The Hatch Issue!

[Ceirwan]

In my bid to make my yacht more seaworthy i am now paying attention to the hatch situation.

Currently i have a standard sliding hatch, housed in a garage, or sea hood, this is great when the hatch is pulled over, no water down below or anything, even if a wave sweeps the deck. (Or at least only drips)

The problem comes when its bad weather, and you need to go on deck for whatever reason, sail change, gear failure, etc, how does one solve the issue of, slide the hatch back in order to lift one of the boards out, and then a wave goes straight down it!
While a bubble hatch helps you see around, it doesn't fix this problem!

A sprayhood would work in lesser conditions, but in severe weather, i'd imagine that it wouldn't stand up to any sizeable waves. Has anyone come up with a solution to this?

(And no, i don't want to convert to junk rig and run all lines below deck! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] )

[damo]

If you can't have a blister doorway (a la Contessa, Van de Stadt, Warrior 35), and don't want a sprayhood, how about a board hinged at its top edge on the aft edge of your sliding hatch. It would replace the upper washboard (or no washboards at all?), and give some protection from water while you move in or out.

Just a thought... [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[CPD]

If the weather is so bad that you cant get out the hatch for fear of getting swamped, then you should have already been out to do what you should have done before it got that bad, if you see what I mean. I used 2 elastic hoops to secure the washboards in place and jumped out the hatch and shut it again as soon as I was out.

[damo]

Some more blue sky thinking....fit a fabric sleeve like on polar pyramid tents. It should keep out everything but solid water while going in and out [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[NickiCrutchfield]

Nice thinking Damo. I like your line of thought.

[damo]

I just realised that I said "solid water" - which is what tube entrances on pyramid tents are designed for of course [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Ceirwan]

I'm not talking about being swamped, i'm talking about waves coming over the deck, which happens on a good slog to windward, and i imagine will happen if hove to, or generally out in very bad weather, theres always a chance you'll need to go on deck for something or other.

Good ideas guys, keep em coming! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Have you considered a hard equivalent of the spray hood ? I'm thinking of something along the lines of an old British Railways engine driver's cab. That should keep the wet stuff out, except from directly behind. Sort of an open wheel-house.
Whether such a structure ought to built as strong as the proverbial brick out-house, or designed to be carried away by a green one presents an interesting dilemma ...

[Ceirwan]

Its something i've thought about, but i certainly wouldn't want it to be a permanent fixture! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[michael_w]

On two boats I've had a canvas flap. It fixes to the sliding part of the hatch and hangs down instead of washboards to stop water heading below. Battens and lead weights stop it falling into the companionway.

Sure it won't be much use if your being pooped. But it stops the spray and drips but allows easy egress. Also has the advantage of the below decks crew can use white light at night without blinding those in the cockpit.

The next one I have made will be fixed by turn buttons. The popper one went swimming in the Atlantic during a rather rough passage from Bermuda to the Azores. Its loss was sorely missed.