Hi Rusty, To get you up to speed:............
My M15 #400, has a port sail locker that goes all the way to the hull. The inboard side, at the vertical side of the cockpit wall, is closed off with a plywood panel so that anything I drop into the port sail locker stays there, and can be easily retrieved. My starboard locker had the shallow molded sail locker. I cut it out to gain access to all that storage area, and built supports so that the cutout portion can be put back in place and used for small stuff. Now to answer your question: In the area below the cockpit I found Styrofoam logs, about 12" x 12" x 24" (just a rough guess). I also gained access to a bilge area that is behind the centerboard trunk. Having had a centerboard slot leak, which I found with Jerry's excellent advice, and several cans of Forsters beer, while I lay under the boat waiting for water to drip in my face and show me where it came from, I also found the small bilge area full of water. ............and no, this bilge area is not self draining. If you get water in there, it just stays there.............! I put a hose down into the bilge, and with my small PAR hand operated pump got all the water out of there. So, what you have under your cockpit sole is a large amount of good, useable storage space; a bilge that is the aft end of the keel - behind the centerboard; and the Styrofoam logs for flotation. You might be able to snake a hose down into the bilge from inside the cabin P/S sides, but without access from above, that is probably very difficult to do, and leads to the creation of new and improved foul language. An inspection mirror, with a long telescoping handle, plus a flashlight might give you a look at what is down there. Connie _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
