is it okay to walk on the hatch roof?

G

gitpicker2007

.
Sep 29, 2013
75
catalina 22 houston
I know this may sound stupid, but is the roof of the hatchway, the sliding part designed to bear the weight of a 200 pound man?

I was gingerly walking along the edge trying to avoid stepping on it as I worked on setting up the boat yesterday.

Any advice?

thanks

anthony
 
C

Cope

.
Jun 19, 2011
78
Catalina 22 South Lake Tahoe
I walk on mine but I weigh in at 160. If it is to weak you could.always add some glass and stiffen er up?
 
C

Cope

.
Jun 19, 2011
78
Catalina 22 South Lake Tahoe
We want picks and a great story. Did the sails explode in a tempast, did you single handedly rescue a stinkpoter and steal away with his hot better half, launch with the keel hose off, rig the mast backwards?

We want to know.... ;)
 
G

gitpicker2007

.
Sep 29, 2013
75
catalina 22 houston
okay Cope, here ya' go:)

Cope said:
We want picks and a great story. Did the sails explode in a tempast, did you single handedly rescue a stinkpoter and steal away with his hot better half, launch with the keel hose off, rig the mast backwards?

We want to know.... ;)
Click to expand
Well since you asked:)

It went well. It took me about 2 hours to rig and launch the boat, but half of that was just trying to figure out things.
I figure I should be able to do it in one hour after a few runs.
Launching went flawlessly, but the motor crapped out after only 3 minutes. I think it overheated, and my buddy who was with me and has experience with outboards said he thinks an "impeller" may be bad.
I'm having it looked at by his friend at the marina.

We were already about 100 yards from the dock, so rather than call to be towed back (oh the shame:)
we hoisted the main and sailed out. Spent about an hour enjoying and getting used to stuff.
Forgot to drop the keel for the first 5 minutes! But soon figured it out.
Didn't raise the jib, will next time, and forgot to put the battens in the main, don't know how I did that as I've used them before, but I was kind of hurrying as we were drifting with no engine, near the marina.

Sailed it back under beautiful 8 to 10 knot winds, dropped the sail 20 feet from the slip and sailed in nose first, easy as you please. I was worried about the wind dying and having to ask for a tow, or try to swim like Jack La Lane did pulling the boat:), but no worries.

Once I get the engine fixed, I'll be back out trying to correct my mistakes, tune the rig, shape the main better.
Still all in all a great learning experience, and a beautiful day on Lake Conroe, north of Houston.

Here's a short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=gU1v3vSLbgw&app=desktop
 
Ken

Ken

.
Jun 1, 2004
1,182
Catalina 22 P. P. Y. C.
As said eariler if the flanges aren't worn paper thin walking on it shouldn't be a problem.... I walked on mine and I'm at 200, I did eventually rebuild mine. Before the rebuild the hatch would pop and crack when I walked across it..:neutral: but it never broke.... They were just thin.... It us a easy repair even if the flange is missing....
 
centerline

centerline

.
Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
its not made to be walked on like the deck, but it has been built to support a little bit of weight in the center, but only when necessary...

what happens is, when you make a habit of walking on it, you become careless of where you step and how hard you step on it.
when a heavy man steps on the corner of the hatch, the corners or slide flange at that spot takes the full load and after a few times will begin to crack... its all history after that.
its a much better idea to get in the habit of not walking on it or using it as a stepping surface.... and you will never have to wonder or worry.

you gotta remember, when a 200lb man is standing with most of his weight on one leg, anywhere on the boat when in heavy waves, it wouldnt be unreasonable to see that one foot supporting a 300lb load as the boat surges upward... so, as many times as you may be able do it and get away with it, there will come that one time that you cant, and you will wish you would have made a habit of NOT stepping on it.

