Hatch anxiety

My MC16.5 build (first build) is done except for hatches, paint and varnish.  It looks great on the sawhorses in the shop (garage) in all that slick epoxy… 

I’m finding myself stalling before cutting into the deck to start on hatches!  Any words of wisdom, encouragement or identifiable pitfalls from this forum would be awesome. 

-I’m planning on flush hatches with a bungee hold-down in the bright-finished deck. 

-Is it possible to use the cut-outs for hatches if I’m super careful with the cutting, rather than bending new okume as prescribed in the flush hatch kit?

-I’ve even thought about skipping the hatches and putting in pressure relief of some sort in the bulkheads (is that a thing?), since this is not a “tripping” kayak so don't really need cargo capacity.

Comments?


9 replies:

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RE: Hatch anxiety

   I put 6 inch deck plates in the bulkheads of my MC 16.5. I did buy the hatch kit but haven't felt the need to install hatches yet, maybe I never will. The deck plates allow ventilation between outings and also allow access to store small items below decks. It is a good idea to tie light lines to the items you put in there to make it easier to retrieve them if they shift positions.  I went through this same thing when I built a Chesapeake 17 and did eventually put hatches in that one so I could go camping with it. I don't anticipate camping out of the MC though.

I cut the holes in the bulkheads before wiring/gluing/filleting the bulkheads and decks in place - easy that way. Cutting holes in installed bulkheads  will probably be a challenge but with a little patience and imagination it should be doable.

RE: Hatch anxiety

>>-Is it possible to use the cut-outs for hatches if I’m super careful with the cutting, rather than bending new okume as prescribed in the flush hatch kit?

Yes. That's standard with the Wood Duck series and possibly others. The matching grain not only looks nice, but makes the fact thet you have a hatch almost invisible.

>>I’ve even thought about skipping the hatches and putting in pressure relief of some sort in the bulkheads (is that a thing?), since this is not a “tripping” kayak so don't really need cargo capacity.

I did that with my WR18, since that's meant to be my racing kayak. Water I have in my camelback and food is some granola bars in the spray skirt pocket. The area behind the bulkheads is better as buoyancy tanks.

I use Sea-Dog molded nylon drain plugs for pressure relief on the sealed air tanks. When I close them on a cold morning, by a hot afternoon they actually whistle when I unscrew them and I can really feel the air blowing on my fingers.

Laszlo

 

RE: Hatch anxiety

   

@johninSD – thanks!  I think I’m past the deck plate in bulkhead stage.  Will work something out!

@Laslo – thanks, likewise.  This is what I was hoping to hear – I guess I will need to do the cut outs for the hatches in any event, so it’s just up to me to do it neatly so the pieces can be reused.  Drill a little hole and start poking with the bonzai saw….

Good tip on the vents.  That’s just what I was looking for.

RE: Hatch anxiety

I just cut the hatch on my wood duckling today, and it turned out better than I expected.

I was definitely anxious and debated a lot about whether to use a jigsaw that I rented or the bonsai saw from CLC.  I know the classes (and manual) use a jigsaw and that Laszlo and some others recommend a bonsai saw.

I was running out of patience to cut the hatch and could not find my bonsai saw after an hour of poking around my garage, so the decision was easy.  I practiced on a piece of scrape sapele that shipped with my kit, and that gave me a lot more confidence that it wasn't going to be a complete disaster.

I added tape on the desk to minimize tearout (as shown in CLC class videos), but I'm not sure I would recommend this (particularly if you're using a bonsai saw) since the tape itself caused a small amount of tearout right next to the cut itself as I removed it.

I'm no craftsman (total newbie, in fact, and building my first CLC boat), and my cut wasn't great, but there's only one little spot that is obviously off-oval when viewed with the naked deck/naked eye.  I can probably find a way to conceal it (maybe a thumb opening on that spot to allow the hatch to be pushed up).  I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out!

If I had it to do over again, I'd probably use the bonsai saw.

I know Laszlo himself replied, but I'd recommend that you check out his notes on his WD build here: http://www.morocz.com/BoatBuilding/DuckBuild2.htm

RE: Hatch anxiety

   @herbie - thanks.  Just what I was looking for.  Lazlo's step-by-step will require some modification, since deck is glassed, but I'm encouraged!  

Rainy day today in Lancaster, PA.  A good day to cut hatches!

RE: Hatch anxiety

AndrewLB writes:

"I’m finding myself stalling before cutting into the deck to start on hatches!  Any words of wisdom, encouragement or identifiable pitfalls from this forum would be awesome. "

If it's any consolation, that step caused me a similar level of anxiety.  Although I have a lot of woodworking experience, I knew that anything other than a perfect cut out would probably show and it would be right in a conspicuous spot!

I even ended up buying a new jig saw.  I had bought my previous jig saw when I was about 15 (and that's a looong time ago) and it was no where near as smooth cutting as a new Bosch.  The new saw was also variable speed and it helped to slow down.  I then practiced on all the other rings that needed to be cut out as if they were hatches - in other words, the cut should be just a saw kerf wide and perfectly right on the line.  After a few of those, I felt confident to tackle the hatch.

As it turns out, my hatch came out fine and with some care I'm sure yours will too! 

RE: Hatch anxiety

 I guess I still don't know how to post pics, so I'll post it as a link (I swear I read the instructions!)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qEeFv1ZWg8zTnccC7

 

RE: Hatch anxiety

The problem is that google doesn't use direct links to image files so there's no .jpg file to link to the way the directions tell you to. They use a secure mechanism that masks the link, but that can be used as a link itself. Just open the shared album URL, click on the desired image, right click on the single image that displays, select view image and finally paste that URL into the picture box on this forum. That will work as long as it's a public album.

Laszlo

 

 

RE: Hatch anxiety

   Got 'er done.  Thanks everyone.

Openned the cut with my woodworking knife and continued with the bonzai saw.  Marked the cut with a pencil on the first (the aft hatch - less prominent), which presented some problems - got a little vague here and there, used a fine point Sharpie on the forward hatch and it was easier.  Working on glossy epoxy.

Not PERFECT but nothing that will be evident to any but the most critical inspectors, and I'm not letting them near my boat anyway!

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