Washboard lock

[Stemar]

A friend is starting to prepare his Starlight 35 for a transat. On his list is a RORC lock. He knows about the one on offer from Mike Lucas yachts, but hasn't been able to elicit any information apart from the rather high price. google isn't a great help, so does anyone have any suggestions as to what is needed and other possible suppliers.

It's a RORC requirement, so surely there must be hundreds of boats with them.

Many thanks.

 

[prv]

As I understand it, the point of the lock is that the washboards and hatch can be secured closed, but can be opened from inside or outside. A lot of original locks (mine included) allow the boat to be secured from outside when leaving it, but someone inside wouldn't be able to get out.

I don't know if RORC adds additional requirements or specifies a particular way of achieving them.

Pete

 

[sailor211]

wash board retention

For my transatlantic I did two things to secure the openings.

The wash boards were secured with drop nose pins so if inverted they will stay in place. The sliding hatch also keeps the top board in position.

To allow this to be locked and opened inside and out I fitted a cord that is locked with camcleats. One cleat on the cockpit bulkhead the cord runs through the side of the sliding hatch and on to two cleats on the underside of the hatch, to allow sufficient slack for opening . If inside you can release the cord from the far side cleat then release the cord at the near cleat and feed the cord through the hatch to allow it to slide open. This works with my design of hatch.


You do have to ensure that the cord has sufficient slack at each end to allow opening but I have a knife to hand if all goes wrong.

 

[Quandary]

On my last boat (RORC regs.)the hatchboards had closed eye plastic clamcleats one on the inside of each board, a short line was led through them to secure the boards. To secure or release from outside the hatch was slid back a bit and a hand inserted.
Very secure, simple, cheap and effective.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

The Letter "h" Type Hatch Lock Is Low Cost

Most coded boats will have a washboard lock similar to the example that Quandary has given.

I am not aware of the Mike Lucas design but there is a low cost design which allows the hatch to be locked from the inside or outside. I'll try and describe it.

It looks like a small case letter "h". Where the curve of the h strikes the vertical bar there is a bushing running from left to right. This bushing is inserted into the the top of the top wash board and the retainer bolt is fitted through the bushing. When the hatch is slid closed the upper vertical part of the letter "h" locks against the inside. The two lower vertical parts are the inside and outside levers to open close the lock.

A bit longwinded description but they are quite low cost and I have noticed them in many chandlers. They don't always fit the hatch and some times you have to file down the top of the hatch lock. They have a feature for locking outside with a padlock.

I am sure a scan of any of the big chandler web pages will identify what I am trying to explain.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Previous Thread

More info on this thread: -

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220061

 

[samwise]

I have fitted the RORC lock you describe to our last two boats and have found them excellent. The only tricky bit is working out the placing of the turning part so that the tongue locates in the slot cut into the sliding hatch. I also reinforced the area around the pivot on the washboard with a stainless steel plate.

We lock ours with a substantial combination padlock ( it saves worrying about losing keys). Both of ours were obtained from Mike Lucas ( I don't think he designed it) but Mailspeed have one in their current catalogue ( stock No 6743 page 151) for £62.99. It looks the same as the Mike Lucas offering. It is a much better solution than the traditional barrel lock and key and, as has been said, it can be opened from both inside and outside the cabin.

 

[rowanloh]

RORC lock

The link to Mailspeed shows a lock that is suitable for up to 19mm thick washboards. Does anyone know if it or the Mike Lucas one is easily adapted to much thinner boards e.g. 12mm??

 

[samwise]

Yes, just looked it up, The Mailspeed item is the same as the Mike Lucas product. Gone up a bit since I bought ours, now £59.99. I reinforced ours with a small stainless steel plate on either side of the pivot to increase the board thickness.

 

[Boo2]

Yes, just looked it up, The Mailspeed item is the same as the Mike Lucas product. Gone up a bit since I bought ours, now £59.99. I reinforced ours with a small stainless steel plate on either side of the pivot to increase the board thickness.

Can anyone provide a pic of this latch installed please, I'm having problems visualising how it's used.

Thanks,

Boo2