inspection hatch

[dreadnought]

hi all,while out on my nb over the last weekend i picked up a large coal bag round my prop,this is the first time i`ve visited the weed hatch under battle conditions so to speak,

i found it a right royal pain, really tight to get at,so i think i`m going to cut an inspection hatch on the back deck just above the weed hatch,can i get any advice or ideas on how to go about this, my plan was to cut out (with jigsaw)the back of the inspection hatch attach a pair of hinges then cut the rest of the hatch out,

or is there anything in the market place that will just slot in,many thanks  

[manxmike]

I had similar thoughts. Mine is a Liverpool Trad hull, to get at the weed hatch I have to remove all the floor panels in the engine "room" and the rear step, then crawl under the rear deck with about six inches clearance to remove the weed hatch and try and contort myself to get to the prop.

It would be so much easier to cut a hatch in the rear deck. Sadly I was quoted over £500 to do so. Cut the hole, weld in a lip for the new hatch to sit on, make a new hatch, etc etc.

I suppose if I win the lottery it would be feasible, but then I could afford a new boat ..................

[Tony Brooks]

I doubt you would want rain water leaking through the hatch so unless you have an small upstand welded around the hole then my approach would be to cut the hole and smooth the edges. Get a bit of plate to fit the home with an overlap and drill fixing holes. Then stick  closed cell foam on the back and drill and tap the deck to bolt the cover onto. Being a bit on the lazy side I would probably use the self drilling and tapping machine screws used for fixing cladding to steelwork. This will mean you need a spanner to undo the cover but if the need to go down the hatch is as you say it will not be a major inconvenience.

If a ring of machine screws does not appeal you could get a heavy steel bar a bit longer or wider that the cover. Say about 25mm x 6 or 8mm drill and tap either side of the centre. Drill the plate to suit and then use two machine screws to clamp the plate onto the hole. As the bar will be longer that the hole you will need to slide it in with the bolt loosened a lot. Slide one end of the bar under the deck until the other end of the bar will drop into the hole. Then slide the plate back and tighten.

[Chewbacka]

My deck hatch has a U channel welded to the deck so all the rain runs off the hatch and into the channel.  There is a pipe that drains the channel through the hull into the canal.  It works great so long as I remember to stuff a bit of wire down the pipe from time to time to remove all the collected bits that greatly restrict the flow otherwise in anything more than a bit of rain it overflows into the engine space - which really annoys me.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Chewbacka

[blackrose]

A neighbour of mine has just done this job on his trad stern boat because he's a big guy and he found it impossible to get under the deck (between the deck and counter) to remove the weed hatch lid. I will go over there and try to post some pictures, but not until it stops pissing with rain... 

Edited August 8, 2017 by blackrose

[David Mack]

Having been boating for over 20 years on an ex working boat without a weedhatch, I find them overrated. Its rare that you can't pull rubbish off the prop using a short shaft from the bank. And having recently bought a boat without a weedhatch, that isn't going to change.

[luggsy]

2 hours ago, David Mack said:

Having been boating for over 20 years on an ex working boat without a weedhatch, I find them overrated. Its rare that you can't pull rubbish off the prop using a short shaft from the bank. And having recently bought a boat without a weedhatch, that isn't going to change.

And what happens when you can't get to the bank ? You would of been struggling last week when I was on the newham drain , no where to moor bank sides almost vertical 15 foot got about 250 yards I had to pole it out , went in the weed hatch at least 20 times , eventually got back on to the west fen drain , if it was you you would still be there my friend 

[luggsy]

This is our access to the weed hatch really easy never gets any water in 

[blackrose]

My neighbour cut a hole in the deck and made the cover from 6mm aluminum.

[blackrose]

4 hours ago, David Mack said:

Having been boating for over 20 years on an ex working boat without a weedhatch, I find them overrated. Its rare that you can't pull rubbish off the prop using a short shaft from the bank. And having recently bought a boat without a weedhatch, that isn't going to change.

How can they be overrated if they make the job easier?

I once got a bike tyre caught around my prop and couldn't get near the bank - in part because the prop was so badly fouled. It took me 20 mins with both arms down the weedhatch to cut the thing off and I'm afraid a short shaft wouldn't have done any good at all. Plus we're not all on canals where there is even a bank that you can easily step onto.

I wouldn't be without a weedhatch. If I got my dream Dutch-style barge built I'd still insist on one. 

Edited August 8, 2017 by blackrose