Engineers that never met their fathers...

[Spirit of Glenans]

Try changing a headlamp on a Ford Focus!

Break two of the little clips off the rectangular cover. You can then get it out without removing the battery and its enclosure!
Re the OP's problem: I think it could be remedied by removing the offending piece of pipe and replacing with one that reaches as far as the inspection hatch, where it was probably intended to be originally.

 

[RichardS]

Doh! What a complete pain. You have my complete sympathy. Not going to make it better, but it shows someone cares.

It was probably installed when the boat was a bare hull and you could get fancy tools in there with ease. Happens all the time, looking at motor cars they are no better. Try changing a headlamp on a Ford Focus!

Chin up, after all they were French so we can continue to feel superior.

Luckily the engineering designers get some things right.

I've just popped out and changed the front disk pads on my Son's car in about 30 minutes including jacking-up and removing/replacing the front wheels.

It's not always like that though!

Richard

 

[doug748]

Yep.

I must say that my inboard diesel engine does show a number of thoughtful touches that have been very helpful when it comes to the end of season work.

 

[Topcat47]

The most maintainable car I have ever owned was my 2CV on which doing anything, with the sole exception of setting the points gap, was astonishingly easy. Changing all four shock absorbers took me 20 minutes, of which 10 minutes were spend working out how to do the first one.

Been there got the tee shirt. the trouble is you have to adjust the points far more often than you have to change the shock absorbers.......

 

[Suffolk Punch]

....or just convert the archaic points system to electronic ignition.

 

[chrishelen]

Just had this with Daughter's (French) car. A leaking radiator was connected to the bottom pipe by some sort of bayonet / clicky plastic fitting with an 'o' ring. The pipe emerged from the steelwork of the wheel arch by all of 50mm, and necessitated stripping the bumper, then the wheel arch, cutting out the pipe, and re-joining with a sleeve and jubilee clips.

Probably saved the accountants b - all, wasted half my day.

I know how you feel...try changing the diesel filter on a honda accord.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I know how you feel...try changing the diesel filter on a honda accord.

Looked at sons and decided to give it a miss

 

[JumbleDuck]

Been there got the tee shirt. the trouble is you have to adjust the points far more often than you have to change the shock absorbers.......

....or just convert the archaic points system to electronic ignition.

Absolutely, which is why the 1-2-3 electronic ignition system was developed for the 2CV first before spreading to other cars. Top tip: a 14mm deep 3/8" drive socket can be inserted down the middle of the cooling fan and then struck sharply sideways with a hammer to free the fan from its coned mounting.

I know how you feel...try changing the diesel filter on a honda accord.

I have a friend with a Daimler Dart, on which changing the oil filter requires you to remove the exhaust system. On my (proper) DS, replacing the main hydraulic accumulator requires a huge amount of dismantling on the left side of the engine just to get to it. Once you have access, changing the sphere takes two minutes. tops.

 

[Mad Pad]

Absolutely, which is why the 1-2-3 electronic ignition system was developed for the 2CV first before spreading to other cars. Top tip: a 14mm deep 3/8" drive socket can be inserted down the middle of the cooling fan and then struck sharply sideways with a hammer to free the fan from its coned mounting.



I have a friend with a Daimler Dart, on which changing the oil filter requires you to remove the exhaust system. On my (proper) DS, replacing the main hydraulic accumulator requires a huge amount of dismantling on the left side of the engine just to get to it. Once you have access, changing the sphere takes two minutes. tops.

Ref Daimler Dart,what do you expect if you put such a large engine into a small car!

 

[Daydream believer]

Back to the OP
is it possible to just forget repairing the existing. Consider bye passing then by just putting in a couple of new pipes with joints where you need & leave the old ones completely alone--- just disconnect & ignore

 

[JumbleDuck]

Ref Daimler Dart,what do you expect if you put such a large engine into a small car!

The problem is basically having designed the engine and styled the body, they just let everything else happen. It's a maintenance nightmare. Glorious engine, though.

 

[TQA]

You need a sawzall, a selection of inspection hatches and a bore hole camera.

I have a friend with a big Hunter with a similar problem. He is now totally blase about cutting holes in his boat to gain access then screwing in a new inspection hatch.

BTW Don't blame the engineers blame the bean counters. It is cheaper to build them that way.

 

[aquaplane]

Absolutely, which is why the 1-2-3 electronic ignition system was developed for the 2CV first before spreading to other cars. Top tip: a 14mm deep 3/8" drive socket can be inserted down the middle of the cooling fan and then struck sharply sideways with a hammer to free the fan from its coned mounting.



I have a friend with a Daimler Dart, on which changing the oil filter requires you to remove the exhaust system. On my (proper) DS, replacing the main hydraulic accumulator requires a huge amount of dismantling on the left side of the engine just to get to it. Once you have access, changing the sphere takes two minutes. tops.

I saw a proper LHD DS in Heckmondwike the other day and thought "why is he driving that nice car round when the roads have been gritted". Jumblie surely wouldn't approve.

 

[Uricanejack]

I doubt if Benetau have a monopoly on annoying designer issues giving no thought to future maintenance. My boat is a major pain with a moulded inner liner. I cant see reach or feel behind. I am sure the previous owner left the hot water system disconnected. just because its almost impossible to reach any of the parts. The Engine Exhaust was a extremely difficult.
The engine, Try reaching the dip stick, You would have thunk a Dip stick you could reach would be a obvious requirement? No clearly not. and not just on my boat.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I saw a proper LHD DS in Heckmondwike the other day and thought "why is he driving that nice car round when the roads have been gritted". Jumblie surely wouldn't approve.

I sure as heck wouldn't. When mine comes out of the restorer's place, it is going to be used a lot, but summers only. They put a ludicrous amount of salt on the roads here in SW Scotland and there is no way I am exposing a 43 year old car to it.

Top tip: a compacted mixture of Kalahari sand and LHM makes a very good rust preventer. Eat yer heart out, Waxoyl.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I doubt if Benetau have a monopoly on annoying designer issues giving no thought to future maintenance.

All the lighting wiring in my boat runs between the side decks and the wooden interior. To get access would require removal of the interior joinery in its entirety.