I got no real resolution to the problem. Also worth remembering mine is not an isolated incident. As far as mounting them all in the console: the decks on these Carbon/Kevlar HPX's are paper thin, not the same deal as fiberglass Pathfinder. An example: I broke off a tarpon in really nasty weather and fell, I dented the front deck with the butt of a fly rod, or my elbow, not really sure but I dented it. It's just the way they're built to keep them light. Again I'm not bashing the MBC, I was offered a no-cost repair for something that isn't covered under warranty, I'm just telling people what's really going on and getting the word out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conocean Posted June 28, 2018 Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 9 hours ago, jason p said: I still wanna remove it and make it bigger or build a bigger tank from scratch for our 3 day winter camping trips but for now it appears to be all good. I think you will do this eventually and you will be very happy with a properly situated tank and the added range. My typical Choko trips entail fishing hard for 3 straight days as far south as Harney River and I never have to worry about not having at least 3-5 gallons to spare at the end of day 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted June 28, 2018 Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 5 hours ago, jason p said: As far as mounting them all in the console: the decks on these Carbon/Kevlar HPX's are paper thin, not the same deal as fiberglass Pathfinder. An example: I broke off a tarpon in really nasty weather and fell, I dented the front deck with the butt of a fly rod, or my elbow, not really sure but I dented it. It's just the way they're built to keep them light. Jason, I think you summarized the situation....when the skiff first came out, I remember it being marketed as a long distance run in comfort, some live bait capabilities, but, shallow and poles as best in class. I don't think I've ever seen a HPX in an advertisement from MHP that had a trolling motor mounted...it's always been the guide on the stern and the client or fisherman on the bow. Conversely, the new Marquesa which came out in 2013 (I almost bought one), was internally designed for a TM and 3 bank charger to be mounted in the bow, with glassed in special plastic board on the gunnels for attachment. I believe in today's environment, with the advent of smaller and lighter AGMS, fisherman are looking for the best of all worlds, and unfortuantely, the skiff was not, if I could use my own words (no 100% designed for these technologies) - you said it yourself - carbon kevlar, light, etc. Something to consider? Don't know....but, maybe more of an observation....I don't know how the newer skiffs have changed...so I'm just commenting, not bashing. DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabear Posted June 28, 2018 Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 The HPX is built from the factory for a trolling motor to be mounted on the left side of the forward deck . My center console has a place for a passenger to sit in front of the center console . The three battery’s that are installed inside of my center console . Weight less than the average man does . I ea. group 24 M Interstate 38 lbs . and 2 ea. D34 M Optima Blue tops 43.5 lbs. ea. Total weight of three battery’s is 125 lbs. the center of the boat takes less of a pounding than the front of the boat . Added 87 lbs to a three foot area . The HPX has been one of the top sellers for years and this is the first time that I remember that these fuel tank and battery mounting areas are being talked about . I wonder how old is to old to have a legitimate complaint not asking for a free warranty repair but a legitimate complaint about a area that may not of lasted as long as it should of being used the way the boat was designed to be used . If these areas really have been problem area in many boats than the owners of those boat have been very quiet on this forum about them , if you had something that was used the way it was designed and it did break sooner than most people think is should of than you should let MBC know that this is a area of concern that may need to be improved on in the new models . Positive feedback from a owner of a fairly new not abused boat is a forum of research and development /testing the product positive feed back can help MBC improve there product . I would think that MBC would want to hear from you if these areas may need to be improved but like I said I don’t remember reading any first hand information from HPX owners that had these problems with there boat . I am glade that Jason P did post something that way others with the same boat could inspect the area in there boat and maybe avoid the same problem that he had . Joe R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conocean Posted June 28, 2018 Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 Problem is, most Maverick vessel owners are NOT on this forum. We forum members probably only hear a fraction of all complaints about MBG products. In defense of MBG, there isn't a boat company on earth that doesn't have numerous complaints from the dealers & boat owners. My TM is mounted on the port (left) side of my forward deck, just above where my deck is reinforced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabear Posted June 28, 2018 Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 1 hour ago, conocean said: Problem is, most Maverick vessel owners are NOT on this forum. We forum members probably only hear a fraction of all complaints about MBG products. In defense of MBG, there isn't a boat company on earth that doesn't have numerous complaints from the dealers & boat owners. My TM is mounted on the port (left) side of my forward deck, just above where my deck is reinforced. Conocean , oops ! I just changed what I wrote from right to the left . What I was saying is they are built from the factory to install a trolling motor if wanted . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted June 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2018 2 hours ago, dabear said: My center console has a place for a passenger to sit in front of the center console . The three battery’s that are installed inside of my center console . Weight less than the average man does . I ea. group 24 M Interstate 38 lbs . and 2 ea. D34 M Optima Blue tops 43.5 lbs. ea. Total weight of three battery’s is 125 lbs. the center of the boat takes less of a pounding than the front of the boat . Added 87 lbs to a three foot area . This makes total sense, I didn't think about it this way but the cooler with ice and one of my fat friends sitting on it definitely weighs more than three batteries. Good point Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted June 29, 2018 Report Share Posted June 29, 2018 13 hours ago, conocean said: In defense of MBG, there isn't a boat company on earth that doesn't have numerous complaints from the dealers & boat owners. The difference is that MBG will make it right vs others when the vessel truly has not been abused by the owner...I am a testimony to that when I had my Pathfinder...had a serious hull issue and essentially they rebuilt it, no cost to me other than a trip to Ft. Pierce....same with Yamaha...had a major problem with my engine one time, it was within the 6 year warranty, brought it in, rebuilt the powerhead and back she came...when I sold the boat, the new owner would have a new engine essentially with less than 100 hrs....on a 600 hr frame... MBG warranty is what it is meant to be. dc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted June 29, 2018 Report Share Posted June 29, 2018 14 hours ago, dabear said: The three battery’s that are installed inside of my center console You are correct....that's where they probably should be fro a weight balance...in my MA17 (completely different boat)...they are under the console..the point I was trying to make is to place them up front is probably not ideal.... unless there is a glassed in box from the factory for the use..... DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE OUTLAW Posted June 29, 2018 Report Share Posted June 29, 2018 Whenever tou are ready for your new tank , give me a shout . Tanks are our specialty ! #AIMWELDING 🇺🇸☠️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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