I may have posted this before, can't recall, sorry if I did ...

1986 Tartan 40, Yanmar 44 HP 4JHE.

See the large aluminum plate at the base of the engine, it's rather stout, 1/4" thick, I'm wondering what it's purpose is ? Whether someone added it later for some reason, or is it factory ? The sea-water Strainer hangs off it, but that certainly can't be why it is there, and so big. I'm thinking it is providing structural or lateral support to the two engine stringers (which is where my engine mounts are bolted to) to keep everything from moving when the boat is well heeled and the engine on ?

The Plate is bolted with (3) 5/16" bolts on each side that go through the front of the stringers and tap into a piece of alum flat bar behind the stringers. The engine pan and the stringers are all one solid piece, must have been molded up and dropped into place. There is no sign of cracking or any issues.

The problem is there is a Sea Frost Engine Driven compressor right behind this plate (the belt has been removed in this photo), the clearance is less than 1/4" in front of the drive disk, so I have to loosen all 6 bolts and pry out the Plate (which is wedged in by the hoses & bundled wires) when I change the belt, which doesn't happen but every few years. I could do nothing; I could remove the Plate; I could make another brace that only goes across the top couple inches only with a lightening hole cut in for the Strainer intake; I could cut a large lightening hole in the existing plate in front of the compressor so I can see it and be able to change belts, without loosening the plate. It sure would be nice not to have it there at all for service, cleaning, visuals and so on.

Any ideas what the Plate's purpose is ? No one at Tartan knows.

Thanks, cheers, John