Salon Top Hatch Question?

[Bad Obsession]

Has anyone noticed that the Hatch on the top of the cabin roof of the salon in the Catalina MK II is backwards. It opens up so that the wind from the stern would blow in there. I don't understand why they did this. Mine won't even stay open anymore and I end up attaching a bungie cord to the vang to hold it open.

I wonder what would happen if I built a butterfly hatch for it. It would be a small butterfly hatch but I think that it would allow more air to come in the boat when at anchor?

Does anyone have any thoughs, suggestions, or ideas about this?

 

[Stu Jackson]

The reason is that with a vang and especially a rigid vang, the hatch wouldn't open. A two way hatch would be a great idea - some vendors make them.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Stu...do you think that I could construct a tiny butterfly hatch for the hatch. That would assist in getting around the vang (my vang is not rigid). I actually thought about putting releases so I can remove the vang and use it to load my dingy on the foredeck.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Butterflies usually go sideways, like the beautiful old wooden ones on classic boats. What you want is a forward/aft one. Personally, I'd opt for putting my efforts into other things - you can get good ventilation with a wind scoop inthe fwd hatch and keeping your hatch boards open or using screens. That's get the air moving through - the forward hatch is so much bigger than the saloon hatch anyway. Ha! Easy for me to say here in San Francisco, where we don't get bugs and the heat and humidity you do. Oh, well, I tried...

Unless your vang is led back to your cockpit, the length of the line would seem to be too short to use as you suggest. We use a spare halyard for that, or even just manhandle it up.

 

[Bad Obsession]

Stu I have a ton of extra line on my vang. Not sure why but it is there and it could do the trick.

You are probably right about the middle hatch. I may just leave it alone and add a windscope. I was lucky in that the previous owner left me with a nice companionway hatch bug screen although I need to have some of the screen redone now. It snaps to some snaps that were attached to the woodwork. This is okay because I also have a sunbrella cover for my hatch boards when I leave the boat that attach to the same snaps. I would like to add a zipper into my screens so that it is easier to get in and out (kind of like a tent door). I just used sticky velcro and screen to cover the front hatch.

Talk about bugs....I was at Smith Island once and the black flies and mosquitos desended down upon my boat in the evening like the plague. We also get a tiny bug that looks like a mosquito but it doesn't bit, just leaves little green dots all over your boat and they get stuck in the dew (I have heard them called Canadian Soldiers).

I was going to attach the vang to the halyard, set the halyard just high enough to lift to dingy over the lifelines when the vang is drawn tight. It is still a consideration.

 

[Stu Jackson]

They're called "no-see-ums" for good reason!

Stu I have a ton of extra line on my vang. Not sure why but it is there and it could do the trick.

(I have heard them called Canadian Soldiers).

I was going to attach the vang to the halyard, set the halyard just high enough to lift to dingy over the lifelines when the vang is drawn tight. It is still a consideration.

Bad O.,

I thought Canadian soldiers were the Black Flies. Both suck! Whoops, no pun intended, yeah, right!

If you put snap shackles on the vang points of connection to the boom and mast, or better yet good sized captive D rings with quick openings, that makes sense. We use our Cunningham with those fittings as a preventer, so the concept of using one item for two purposes is very seaman-like.

The extra line sounds like it was intended to be run aft to the cockpit. More is always better. You can also use it for a life sling.

Depending on what dinghy you have and how heavy it is, you could use just the straight halyard, manhandle it, or use the vang. I've tried all three and the success is based on how I'm feeling that particular day and how much "help" is around (i.e., is my son outta his bunk yet by sometime after 1200!) :dance:

 

[Bad Obsession]

Stu...when they designed the Catalina 34 they did a better job of leading the halyards. My halyards run all the way to the bottom of the mast so it is an absolute PITA.

The previous owner had a great idea for a preventer. He used a nylon strap that are used to tie down things. It is quick release and it is yellow so it is high visibility too. Very easy to set up as it clips right to a place on the jib sheet tracks.

 

[Jack (La Paz, Mexico)]

Possibly another way

Our '83 Cat 30 had the hatches open to the stern also (3). They were square and we were heading down to the tropics in Mexico and needed all the ventilation we could get. So, I pulled them up, turned them around, and resealed them back in. Now they open to the bow and catch breezes all through the boat. One thing, however: Under sail in rough conditions water over the deck can easily enter the boat. Then you should close hatches anyway. Not usually a problem, but it sure is nice to be facing into the wind at anchor and catch all the breeze.