Tips For Working Where The Sun Don’t Shine

Today’s intelligent digital technology and some smart add-ons can expand your boat’s watersports versatility and performance.

Bilge yoga isn’t anyone’s favorite pastime, but let’s face it: At some point we all must do it. For many of us, it can be the thing of nightmares, with lost parts, mangled limbs, and components that are just out of reach. Fortunately, with the right tools and techniques, you don’t have to be a contortionist to get things done in tight spaces.

Because of how modern boats are constructed – usually with most systems installed while the hull is open before the deck is secured – many components requiring service or replacement are hidden behind the liner, stringers, bulkheads, or simply deep in the bilge with limited access, rendering them borderline inaccessible. Unless you were blessed with freakishly long arms or joints that rotate 360 degrees, even the simplest tasks like tightening a hose clamp or crimping a wire can seem insurmountable – or impossible.

But fear not! Working in tight places doesn’t have to be a frustrating, fumbling foray into the darkness. With some planning, patience, and a few useful gadgets, even the most daunting below-deck tasks can be tackled systematically, saving you time and sanity.

• Let there be light. First things first: Make sure you’re using all the light available to you by opening any surrounding hatches or access points, placing a shop light or flashlight inside the area, and wearing a headlamp if it seems helpful. The light should be ignition protected. Use care when placing any fixtures that emit excess heat belowdecks, as they can damage surrounding components and present a fire risk. If possible, opt for LED versions; they’ll make the job safer – and cooler.
  
  Some modern scene lights can be hung up or set down. BoatU.S. technical editor Tom Neale uses the StreamLight Survivor Pivot (streamlight.com), which takes up a small footprint, can be attached to nearby surfaces with a magnet or a clamp, and has a 90-degree articulating head with six output modes in spot and flood beams.
  
• Use all available space to your advantage. While it may add some extra time to the job, giving yourself additional room to work is time well spent. Make things easier by removing any obstacles, including batteries, hoses, or other obstructions, to give you a clear path to what you’re working on. If you’re reaching through a hatch or deck plate, taking the frame off can give you an invaluable extra inch or two, extending your reach or possibly allowing room for a second hand. If you do remove any deck hardware, be sure to reseal with a proper sealant upon reinstallation to avoid any water intrusion, and smooth any sharp fiberglass edges that can cut you.
  
  In some cases, you may have no choice but to cut a new access point. Nobody wants to cut a hole in their boat but, sometimes, it’s either completely necessary or will make a job infinitely easier. We’ve covered this before, and it’s not as big of a task as some may think. If you go this route, make sure you follow proper procedures to prevent damage to your boat’s structural components or other systems. If reaching into a newly-cut hole (or any hole) be careful of sharp edges and fiberglass strands.

• Eyes on the prize. Oftentimes it can be difficult, or impossible, to see the item being worked on or installed. Working “by feel” gets easier with experience, but there are some tools to give you another set of eyes. Placing a properly positioned mirror in the workspace can allow you to see hidden areas and around corners – I use a folding makeup mirror. A mechanic’s inspection mirror on a collapsible rod can also be useful for some jobs. For even greater visibility, a digital borescope is a tool that will prove its worth the first time you need it, allowing you to penetrate inaccessible areas with clear video images of what is out of sight. If a borescope is unavailable, put your phone in the area with the flash on and take a series of photos to give you a lay of the land.
  
• Have retrieval tools ready. You will inevitably drop or lose screws, connectors, tools, and so on, so having the proper retrieval tools can save the day, especially if you drop something that can’t easily be replaced. Flexible grabbing wands, extendable magnets (keep in mind stainless steel is nonferrous, meaning it cannot be picked up with a magnet), and even a shop vac for last-ditch recovery efforts are all great ways to recover dropped items. Laying an old towel out in the work area is also a smart idea, as it will catch any lost parts and prevent them from rolling away. Beware of leaving dropped items like cut wire ties and lost nuts in the bilge; they can clog drains, limber holes, and pumps, creating problems down the road.
  
• Making the reach. Sometimes a component is just out of reach, and you need a little extra length to get a fastener started. For nuts and bolts, use a socket extension and place some viscous grease in the end of the socket to hold the fastener in while you get it going. I like to begin by hand and attach the ratchet when I know I have the threads started correctly. When dealing with screws, many tool manufacturers offer screw-holding screwdrivers, which have sleeves or clips that hold a screw in place at the tip and retract as the fastener is driven in. Again, a touch of grease is helpful.
  
  Long-handled needle nose pliers, vise grips, or a pair of locking surgical forceps for holding fasteners in place can also make a big difference when reach is an issue.

Preassemble. Any work that can be completed on deck will be exponentially easier, so start screws, strip wires, fit butt-end connectors, mount hose clamps, and so on before descending into the depths, whenever possible. Use extra wire or hose, if necessary, so you can make connections above deck, then secure the excess in a loop when the job is done. This will also give you extra slack and material next time you need to service the component.

In cases where reach is extremely limited, I take this approach one step further by completely installing a bilge pump or other accessory on a piece of composite board, then adhering the entire assembly to the inside of the hull with thickened epoxy or a sealant such as 3M 4200 if I think I may need to remove the accessory later, and if that sealant is going to be strong enough for the weight.

• Wear protection. Avoid cuts and scrapes by covering your arms with long sleeves and wearing gloves. The innards of a boat are usually unfinished, with raw fiberglass, sharp edges, and protruding screw tips that can deliver some nasty wounds. Loose and bulky clothing should also be avoided, as it can become snagged on those same hazards. If you end up cutting or sanding, this protection will also prevent the inevitable itching and scratching that follows a day of fiberglass work.
• Take your time. Hands down, this is the most important aspect of working in frustratingly tight places! Before anything, I like to take a good look at the space and project at hand, then develop a “plan of attack.” Put out towels to lay or sit on, organize your tools and parts within easy reach, put a fan on you, and avoid working during the heat of the day so you can be comfortable and focused on the task at hand. This is one of those situations where “slow and steady” will win the race, every time. And when all seems lost, take a deep breath and don’t give up – you’ve got this.