Access panel from head to port side of engine

[pan zagloba]

Has anyone installed an access panel on the head bulkhead adjacent to the stairs for access to the port side of the engine components, starter, alternator, etc? i did not find any threads that fit what i am looking for.

one would not want the panel to detract from the clean finish of the woodwork. another issue is swing clearance for for the panel or hatch. May have to use a pop off type panel instead of a hinged one.

any advice and pics of completed project would be appreciated.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Our Catalina 34s have just that kind of door, to get to the dipstick.

There's also one on the other side for access to the alternator.

A 2x2 hinged door is one each side, one with only teak and the other with a center white finish to match the head trim.

Since H&L closed last year, I'd Google "teak doors for boats" and find a supplier. IIRC, someone here recently posted a supplier, but I didn't bookmark it, sorry.

You have a very good idea.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

I'm a big guy and I don't have trouble accessing this area. I do however remove the stairs when I need to work there. I will take out the 4 screws holding the stairs down and then move them to the middle of the salon.

I did add a panel to the bulkhead at the back of the engine. That moved the bulk head away from the exhaust elbow and made accessing the transmission easier.

Hope this helps.

Jesse

 

[Tom J]

Since the whole engine enclosure swings forward to give access to the engine, I'm assuming you want to put a hatch in the bulkhead to the head. It would have to be watertight, since that is the shower, also. It would also have to be fairly large, so that you could get both arms through there. It is a fair distance to reach from inside the head to the engine.
Like Jesse said, I haven't had any issues yet working on the port side of the engine, but the idea of the access hatch is intriguing.

 

[Tom J]

I reread the original post and saw that you stated the hatch is indeed in the head bulkhead. Might need two hatches? One for the wood bulkhead, and one for the shower?

 

[Stu Jackson]

...a hatch in the bulkhead to the head. It would have to be watertight, since that is the shower, also. It would also have to be fairly large, so that you could get both arms through there. It is a fair distance to reach from inside the head to the engine.

1. Waterproofing is not necessary. Unless you're showering for so long and so hard... Our 2x2 door is just fine, and I simply don't aim the shower wand at it!

2. Good point about size, but one also needs to determine the purpose of the door. Yes, if that's the only access and you have work to do through it, by all means do as Tom says. In our case, it provides an easy visual to the alternator and fan belt without having to remove the engine cover, as well as a handy side access once the engine cover is removed.

Good luck.

 

[pk104]

I don't think a door would do me much good. The idea is good but my ability to fit down low inside the head would prevent me from seeing anything on the engine. You might want to see how you fit in there on hands and knees.

 

[rpwillia]

+1

I don't think a door would do me much good. The idea is good but my ability to fit down low inside the head would prevent me from seeing anything on the engine. You might want to see how you fit in there on hands and knees.

If I need to do anything on the port side of the engine, I just lay down on the starboard side and slide around or lean over. Biggest thing on that side is the starter, oil filter and alternator. Oil filter and alternator are easy to reach which thankfully, thankfully I have not had to muck with the starter much to date.

 

[northptsailor]

On my Tartan 3700 you can't even see the water pump, so I have no idea how you would change the impeller without massive amounts of profanity and sweat. I used a spiiral drill to cut a ten inch square piece from the wall in the head after carefully measuring where the pump was. I put teak moulding around the removed section with a half inch overlap and used two small latches to secure the panel. Changing the impeller now takes 15 minutes and 0 drama.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

On my Tartan 3700 you can't even see the water pump, so I have no idea how you would change the impeller without massive amounts of profanity and sweat. I used a spiiral drill to cut a ten inch square piece from the wall in the head after carefully measuring where the pump was. I put teak moulding around the removed section with a half inch overlap and used two small latches to secure the panel. Changing the impeller now takes 15 minutes and 0 drama.

Not the same issue here. We have excellent access to the water pump. What the OP wants is an opening in the teak on the right. That Wayne could better reach that side of the engine.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

I don't think a door would do me much good. The idea is good but my ability to fit down low inside the head would prevent me from seeing anything on the engine. You might want to see how you fit in there on hands and knees.

Also, you would need to close yourself in the head and then have someone else open the engine cover. Then you could open the new hatch and do whatever work you are trying to do.

Just what are you trying to do on that side?

 

[Tom J]

If I need to do anything on the port side of the engine, I just lay down on the starboard side and slide around or lean over. Biggest thing on that side is the starter, oil filter and alternator. Oil filter and alternator are easy to reach which thankfully, thankfully I have not had to muck with the starter much to date.

