[C38] Forward hatch replacement??

[Tom T.]

My forward hatch was the original opaque fiberglass hatch that was gloomy
and dark below decks but having our boat in sunny Florida, dark wasn't all
bad

My problem was like Charles Finn talked about.  When in heavy weather,
there was no way to seal the forward hatch from blue water coming in over
the bow.

We carried a couple of  pressure treated 2x4's with us for as fender boards
for docking but found that under heavy seas, the boards could double for
another use.

We used one of the 2x4 wood fender boards with ropes tied to each end and
we tied this board across the foredeck just forward of the hatch and with
another piece of rope tied to the middle going to the bow which bent the
board forward in the center.  The board was now flexed downward to the toe
rails on either side as well as flexed forward in the center.

This board became a fairly good splash deflector making most of the water
on the foredeck run to the sides and not forcefully into the hatch.

Simple but very effective and easy to step over when going forward.  In
really heavy waves, this board even mitigated blue water coming over the
cabin top drenching the cockpit by taking most of the energy out of the
wave before it got to the hatch or cabin top.  We still got some water in
the forward hatch but not the drenchings like before mounting the
fenderboard splash deflector.  I probably should have used both boards
since I had two of them but in 12' breaking seas, I got really uninterested
in staying on the foredeck any longer than necessary.

Tom Troncalli


> [Original Message]
> From: Charles Finn <charles at finn.ws>
> To: <glenn at easternyachtri.com>; Catalina 38 Listserve
<listserve at catalina38.org>
> Date: 3/17/2010 9:55:49 AM
> Subject: Re: [C38] Forward hatch replacement??
>
> My problem with our hatch was it leaves the forward area of our boat in 
> the dark.  Once my wife "discovered" other boats had smoked plexiglass 
> hatches forward... this became a priority!  I purchased a piece of 
> smoked plexiglass, cut out the bulk of the hatch and used that as a form 
> to heat and mold the cut plexi.  I then routed a shoulder in the hatch 
> and set the glass.  The result is light in the forward berth and the 
> ability to see the weather from the comfort of a warm berth!
> I have stepped, sat, even fell on the hatch, resulting only in scratches 
> which are pretty easy to remove.  So, I have not had a problem with 
> strength.  My problem has been leaking!  I tried all sorts of solutions 
> and always tended to end up with a wet berth in heavy weather with waves 
> over the bow (just when you need your sleep).  I finally ordered the 
> hatch gasket from Catalina Direct, but gluing it in and having it stay 
> is an ongoing process.
> I have looked through all my photos and do not have one of the hatch.  I 
> will take some when I next visit, but that is over a month away.
>
> Chuck Finn
> Mighty Quinn #114
> Great Lakes
>
> Glenn 401 855 4355 wrote:
> > I am interested to know if anyone has ever replaced their FBG forward 
> > hatch with a more robust, rectangular, standard Lewmar hatch or 
> > equivalent?
> > I would LOVE to make a switch to a 25x25" hatch even though I know 
> > this would require some significant work.
> > Hence, if anyone has such an experience, I would love to learn before 
> > I move forward.
> >
> > thanks
> > Glenn
> > POIA #13
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Listserve mailing list
> > Listserve at catalina38.org
> > http://catalina38.org/mailman/listinfo/listserve_catalina38.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Listserve mailing list
> Listserve at catalina38.org
> http://catalina38.org/mailman/listinfo/listserve_catalina38.org