[Public-list] cockpit hatch

[Chris Blain]

Hi -

Disclaimer- I have an alberg 35, so my cockpit might be a little bigger.

I got one of these for the floor of my cockpit. Waterproof, easily removed
in time of need and not terribly expensive, all things considered. I have no
affiliation with the store, other than having been a customer back when I
lived in Maine.

store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/4,131.htm

cheers,
chris

On 9/2/06, John Flanders <jflanders at sympatico.ca> wrote:
>
> 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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