Deck Hatch On.....Deck?

[A1an]

Anyone got any experience with deck hatches on the floor of a Rib (does that sound stupid?)

A hatch on my deck would solve a thousand problems Im having but part of me is saying no.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by A1an

Anyone got any experience with deck hatches on the floor of a Rib (does that sound stupid?)



A hatch on my deck would solve a thousand problems Im having but part of me is saying no.

I’ve got a round flush one at the stern for access to the in hull transducer & one in the bow for the anchor locker. The rear round one is heavy duty & will take anything you drop on it. The anchor one is not as robust, but ok for where it is. I think Ribcraft do their own branded version of the rear round one. It’s a screw in type with a big O ring, not designed for quick access. More of an inspection hatch.

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I’ve got a round flush one at the stern for access to the in hull transducer & one in the bow for the anchor locker. The rear round one is heavy duty & will take anything you drop on it. The anchor one is not as robust, but ok for where it is. I think Ribcraft do their own branded version of the rear round one. It’s a screw in type with a big O ring, not designed for quick access. More of an inspection hatch.

Now for some reason I thought you were going to appear and say DO NOT do it, dunno what made me think that.

Im having a right ball ache trying to make an under deck fuel tank filling point, under deck trunking and through hull transducer work without a hatch option. I suppose i could lift the deck but thats a last resort.

[Nasher]

Plenty of the small round hatches are strong enough to walk on.
If you mean a larger rectangular one the walk on ones start to get expensive.

I'm all in favour of deck hatches, as long as they are suitably strong, they give you access to bits of the inside of the hull you wouldn't be able to inspect otherwise.

Or you can go down this route:
https://www.rib.net/forum/f8/new-hat...ted-50926.html

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Plenty of the small round hatches are strong enough to walk on.
If you mean a larger rectangular one the walk on ones start to get expensive.

I'm all in favour of deck hatches, as long as they are suitably strong, they give you access to bits of the inside of the hull you wouldn't be able to inspect otherwise.

You're not wrong, some of the aluminium hatches are really spendy.

I would be keen to know if anyone can recommend a strong rectangular hatch.

I like the hatch repair, looks tidy

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by A1an

You're not wrong, some of the aluminium hatches are really spendy.

I would be keen to know if anyone can recommend a strong rectangular hatch.

I like the hatch repair, looks tidy

Where is it going? If it’s in a high traffic area or in danger of getting things dropped on it I’d go for a flush deck plate rather than a hatch.

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Where is it going? If it’s in a high traffic area or in danger of getting things dropped on it I’d go for a flush deck plate rather than a hatch.

I was thinking bang in the centre of the four seats and an access hatch at the rear for transducer

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by A1an

I was thinking bang in the centre of the four seats and an access hatch at the rear for transducer

I’d be wary of anything on the centre line. You might hit something structural. My rear one is to the Stbd side, there’s a stringer down the centre of my hull.

[A1an]

You can see one on this humber...

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

there’s a stringer down the centre of my hull.

i REALLY hope that's not the case in mine!

[GuyC]

I've got a medium profile Lewmar Size 30 hatch in way of my deck locker which I've covered in Treadmaster. It's good - you can jump on it without an issue and it hasn't let any water through. It does stick up a long way and I wouldn't recommend it if it is going to be where you put your feet.

I have a 10" round Bomar hatch in way of the anchor locker that is very low profile an seems pretty robust and weathertight.

Last but not least I've got a few Whale TCL4 inspection hatches that are watertight.

If it is going to be in way of where you are standing I'd probably opt for one of the Bomar ones.

I now epoxy a 9mm thick ply upstand the same size as the hatch flange on to the deck to move the joint between the hatch and the deck out of the way of 'standing' water.

The Pac 22 has longitudinals 12" either side of the centreline.

[jeffstevens763@g]

I’ve fitted bomar hatches with no probs in the past my rib had hatches to access the A-frame bolts.

[Orwell boy]

At the risk of following example set by the chinese ,Highfield hav a full size false floor above their fuel tanks allowing removal if needed ,they are superbly installed with flush stainless allen screws into rigid anlgle ,they then put the console over the top
Just thinking outside the box !

[lakelandterrier]

Don't be tempted to use the grey plastic hatches RC as standard - knelt on the anchor hatch to reach into the console, and it cracked!
One day I''ll replace with a decent Lewmar

[gtflash]

I have found the small round ones and plastic rectangular ones to not be water tight. Lewmar etc are fine.

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by A1an

i REALLY hope that's not the case in mine!

I'd have thought any RIB with an underdeck tank is unlikely to have a stringer down the middle.
You have to have twin tanks either side of it or a single tank over to one side which would give balance issues.

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Nasher

I'd have thought any RIB with an underdeck tank is unlikely to have a stringer down the middle.
You have to have twin tanks either side of it or a single tank over to one side which would give balance issues.

That was my thought but Dave has enough underdeck tank storage to empty a tanker iirc. I popped a borescope in to the hull last night and luckily there's nothing up the centreline.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by A1an

That was my thought but Dave has enough underdeck tank storage to empty a Swiss bank account. I popped a borescope in to the hull last night and luckily there's nothing up the centreline.

FTFY [emoji849][emoji849]

[mick]

Will it be ready for August as I’m up in Arisaig

[A1an]

Originally Posted by mick

Will it be ready for August as I’m up in Arisaig

I’ll be disappointed if it’s not.