PDQ OWNERS FORUM

So my transom shower has fallen inside the boat.. the plastic had rotted away that held it in place and now it’s back behind the water heater somewhere. I have found the replacement part but here is my problem..
How the **** do I get back there to retrieve it. I see no way I can climb back there and get it.
The panel that separates the engine from the heater area has many screws I assume is removable??
Is this the only way to get back there?
A small child might be able to crawl in there but not me...
I could maybe go in head first but I fear that might be my final resting place as I could never get back out....
Any help as always will be very appreciated.

Bill
MV 34 075

sorry but this is one of those "s**ks to be you". yes you will go in head first and get comfortable. get some foam on top of the water heater. ideally, do it on a cool day. sorry, but i think this is as it gets.

That's right... it's a very challenging place to get to, especially if you are a bigger person. The aft engine compartment firewall should lift straight UP and out. It's not heavy. Then, as Duetto suggested, put a towel or foam pad on top of the hot water tank (be sure the tank is NOT hot) and do it on a cool day. Slither, slide, pull yourself on top of the water tank until about 1/3 to 1/2 of your body is hanging over the back of the tank. Then you can reach everything. It's not easy and it IS do-able. Don't get too far - you may never get out! If you ARE a bigger size person, find someone smaller. For example, I had a much smaller and younger boatyard guy handle re-packing our rudders last years. I really don't know how he got that far back in there, but he did and it was not a big deal to him. He said he's seen worse.

I've been back there so many times now, it's a routine. For example, I replaced the exhaust fan and hose to the transom. It was NOT easy. I just grin and bear it and get it done. Hope that helps.

If getting a person back there was near impossible (which it isn't), I would be trying to make some sort of system with a boat hook and a steel "fish" tape. One person pushes the "fish" through the transom hole (with the plastic trim removed to give the biggest hole possible) and the other works the hook from the inside to pick up and bring the shower hose forward. Remove the spray nozzle and then use duct tape to secure the hose to the "fish" tape and voila.

Thanks for the help as always..
Just to report back I did manage to retrieve the shower from behind the heater..
The job was much easier removing the firewall giving me enough room to crawl back there and get it..
I suggest checking the trim as the part is only $17 and a lot easier to replace before it falls back there...

Thanks.

Bill
MV34 Chateaux
2005 075
Key Largo Fl

Or do what we did and move the water heater to the shelf in the starboard forward locker. Easy electrical wire run from the AC distribution panel and simple water connections using fittings and hose from West Marine. Now we have better weight distribution, easy access to the important stuff in the stern bilge area and instant hot water to the shower. One of the best mods we have done to the boat. Oh, yes we lost some storage forward but we stored some of that stuff on the platform that the water heater was sitting on. And we did the project ourselves in less than a day.


Bob MacNeill
Gusto
2006 34' mv #83

Bill,

Tansom shower trim piece .
Good idea, Ill think Ill replace mine before breaks too.
What is the trim piece and where did you get it? (Item name or sku #, etc please. )
Thanks,
David

David,
The part is Scandvik # 12104...
However it is for a hole of 2 3/4 inch hole and mine was maybe 2 1/4 so I had to make the hole a little bigger in order to fit
the cap. They do make one that fits exactly but when I called they said 12104 was a better quality part and if possible just
use it so I did and it does work. Screw holes don’t match but it seems secure and I’m calling it good enough..
You can buy from Scandvik direct or others such as Defender as well.
If I were to do it over again I might try and find the exact size but like I said they kind of talked me into this one.
A lot easier to do it now than crawl back in that hole when you don’t have too..

Bill

Bill,
Thank you for the info.
David

Does anyone know the name and part # for the transom shower handle with the push button? Mine is broken. Is it a Scandic part 20140623?

I just had the same problem with my transom shower; one part had the plastic cup inside disintegrate. I also found that Scandvik now makes the valve and the shower fittings with stainless steel covers instead of the white rubber cover which never stayed on. I replaced both. The recessed shower sets are available online cheapest at Amazon! I saw the notes above and looked at how to get there under the steps behind the water heater, so I hired a small boat guy who sat behind the water heater to do it! Be careful of the plastic hinge on the stainless covers. And the big holes are 2-3/4" instead of the old 2-1/4 and the screw holes do not match.

Doug Kerr
Abbotsford III
PDQ34 #41
dougkerr@comcast.ent