Locking Her up

[jwieneck]

I have a Hunter 1998 376 with what I think is the normal sliding main hatch and two board slide in hatch boards. When I am away from the boat I have a combo lock that goes on the outside of the boat. I am beginning to look at different ways to lock the boat from the inside. My wife wants to be able to lock her up while on board for sleeping if I am not around. Has anyone rigged a lock from the inside? If so a picture would really help. Thanks

 

[Ed Schenck]

Is there enough of a lip on the slider for something like we use on the patio door? You know, the adjustable pole or rod. My boat has at least a 3/4" drop below the lexan.

Here's one for example:
http://www.drillspot.com/products/281185/master_lock_265dccsen_dual_door_and_patio_security_bar

 

[seadaddler]

Wood

I have a 2007 H-36 and Hunter changed the way it locks completely different
than the old way my 2001 290 which used a lock only on the out side.
What I did was cut a heavy piece of wood so that it sort of jams the sliding hatch in the closed position and held it from falling out with velcro,the wife insisted on some kind of lock on the inside.
I did not like the new lock on my new boat when first saw it but now love it,can
it in or out.
Nick

 

[petersea]

our 336 had a sliding dead bolt that would lock the sliding cover in place so he hatch boards could not be removed.

 

[Allan Frey]

I made up a simple system using two eye straps and an 18 inch length of 1/8 line that I have used for years on a 376. Takes 30 seconds to put on or take off from inside the boat and is effective. I'll try to go to the boat next weekend, take a picture, and post it. I've also put it on other boats and the owners have found it useful.

Allan

 

[jwieneck]

I picture would be great thanks. I will be at my boat this next week and will look to see if a simple wood or metal pole would work to block it from the inside like the sliding glass door block arm. Thanks all

 

[Sailm8]

The PO on my boat screwed two close rod brackets into the back lip of the sliding hatch and the bulkhead opposite. I could not figure out what they were for until I unrolled a chart and found a broom stick inside. Fits perfectly to wedge the slider closed.

 

[Franklin]

Funny thing is, there is another need for this then keeping people out.

When I was under anchor during Ike and trying that crazy idea of stern to, the wind kept openning my companionway and a wave would come aboard and a lot of water would come in. What worked kind of good was putting a towel under the sliding top that would wedge it tight when going over the boards. That also help stopping the water that splashed through the boards from going everywhere, but sometimes the wedge pressure wasn't enough and it still openned up. I realized then I need a way to lock that companionway shut from the inside.

I still haven't done anything about it but this thread has reminded me I need to work on that. I just wish there was a way to have some kind of door knob, so it can be openned from each side. I can just see having my crew lock it shut and go to sleep and I need to get down there to wake them and can't.

 

[Allan Frey]

I tried to post a picture of a system I use as I mentioned last week that I would do. But it won't post and I can't find "help" on the site to help me figure out what to do to get the picture to post.

Allan

 

[Stu Jackson]

Picture posting for Allan

Use the "POST REPLY" button, not the quick post links. Right below the text box is information that says: Whoa... don't forget this stuff, it's important!

Use it to post photos.

 

[Allan Frey]

Attached is a picture of the simple hatch locking system that I have used for years.

A strap eye is attached to the companionway channel and another is attached to the wooden bar on the sliding hatch. The acrylic hatch boards are put in and the sliding hatch is closed. An approx 18 inch long, 1/8 inch piece of line, with a bowline on one end, is threaded thru the two strap eyes. One end is put thru the bowline and tied with a slippery hitch. The sliding hatch can not be pushed back so the hatch boards can not come out of the channel. It can be opened instantly from the inside with a pull on the slippery hitch.

The black patch on the wooden bar is a stick-on piece of Velcro, the hook side. There is another patch on the other side of the bar. A privacy curtain of black velour cloth is touched to the Velcro patches and hangs down inside the boat blocking the view into the boat thru the hatch boards.

The blue background cloth should be ignored, it was put up to enhance the photo.

Thanks Stu for your note.

Allan

 

[Stu Jackson]

Even with the picture and the description

I'm sorry, but I still don't understand it.

 

[Bill Roosa]

Looks like..

two eye straps and a piece of line.
I like it, simple, cheap, easy to operate

the comment about locking her up while in a storm got me thinking. If I'm in the cockpit and lock it up from above the folks below are "trapped." If the folks below lock it up I'm locked out.

Anybody got a locks (secures would be a better word) but can be opened from either side solution? I remember seeing a string running through a hole drilled in the wash board solution once but wasn't paying attention to the details.

 

[Allan Frey]

To orient you, Stu, the picture was taken from inside the boat looking up and aft at the left upper corner of the hatch opening.

The hatch boards are not in place but the horizntal acrylic hatch cover is in the closed position. The wooden bar that is used as a handhold to move the acrylic hatch cover was mounted by Hunter, on the acrylic hatch cover, about 2 inches forward of the aft edge of the acrylic. In the picture, you can see the two inches of acrylic hatch cover aft of the bar.

On a H376, the companionway opening is framed by a vertical U shaped aluminum channel (you can see one of the strap eyes attached to it). The two hatch boards slide down on top of each other in the channel. The horizontal acrylic sliding hatch cover is slid aft to close the companionway; the aft most inch or so of it covers the top edge of the top hatch board. Thus, you can’t get the hatch boards out, to open the companionway, unless you slide the hatch cover forward. If you tie the hatch cover bar to the channel thru the strap eyes, the hatch cover can’t slide forward. Thus, the companionway can not be opened.



Allan

 

[Allan Frey]

Having been out on the ocean in many storms, Bill...
I had the same concern. I didn't want to lose the vertical hatch boards if I went over but wanted to be able to get in and out. So I also made a modification on the right side.

I drilled a horizontal hole thru both sides of the aluminum channel with the hatch boards in place. The hole passed thru the upper hatch board. In a storm, I insert, thru the hole in the channel and hatch board, a large cotter pin, from the inside, that fits snugly in the hole. Thus, I can't lose the hatch boards if I go over or a wave hits them. But a person inside or out can pull the pin and instantly release the hatch boards.

Allan

 

[Franklin]

the comment about locking her up while in a storm got me thinking. If I'm in the cockpit and lock it up from above the folks below are "trapped." If the folks below lock it up I'm locked out.

It's really silly when you think about it. We've had the "technology" to lock and unlock door from both sides of the door for a very very long time, but for some reason, we just can't figure out how to do it on a boat.