Side Hatches

[Ange]

When we were shopping for a boat one of my "must haves" was a side hatch. I really liked the idea of the extra ventilation during hot weather, easy access to the boat from the towpath and an emergency exit.

 

Well Iona came along, perfect in every other way at the right price so my side hatch went out of window (so to speak!)

 

My father-in-law is a welder by profession so we have entertained the idea of putting one in. We decided to live with Iona as she is for a year before we make any changes but I'd be interested in members views.

 

What are your opinions of side hatches and is it worth putting one retrospectively on our boat?

[Chris J W]

Great for that extra bit of light and ventilation on a hot summer day, and if (God forbid) you have a fire it's another escape route.

[homer2911]

When we were shopping for a boat one of my "must haves" was a side hatch. I really liked the idea of the extra ventilation during hot weather, easy access to the boat from the towpath and an emergency exit.

 

Well Iona came along, perfect in every other way at the right price so my side hatch went out of window (so to speak!)

 

My father-in-law is a welder by profession so we have entertained the idea of putting one in. We decided to live with Iona as she is for a year before we make any changes but I'd be interested in members views.

 

What are your opinions of side hatches and is it worth putting one retrospectively on our boat?

 

Yes - put one in - but put it next to the galley, so you get ventilation whilst cooking, and get to look out too.

[alan_fincher]

If you only have one, then of course it's only against the towpath 50% of the time on average.

 

The other 50% it will be looking out at water.

 

If it's just side doors, it's not really a good way in and out, unless in an emergency. To be able to climb in and out it does need a hole cut in the roof too. That brings it's own issues, as you must then provide a rain run off just before you have introduced a set of doors, so there's plenty of scope if not done well for water getting inside.

 

That said, I think side doors are great, whether accompanied by a hatch or slide on the roof, or not.

[Ange]

If it's just side doors, it's not really a good way in and out, unless in an emergency. To be able to climb in and out it does need a hole cut in the roof too. That brings it's own issues, as you must then provide a rain run off just before you have introduced a set of doors, so there's plenty of scope if not done well for water getting inside.

If we do it, it'll definitely involve cutting into the roof with a hatch cover, either sliding or hinged. We're at very early stages of the thought process at the moment - obviously if we do decide to do it we'll find out more about the practicalities.

 

Of course you're right about the towpath access - we could only have one done so I'm sure there'll be a lot of times when it is frustratingly on the wrong side of the boat. Saying that, one of my concerns is an emergency exit, and I'd definitely rather plop into the canal than burn to death!

[Chris J W]

Of course you're right about the towpath access - we could only have one done so I'm sure there'll be a lot of times when it is frustratingly on the wrong side of the boat. Saying that, one of my concerns is an emergency exit, and I'd definitely rather plop into the canal than burn to death!

 

Ah, but the advantage of having it on the cut side is that you can leave it open without the world and his wife looking in!

 

(But I'm biased ... I've got hatches both sides )

[Ange]

Ah, but the advantage of having it on the cut side is that you can leave it open without the world and his wife looking in!

 

(But I'm biased ... I've got hatches both sides )

 

You're lucky Chris - that would've been my ideal. Unfortunatelty Iona's layout would only allow for one - on the right hand side when you're facing forward (sorry haven't learnt my ports and starboards yet!) And it would be opposite the kitchen (sorry - galley!)

[Guzziman]

When we were shopping for a boat one of my "must haves" was a side hatch. I really liked the idea of the extra ventilation during hot weather, easy access to the boat from the towpath and an emergency exit.

 

Well Iona came along, perfect in every other way at the right price so my side hatch went out of window (so to speak!)

 

My father-in-law is a welder by profession so we have entertained the idea of putting one in. We decided to live with Iona as she is for a year before we make any changes but I'd be interested in members views.

 

What are your opinions of side hatches and is it worth putting one retrospectively on our boat?

 

 

I should go for one, when we used to hire it was marvellous to have one with a side hatch, as for looking out onto the water - brilliant! we used to feed ducks and swans from it, once late at night in the pouring rain and the only things to get wet were the swans and the bread.. excellent idea.

 

Guzziman

[Chris J W]

You're lucky Chris - that would've been my ideal. Unfortunatelty Iona's layout would only allow for one - on the right hand side when you're facing forward (sorry haven't learnt my ports and starboards yet!) And it would be opposite the kitchen (sorry - galley!)

 

If it helps ... mine aren't opposite each other, they're about 6ft apart. Makes for a very good through-breeze with just the top-hatches propped up.

 

One thing to keep in mind - if you go for top-hatches ...

 

 

... have a 'dignified' way of propping them open. I use an old spud-masher to prop it up!

[Ange]

... have a 'dignified' way of propping them open. I use an old spud-masher to prop it up!

 

Mmm - we had a lovely tiller pin when we bought the boat - rather tarnished at the time but our son buffed it up till it was gleaming. One fumble and it went plop into the canal a few weeks ago - nowadays it's a bright red screwdriver! I love improvisation!

[johnjo]

No red port left in the bottle.

 

Wait for a year onboard, then do it.

 

Opposite the galley's OK

 

Ours has a set of steps flat against the side, perfectly OK for emergency use.

