Front port?

[Stephen Trapani]

Hi,Just got a '79 33' Hunter. I'm wondering about the feasibility of putting in a port light in the V berth facing forward, where a window wasn't put by the factory. Like, maybe a flatish one. My thinking is that with this and a remote control autopilot one could conceivably pilot the boat from down below because one can see forward from the sheltered cabin, like from the galley, or at least see much one needs to see from down there in some conditions, including what one can see through all the other ports.I would like it to not decrease the value of the boat and am wondering about the feasibility of this crazy(?) scheme. Have others done this? Bad idea? Why? I intend to use it myself purely within Puget Sound, this boat is not considered a blue water boat anyway so the lesser seaworthiness won't matter much(?) and I'd like to be able to get out of the rain!Thanks for any help

 

[Steve Dion]

funny you ask.

Stephen:It is funny you ask about this. One of our harbor mates, was talking about this exact thing this weekend.I think that if you want an opening port, the cabin would need to be very flat. Otherwise you may be able to have a fixed unit made for that area. Mark plastics in Southern California may be able to accomodate your needs. You may need to make a pattern of the curve but I think it would work and may not be too bad of an idea. There was a boat in the harbor that we visited this weekend that had that exact item, it looked like it was an OEM installation.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Difficult curvature.

I think Steve is right, it would almost have to be a fixed port. If your H33 is anything like my H37C that area is quite rounded. A good fiberglass/gelcoat person could build that up to accept a hatch just like the overhead one I suppose. Then there is the issue of curtains and screens.Personally that seems like a lot of effort and expense for very little gain. Probably better for ventilation than for a pilot house. I would much rather "autosteer" from behind the dodger and be close to the controls.

 

[Stephen Trapani]

Wouldn't it be real nice?

Thanks for the helpful replies.But Ed, wouldn't it be real nice to be able to see forward so much better from down below? Why don't sail boat manufacturers and boat owners do this more?With a port one can see forward through from the cabin I think one could see forward pretty well sittin on the toidy in my boat! Not to mention from everywhere else in the cabin, practically. Hell I might even be able to see some crucial water through it I could never see before in front of the boat from the actual helm.

 

[Terry Arnold]

H33 forward port

Physically, it would be feasible enough (see photo). The forward portion of the cabin trunk is flat enough to mount a port of the original type but keeping with a port of that size would require you to be pretty much up in the v berth to see enough out of it to actually steer safely, especially in anykind of seaway and the motion up there would make just about anybody want to get back in the cockpit. That's also a very long way from the wheel if manual intervention is required. Certainly a port in that location would decrease the seaworthiness of the boat and probably the resale value, though I suppose a plywood shutter might be rigged for rough weather. A dodger as has been mentioned would keep you a lot closer to the wheel, you could see a lot better, and the motion is much easier. I would sail the boat for a year at least before cutting that hole.

 

[Stephen Trapani]

A year of thinking

Do they make such a thing as a port or hatch beefy and strong enough to not significantly decrease the seaworthiness for this type of boat?Maybe one could use a short wide black hatch to match the hatch on top of the cabin just above and aft of that area, as seen in the link you posted. Or a wider version of one of the white ports. I need all new ports anyway, eventually.It seems to me in decent weather, at least, one could see pretty well from further back in the cabin especially if it's bigger than the 7X14 ports. And if you include all the other ports, you have a pretty much 180 view from the rear of the cabin. Maybe I'm totally nuts.I'll definitely wait for a year of pondering at least as advised though, thanks! Makes me want to see the one Steve D. was talking about. I'll be looking hard through all the marinas I go through for one, anyway.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Much flatter.

I see from Terry's photo that the front of the cabin trunk is much flatter than mine. Looks easy enough to install a new one. Or move the top one to the front?I am glad you are giving it some time though. Usually when conditions are bad enough to warrant being inside is when I feel like I have to be close to the controls. Any way to move the halyards, sheets, and reefing lines to the v-berth?