mac1 Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 hi,how easy would it be to retro fit a side hatch, and can you buy them 'ready made'? also is it possible to have a totally 'fixed' cratch (ie cannot be opened) if you have side hatches to use as secondary escape route? ive been thinking of doing this and the rejigging the inside to a reverse layout. many thanks mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted May 19, 2017 Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 Kedian Engineering, who is a forum member, do them, see the link to their gallery. http://www.kedianengineering.co.uk/gallery.html They can replace an existing window. With regard to a cratch without exits, the Canaltime boats used a similar arrangement, with forward mounted side hatches for emergency exits. Always made me wonder how you would get out if a fire occurred whilst traversing a lock, and the fire prevented access to the rear door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac1 Posted May 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2017 i have seen quite a few boats with no access to the cratch but side hatches to assist evacuation,i was contemplating removing the kitchen windows and replacing them with hatches. i think i could still do this but leave cratch as is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackrose Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 Why not have a hatch in your enclosed cratch too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac1 Posted May 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 hhhmmm, that be a good idea blackrose fink i'll look into that, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 12 hours ago, mac1 said: i have seen quite a few boats with no access to the cratch but side hatches to assist evacuation,i was contemplating removing the kitchen windows and replacing them with hatches. i think i could still do this but leave cratch as is. Another method that gives best of both worlds is like my boat all the double glazed units lift out of the frames in seconds so any of the frames can be immediately turned into open side hatches as it were at any of the window locations, a great benefit on sticky hot days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detling Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 If you have a hatch at the front you can still reach the T stud and gas locker from inside, kneeling on the bed maybe but better than perched on the bow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 7 minutes ago, Detling said: If you have a hatch at the front you can still reach the T stud and gas locker from inside, kneeling on the bed maybe but better than perched on the bow. Not strictly true - my gas locker is accessed via a side hatch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detling Posted May 20, 2017 Report Share Posted May 20, 2017 5 hours ago, Sea Dog said: Not strictly true - my gas locker is accessed via a side hatch! Bet you still have a locker at the bow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Kedian Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewildered Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 Boats have been known to sink in locks, the problem with a narrowboat in a narrow lock is that you can't, in an emergency, evacuate through a side hatch due to the bloody Great Wall in front of you. If you want an enclosed cratch make share it has a window that you can open wide enough to climb out of onto the bow in an emergency. last week I saw a tug boat that had a motorbike on the tug deck strapped down in front of the forward hatch; great that they can take their transport with them, not so great if the stern starts to sink in a lock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machpoint005 Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 On 19/05/2017 at 20:27, mac1 said: how easy would it be to retro fit a side hatch Opinion differs, but my own experience with side hatches in that they leak, so that in the long term, rot sets in wherever the water reaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Kedian Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 (edited) Edited May 22, 2017 by Martin Kedian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Kedian Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 With built in steel drain channels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mac1 Posted May 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 many thanks guys for the advice, have decided to stick with what ive got for just now, i may relook at this in the future or i may even change the boat in the not too distant future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Kedian Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 All the best for the future happy cruising Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 4 hours ago, Bewildered said: Boats have been known to sink in locks, the problem with a narrowboat in a narrow lock is that you can't, in an emergency, evacuate through a side hatch due to the bloody Great Wall in front of you. If you want an enclosed cratch make share it has a window that you can open wide enough to climb out of onto the bow in an emergency. Or a roof hatch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted May 22, 2017 Report Share Posted May 22, 2017 On 2017-5-19 at 20:45, cuthound said: Kedian Engineering, who is a forum member, do them, see the link to their gallery. http://www.kedianengineering.co.uk/gallery.html They can replace an existing window. With regard to a cratch without exits, the Canaltime boats used a similar arrangement, with forward mounted side hatches for emergency exits. Always made me wonder how you would get out if a fire occurred whilst traversing a lock, and the fire prevented access to the rear door. Given that as far as I know this has never happened, you might as well worry about how to get out if the boat is struck by a meteorite... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 8 hours ago, IanD said: Given that as far as I know this has never happened, you might as well worry about how to get out if the boat is struck by a meteorite... OK, point accepted, but what about a sinking in a lock? That is an occurrence that happens several times a year, and finding your way out of a flooding boat with debris floating about can be difficult as it is easy to become disorientated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanD Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 Again, think what is likely to (and has) happened in reality -- by far the most common methods of succeeding in sinking a boat in a lock are hanging the stern up on the cill going down and catching the bows on a gate or protrusion going up. In both cases the boat sinks by the bow, so if you're inside the boat you'd want to exit via the stern, and a boat without a front exit will not cause any problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 On 2017-5-20 at 21:18, Detling said: Bet you still have a locker at the bow. No, that's the water tank! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Kedian Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detling Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 Kedian they look great, but escape windows need a 450mm x 600 mm opening as a minimum those look less, also do you have a ladder to reach. If not then please don't let the boat as they won't meet landlords safety law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 21 minutes ago, Detling said: Kedian they look great, but escape windows need a 450mm x 600 mm opening as a minimum those look less, also do you have a ladder to reach. If not then please don't let the boat as they won't meet landlords safety law. Well that sounds like a Building Regulations requirement, and not applicable to boats. A roof hatch of the sort shown would be a damn sight more use than a mushroom vent in the event of a sinking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted May 23, 2017 Report Share Posted May 23, 2017 Kedian, you could improve the design so it could be used as a emergency exit by having the hinges on the other side and one side been the base for the other to rest on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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