[Public-list] cockpit hatch

[John Flanders]

Thanks everyone for your useful thoughts on cockpit hatches. This is  
yet another project for the spring.
John
On Sep 2, 2006, at 1:36 PM, Don Campbell wrote:

> Glenn
>     Next time,  use diamond blades. I cut the whole deck top and  
> cockpit floor top off with one circular 6"  blade in a skillsaw and  
> did not wear 1/4" off it in about 150 feet of cutting but  just the  
> top half of the sandwich. That left me with a form of the bottom  
> layer  to rebuild the deck and floor from.
>     (As an aside, I prefer the lead ballast as low and as far  
> forward as it will go, even if the batteries are in the bilge.)
> Don #528
>
> brooks.glenn at comcast.net wrote:
>
>> I installed a 20X22 hatch in the cockpit floor, just aft of the  
>> foward cockpit drains, specifically for the purpose of replacing  
>> my stuffing box rubber hose and to get at the engine, morse  
>> controls, and exhaust system.  Also as my fuel tank is the stbd  
>> locker, there is a tremendous amount of open space aft of the  
>> engine--which I used to install a battery box/for the number #2  
>> battery and a new exhaust system.  This gets the battery 2'  
>> higher, and out of the bilge( where it never should have been in  
>> the first place!)
>>
>> For offshore work, to prevent water from coming below I drilled  
>> two holes through the hatch and deck for 1/4" thru bolts, and  
>> simply bolt the hatch tightly down to the deck, with rubber gasket  
>> around the edge to keep the water out. works great.
>>
>> The hatch is low profile; simply one layer of 1/2" marine ply with  
>> a smaller piece of 1/2" ply screwed and glued and fiberglassed to  
>> the underside--to make a self fitting plug which nestles into the  
>> hole cut into the decking.  The whole thing sits there for coastal  
>> sailing with no problem.
>>
>> Regarding structgural integrity, I haven't seen any movement or  
>> flex in the hull at all.  When I replace the cockpit floor this  
>> winter ( the balsa core is rotten anyway) I will frame the cockpit  
>> area with a couple of 1X 2" hardwood beams and relay glass over  
>> balsa core over the beams to recreate the new deck.
>>
>> I can't imagine not having this hatch, because of the access and  
>> useable space it provides.  There isn't any structural integrity  
>> problem and little or no risk of taking on water, once it is  
>> secured properly.
>>
>> One word of warning:  bring a lot of saw blades.  the nonskid  
>> eats  em up...
>>
>> regards
>>
>> Glenn Brooks
>> Dolce
>>
>>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
>> From: John Flanders <jflanders at sympatico.ca>
>>>
>>> Given the difficulty of accessing the engine in the Alberg 30, has
>>> anyone installed access panels in the cockpit floor.
>>> This is a feature of the Contessa 26. See http://www.btri.com/boat/
>>> index.html
>>> Would installing such an access panel have any structural
>>> implicarions for the A30?
>>> John
>>> #624
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>>
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>
> _______________________________________________
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> Please support them.
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