Deck hatch

Bilge Rat · 19 June 2003, 09:47

Hi All

I have a 4.7 Avon searider with twin centre consol, i'd like to fit a small deck hatch into the deck at bow large enough to stow the anchor and chain but i'm a little unsure whats under the fore deck at the bow, has anyone any past experience fitting hatches into the deck and can anyone tell me what to expect under the deck if i did cut a hole as i dont want to cut a hole only to find some sort of deck support or chamber half way across the hole....!
So far i've tried those good people at Avon for help but have not had a response from them, someone must have done this in the past and may be able to help or advise me the right way to go.

Thanks

Richard

Garygee · 19 June 2003, 12:38

Hi Richard

Give Avon a ring, if anyone knows they will.

Just a thought though, does the hulls of seariders not fill up with water when stationary ?.

Regards Gary

Andre · 19 June 2003, 13:35

Richard

call Avon on 01554882000 ask for Tony Stedman . I am sure he will be able to give you good advice. As far as I know the Avon 4.7 is fitted with the water ballast system but you should be able to see that from looking at the bottom of the transom. Is there a hole there or has it been sealed off

Andre

Bilge Rat · 19 June 2003, 13:47

Hi Gary

I've emailed Avon, as yet i've had no reply from them, if no one else can help i'll give them a call, the hatch is a longer term project but just thinking forward rather than just assuming i can just cut a hole in the deck.

The flooding hull has been blanked off at both ends and i pretty much intend to keep it this way, for my needs i dont need to flood the hull, the boat handles and sits just great without flooding it. Of course though the option is still there if in the future i see a need to flood it.

Some one suggested marking the diametre of the hatch out on the fordeck where i want it to go and drilling a hole through, then using a bent lenght of wire with the bend exactly half the diametre of the intended hole, poke this through the hole and turn it around and see if it makes contact with anything, if it does not i can assume its safe to cut the hole, if however it does contact something i need to move the hole slightly up/down or right/left, then once i've found the space remark out the diametre of the hatch to include the holes drilled through and cut the hole out......! all makes sense to me and i suppose if the worst happened and i had to abandon the idea a small drilled hole would be a lot easier to fill with a screw and some sikaflex than a big gapping hole in the deck.

Ok one other big problem would be if i decided to use the flooding hull again....!

Richard

Bilge Rat · 19 June 2003, 13:51

Andre

Thanks i tried calling Tony but he's currently at a boat show and not back until Monday, so i'll try him then.

Thanks for the help.

Richard

DM · 19 June 2003, 15:29

Instead of going down, what about going up. There's a nice little ledge half an inch wide which runs around the inside of a sea rider hull which lends itself to having a bow shaped piece of marine ply glassed/screwed in. Blank in the end with a rectangle of ply. You can screw into the upright above the ledge but not the slope below it. Cut your hole for the hatch. Insert hatch. Job done without affecting the integrity of the hull.

DM

Powerboat · 19 June 2003, 16:12

I have an old 5.4 Searider. We went the other way and built a little anchor box in the bow above the floor from ply and glass fibre. We just had to be careful (if I remember) not to allow the box rub against the tubes.

Just another solution ! probably simpler to build but not as pleasing to the eye !

Be careful when fitting deck hatches to ensure that they can withstand an adult jumping into the boat onto them !

Best wishes,

Stuart

Powerboat · 19 June 2003, 16:15

Snap David ! Great minds think alike!!

Stuart

Bilge Rat · 23 June 2003, 06:51

Hi All

Thanks for all the replies to my thread.

I've had an email back from Tony Stedman at Avon who says not to fit a deck hatch into the forward deck, two reasons being that the deck is lowered and there will not be very much room, and with a hole in the deck the deck would lose its structral integrity....!

So i'll have to rethink the plan again, maybe a box seat in front of the consol i can put junk into is the way to go.

Thanks again for all your help.

Richard