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Storing Hatch Boards

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/21/2006 : 12:22:08

Not that I have time to start another new project but...curious if anyone has figured out good ways to store the companionway hatch boards. Presently, I place them up on the port side shelf in the main cabin. I have a wood wedge that holds them there. Though, one time I got caught by a sudden gust and the boards came loose, bounced off the seat cushion and onto the floor. One wound up on the starboard seatcushion. I have also seen the boards stored inside the cabin below and against the seats. But what I was considering was a way to store them in the cockpit storage bin so I do not even have to bring them into the cabin. I have some ideas but wondered what others have devised.

Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 12:32:12

I put the ice chest in the quarterberth, and put the hatchboards behind the companionway steps, and then tossed the boat canvas (sail cover, sail bag, etc.) on top of the hatchboards. If I had to stow anything else soft, such as a jacket or duffel bag, it went in there too.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 12:54:00

check this tip out

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/tech/tech25/pictures/sdhatsto.jpg

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1766 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 12:54:44

Hi Larry,

I stole Bill Holcomb's idea ("Snickerdoodle") from our Tech Tips ... works great!

Edit: Rats! You beat me by 44 seconds, Duane!

Edited by - Buzz Maring on 04/21/2006 12:56:15

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 13:32:33

I saw the photo of the boards against the seat sides but I decided to use that area to attach my boat hook pole and the whisker pole. I was also thinking of attaching a paddle in that location.

Behind the companionway steps ? Well...I guess that is a possibility but I have my switch panel in that location. That's another project that needs to be worked. But it's on the backburner right now.

I was thinking that since the hatch boards are first accessed while in the cockpit, then why not find a place near the cockpit to store them. The cockpit storage bin that opens up to the bilge looks like a place that store the boards out of the way. I was considering storing them with fasteners/clamp to hold them against one of the sides down below. Thought maybe someone has done this - maybe even devised a pocket or compartment to hold them inside this storage area. Right now, it has room inside it. Has some various lines, an extra anchor, cleaning and polishing matls, bucket, deck brush w/pole - That kind of stuff.

Maybe it is just easier to deal with hatch boards in the cabin, since in that cockpit storage area, someone has to be out of the way on that seat to access it to store or retrieve the hatch boards. On the other hand, it seemd a conveninet place if an adequate way is devised to hold them. It get's them out of the way and leaves the cabin uncluttered.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 17:00:37

I've been storing my boards in CD's hatchboard bag where the individual pockets ensure that each board is protected from the others. After putting them into the bag, I simply drop them next to the companionway steps in a slot I make with my other gear. I can stow and grab the hatchboard from the cockpit.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 17:31:15

Don,

Thanks for info regarding CD's hatchboard bag. I may consider that in whatever I eventually do.

I must admit that storing the boards along the cabin seats as shown in the photos (both of them) is pretty good. I could move the poles I put there to another location but they are too big to fit in the cockput storage area. It just seemed that the cockpit storage area has side walls in there where the boards could be located if fasteners or a retention system was installed and so the boards did not shift while sailing.

Thanks for the inputs !
Looks like we have rain in the forecast for a good part of this weekend for our area, so...may only be dreaming of sailing for a few days.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 19:09:58

Rain doesn't necessarily mean bad sailing Larry.....

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 20:43:01

I also store poles against the seat so used same method of bungee cord inside of each port seat, have dinette layout. Put two together on one side and one alone on other. When overnighting I install boards and having them in the cabin is easy for me. Just drilled holes for cord and no hardware just figure 8 knot.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2006 : 20:45:04

Duane...well..I have sailed in the rain and I have bicycled in the rain. Having done that....I prefer it not raining especially when starting out.

Last fall, they had the Seagull Century Ride in Salisbury, Md. It's a 2 3/4 hr trip for me to get to the start. I had 2 night reservations at a hotel on the beach another 1/2 hour away in Ocean City, Md. Rain was predicted the entire weekend. I checked into the hotel. I showed up real early for the ride the next morning. I bided my time until the start. It was still raining cats and dogs. I figured...I know what it is like to ride in the rain...need not experience it again. Let the others have fun. I bike often anyway - Don't need the extra experience. I picked up my free T-shirt (figured into the registration cost) and went back to the beach. It cleared up just for a couple in the evening and then came down again. The next day was so-so. So went the weekend.

