Foredeck hatch - facing forwards or backwards?

[TamarMike]

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Have a little care with forward hinges. On some hatches when fully open the hatch is stopped from opening further by resting on the coach roof just forward of the hinge. If any weight is put on to the open edge of the hatch then you have a high force tending to break the hinges.

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That's what worries me, for that reason I have added turning hatch round to the long list of Things I Would Like To Change (but probably never will in this case)

 

[Refueler]

[ QUOTE ]
Have a little care with forward hinges. On some hatches when fully open the hatch is stopped from opening further by resting on the coach roof just forward of the hinge. If any weight is put on to the open edge of the hatch then you have a high force tending to break the hinges.

[/ QUOTE ]

But surely that can happen either way it's fitted. My hinges on aft edge of my hatch are bent and out of true due to pressure trying to push it open more than hinge / deck allows.

 

[NFCN]

Thanks everyone - great advice all round. Forward facing (hinges aft) methinks. The clincher, as ever, is the ventilation SWMBO requires while at the galley, a place which she is prone to occupy for some reason.

 

[LittleSister]

But I think you've missed Billjratt's point, that it is said that (because of the shape of the average boat and the flow of air over it) usually the flow of air inside the boat is coming in the companionway and out of the forward hatch (i.e flowing forwards inside the boat). If this is true (I don't know for certain) you would get a better flow of air at the galley by having your forward hatch hinged at the front, as this would help suck the air out of the cabin. Trying to arrange the hatch to 'blow' air into the boat would be fighting the supposed natural flow through the boat.

 

[vyv_cox]

<<< usually the flow of air inside the boat is coming in the companionway and out of the forward hatch (i.e flowing forwards inside the boat). >>>

Never on my boat. Foward end is relatively high pressure and the cockpit is relatively low pressure. Even with a big windscoop it is impossible to make wind blow forwards through the boat.

 

[jenku]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Have a little care with forward hinges. On some hatches when fully open the hatch is stopped from opening further by resting on the coach roof just forward of the hinge. If any weight is put on to the open edge of the hatch then you have a high force tending to break the hinges.

[/ QUOTE ]

But surely that can happen either way it's fitted. My hinges on aft edge of my hatch are bent and out of true due to pressure trying to push it open more than hinge / deck allows.

[/ QUOTE ]

On my boat it can't the hatch leans against the mast when open! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif