Ok Kids Help me solve a disagreement

[tkwhalen]

Attached are 2 pictures of the companion way doors on our boat. In one you can see the latch at the bottom that holds the doors shut as you close the companion way and latch it. In the other you can see a block with it cove routered into it. To set up the question properly my wife hates leaning all the way over to reach the latch at the bottom as she opens and closes the doors. To make things worse we have friend of hers who sails with us that is short and can't reach the latch no matter how far she bends over. With that said she is sure that originally the door was meant to have a rod that attached to the latch and slide through the routered grove on the block as it made it's way to the top of the door so the door could be latched or unlatched with out having to lean over. I maintain that the block is and always was a handle to pull the door shut from the inside and the the routered cove is simply a finger hold.

Sooo what is your opinion? and if and when you agree with me do you have any suggestions or modifications you've made to make opening and closing the latch easier for shorter folks? and if and when you agree with her please send me pictures of the set up so I can replicate it on our boat.

 

[Tally Ho]

Can the door opposite the bottom latch be opened first? Then you reach around the bottom of the door to move the bottom latch?

My doors are home-made, but I have a similar latch at the bottom of 1door. I close that door first, and latch the bottom from the other open door.

Reverse the process when opening things up…open the opposite door first, the reach AROUND the open door to unlock the latch.

As far as your hand hold, that is what it looks like to me…if it had a rod through it, I would expect a round hole down the middle to line up with the little latch.

Greg

 

[tkwhalen]

Hey Greg ... good suggestion but the door with the latch on it has an aluminum L bracket that runs it's full length on the outside that holds the other door closed and provides a water tight ( I use that term loosely) seal.

 

[Rick Webb]

She is right

Any facts or logic that contradict that are baseless and irrelevant she is always right.

 

[Calif. Ted]

Never seen that set-up but agree with your wife that reaching over to both open or close defies ergonomics, logic and gravity. On a small boat like mine someone would/could get pitched head first into the cabin. Can you just leave it unlatched or do the doors flop around or something ?

 

[19thol]

Can you attach a wire to the latch, and attach that to the top of the door so you don't have to bend over it?

 

[All U Get]

Can you attach a wire to the latch, and attach that to the top of the door so you don't have to bend over it?

Wire or string, but why not have a latch handle or knob outside so you could turn it and open the door?

 

[Rick486]

Attached are 2 pictures of the companion way doors on our boat. In one you can see the latch at the bottom that holds the doors shut as you close the companion way and latch it. In the other you can see a block with it cove routered into it. To set up the question properly my wife hates leaning all the way over to reach the latch at the bottom as she opens and closes the doors. To make things worse we have friend of hers who sails with us that is short and can't reach the latch no matter how far she bends over. With that said she is sure that originally the door was meant to have a rod that attached to the latch and slide through the routered grove on the block as it made it's way to the top of the door so the door could be latched or unlatched with out having to lean over. I maintain that the block is and always was a handle to pull the door shut from the inside and the the routered cove is simply a finger hold.

Sooo what is your opinion? and if and when you agree with me do you have any suggestions or modifications you've made to make opening and closing the latch easier for shorter folks? and if and when you agree with her please send me pictures of the set up so I can replicate it on our boat.

View attachment 195456View attachment 195457

Here is the latch I have on my 44 DS. The doors are similar so this might fit on your door. I believe the latch you have on the door is intended to lock the doors from inside.

Hunter 44DS companionway door latch/lock

Hunter 44DS companionway door latch/lock

shop.hunterowners.com

 

[tkwhalen]

To start I have to agree life is easier if I declare her correct which I'd love to do buuut as soon as I do she will demand pictures of the original set up so I can set ours up the same way which I can't produce.

String would work for opening but not closing a stiff wire could do both but neither feels like a very elegant solution. The handle on the outside is worth testing. I have a concern that allowing that latch to be opened from the outside my compromise the security of the door lock setup. But I'll test it. As noted above the door is set up with a latch at the bottom and a lock at the top both of which can be engaged from the inside so you can lock yourself inside if you need.

 

[Georgedoyle]

Good question. It is awkward to latch and unlatch the bottom catch. We do not have the routed piece on our doors. It's possible that someone added that at some point. I will be watching for the solution to this mystery.