richardm
New member
Are there any views on whether the hinges on a forward deck hatch - or any deck hatch - should be bow towards or stern towards
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Hatches and hinges
- Thread starter richardm
- Start date
boatless
New member
Richard
I think you'll hear good arguments for both. General consensus is for aft hinge.
If you anchor in warm areas it's certainly can help when part open. Once it's wide enough to use a wind scoop it makes no difference. If you're mainly marina bound, the wind will always be in the wrong direction, whichever way round it is!
John.
<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.
I think you'll hear good arguments for both. General consensus is for aft hinge.
If you anchor in warm areas it's certainly can help when part open. Once it's wide enough to use a wind scoop it makes no difference. If you're mainly marina bound, the wind will always be in the wrong direction, whichever way round it is!
John.
<hr width=100% size=1>my opinion is complete rubbish, probably.
PBrooks
New member
I always thought they should be hinged on the forward edge - less chance of water gettting in when you leave said anchorage with it still open...
I'd be interested in the experience of others as I'm about to fix mine and it would be an awful lot easier if it was aft hinged.
best regards
Paul
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I'd be interested in the experience of others as I'm about to fix mine and it would be an awful lot easier if it was aft hinged.
best regards
Paul
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domlee
New member
I read somewhere the hinges should be toward the bow, the reason given was if a large body of water came over the bow there would be less chance of the water forcing the hatch open further and flooding the cabin. I prefer hatches to be closed when underway, but sometimes comfort takes precidence over common sense.
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timevans2000
New member
I have to replace a hatch on my boat this weekend. I will be putting the hinges at the back.
Lots of boats built in the uk have the hinges at the front. Most boats built for hot climates have them at the back. I have not heard of anybody having problems with aft mounted hinges.
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Lots of boats built in the uk have the hinges at the front. Most boats built for hot climates have them at the back. I have not heard of anybody having problems with aft mounted hinges.
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richardandtracy
New member
I know your dilemma. I couldn't decide either.
So, as it was a home-made hatch on a home made boat, I did it both ways. I welded hinge lugs on both the fwd and aft edges of the hatch and deck. I have two hinge pins, remove the fwd pin and it's aft hinged, remove the aft one and it's fwd hinged. Both pins go in ready for heavy weather. I have two handles inside for use whichever hinge pin is in.
Regards
Richard.
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So, as it was a home-made hatch on a home made boat, I did it both ways. I welded hinge lugs on both the fwd and aft edges of the hatch and deck. I have two hinge pins, remove the fwd pin and it's aft hinged, remove the aft one and it's fwd hinged. Both pins go in ready for heavy weather. I have two handles inside for use whichever hinge pin is in.
Regards
Richard.
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steve_cronin
N/A
A few years back....
...there was a hatch with a skeleton second frame. The main frame hinged at the forward edge and the skeleton frame at the back edge. This allowed opening either way. Can't remember who made them but they were well engineered. Perhaps they went into demise due to racing rules.
Our forehatch hinges at the aft edge but I wish it were the other way around as this allows some protection against overnight mediterranean drizzle. The scoop effect of a rear hinging hatch is a myth as a fully opened (back flat on deck) hatch generates just as good an airflow if not beter than a hatch on it's stay.
Steve Cronin
Steve cronin
<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
...there was a hatch with a skeleton second frame. The main frame hinged at the forward edge and the skeleton frame at the back edge. This allowed opening either way. Can't remember who made them but they were well engineered. Perhaps they went into demise due to racing rules.
Our forehatch hinges at the aft edge but I wish it were the other way around as this allows some protection against overnight mediterranean drizzle. The scoop effect of a rear hinging hatch is a myth as a fully opened (back flat on deck) hatch generates just as good an airflow if not beter than a hatch on it's stay.
Steve Cronin
Steve cronin
<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
mikesharp
New member
Our forward hatch is to the sail locker and we would not want an unexpected wave swamping us during a sail change if the hinges were on the aft edge. Also if the catch failed the chances of an uncontrolled opening via a deck sweeping wave is much less. The clincher for us is the babystay which is just forward of the hatch and would get in the way when lifting the bigger sails out.
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timevans2000
New member
Re: A few years back....
Steve,
The scoop effect is not a myth. It is a well proven fact. There are lots of other possible reasons why it could have little benefit on your boat.
Having a spray hood up with the main hatch open has the same effect but in reverse so it helps to suck the air up the main hatch. Since your spray hood is likely to be a lot bigger than the lid on your hatch, this is likely to be dominant force. ie it pulls air down your front hatch even if the lid is flat on deck. Could this be the reason?
We dont have a spray hood, so on our boat having the front hatch lid tilted to about 45 degrees makes a big difference compared with flat on deck.
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Steve,
The scoop effect is not a myth. It is a well proven fact. There are lots of other possible reasons why it could have little benefit on your boat.
Having a spray hood up with the main hatch open has the same effect but in reverse so it helps to suck the air up the main hatch. Since your spray hood is likely to be a lot bigger than the lid on your hatch, this is likely to be dominant force. ie it pulls air down your front hatch even if the lid is flat on deck. Could this be the reason?
We dont have a spray hood, so on our boat having the front hatch lid tilted to about 45 degrees makes a big difference compared with flat on deck.
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snowleopard
Active member
the rules require forward hinges for coded boats.
life in a hot climate is unbearable unless hinged at the aft edge.
i tried side hinges as a compromise between ventilation and ergonomics. result- useless so am changing to aft hinges for next season.
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life in a hot climate is unbearable unless hinged at the aft edge.
i tried side hinges as a compromise between ventilation and ergonomics. result- useless so am changing to aft hinges for next season.
