Pocketship Build Down Under: Flush Timber Hatch Frames

Mod 3: Flush Timber Cockpit Hatches.

I decided to build flush timber hatches where the sides of the hatch lid sit inside Chanell's that drain directly into the footwell.

Smaller cleats (30mm deep x 12mm wide) were trial fitted athwartships between the footwell side and the existing cleat between BH 8 and the transom. These will form the drainage channel. The base of the channel is cut from 9mm ply.

The outside channel cleats are glued to the 9mm bases, but the complete unit is not glued in at this stage.

The port & starboard units are removed for cleanup.

The inside channel cleats are cut 2mm lower than the external channel cleats, this is to provide space for a rubber seal.

The inside channel cleats are glued onto the 9mm base.

The clamps removed and the units are cleaned up.

The drainage units are glassed all round for strength.

Here is a close up showing the end cleat glued to the 9mm ply base.

To ensure the water drains towards the cockpit the base of the outside sections of the channels needed to be slightly higher than the interior sections. To achieve this, on a level bench I lifted the inside sections up by 3mm. Warm epoxy was poured into the channel over the 9mm ply base until it leveled out. when hardened and laid flat the outside sections were 3mm higher than the interior exits thus allowing water to flow into the cockpit.

The drainage units are installed by the following step by step process.

Firstly, the cockpit footwell sides are cut down that will form a recess for the front of the lazarette lid to sit.

Larger cleats are glued onto the footwell side walls. The cleats are deeper to support the drainage units and any weight on the lazarette locker lids. This pic shows the drainage channels through the footwell side walls that allow water to flow back to the sea.