Bkay
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2018
- Messages
- 580
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Wingspan
- Vessel Make
- Aluminum Catamaran
I'd like to get thoughts and opinions on having a hatch over your berth.
I grew up with wooden boats and the consensus was never put a hatch over your berth - but then again, everything on a wooden boat will leak at some point. Now I have to decide about a hatch on an aluminum hull boat.
The easiest and most useful location is to put the hatch centered over a queen size berth. It will probably be a Lewmar 60 Low Profile hatch that is large enough to serve as a point of egress in emergencies. I realize everything leaks eventually, that's why I'm looking for folks with more experience with these hatches than I have.
My preference is above the berth. But I could also locate it offset from the berth, but would need to reduce the size of the hatch. If I reduce the size I probably wouldn't be able to use a hatch large enough to slip through unless I kept the same size hatch, then it would still overlap the berth - so that's not a logical improvement in my desire to avoid leaks on the berth.
This is a coastal cruising boat - so not much blue water crashing on the hatch (I hope). Any thoughts on the reliability of these hatches or practical experience is appreciated.
Dave
I grew up with wooden boats and the consensus was never put a hatch over your berth - but then again, everything on a wooden boat will leak at some point. Now I have to decide about a hatch on an aluminum hull boat.
The easiest and most useful location is to put the hatch centered over a queen size berth. It will probably be a Lewmar 60 Low Profile hatch that is large enough to serve as a point of egress in emergencies. I realize everything leaks eventually, that's why I'm looking for folks with more experience with these hatches than I have.
My preference is above the berth. But I could also locate it offset from the berth, but would need to reduce the size of the hatch. If I reduce the size I probably wouldn't be able to use a hatch large enough to slip through unless I kept the same size hatch, then it would still overlap the berth - so that's not a logical improvement in my desire to avoid leaks on the berth.
This is a coastal cruising boat - so not much blue water crashing on the hatch (I hope). Any thoughts on the reliability of these hatches or practical experience is appreciated.
Dave