It is an aft cabin, I'll check the carpet, it is free in the most of the aft
cabin yet it is glued to the steps and at the base of the steps. The treads
are fast, with no visible screws. I checked the locker in the cabin and
there nothing, the locker at the top of steps has an access but it is for
accessing clamps to the exhaust hose. If I take out the battery bank and
the charger I might be able to crawl behind the engine. It is hard to
believe that this was Carver's intent. I emailed Carver, but I suspect
unless I am buying a new 57, they wont respond!

Thanks


"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
Isn't that an aft cabin model?

Assume that you mean you have access through the rear bulkhead of the
engine
compartment to reach the port packing gland. The companionway steps from
the
salon to the aft stateroom terminate in front of a hanging locker,
correct?

Some SWAGS:
Could it be that the access to your packing gland on the starboard side is
vertical, rather than horizontal? Look for a removable panel in the base
of the
starboard hanging locker in the aft stateroom. That's just aft of the
bulkhead,
and should be in the general area where one would expect to find a
stuffing
box.

Another possibility-
Is there carpeting in the aft stateroom? Is it original, or has it been
replaced? Somebody might have slapped replacement carpet down over an
access
hatch at the bottom of the stairs.

Last but not least, those steps are probably not molded as part of a fixed
cube, but laid up just as a series of treads and risers. It's possible
that the
stuffing box can be horizontally serviced with the steps in place, if
there's a
removable panel. Any screws visible on the backside of the steps?