Can I cut ventilation holes in a bulkhead?

[nigelmercier]

At the foot end of our aft bunks there is a hatch in the wooden bulkhead held on by a lip at the bottom, and two clips at the top (they look like turnbuckles, but only have one end). The other side of the bulkhead is the sugar scoop.

Because the foot end of the bunk has limited height, the area doesn't get much ventilation, and I hate having hot feet. I planned to cut a couple of large holes in the hatch and install ventilators. Then it occurred to me that I could be compromising a safety feature.

Am I being paranoid?

 

[JumbleDuck]

At the foot end of our aft bunks there is a hatch in the wooden bulkhead held on by a lip at the bottom, and two clips at the top (they look like turnbuckles, but only have one end). The other side of the bulkhead is the sugar scoop.

Because the foot end of the bunk has limited height, the area doesn't get much ventilation, and I hate having hot feet. I planned to cut a couple of large holes in the hatch and install ventilators. Then it occurred to me that I could be compromising a safety feature.

Am I being paranoid?

What ventilates the other side of the hatch?

 

[Otter]

If you want to keep water out when pooped the ventilators will be rubbish at ventilating, the deluge proof ones we had were also ventilation proof.

 

[Tranona]

Pretty sure that bulkhead is not watertight - at least it was not on my 37 of similar vintage. Easy to check by looking underneath from the sugar scoop side. However not sure you would get any significant air flow through a ventilator on the panel.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Pretty sure that bulkhead is not watertight - at least it was not on my 37 of similar vintage. Easy to check by looking underneath from the sugar scoop side. However not sure you would get any significant air flow through a ventilator on the panel.

The quarter berth on my wee Hunter 490 is open to the stern locker at the aft end, and I fitted a Vetus mushroom ventilator in the locker lid to improve ventilation. It works very nicely - no condensation in cool weather, nice cool feet in hot weather.

 

[Orion Jim]

The quarter berth on my wee Hunter 490 is open to the stern locker at the aft end, and I fitted a Vetus mushroom ventilator in the locker lid to improve ventilation. It works very nicely - no condensation in cool weather, nice cool feet in hot weather.

I couldn't believe a 15 meter yacht would have a berth open to a locker until I looked up the specs. and realized your Hunter 490 is a 4.9 meter yacht....

 

[nigelmercier]

What ventilates the other side of the hatch?

There are several ventilators in the cockpit, and a locker I can leave open at night. Also, if I do this in both aft cabins there will be an airflow between them. Removing the hatch certainly works, but Mrs Nigel complains that it is untidy

 

[JumbleDuck]

I couldn't believe a 15 meter yacht would have a berth open to a locker until I looked up the specs. and realized your Hunter 490 is a 4.9 meter yacht....

"Yacht" is perhaps putting it a bit strongly.

 

[JumbleDuck]

There are several ventilators in the cockpit, and a locker I can leave open at night. Also, if I do this in both aft cabins there will be an airflow between them. Removing the hatch certainly works, but Mrs Nigel complains that it is untidy

I can't see any reason not to put a vent in the hatch, then. Nothing on the other side potentially carrying CO - Eberspächer exhaust, engine exhaust?

 

[duncan99210]

Put the ventilators into the hatch rather then the bulkhead, that'd eliminate any worries about structural strength. How about putting computer fans in behind a ventilator louvre? Quiet, don't use much electricity and would give you a reasonable air flow across the overheated tootsies.

 

[JumbleDuck]

How about putting computer fans in behind a ventilator louvre?

There is a thrilling article on exactly that topic in the current PBO. The whole thing might have been covered by "My refrigerator condenser unit was getting a little hot, but I solved the problem by cutting a hole in the locker and fitting an old 12V computer fan" but the author manages to get a full page out of it. One of the most exciting and enlightening articles PBO has run in decades. I'm hoping for a follow up - perhaps "Our cutlery was rattling so we fitted a divider tray from IKEA", which ought to be good for four pages at least.

 

[pcatterall]

But I want the opposite!............warm feet!!

 

[JumbleDuck]

But I want the opposite!............warm feet!!

Get a cat.

 

[Wansworth]

There is a thrilling article on exactly that topic in the current PBO. The whole thing might have been covered by "My refrigerator condenser unit was getting a little hot, but I solved the problem by cutting a hole in the locker and fitting an old 12V computer fan" but the author manages to get a full page out of it. One of the most exciting and enlightening articles PBO has run in decades. I'm hoping for a follow up - perhaps "Our cutlery was rattling so we fitted a divider tray from IKEA", which ought to be good for four pages at least.

....hang on I did that....///no just joking

 

[nigelmercier]

I can't see any reason not to put a vent in the hatch, then. Nothing on the other side potentially carrying CO - Eberspächer exhaust, engine exhaust?

Well the exhaust does run through the sugar scoop, is this a problem?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Well the exhaust does run through the sugar scoop, is this a problem?

I would be reluctant to have an exhaust running through a compartment which could vent to the living quarters, but perhaps I am being over cautious.