MARINE ELECTRICAL SPECIALISTS
Extremely compact & lightweight • Three times life of flooded / AGM / GEL batteries Ultra-fast recharging Integrated BMS, cell balancing & capacity monitoring Designed to work with existing charging system Complies with AS/NZS Marine Electrical Standards
fit a number of hatches into the cockpit floor. I wanted to replace the two round inspection ports above the fuel tanks. They were old, they leaked – and were inadequate for maintenance of the fuel tank area.
Bigger hatches would provide some storage space for fuel-related paraphernalia, since there was about 15cm gap between the deck and the top of the tank. Spare fuel hoses, funnels and fuel filters could be stored there. The hatches would also allow me to properly inspect and check the fuel tanks as part of regular maintenance.
Secondly, I wanted some wet storage areas for diving and fishing gear that wasn’t used regularly. This was only feasible on the starboard side due to the length of the fuel tanks (a cockpit sink and locker obstructed access on the port side). In the end I decided to also install a hatch in the forward cabin on the port side – though it wouldn’t be a wet area.
The first item on the agenda was to work out precise placement and buy hatches to fit the space. The support beams were 40cm
apart so I needed hatches with a smaller cut-out width – I found a number of hatches available of roughly 600mm x 350mm.
My research revealed that not all hatches are made equal. Some are not designed for standing on, so you need to look at the specs. The width of the cross-bracing inside the hatch cover gives you some indication – some of the budget-end hatches have ribs about 10mm deep, while those strong enough to support significant weight have ribs of about 25mm. And because I wanted hatches that were completely watertight, a hatch cover with fully-enclosed screws was also important.
Both structural integrity and aesthetics come into play here. Because I was going to cover the deck in marine carpet afterwards, I needed to line the hatch with the edge of the future carpet section. Measure twice, cut once is the mantra to follow and, sadly, I made a mistake with the first hatch.
Wanting to reduce the amount of cutting, I positioned the hatch with one edge aligned to the hole of the existing inspection port. When I used a hole-saw to cut the rounded part of the corners, I discovered there was a deck support running across one edge of my cut-out.
A hole saw is a simple way to create the rounded corners.
Heaps more space is accessible.
After some deliberation I decided to continue with this hatch position but would not cut through the support. Although this would slightly reduce the available opening, I could still access the edge of the fuel tank. The deck is plywood-cored fibreglass almost 2cm thick, so it was important to sand and seal the plywood to prevent water wicking into the ply in future.
I’d also decided to repaint the deck, and it would be easier to do before the hatches were in place. So the hatch project took a slight diversion while I scraped, sanded and sealed the surface, then applied a two-pot epoxy deck covering. Finally, I was ready to install the hatches.
I ran a thick bead of marine sealant all along the underside of the hatch before bedding it firmly in place. Appropriate securing screws were inserted, each bedded in a further blob of sealant. Because of the deck’s thickness, I was able to use screws that did not penetrate all the way through to the inner compartment, removing the possibility of water ingress through the screw hole. On a thinner deck a bolt with washer and nut on the inside may be required, again with lots of sealant.
The finished job achieved most of what I had hoped for. I can now access those below-deck areas, and keep them watertight. I have an automatic bilge pump to install into the wet-storage locker, since that is the only one which may be opened while out on the water.
Cutting out and installing the hatches took less than an hour per hatch and has considerably increased the storage capacity in the cockpit area. My only disappointment was not being able to create an accessible wet locker on the port side as well.
This upgrade is part of a bigger project to improve the finish of the cockpit and boarding platform. Having also applied the epoxy sealant on the cockpit floor the next step is fitting those carpets and decking the boarding platform.
Another project for another day!
Repainting the deck was easier to do before installing the hatches.
Even my wife is impressed with the final result!
Cutting out and installing the hatches took less than an hour per hatch...