I have seen too many boats with sliders cracked and broken at the corners, and its not because of old age that they get this way, its only because they have been used as a place to step....

on my boats, I do not allow any hatches, other than the anchor locker, to be used as stepping stones, no more than I allow the bow of the dodger to be used as a handrail... there are much more secure ways for a person to brace themselves that wont cost my boat a hardship when they cause the part to fail.
 
Gene Neill

Gene Neill

.
Sep 30, 2013
3,595
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
centerline said:
I have seen too many boats with sliders cracked and broken at the corners, and its not because of old age that they get this way, its only because they have been used as a place to step....
Click to expand

Mine is one of them. :neutral:

So was my old boat. On that one, I just sanded the lips (sliders?) down a little and wrapped some glass cloth on them, was that the right way to fix it?
 
centerline

centerline

.
Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
dixiedawg said:
Mine is one of them. :neutral:

So was my old boat. On that one, I just sanded the lips (sliders?) down a little and wrapped some glass cloth on them, was that the right way to fix it?
Click to expand
the sliders will naturally wear out from sliding over the years, but if it was broken by someone weight, then do you think they will take someone walking on it again?.... I dont think it would for very long.

you can repair them in any manner you choose to as its not really a structural part of the boat. so, as long as they look acceptable to you, and no one gets on it again, it will remain an acceptable repair.

with having yours broken, i think you can understand the point I was trying to make in my earlier post... its better to get in the habit of staying off the slider BEFORE it gets broken, rather than afterwards.... cuz in the end, after the repair, its all the same anyway... you wont be wanting to walk on it anymore:D:D:D
 
Gene Neill

Gene Neill

.
Sep 30, 2013
3,595
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
BTW Gitpicker, congrats on that first sail. And, you sailed right up to the dock with no motor, that's awesome! :thumbup:

I haven't had the stones to try that yet. LOL
 
allen-deckard

allen-deckard

.
Aug 11, 2011
759
catalina 22 Islamorada
yah mine was in great condition and walked on it all the time.......Well......Till it wasn't and the slide snapped off.

I used a piece of aluminum angle iron in the place of the slide after I ground it smooth. Been working great since.
 
E

eastbayview

.
Feb 24, 2014
34
1978 Catalina 22 Lake of the Woods, Ont
allen-deckard said:
yah mine was in great condition and walked on it all the time.......Well......Till it wasn't and the slide snapped off.

I used a piece of aluminum angle iron in the place of the slide after I ground it smooth. Been working great since.
Click to expand
Another great idea. Could you post a few photo's of the angle iron in place?
Thanks
 
Gene Neill

Gene Neill

.
Sep 30, 2013
3,595
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
Second that!

Ken, if you have pics of your repair work I'd love to see that too. Mine is not in immediate need yet, but it's just a matter of time.

Ideally, I'd like to retrofit the hatch in such a way that it CAN be walked on. Or jumped up and down on, or danced on by big fat strippers if the need arises. Cause you never know.
 
Ken

Ken

.
Jun 1, 2004
1,182
Catalina 22 P. P. Y. C.
I used epoxy on the slides/flanges when I rebuilt them. Simply used blue painters tape (3M brand picked up a roll at one of the big box store the other day paid the 3M price but got some inferior blue POS tape, the big box store started with the letter L I look much more carefully from this point on) :evil:, anyway tape was used to build a dam to hold the first layer of epoxy.

Then built it up using mat to get the thickness desired. Once satisfied with the thickness, it was ground back to proper width then painted using epoxy paint.... this area is really hard to see so wasn't worried about using paint.. besides it was only 1/2" on the outside and the underside needed to be nicer anyway. :)

I also rebuilt the rails, they'll wear too. I used epoxy mixed with graphite then ran them through a table saw to get the proper grove. Makes for easy sliding of the hatch afterward.;)
 

Attachments

allen-deckard

allen-deckard

.
Aug 11, 2011
759
catalina 22 Islamorada
I'll take some pics soon as I can but you might have to be a little patient might take me a bit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top Bottom