Evidence indicates that there had been a chronic leak of the grab rail mounts in the floor of the cockpit. This leak rotted the 3/4 inch backing board in the floor of the cockpit.
The cockpit floor was still sound however the backing board was mush. The original installation of the backing board was glassed in which hid the leaking and did not allow the board to dry out.
This eventually caused the aluminum fuel tank to rupture with pinhole size leaks along the forward bottom edge of the tank.
After removing the tank I was able to install the new backing board. No small task, we're taking about completely removing the wheel, pedestal and all the associated cables and wires; epoxying in the new backing board and then reinstalling the pedestal and controls. 
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>I was able to have a new fuel tank build for me by the original manufacture and reinstalled it along with new Racor fuel filter and water separater.
1 comment:
Hi Scott,
I just found your blog. Do you still have the O'Day 34? I have a 1981 O'Day 34 also. I see you replaced the plywood under the cockpit. Mine is not as far gone as yours was, but it is delaminating at the back edge. I was wondering about just cutting the back part out, because all it seems to do is hold the blocks in place to stop the rudder from turning too far. I thought I could glass the stops into the bottom of the cockpit.
Did you find the cockpit floor needed the plywood under it for support?
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