Need Suncat measurement

[ontarioSuncat]

My boat is several hours away and under it's winter cover. I would like to mount a clock above the locker door in the cabin. Could you please measure the space between the locker door and the overhead at the center. I would like to see what diameter nautical light would fit there. I am going to the boat show up here on Monday and may see a good deal and whould like to know what will fit there.

Thanks
John

[capt_nemo]

Greetings from somewhat sunny Florida. If I understood correctly what your intentions are, AND assuming our SunCats were constructed exactly the same way (a critical assumption), I took some measurements for you. First, the clock on the bulkhead. The bulkhead space available for mounting between the top of the door (when closed) and the bottom of a moulding strip, which is mounted across the bulkhead top, dressing up the bulkhead to cabintop joint, is only 3 3/16 inches. The distance from the door top when swung out, to the glass overhead is 4 3/4 inches. This would be the swinging clearance for an overhead light mounted above MINUS its thickness or protrusion downward. The distance out from the top of the bulkhead (with measuring tape touching the moulding strip) out to where the horizontal glass overhead starts to curve up into the cabintop is approximately 5 3/4 inches without coming too close to the edge of curving upward glass. However, assuming a light with circular base, you could probably use a 6 inch diameter light without it looking tacky since the circular base would be tangent to the curving glass edge and show negligible protrusion beyond the edge. If you don't have the moulding or choose to remove it, your space available dimensions can be increased. The moulding strip in my boat is approximately 1/4 inch thick and 1 9/16 inches wide. Without strip your bulkhead clock mounting space increases to 4 3/4 inches and the horizontal glass distance for light mountiing is a comfortable 6 inches. I have but one caution. If both clock and light are to be on the centerline then their sizes and thicknesses must be considered together as a system. I'm particularly concerned with the clock's protrusion outward from the bulkhead and the light's protrusion downward. Make sure they do not interfere with one another and that the door still has swinging clearance. Hope this helps. I leave you with this thought which is mounted on the bulkhead door of my SunCat "Frisky".

"The Cabin of a small yacht is truly a wonderful thing:not only will it shelter you from the tempest, but in the other troubles of life which may be even more disturbing, it is a safe retreat"   L. Francis Herreshoff

[ontarioSuncat]

Thanks, That helps a great deal, I can now shop with greater confidence. I will select a clock first and worry about the light second. We run all the other lights as LED Puck lights so it may not be needed.
All the best and enjoyt the sunny south!