No Hatches or Flush Hatches.

I am thinking of not installing hatches on my Ches. 17, is it nessesary to put deck plates in the bulkheads and if so can they be installed afterwards? The front bulkhead is hard to reach now. 

If i make hatch I want to make a front flush hatch using the cut out piece as cover, anyone familiar with making the hatch parts? On the side it says flush hatches should be installed prior to completion.

 


6 replies:

« Previous Post       List of Posts       Next Post »

RE: No Hatches or Flush Hatches.

1. My wife's 16LT does not have a front hatch, nor does it have a deck plate or other means of venting on the forward bulkhead. It is nearly 7 years old with no signs of rot, no explosions caused by expanding air, etc.

2. While it would be easier to install flush hatches prior to completion, there should be no problem installing them afterwards. The main nuisance will be if you install them after you varnished the boat. Depending on how things turn out you may have to revarnish.

3. I put a flush hatch with invisible hold-downs on my WD12. The process should be similar for the CH17LT. The main difference is that the 17LT front deck is strongly curved. Click on the picture to get to my web page.

Laszlo

RE: No Hatches or Flush Hatches.

I cut my flush hatches after the hybrid cedar strip deck was sanding and glassed. Used a bonsai saw to cut on the hatch line. Gluing up the lip etc was not difficult. Edge os hatch and deck were sanded and epoxied, varnish added = done. 

Like laszlo in the post above, I used CLC style invisable hatch hold downs, but in my situation cutting and installing the hatches was definately easier after the hull/deck was assembled.

RE: No Hatches or Flush Hatches.

I decided to make a front flush hatch, cutting went fine, gluing spacer and lip also.

I found out that the the cut out piece that I want to use as cover is slightly twisted , I glued two prieces of wood underneath reinforced with a piece of fiber but still the cover will not close flush. I am thinking of removing the reinforcements as the 4 mm cover must close flsh with a bit of tension on the bungees, or I will install the visible clips on the outside, anyone advice about issue ?

RE: No Hatches or Flush Hatches.

jozwi, I would remove the reinforcements, glue in new ones loosly held in place with tape and while the glue is wet bungee the cover in place so that everything is flush. If the supports are allowed to float in place they and the epoxy glue sohuld hold the cover in shape after everything cures. Hope this helps. SEEYA Jack

RE: No Hatches or Flush Hatches.

It does take a while for the bungee tension to compress the minicell. I have a CH18 with flush hatches and the CLC bungee restraint system. The front hatch on mine is slightly twisted, but still seals well. Maybe increase the bungee tension. This restraint system works well but is a bit of a hastle removing the hatches. So I added an additional strap on the outside to secure the hatch when storing or camping for convenience and backup. Just used existing deck perimeter line rigging attachments for the straps. Dave

RE: No Hatches or Flush Hatches.

Thanks for the reactions! I tensioned the cover and heated it with a paint stripper, this took out most of the twist , as I am still varnishing I did not put on the mini cell seal yet, with a bit of luck the bungees Wil close the cover flush. 

« Previous Post     List of Posts     Next Post »


Please login or register to post a reply.