 

With a hinged lid, it can have a deep lip that covers the top of the doors and down a bit, also if you have a perspex sheet made up, you can put this over the opening on dull days with the lid down to let more light in.

[Ange]

No red port left in the bottle.

I like that - thank you!!

[Guest]

I like our side hatch opposite the galley. Good to lean out of and watch the world go by, and as others have said, another means of escape. If the boat had come without one though, I doubt if I would have gone to the trouble of fitting one.

[Jason Day - Sheffield]

Easy peasy question - put one in, you won't regret it :-)

[Keeping Up]

When you can moor with the hatch next to the towpath outside Tescos, you can load straight from the trolley into the kitchen. Very useful.

 

If you have a couple of steps below it, you can also use them as shelves (but remember to take things off the shelves before coming in through the hatch and trying to use them - speaking from personal experience.

 

It's definitely worth having a perspex window that you can put in the hole when the weather is less than perfect, so you can still have the doors open.

[Janet S]

Mmm - we had a lovely tiller pin when we bought the boat - rather tarnished at the time but our son buffed it up till it was gleaming. One fumble and it went plop into the canal a few weeks ago - nowadays it's a bright red screwdriver! I love improvisation!

 

We had to improvise on our September cruise with Bones and Maffi, having lost our tiller pin shortly after picking up the boat....

 

 

 

At one stage we also used a rather fetching artichoke on a stalk for a couple of days, which was purloined from one of the planters at Todmorden, but I can't find the photo!

 

On our last cruise on Devon in 2007, we lost our tiller pin going up the Wigan flight, so improvised with a teaspoon. Luckily Shire Cruisers let us keep it as a souvenir!

 

Janet

[WJM]

Side Hatch - essential; Make yourself a removable window to put in the open hatch for when it is cold/raining.

[stickleback]

I love my side hatch - even though it is in the galley, behind the basin! So not suitable as a route in / out and usually looking over the canal. But it really does give a feeling of space, so ti is open most of the time. I haven't yet got the sheet of perspex, but will do - I haven't quite worked out exactly the fitting methods.

 

My main concern is the security implications - it always seems a vulnerable point which could be forced too easily. I'm working on a really secure fastening for it!

 

But go for it - well worth having in my opinion.

 

Stickleback

[FadeToScarlet]

It's worth thinking about draftiness and security. My side hatch is, strangely enough, in the bedroom- but as it's also my office space, it can let in a good deal more light than the portholes that there are otherwise.

 

I'd love to have one in the galley, for all the reasons mentioned above.

 

In terms of security, mine's just got a hefty hasp and padlock from outside. Secure and less forceable than other designs, I'm sure, but there's no way of opening it from the inside- which rather negates the "Emergency Exit" Aspect. Perhaps it's worth fitting bolts on the inside and a hasp on the outside, so when you're leaving the boat for a longer period of time you can shut it up better.

[Chris J W]

"Keeping Up" has a rather nice system where they use, IIRC, a steel hawser on the INSIDE of the top-hatch down to the gunwale.

 

Hopefully Alan will have a photo - and a far superior description!

[Athy]

Our first boat did not have a side hatch, we talked about having one installed but never got round to it. When we had our second one built we specified a side hatch, opposite the galley and pow! Immediate improvemen on standard of onboard living and, because you can lean out of it, ia perceived ncrease in interior space too.

We have a flat-headed four-inch screw as an emergency tiller pin. It's more durable than an artichoke, but I'm sure it's less decorative. perhaps one of those craftsmen who turn out tiller pins in all sorts of shapes (ours is a rather fetching pig) could design an artichoke-shaped one.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Athy

[Machpoint005]

Sorry to be the only negative post here so far, but here goes.

 

Our first boat (a rather elderly 60ft Jonathan Wilson) had side hatches on both sides. The design of these was such that water was able to get underneath the top lid of each hatch, and run down inside. If it froze, then thawed, it was worse. Over the years this had led to a serious corrosion problem on the hatch frame, which had remained untreated for a good while. The gradual seepage of water rotted the flooring in the galley, and eventually required serious expediture to put the whole thing right. The hatches were simply not watertight - and they were the weak point from a security point of view, too - a big crowbar was all that would be needed.

 

Also if you have hatches in the galley, sooner or later you will find that the kettle takes a very long time to boil - because the gas flame has blown out in the draught.

 

None of this disagrees with the positive points made so far - but when we were 'shopping' for our present boat, we definitely didn't want side hatches!

[WJM]

Ironic - I have a side hatch in my very ordinary Liverpool Boat - absolutely no problems, watertight, draft free!

 

A very determined person with a big crowbar might get it open, but if they are that determined I think they will get in some way!

[Machpoint005]

Ironic - I have a side hatch in my very ordinary Liverpool Boat - absolutely no problems, watertight, draft free!

 

A very determined person with a big crowbar might get it open, but if they are that determined I think they will get in some way!

Quite agree - with hindsight, I think ours was a wrong 'un, or lacked maintenance. However, I thought the negative worth posting, especially since the OP is looking to cut holes in an existing shell, rather than the properly designed (?) hatches in a newbuild.

[WJM]

Personally, I would not recommend a hatch that cuts into the roof. Just a simple pair of doors in the side is enough complexity, leave the roof and it's drainage channels alone.