thinking about cutting the hatch board in halves for easier handling and storage, any disadvantages or things that I should be aware before I make the cut??
jb
If you do make the cut make it at an angle so that water drains from the joint to the outside and cannot be driven into the cabin. Other than that should not be a problem.
Remember the angle needs to be cut / so that the water can not get end as Craig stated and your top board will be a saw width shorter ......nies
our C16 drop boards were four piece. I did not want to glue up any sections. They worked fine without leaking. Also were easy to keep out of the way.
regards charlie
Cut the cut on a 45 degree to shed water.
I'm on my third set cut his way for my CP-19.
Great for storage too.
skip.
Actually, the angle is not critical. I didn't want the sharp point of a 45 degree angle so I chose about 30 degrees. It'll work either way as long as the angle is pointed the correct way, as the guys above already noted. I put a small cleat on the backside of the upper board so it would pinch the boards together...no chance of warpage and thusly, a leak in driving rain.
Bob23
made the 30 degree cut and installed the cleat. Finding the exact center with the curve and angle edges wasn't as easy as I anticipated....probably my own worst enemy, measured 10 times and cut once!
thanks everyone for their input
j
Quote from: Bob23 on October 30, 2013, 03:51:28 AM
Actually, the angle is not critical. I didn't want the sharp point of a 45 degree angle so I chose about 30 degrees. It'll work either way as long as the angle is pointed the correct way, as the guys above already noted. I put a small cleat on the backside of the upper board so it would pinch the boards together...no chance of warpage and thusly, a leak in driving rain.
Bob23
Bob,
Please elaborate on the cleat. I am not sure I understand.
Billy
Billy re your question about the cleat and not speaking for Bob, my cleat consisted of a 2 inch wide piece of wood attached horizontally to the bottom edge of the upper hatch board with 1 inch of the width overlapping the joint made by both hatch boards. The cleat locks the two boards together in a flat position and helps reduce warping by either board.
j
Ahhh. Thanks.
That Picture worth a thousand words thing. Mine is about 5/16"" thk:
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/brackish_photos/P1000513_zps811a9c1f.jpg)
When I bought my 16 last January the hatch board was delaminating. I happened to have a chunk of corian in the garage and made a new hatch board out of that. Looks nice, but heavy. The idea of cutting it into two pieces sounds like a winter project. Thanks for the idea
My Legacy 16 came from the factory with two piece fibreglass hatchboards. They do a good job of sealing the cabin, too good when we slept aboard. With one out, ventilation is improved but the first time we did this every mosquito in the southern hemisphere flew in. Replacing the hatch board kept them there.
So, using the top hatchboard as a template I cut out another one from a piece quarter inch ply, then cut the centre out and covered it with flexible insect screen. Without any doubt this is the best addition I have made to the boat. I was a happy sailor! Until! Until I saw the photo of Brackish's carved wooden hatchboard. Instant hatchboard envy! Until three minutes ago I didn't even know that such a psychological disorder existed, now I have it! I WANT one! But as my grandmother used to say "wanting isn't the same as getting", I guess I'll have to fall in love with my white fibreglass ones.
Regards, Pete.
Thanks a lot Pete, now I have "hatchboard envy", never knew I had it until you pointed it out, oh well just another "envy" to add to my list...nies
Well Pete, you can probably get one from the factory. They must have someone locally with a CNC router whip them up.
I also did the screen dropboard. Still have to stuff some pipe insulation above it to seal the mosquitos out.
(http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af200/brackish_photos/ImprovementsArioninstbackcoverss-1.jpg)
Billy:
JB is exactly correct. My boards (this year) are exterior plywood painted with Interlux Brightsides Bristol Beige. The cleat is clear white oak, varnished. Who knows what next years boards are gonna be like. I still have the original teak boards that came with the boat...in need of varnishing.
Bob23
I am copying a solution to the hatch board problem I used on my last boat, a Rhodes, Picnic 17. The lower half board has two 45 +/- degree cuts to make a peak along the middle of the top edge. It has a bulkhead compass mounted in it, facing in at night so that I can read wind shifts or tide shifts on the compass from the bunk, and turned around facing outside for sailing navigation. [The "half way" cut could just as easily be a 1/3 and 2/3 cut for more ventilation.]
A second thinner half board is made out of a sheet of clear plastic; it rides on the aft 45 degree cut. This makes a rainproof portal to the world with the sliding hatch closed.
A third thin half board "frame" has a no-see-um screen in the middle of it for warm evenings. The bottom edge has one 45 degree cut and it rides on the forward 45 degree cut of the lower board. The top has some foam-rubber door seal to hit the sliding hatch to keep the tiny varmints out. [I use no-see-um screens taped over the forward vent and the open lazarret. I have some "pretty good" painters tape that comes off with no problems to hold the those screens in place. I also have a battery powered fan for warm nights. ] The sheet plastic board can be dropped in place, aft the screen, during a rain with or without the screened half board, if night time access to storage is a problem for the screened half board.
I lock and store the boat with a full board and take that board with me if I think the sailing will be airy. Of course I could use another full thickness half board for the top with a grove along the bottom edge to seal against the 45 degree cuts of the bottom half board. I lake and river sail so compass navigation is not a requirement, just good practice, for now. Coastal sailing will likely have me make a full board with a compass mounted for ultimate heavy weather sailing.
On my previous boat, boards and half boards except the one with a compass stored flat under the bunk cushions until needed. The half board with compass stored locked up and sun protected on top of a bunk cushion.
My two cents worth,
Dave