> i like judy's idea about hatch boards vs. the silly table. i mean, the
> table's cute and it works but where the hell do you stow it when not in
> use and yes it barely keeps the rain out! (believe me i know here in
> eugene oregon where the slugs hold up traffic on a regular basis!)
>
> so judy, what are you using for material for your hatch boards? any info
> in this way i'd be interested in.
>
> and everybody, where do you all stow the stock hatch?
>
> Ken Silverman
Hi Ken,
it wasn't me who raised the issue of hatch boards recently. I think it might
have been Bernie. Not sure tho'.
For our P19 Redwing, I did make some new boards. They're two pieces with a
hinge in the middle, very similary to the factory-standard P19 boards. The
top half functions as a cockpit table when I attach the leg to the hasp and
insert the bottom panel into the side guides on the door.
I made them out of "Starboard", a UV-stable, white plastic (polyproylene?)
for marine applications. (Much cheaper at TAP Plastics than West Marine).
No varnishing, I put just a little curved wood trim on the top for esthetic
appeal and to line up the hasp so the boards are recessed about a 1/4 inside
the sliding hatch.
I used some flat white vinyl weatherstrip at the top inside of the board to
keep rain from blowing in between the sliding hatch and the top of the board.
I used some foam weather stripping along the sides of the doorway for a
better fit along the sides. The hasp I selected secures the sliding hatch
and board with a twist of the hand, so it's easy to "batten down the hatches"
if the weather looks threatening.
My hatch(es) and boards aren't even close to being totally watertight. I
think that would be a very difficult thing to achieve. But they will slow
down water entering the cabin in if we get pooped or knock Redwing on her
side.
If they're not hanging in the door in the open positions, I keep the boards
just inside the cabin, stowed vertically between the quarterberth and the
underside of the cockpit. They fit perfectly right there on the P19.
I keep my anchor handy right under cabin doorway too, althought I'm thinking
of moving it to the stern rail with a little addtion to the rail or
something. I'd like it to be instantly deployable. But I don't know enough
yet about anchoring, so I'm watching and waiting and looking at how other
folks do that.
Best,
Judy