Monday 7 December 2015

Hiding things

I have never been fond of the way plastic watertight hatches look on classic inspired boats. However I do recognise that their practical performance, ease of integration and availability of spare seals make them the perfect choice in order to keep things dry inside the lockers.

My pathfinder already integrates home made wooden hatches instead of plastic ones in the cockpit seat fronts however in this case, being the surface to keep dry vertical, the challenge is somewhat smaller as water will not normally sit around the opening.
In the case of the main twarth however things are diferent since the opening is cut on a horizontal surface where all sort of water would collect (splashes, rain water, condensation , ...) .

In my previous build (a SFD Stornoway 12) I had already integrated some plastic watertight rectangular hatches to provide confort and security, however I've hid them behind hinged wooden doors. The idea worked out well aesthetically however the implentation was slighlty flawed as water has nowhere to go once it finds its way easily past the non watertight wooden door and waits patiently to seep into the locker as soon as the plastic door is opened.

For the pathfinder therefore I applied a slightly improved solution where the unsightly (to myself) plastic hatches are integrated on a sloped  panel built just underneath  the main twarth ply surface. A wooden door  is routed directly out of the main twarth so that once closed it covers the plastic hatch and matches perfectly the wooden grain of the surrounding surface (which will be the way finished in clear varnish).






The sloping panel helps preventing water to sit still around the plastic hatch door; standing water will drain by gravity through drilled holes directly into the cockpit area. A good solution? Only time will tell....

5 comments:

  1. Looks absolutely beautiful, Lorenzo. Wow! Very nice. steve

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    1. Thank you Steve, coming from you this is a real compliment.

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  2. Great build Lorenzo-inspiring ideas-what fun! I like how you source items in a thoughtful, imaginative way-cool. One thing: it is so nice to have your boys involved helping you out. The fumes from epoxy are really, really bad for you. I hate wearing an organic filter, but it's better than the alternative. I have some grandsons and I hope to get them involved helping me build a small houseboat. Maybe a Pathfinder someday after some other projects. Would the files you worked up for the CNC machine be available? Great work! Cheers, Scott

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    1. Hello Scott, thank you for your encouraging message. Working with my kids is a real bonus in the project and I agree fully with you on the importance of wearing protective gear. I am pretty sure your grandsons will step in and help as soon as your project will take shape. To help you kickstarting the project I can supply the CNC ready drawings provided that you have purchased the drawings from John W. beforehand.
      Best regards

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    2. Hello Lorenzo, I will buy the plans from John of course. Will love to have them. And, I'd like to do as you did and build the model first. Someday, maybe next year, when my wife and I travel to Italy, we'll come for the VeLa. We travelled there 3 years ago and did the tourist thing-it was nice, but to sail the lagoon-heaven! Cheers!

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