Been there and done that. To change out my oil pressure switch, I had to lie down on the cabin sole as you described and skootch around the front of the engine to reach the switch. Not fun, but doable.

 

[Tom J]

Not the same issue here. We have excellent access to the water pump. What the OP wants is an opening in the teak on the right. That Wayne could better reach that side of the engine.

Great picture, Jesse. Shows the incredible access we enjoy to our engines. This was a major selling point for us when we bought Andante. I once worked on an older 30' sailboat that had an Atomic 4 stuck under the cockpit sole. The owner cut a 2' by 4' opening in the port side querterberth bulkhead, so that we could access the prop shaft coupling. I think this explains why engines on sailboats were termed "auxiliaries", since they were considered an add-on item, rather than something built-in.

 

[pan zagloba]

I experienced a starter issue last season, and could not get enough access to see that a wire had fallen off from the starter. So was looking to improve access to the starter and the wires there, as well as easier access to the back of the alternator, and the connections there.

So i thought the access panel would help get back in there, but I acknowledge that our Universal is very accessible compared to many boats. I also see, thanks to the wonderful input on this site, the limitations such a hatch would encounter, from size to finish.

I am the type of owner who likes to take every eventuality into account, and it really bugged me that I became stranded by a loose wire I could not see, yet alone fix. In the slip, the tech had real trouble finding the problem, and then had to strip and connect the wire to the starter sight unseen, I mean he could not see what he was working on and did it by feel alone.

But, with the trouble to install such a hatch, and problems with how it might look from the cabin side, it may be best to just reach around back there blind , the rare times you need to get to the starter, etc.

Thank you all for your thoughtful assistance.

 

[JK_Boston_Catalina310]

I experienced a starter issue last season, and could not get enough access to see that a wire had fallen off from the starter. So was looking to improve access to the starter and the wires there, as well as easier access to the back of the alternator, and the connections there.

So i thought the access panel would help get back in there, but I acknowledge that our Universal is very accessible compared to many boats. I also see, thanks to the wonderful input on this site, the limitations such a hatch would encounter, from size to finish.

I am the type of owner who likes to take every eventuality into account, and it really bugged me that I became stranded by a loose wire I could not see, yet alone fix. In the slip, the tech had real trouble finding the problem, and then had to strip and connect the wire to the starter sight unseen, I mean he could not see what he was working on and did it by feel alone.

But, with the trouble to install such a hatch, and problems with how it might look from the cabin side, it may be best to just reach around back there blind , the rare times you need to get to the starter, etc.

Thank you all for your thoughtful assistance.

One thought I had was to install a mirror on the wall on that area of the bulkhead so that you could see in the reflection. Right now I use an inspection mirror or the trick where I remove the stairs I mentioned earlier.

 

[Tom J]

I experienced a starter issue last season, and could not get enough access to see that a wire had fallen off from the starter. So was looking to improve access to the starter and the wires there, as well as easier access to the back of the alternator, and the connections there.

So i thought the access panel would help get back in there, but I acknowledge that our Universal is very accessible compared to many boats. I also see, thanks to the wonderful input on this site, the limitations such a hatch would encounter, from size to finish.

I am the type of owner who likes to take every eventuality into account, and it really bugged me that I became stranded by a loose wire I could not see, yet alone fix. In the slip, the tech had real trouble finding the problem, and then had to strip and connect the wire to the starter sight unseen, I mean he could not see what he was working on and did it by feel alone.

But, with the trouble to install such a hatch, and problems with how it might look from the cabin side, it may be best to just reach around back there blind , the rare times you need to get to the starter, etc.

Thank you all for your thoughtful assistance.

Thanks for the info on the starter. A frustrating experience for you, to be sure. I've had to use the "braille" method of replacing parts many times, and I've found it actually helps to close my eyes as I'm working a blind spot. Sometimes I'm upside down or working backwards, and this helps me "see" the part better.

 

[gpd955]

I've found it actually helps to close my eyes as I'm working a blind spot. Sometimes I'm upside down or working backwards, and this helps me "see" the part better.

Ha! Glad I'm not the only one! I shove the iPhone in there, snap a few pics and look at them for a few minutes then work with closed eyes. It really does work and minimizes the cursing....especially when the boy is aboard! I'll be training him to do tight engine work next!