cockpit hatch, oil change, shower drain, 110 v panel

[John]

We're new owners of a 1986 CP-27 and have many questions and hope you all can help.  We bought it last week in Baltimore and will move it down here to Washington, NC.  First, the companion way hatch jams up severely when either trying to open or close.  Can I EASILY remove the storm hood by removing the many screws holding in place, thereby lifting the hatch out and seeing what is jamming it up?  I hope they are screws and not bolts since no nuts are visable. Is the storm hood also bonded in place by caulking?  Second, how does the shower drain into the bilge?  Does it just dribble down the side of the hull?  Third, how is the oil drain tube most easily used?  Do you attach a hand pump to it to pump out the oil?  Lastly, for now, the shore power goes directly to a household breaker box with 2 circuit breakers.  It's way back under the cockpit by where the shore power cord connector is, and requires a trip in the locker to get to it.  One breaker is for the hot water tank and the other is for the battery charger and outlets in the cabin.  This is really awkward.  Has anybody changed this and put in a distribution panel and with a reverse polarity indicator?  Where is it best put?  Should the AC curcuit be bonded to anything else on the boat?  Anyway, we're looking forward to sailing "Mischief" and would appreciate your advice for these questions and, most likely, many more.  Thanks     

[Allure2sail]

Hi:
I tried to take the sea hood off of my 27 when I was mounting my Dorade bar and found it bonded to the roof with either epoxy or 5200. I could not get it to budge not one bit. I would try spraying some kind of silicone lubricant in there and just keep working it back and forth until all the slide surfaces get coated. As far as the shower drain I'll look under the broken galley floor on the parts boat to see if it is a hose or a molded channel into the bilge. That's a good question, I never looked at how it drains, but will now. As far as the breakers it sounds like your setup is different than mine. I have breakers and a reverse polarity light built into my electrical panel at the stairs going down into the galley. Get back to you about the shower drain
Bruce

[bmiller]

My sea hood came off easily, but it may have been removed once before by the previous owner. The shower drains via a molded channel. I use a pump to get the oil out of the little tube. Warm it up first, even then it's a pain. Good thing it's only once a year. Sounds like your shore power was added later. Is the boat a 27/1? If so it's like mine and did not come with 110 service. The 27/2 did. I added mine and put it right under the companionway steps. You can easily change that.

Here's mine:

[John]

Thanks for the info.  I've also emailed Compac  for a suggestion.

[bmiller]

Oh and by the way,

Congratulations and welcome to the board!

[John]

I got an email back from Gerry Hutchins about the storm hood.  He said it was put down with 5200 but being so old I might be surprised at how easily it might come off.  He suggested I use a putty knife to slide under the hood.  I'll give it a try.  Thanks Bruce for your shot of the AC box.  It looks like a good place to put it.  John