13' Whaler - Bow locker hatch, Does it come off while underway???

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  13' Whaler - Bow locker hatch, Does it come off while underway???

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Author Topic:   13' Whaler - Bow locker hatch, Does it come off while underway???

vdbgroup posted 08-15-2002 09:57 PM ET (US)
Does the bow locker hatch pop-off while underway in chop, high wind, trailering??
How is it retained???

Louie Kokinis posted 08-16-2002 01:17 AM ET (US)
4th picture down shows how a latch secures the hatch on my boat. It really works well.
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/cetacea/cetaceaPage10.html
Tom W Clark posted 08-16-2002 01:32 AM ET (US)
The time honored method that Whaler always used was a bungee cord.
The factory set up has a pad eye in the bottom of the bow locker and another on the underside of the lid. The bungee cord does not hook from one to the other but rather is straddled by the pad eye on the underside of the lid and both ends of the bungee hook to the pad eye in the bottom of the locker. This allows a bit more stretch for opening the hatch while still (theoretically) maintaining tension when the lid is down.
I have always found this set up rather unsatisfactory. A superior method would be to install hinges and a latch to both keep it from flying out of the boat (which it will do!) but more importantly, keep it from even rattling and popping loose which is bad for the varnish and just plain annoying.
jimithing posted 08-16-2002 10:08 AM ET (US)
even better....if its a rough water day...take it out completely and leave it at the car/dock....the space in the locker is so small anyway that not much can be kept in it to begin with....short of a foldable anchor and maybe some extra line and that wont move much.
Bigshot posted 08-16-2002 01:07 PM ET (US)
That hatch is useless and should have never been made. Bungee is helpful but hinges work. I would leave it behind but then why did i spend 5 hours sanding and varnishing it?
vdbgroup posted 08-16-2002 09:21 PM ET (US)
Looks like I asked a very good question.
Also, looks like we have a real Whaler faux paux w/ this design.
I am thinking seriously about King Starboard Anti-Skid one inch thick for my hatch rather than mahogany.
I don't want to hinge/latch it, but there should be a better way to secure with bungees.
Can you imagine going down the highway at 70 mph and you hit a bump and the wind picks-up the hatch and deposits in the road for an 18 Wheeler to crush. Or embed it in some ones windshield. All this after you spent some elbow grease getting the mahogany to look great.
Holy Smoke.
JFM posted 08-16-2002 09:51 PM ET (US)
I think the older 13's had no bungee cord.
They had rubber inserts on both sides to hold it in place. Thet also had wooden handles on both sides to pull up on. My 2 older 13's were set up this way. My new one, the 1972, is set up the way Tom Clark describes.
Regards, Jay
vdbgroup posted 08-16-2002 09:55 PM ET (US)
The model year on this 13' is 1962.
Where do the rubber inserts go? On the lip?
Sammy posted 08-18-2002 11:08 AM ET (US)
The bungee/stainless steel eye-strap system seemed to work fine for me...either for trailering long distance or underway in a chop.
A minor modification is recommended, though. To eliminate rattling or damaging the varnish, use self-adhesive, heavy duty felt pads on the underside of the hatch (any mahogany or teak hatch, for that matter). The adhesive is very good, the tan wool felt pads hold up very well and they're cheap to buy/replace.
They're available at most office supply stores in strips or circle patterns.
JFM posted 08-19-2002 09:19 AM ET (US)
vd,
There is a groove in the wood on each side (port and starboard). I think the rubber is held in by force. And the hatch is held in by force also.
Regards, Jay
timmyb posted 08-19-2002 10:00 PM ET (US)
I use a small bungee cord in front and ,used velcro on the rear underneath. Works perfect and hasn't even come off while trailering boat to the jersey shore. Which is about 50 miles away,on the highway,doing 65m.p.h.

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Author	Topic: 13' Whaler - Bow locker hatch, Does it come off while underway???
vdbgroup	posted 08-15-2002 09:57 PM ET (US) Does the bow locker hatch pop-off while underway in chop, high wind, trailering?? How is it retained???
Louie Kokinis	posted 08-16-2002 01:17 AM ET (US) 4th picture down shows how a latch secures the hatch on my boat. It really works well. http://continuouswave.com/whaler/cetacea/cetaceaPage10.html
Tom W Clark	posted 08-16-2002 01:32 AM ET (US) The time honored method that Whaler always used was a bungee cord. The factory set up has a pad eye in the bottom of the bow locker and another on the underside of the lid. The bungee cord does not hook from one to the other but rather is straddled by the pad eye on the underside of the lid and both ends of the bungee hook to the pad eye in the bottom of the locker. This allows a bit more stretch for opening the hatch while still (theoretically) maintaining tension when the lid is down. I have always found this set up rather unsatisfactory. A superior method would be to install hinges and a latch to both keep it from flying out of the boat (which it will do!) but more importantly, keep it from even rattling and popping loose which is bad for the varnish and just plain annoying.
jimithing	posted 08-16-2002 10:08 AM ET (US) even better....if its a rough water day...take it out completely and leave it at the car/dock....the space in the locker is so small anyway that not much can be kept in it to begin with....short of a foldable anchor and maybe some extra line and that wont move much.
Bigshot	posted 08-16-2002 01:07 PM ET (US) That hatch is useless and should have never been made. Bungee is helpful but hinges work. I would leave it behind but then why did i spend 5 hours sanding and varnishing it?
vdbgroup	posted 08-16-2002 09:21 PM ET (US) Looks like I asked a very good question. Also, looks like we have a real Whaler faux paux w/ this design. I am thinking seriously about King Starboard Anti-Skid one inch thick for my hatch rather than mahogany. I don't want to hinge/latch it, but there should be a better way to secure with bungees. Can you imagine going down the highway at 70 mph and you hit a bump and the wind picks-up the hatch and deposits in the road for an 18 Wheeler to crush. Or embed it in some ones windshield. All this after you spent some elbow grease getting the mahogany to look great. Holy Smoke.
JFM	posted 08-16-2002 09:51 PM ET (US) I think the older 13's had no bungee cord. They had rubber inserts on both sides to hold it in place. Thet also had wooden handles on both sides to pull up on. My 2 older 13's were set up this way. My new one, the 1972, is set up the way Tom Clark describes. Regards, Jay
vdbgroup	posted 08-16-2002 09:55 PM ET (US) The model year on this 13' is 1962. Where do the rubber inserts go? On the lip?
Sammy	posted 08-18-2002 11:08 AM ET (US) The bungee/stainless steel eye-strap system seemed to work fine for me...either for trailering long distance or underway in a chop. A minor modification is recommended, though. To eliminate rattling or damaging the varnish, use self-adhesive, heavy duty felt pads on the underside of the hatch (any mahogany or teak hatch, for that matter). The adhesive is very good, the tan wool felt pads hold up very well and they're cheap to buy/replace. They're available at most office supply stores in strips or circle patterns.
JFM	posted 08-19-2002 09:19 AM ET (US) vd, There is a groove in the wood on each side (port and starboard). I think the rubber is held in by force. And the hatch is held in by force also. Regards, Jay
timmyb	posted 08-19-2002 10:00 PM ET (US) I use a small bungee cord in front and ,used velcro on the rear underneath. Works perfect and hasn't even come off while trailering boat to the jersey shore. Which is about 50 miles away,on the highway,doing 65m.p.h.