I've built my companionway deck hatch and am now no longer confused about how it can slide in and out without interfering with the companionway bulkhead hatch (yes - it's got a name, but I can never remember it).
My issue now is that there's an about 1" gap between the deck hatch and the bulkhead - not normally a problem, but I see it as a way for weather, and smaller critters to enter the boat.
What does everyone else do? Seal it up, ignore it, have a complex mechanism to deal with it (always my first approac).
Duct tape, always works to seal up that open area. :lol: And it catches a lot of crawling critters as well. :wink:
Some builders have fabricated a hinged extension that can be raised up to lock with the sliding hatch cover. Usually hinged to the inside and then pulled up and locked inplace. Can be very effective and with a good joint will never look as if it is hinged.
I've seen sliding extensions that can be raised and locked as well. Pretty simple groove and pins that hold it to the main bulkhead hatch. Others have drop in boards that extend up to the sliding hatch cover, Some of those sliding hatch covers raise up and then drop down over the top edge of the main hatch boards and then lock inplace.
I've seen a drop down lip on the slider that when it is closed can be slid down to cover the hatchway boards. A padlock hasp is the easiest way to accomplish holding it inplace.
Lots of variations on a theme, as long as a lip overhangs the main bulkhead boards, no leaks from rain or wind blown water will matter much. Unfortunately the cutout from the main bulkhead just isn't high enough to do the job on its own.
Quote: Unfortunately the cutout from the main bulkhead just isn't high enough to do the job on its own.
I gave up on the original cutout and made a pattern from cardboard, using the sliding hatch to mark the top. I cut it to size and then trimmed the top so it would
just clear. The stop for the sliding hatch will allow it to overhang the bulkhead by about an inch. I thought it looked funny at first but decided it was the only way to keep water out. There is a slight gap at the top but I am pretty sure it wont leak unless the rain is going sideways. The gap will also provide a small amount of ventilation when everything is closed up.
I plan to use a cam lock like this, mounted in the drop board. The cam will swing up and stop the hatch from sliding forward
http://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-pr..._ref=17864
joel
I had similar issue on an old frozen snot boat and I used a rubber garage door seal. There are two types, one is a foam rubber tube sort of thing and the one I used is just a strip of rubber, about 2" wide with some clips on the back edge to clip it to the door. I attached it to the companionway slide (staples) and it makes a neat seal in both the open and closed (if the slide goes back far enough) position.
That's a good idea Paul - and far easier than my usual over-engineered solutions.
Typical companionway hatches are built a little long and the slide portion is intended to have a pretty sloppy fit. This permits the slide to extend over the drop boards (or doors, like Jim Sanders Vacationer) and the hatch can be lifted slightly as it goes over the drop boards. The back of the hatch usually has a pretty well fitted cross piece, notched around the slide runners (the tapered pieces on the cabin top) and with a matching curve on the lower edge to leave a close fit on the cabin top crown.
I've seen a number of different solutions to this issue. The best one I've seen and one I incorporate in all my designs (when it doesn't interfer with the yacht's style), is the "hatch garage". This is just as the name implies a fixed shelter, built on the cabin top, which houses the hatch in the open position. This keeps water from creeping up the cabin top, past the forward side of the hatch and dripping into the cabin. The open end of the garage overlaps the hatch's forward end, so in the closed position, water can't get past the hatch, to drip inside the boat. This leaves only a reasonable seal, where the after end of the hatch covers the drop boards, in the companionway opening. This can be easy done with a rubber flap, foam tape or similar on the upper edge of the top drop board.
Paul - you wouldn't happen to have any pictures of that setup?
Andrew I like them to slide a bit over the companionway closure. I sealed this time with some white nylon rope. This gives me a drip proof seal and looks quite nice as well. I leave just enough overhang that the rain ( if she ever sees any again out here) runs down the door front onto the sole and out the garboard drains.