Rainproof cover for an open forehatch?

Goldie

Goldie

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SWMBO is looking to make a canvas rain cover so that we can leave the forehatch open for ventilation, even if it's raining a bit. We've had some thoughts as to a design, but I'm not convinced that there aren't far better ideas to be had. Any (relevant) suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.
 
Borrowed an idea from an old PBO - a piece of clearish plastic carpet protector with bungees threaded through plastic hoses, which in turn threaded through tunnels made in the protector. You get the ventilation & visibility, as well as protection from the elements.
 
Ian, don't know if it's front hinged, and/or would be used while not swinging to the wind. I would go for a full "wedge" covering the open hatch with The sort of vents that old fashioned bell tents have, in as many sides as you feel you need. ( a isosceles triangle of material with the base reinforced by rope, sewn over a meshed(beasties!} hole in the parent canvas in such a way that the top angle is less than that of the 'patch', forming an opening at the bottom. I've used this method on the generator cover to keep it ventilated to good effect. All this depends on a suitable fit round the base of the hatch of course.
 
I don't know why I didn't just ask you in the first place Bill! We're open to all ideas but this is exactly in accord with what we (well I !!) have in mind. by the way, I'm working up your way for 2 separate weeks next month - fancy a pint?
 
When I had a westerly griffon, I copied an idea that I saw on a konsort. It consisted of a square of transparent tarp, rather larger than the forehatch. It had a reinforced tab sewn to the middle and reinforced corners. I had a line from each corner tied to anything appropriate on the foredeck to stabilise it, and a line from the tab in the middle up to the babystay to hold it up and clear of the actual hatch.
It worked very well.
 
If there is no security issue then the simplest system is a square of canvas with a grommet at each corner and a ring sewn in the centre. You tie off the four corners to the rail and hoist the centre on a jib halyard. This worked very well for us. The canvas square is also useful for other things - such as shading areas of the cockpit as the sun dips down and sneaks under the bimini.
If you intend to leave the boat with the hatch open then you need one of those things that looks like a chicken coop plonked over the hatch and tied down from inside. Never much appealed to me!
 
Around 30 years ago we had a Trident 24 which came with a forehatch cover that was pretty near perfect but I forgot the exact design and have been trying to remember it or come up with another ever since! What I do remember was that it was sleeved to fit over the open hatch and had triangular side 'ears' that tied down to the deck. There was also a rectangular flap on the open front of the cover with a dowel sleeved in the front edge to stiffen it and this was then tied to a suitable point depending on the wind to shield the opening.

Other than that over the years we have use a trapezoidal shaped canvas tied down over the hatch and held raised enough by the hatch itself or another tie.

West Marine in the USA sell a nylon hatch vent which uses a fibreglass bendy batten to hold it in an open arch, it's base fits over the hatch frame in whichever direction is required, in their case to provide cool air. I have often thought that with a can of waterpoofer it could do a good secondary job as a rain cover when fitted with the opening away from the wind. It comes in sizes to fit standard hatch bases.

Lastly our current option is we use the dinghy stowed inflated on the foredeck. With it tied down we can open one small front opening hatch completely under the cover of the dinghy and another rear opening one can be partially opened. At anchor or in harbour we lift the front of the dinghy up by its painter tied to the genoa sheets just enough to be able to open the forehatch which is still covered by the dinghy so no rain gets in.
 
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SWMBO is looking to make a canvas rain cover so that we can leave the forehatch open for ventilation, even if it's raining a bit. We've had some thoughts as to a design, but I'm not convinced that there aren't far better ideas to be had. Any (relevant) suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

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If you want ventilation without water ingress you could do a lot worse than fabricate something along the lines of a Griffith's hatch.
 
We invert the dinghy on the foredeck and are then able to open the hatch 'inside' the dinghy - 100% waterproof - we've had Med thunderstorms pass with no water ingress and added security too - if you leave it this covered in this way whilst you're ashore, you get the ventilation, without leaving the temptation of a visibly open forehatch.
 
Thanks to all for some very original ideas.

BobnLesley: The dinghy idea has an elegant simplicity for when we have a dinghy inflated. I like it!

Reginaldon: Thanks for that, but I'm not sure I'm visualising it at the moment (probably me being dense!).

FrancisRutter & Saltyjohn: Thanks for those thoughts they're a variation of what we're currently experimenting with.

Robin: You've sparked an idea for a mod - many thanks.

SAE140: The Griffiths hatch was a great design, but wouldn't work on our flush foredeck I'm afraid. Thanks for the thought though.

Robi: Your original design for the Trident 24 sounds like the sort of thing we're trying to achieve. I also like the idea of sleeving it over the hatch.

Thanks to one and all - the final design may well owe something to each of you. Many thanks.
 
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