Waterproof Access Hatch for cockpit floor

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mikecontessa26

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Hi, I need a watertight access hatch for the cockpit floor, the previous owner thought it was acceptable to have a loose sheet of fiberglass secured down by only the teak grating on the cockpit floor.

I've been looking at these but not sure if they're man enough for the job of keeping an ocean out of the bottom of the boat

http://www.safety-marine.co.uk/Hatches-&....htm?P4011-S18-

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks

Mike
 
On my previous boat a hatch had been made. The edge of the hole had a timber lip stcking up a fraction and over this fitted an ali plate with the edges turned down. This was held in place with a screw at each corner. Bit of a nuisance having something slightly proud but better than having no hatch. Perhaps you could have something that cover the whole of the cockpit sole so it remain flat.
 
That plastic hatch is shown mounted vertically. Would it be strong enough to jump down onto? Would it be big enough to give you effective access? My Sabre already has a hatch in the cockpit sole held down onto its (old and knackered) seal by about 12 self tappers. It's bigger than the one in the ad but I wish it were bigger.
 
My thinking is the bigger the more chance of leaks, i'm not entireley sure why i would need to access under the cockpit floor for anything other than checking the bilge and changing the oil filter.

As for being strong enough for jumping up and down, i also have teak cockpit grating which would be taking the load.
 
A mate has one on his cockpit sole with teak boards over on small bearers, works a treat for oil changes etc.
 
I made my own access hatches in the cockpit floor seeral seasons ago. I made a frame from white acetal plastic bolted through and with threaded studs sticking upwards from the underside of the acetal. The hatch cover is clear polycarbonate. I made a hardwood floor on bearers to go over the hatches. This lifts out to give access. It looks great, does not leak and if you are doing anything on the engine or cockpit drains then lifting out the board allows a lot of light below which really helps.
My thoughts would be go for a hatch if you can cover it with something that will stand peopel jumping on it
cheers
Martin
 
I had similar need for access to stern gland greaser. Used one of those circular screw down jobs - usually mounted vertically on bulkheads ( dinghys for instance). Not intended for standing on but it's been OK. Intend to fit a grating somewhen.
 
More please!
The previous owner made a completely new grp floor with four leaky hatches giving access to seawater seacock, depth/log sensors and bilge pump; spare warps & kedge anchor; and third battery.
They're all load-bearing and I haven't worked out a solution yet.
 
I've been looking for the same to top off a gas locker below my side deck. The closest that I've got to it so far is These. My neighbour has a Lazilas one on his aft deck and, while not very robust, they would do the job.
 
Have a look at the Newbridge Virgo Voyager cockpit deck…..80% ish is an access hatch. As long as you maintain the hinges, locking screws and seal there is no water ingress issues and access to everything.
 
I had a similar but circular hatch which had been fitted in the cockpit of my Halcyon 23 before I got it - it was not robust enough and flexed when stood on, so I epoxied & srewed a circular piece of plywood on the underneath of the lid. It made a great improvement and was still sturdy when the boat was sold a few years later. I suspect thes rectangular hatcheds are similar and would be OK if not stood upon but would need stiffening as described earlier if you stand on it.
 
Hi Mike,
My Contessa has a GRP floor secured over the opening with dozens of countersunk machine screws.
Never yet felt the urge to break the seal to find out how it was sealed though.
There is a teak grating over the top of that.
 
[ QUOTE ]
not sure if they're man enough

[/ QUOTE ]Check Freeman stuff.
With their cast models, the only question is if YOU are man enough to lift them.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Snap!

just done this exact job, 500mm ish hole. 9mm ply 20mm larger than hole fore and aft, 40mm ish larger on sides, s/s plates screwed into top with 8mm hole near corners on edges, hardwood battens to fit hole on underside plus one in middle. whole lot sheathed with tissue CSM and epoxy, more epoxy, undercoat and bilge paint.

bolts put through upside down deck to meet holes in the s/s plates, nice big washers, sika'd in to form four studs. hatch seal tape round edge of hatch. hatch drops over studs and wing nuts on the studs compress the seal. jobsagoodun!

Subscribers to 'Rattling Sabres' (there's two of us on this thread /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif may see this written up in a little more detail with photos in the near future! (PM if you want a copy, but I'll have to write it first!)
 
This is what I have recently done on my (very nearly completed) yacht

Strathglass002.jpg


Whilst not an inspection hatch it would certainly do the task even if a little expensive for what you require.

Iain
 
Have a look at http://www.force4.co.uk/ProductDetails/m...05-e229a760a2e4 - the ones at the top of the page say 'not suitable for a cockpit floor", but towards the bottom of the page they don't say that, in fact they say 'non-skid surface' which implies they could be walked on. Possibly.
I've seen some very expensive aluminium ones designed for work boats, but didn't make a note of the link - Google will find it for you I'm sure. My (not completely elegant, but doesn't leak) solution is here.
 
[ QUOTE ]
http://www.triton381.com/projects/projects.htm

Check on here for cockpit access hatch

[/ QUOTE ]

Very comprehensive article.

But the hatch he used leaks and he say's he may fit a more expensive aluminium one,

I had problems with leaks initially.

The first hatch I fitted was an old 600 x 600 foredeck one. It leaked between the frame and the 'glass' . The frame of it also distorted as it was bolted on because I was not aware that the cockpit floor was not flat. This made it leak between the frame and fixed part as I found out when I tried partially filling the cockpit.

I ended up by replacing the old hatch.

I started by fitting a plywood infill to the large hole in the cockpit.

This infill was made from two sheets of Robbins 12mm 'Elite' ply which were epoxied together before being epoxied and bolted onto the cockpit floor from the underside with considerable overlaps.
The ply was shaped and fitted such that the top of it was level with the sole of the cockpit.
The cockpit floor was then well coated and sealed with suitable waterproof marine coatings.
This gave me a very secure and flat area to bed in the new and slightly smaller hatch.

I have no option than to ensure that the hatch was waterproof as it is directly above the rear bunks.
My hatch is intended as an escape route from the rear cabin and it let's a lot of light in.

I was not permitted to just seal it up as SWMBO considered that it became too dark.

One big advantage of fitting the smaller hatch is that I now have space for a liferaft at the aft end of the cockpit.

To go back to the original posters question.

I have been on many craft that have a bolt/screw on plywood/GRP leakfree panels on the cockpit sole to give access to all sorts of otherwise inaccable parts.

I could have done with one on a Contessa 32 I was replacing the pipes on the cockpit drains a couple of weeks ago. Access was from the quarter berth. It was very tight.

Iain
 
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