Made reservations in the hotel already for this year's ride (Columbus Day weekend). Lookin for good weather this year. Most times it has been and if it rains while I am on the ride, so be it. By the way...I like the T-shirt. It fits fine ! So...may be in my old age I am getting a bit wimpy. I Like some creature comforts.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2006 : 07:19:29

Duane,

OKay..it's not raining right now. The weatherman says mostly cloudy this morning and rain/thunderstorms later this afternoon. You influenced me. I'm headin down to the boat in a 1/2 hour. On the positive side ...Don't think I need sunscreen today !

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2006 : 07:44:16

Larry,

In the lazaret on my 88TR, there is a rack installed by the factory for hanging dock lines. It also forms the front portion of a shelf in the locker which has a narrow end aft. I store my hatch boards on this narrow end of the shelf. The stored dock lines cushion the boards and keeps them from banging around. They are very handy when stored here especailly when cruising alone and a sudden summer rain or squal pops up.

I have also removed my water tank from under the starboard setee, which gives me additonal storage space. When on short daysails or racing, I sometimes store the boards in this locker. I keep spare PFDs here so they cushion the boards and keeps them from bouncing around.

I have thought about getting a bag for the boards for years, but decided the price was not worth it given my current storage options. They get banged up no matter how careful you are, so I end up refinishing tem, along with the rest of my exterior teak, every two or three years anyway.

Edited by - aeckhart on 04/22/2006 07:57:54

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2006 : 19:28:56

Al,

Yes ! I have similar setup with that board down there with cutouts probably for hanging docklines. There is a narrow end to the shelf toward the stern in that locker. I was considering putting the boards there or maybe mounted with fasteners or some way to the front of the board with the docklines. There are probably 3 or 4 ways to put the boards into the locker and that's what I am pondering. I do like the idea of getting that pocket bag to keep the boards together and maybe not get banged up. Depending on any cushioning/fastening system, the boards may survive better in the locker. I'll be looking it over... Thanks for responding !

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 07:40:52

I keep my hatchboards against the portside settee with a bungee cord retaining strap, pretty much as the photos in the above posts show. Having them sit on the floor means they can't fall any further

. There seems to be a Murphy's Law of sailboat gear that requires that anything stowed above the level of the floor, like on the settees, V-berth, or even in the quarterberth, WILL end up at some point falling to the floor with a terriffic "CRASH!!" if the boat acheives a heel angle in excess of 20º. It's really fun when the falling gear is something like a $800 digital camera

Edited by - lcharlot on 04/27/2006 07:42:35

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 20:08:04

Larry C.

I agree that it is best on the floor. I am living dangerously right now with one instanse so far when the boards punced down onto the floor and one even popped back onto seat cushion on the other side.

I may get that bag that Catalina Direct sells to hold the boards, then locate the board in the storage area accessed in the cockpit. I can secure the boards/bag against one of the sides in that storage locker with the bag resting on the bottom. I have to put this project off for a little while. Right now working on two projects:
1) Building plexiglass partitions to section off the seacock and transducers located under the VBerth. The will screw down a plexiglas shelf o top of the partitions so i can fully use the storage space under the VBerth. That project is temporarily on hold while completing project no. 2 , below.
2) I have a boat guy working on my mast. The mast was taken down in the dockspace yesterday and we are presently rewiring the mast, replacing the steaming and deck light fixture, hooking up the new LED Anchor I bought from OGM Corp and replacing the Windex that lost it's vanes and then tilted to one side. Also, my aft stay barely threaded into the turnbuckle and so I am replacing the shackle under my furling rig with a longer one so that the stays can now be properly adjusted when the mast, hopefully , goes back up tomorrow. We had one heck of a time with the rewiiring effort today. Very hard threading the new wires thru the conduit in the mast, getting the wires to come out at the spreader location and ensuring that we hooked everything up correctly - 3 hot wires and a common ground. Also had to figure out how to fasten the LED light properly to the top of the mast. We think we have that now worked out but it was getting late today, so...that will happen tomorrow.

On the agenda is first get past the mast work, then go sailing. Finish the storage project and then work on both the hatch board storage issue and ...look into screens for all the openings.