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Mirelle
N/A
Re: A few years back....
Our forehatch (wooden, with side flaps) works well as a ventilator. We have no cockpit sprayhood, and the boat is of conventional shape with a good sheer.
<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?
Our forehatch (wooden, with side flaps) works well as a ventilator. We have no cockpit sprayhood, and the boat is of conventional shape with a good sheer.
<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?
Mirelle
N/A
Just for the record, there was a horror story involving an aft hinged forehatch in PBO a few years ago.
<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?
<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?
SydneyTim
New member
Offshore racing rules require forward hinges, common sense to cruising in hot areas aft hinges, unless it's raining then you want forward hinges so you can circulate the air without getting soaked!
Basically I think you have to work out which is more likely for your sailing profile, and go with it.
On the saftey front I can't believe that water over the bow can force open a properly installed, properly closed hatch no matter where the hinges are. Maybe if you're rounding Cape Horn in a gale, in which case common practice is hatch covers anyway.
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Basically I think you have to work out which is more likely for your sailing profile, and go with it.
On the saftey front I can't believe that water over the bow can force open a properly installed, properly closed hatch no matter where the hinges are. Maybe if you're rounding Cape Horn in a gale, in which case common practice is hatch covers anyway.
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MainlySteam
New member
I think you may be misleading us about the offshore racing rules requiring forward hinges. There is no such requirent for up to at least Cat 1 Monohulls as far as I am aware (and also not for Cat 0 Monohulls). You may be thinking of the rule requirement that hatches shall not open inwards.
In case of doubters, of which I am sure there will be some, the International Sailing Federation's current Special Regulations for Catagory One Monohulls are here <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.sailing.org/offshore/2004/2004Mo1.pdf>http://www.sailing.org/offshore/2004/2004Mo1.pdf</A>.
My own view is that as long as low profile and suitably strong hatches are used they can open forwards or back and should be hinged as convenient for working the boat and ventilation. For example, on a cruising vessel it may be desirable to have the forepeak hatch hinged on the aft end as that allows for best handing of an anchor warp to the bow if stowed there (and least risk of destructive damage to the hatch from the warp).
John
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In case of doubters, of which I am sure there will be some, the International Sailing Federation's current Special Regulations for Catagory One Monohulls are here <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.sailing.org/offshore/2004/2004Mo1.pdf>http://www.sailing.org/offshore/2004/2004Mo1.pdf</A>.
My own view is that as long as low profile and suitably strong hatches are used they can open forwards or back and should be hinged as convenient for working the boat and ventilation. For example, on a cruising vessel it may be desirable to have the forepeak hatch hinged on the aft end as that allows for best handing of an anchor warp to the bow if stowed there (and least risk of destructive damage to the hatch from the warp).
John
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steve_cronin
N/A
Re: A few years back....
One flat plate of glass doesn't make a scoop as the air can escape out of the sides easier than it can go down the hatch into the interior. Our forehatch is a long way from the main saloon hatch and there are two equal sized hatches, one forward and the other aft facing in the saloon. The sprayhood is a mediterranean style which only covers the hatch.
i do know what I experience in my own boat and apart from sun protection we find that opening the forehatch fully (it's over our bunk) is the best way to ventillate.
Some say that an umbrella is one of the least useful items on a yacht. NOT SO! It makes a great sunshade over the hatch and because of it's shape it DOES work as a better windscoop than a flat sheet of glass.
Steve Cronin
<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
One flat plate of glass doesn't make a scoop as the air can escape out of the sides easier than it can go down the hatch into the interior. Our forehatch is a long way from the main saloon hatch and there are two equal sized hatches, one forward and the other aft facing in the saloon. The sprayhood is a mediterranean style which only covers the hatch.
i do know what I experience in my own boat and apart from sun protection we find that opening the forehatch fully (it's over our bunk) is the best way to ventillate.
Some say that an umbrella is one of the least useful items on a yacht. NOT SO! It makes a great sunshade over the hatch and because of it's shape it DOES work as a better windscoop than a flat sheet of glass.
Steve Cronin
<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
steve_cronin
N/A
Just a flat hatch isn't likely to prevent much water getting in if it's open at 45. Also, you're much more likely to take a wave over one bow or the other than from direct forward. It will take in less water but whenever a hatch is open on the foredeck and water come aboard, a substantial amount will always enter.
Steve Cronin
<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
Steve Cronin
<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion
timevans2000
New member
Re: A few years back....
Steve,
Your right. You need to put sides on the hatch to make an efficient scoop, but my front hatch works astonishingly well just tilted to 45 degrees. The hatch does create an area of high pressure over the opening which will help drive air down into the boat. It helps I think cos the port holes in the cockpit are in an area of low pressure so air is naturally sucked out of these like a venturi effect. This helps to pull air in through the front hatch as well.
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Steve,
Your right. You need to put sides on the hatch to make an efficient scoop, but my front hatch works astonishingly well just tilted to 45 degrees. The hatch does create an area of high pressure over the opening which will help drive air down into the boat. It helps I think cos the port holes in the cockpit are in an area of low pressure so air is naturally sucked out of these like a venturi effect. This helps to pull air in through the front hatch as well.
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Mudplugger
New member
Re: A few years back....
Surveyor say's Forward Hinges on Forehatch, SWMBO say's aft hinges for comfort...Forehatch fitted with hinges aft!! !..... Tony W.
<hr width=100% size=1>Tony W.
Surveyor say's Forward Hinges on Forehatch, SWMBO say's aft hinges for comfort...Forehatch fitted with hinges aft!! !..... Tony W.
<hr width=100% size=1>Tony W.