Starboard access

[oceansail0]

Has anyone put an access hatch/port in the rear berth to the starboard utility area? I would think this would be a good idea as it takes a very small trained monkey to get through the access in the cockpit. I was thinking of just cutting a man size hole and then installing either a slider or a hinged door. This would make fuel filter changes much easier.

 

[Benny]

What kind of boat is that? Food for thought.

Remember one of the criteria in designing the cockpit is to keep water out of the cabin in the event of it being swamped. The installation of non-sealed hatches accesing the cockpit may defeat that purpose. Don't know what boat you are talking about so have no way of knowing if it would be relevant or not.

 

[Noel Hasty]

I would like to do this also

I'm looking forward to the answers because I was thinking of doing this on my H34, but I am concerned that the bulkhead may provide structural support for the cockpit floor.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Noel...

You need to check out Fred Ficarra's web site. He has modified his H34 with fold-up walls to access his water maker and other gear added in the space behind his engine. If I gain 5 more pounds I won't be able to get down into mine to put the batteries back aboard this Spring! LOL!

 

[Noel Hasty]

Thanks Dan

It was Fred's website that gave me the idea that this might be doable, since he has pictures with everything aft of the companionway cleared out. But my concern was that this was only during the construction phase and the cockpit floor would need support when the boat was being sailed. I didn't remember that he put in fold-up walls. I'll go back and take another lookNoel Hastys/v Principal Pleasure H34

 

[Dan Johnson]

Noel...

note that the cockpit sole is "supported" only on the starboard side by the bulkhead that seals off the aft berth. I suspect that the cockpit actually doesn't get any support from this wall as it is unsupported on the port side due to the openness of the berth area. In working with mine I found it is just thin plywood. Don't forget that there is an aft plywood bulkhead too and it doesn't appear to provide structural support either. Putting in an access panel as you originally envisioned will probably not compromise any structural integrity of the starboard side bulkhead. Properly framed, it could continue to provide the verticle support while giving you access like Fred's does.Regards,

 

[jk kudera]

I was also thinking

of doing the same. My thought was to find the largest deck plate I could fit into the bulkhead, so I could easily check the batteries and service the fuel tank.