I chickened out for the most part on the mast by seeking assistance and expect I will pay a good deal for that effort. I kicked in some assistance but 2 guys have been doing most of the work. I will be at work tomorrow but I am not far from the dock, so I may get down there to help with the mast raising.

Boy - Isn't this fun ! Looking forward to sailing this weekend.

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 23:19:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by OLarryR
 
I chickened out for the most part on the mast by seeking assistance...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I rewired the mast on my previous C-25 (#1205) in 1996 right after buying the boat. Actually the re-wiring was incidental, the main purpose was to install the CD retrofit spreader socket kit. I did all the work myself, with some help from The Admiral, and it wasn't too difficult. I used an electrician's wire-pulling tool to get the new wires through the mast, and the spacer tubes for the spreader socket bolts were installed by way of duck-taping them to the end of a 20' length of 1/2" PVC pipe, which allowed the spacer to be manouvered into position. This obviously requires two people, one to manipulate the PVC pipe down at the base of the mast, and a helper looking through the bolt holes and guiding the pipe-pusher, then sticking the bolts in when the spacer tube is lined up.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 05:45:18

Well...if I had to do this over again, I would have done it having the boat pulled out during the winter and then work on it myself. What is happening is that the bost guy that is doing the work is experienced but when it comes to some of the complexities involved, there is a lot of lost time in figuring out the solution and resolving it. That time would have been best used up by me since his time clock is running and well...i don't pay for mine.

Yesterday was a bear getting the wiring thru the conduit, getting it to come out at the spreader area and ensuring the hot leads are properly labelled since one wire is going to have to be the yellow one (put a red tape on it). basically two wire cables with three hot leads and one common ground wire.

It was early this moroning and already discussed the remaining issues at 600am. The main problem today is getting the OGM LED Anchor light attached to the mast. The support bracket I purchased with the LED was for mounting it flat but that won't work. i should have gotten a half angle plate so that holes could line up with the ones for the old anchor light. But chances are the new plate even if i ordered it correctly would have to have new holes drilled thru it and drilling thru stainless stell down at the dock with limited equipment is tough. need a strong drill bit for one thing and have to get a stainless steel plate of about 2" X 6" to attach two screws to the mast and 2 bolts with lock nuts to the LED mounting plate which we bent the flange to attach it in the vertical. he is concerned he will not be able to get the plate squared away this morning. Proper planning would have solved that issue. Anyway, since the LED is not all that heavy and the vertical plate support matl needs only to be of a short length, I suggested he use a 1/4" or 1/2" piece of Starboard/Polymer lumber that West marine sells. he can cut that into a 2" X 5" support plate and attach that to the mast and LED support. That should be fine as long as he spreads out the load with a flat washer. It's hardly any weight to the LED anyway. So...awaiting a call when he gets to West marine later today.

I bet this rewiring, light replacements and Windex replacements are going to cost me big time. On the other hand, i was there for a lot of the pain and suffering and he had another experienced boat hand helping him and while everything could have gone smoothly, as often happens, the reality is that sometimes things do not work out that way. I am hopeful the job will be completed todfay and i will be sailing after work today.

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 10:55:55

I have CD's hatchboard bag. It's really nice. I just toss the bag into the quarter berth. It has individual pockets and snaps to keep the boards inside and they don't fly around.

Of course with all of the acceleration I get from my Ullman sails they keep on getting thrown up against the transom

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3435 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 18:45:36

Well...that's one input in favor of the bag ! I think I will go for it but not this weekend.
Mast update: No sailing this weekend ! Waaaah !

The boat guy is going to machine an attachment for the anchor light to mast connection and to also attach the Windex to it back at his shop over the weekend. He will then install it on Monday morning. The electric wiring is all done and all lights tested okay.

Looks like I will be working on my VBerth storage project this weekend, biking Saturday morning and do some chores around the house.
Anyone launching new sailing photos on this Board, I'll entertain myself by reviewing them and thinking of sailing next week.

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2006 : 10:49:30

Larry,

I placed my hatch boards across the seats in the cockpit at the entrance to the cabin several years ago. It was a temporary thing that I've been using for several years now and acts as a seat under the dodger when trying to excape unwanted weather. Haven't found a better place for them yet. Plus they are handy when closing up for the day, being right there.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT # 3936 Patchogue N.Y.
nine days to splash

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