Drawers - keeping them closed?

[mikereed100]

John,

Would it be possible to bevel the back of the latch as well as the front of the "case"? In that way maybe one could just push the drawer closed?

Mike

[mikereed100]

Another solution might be something like this drawing. Requires a bit of fabrication but it could be worth it if you are doing a lot of drawers. Opens using the natural motioin of pulling on the drawer and closes with a push (hopefully)

Mike

[Oceansandmts]

Mike

Yes, if you bevel the sliding latch and the drawer face now it looks almost like the plunger part of the average lock set you buy in the hardware store. I think to prevent wear on the cabinet face you would want to have a metal striker plate. Good idea, I think I my latches just got even better.

I think your latch would work, but the protruding handle is something else that can bruise you if you get thrown against it. I like boat interiors that are smooth, rounded, and small so my aging body doesn't build up too much momentum when thrown across the cabin in rough weather.

I might sound a little obsessive about all this because I actually hope drawers with no latches, a big interior, no handholds, etc would all be fine because I will be lucky enough to never sail in more than 25 kts of wind and 3' seas. Since I don't consider myself to be exceptionally lucky (I have never won the lottery) I am building my boat for the worst while hoping for the best.

[Feetup]

I used the lift and pull method for the drawers in Aquappella. I made a small round disc of teak, about 1 1/8" diameter with a small brass knob offset near the edge. I drilled it close to the edge diametrically opposite to the knob so it works as an eccentric. I fastened it to the rail above the drawer front with a screw and a leather washer. When at sea, I just rotate the eccentric disk which traps the drawer down so even inverted it cannot slide out. If the discs begin to rotate freely I just take up 1/4 turn on the screw and the friction of the leather washer keeps them where they are last put. On that note, all the drawers have a piece of 1/4" plywood set into the cabinetry flush with the top of the opening. This keeps stuff in the drawer from rolling about till it sticks up above the case front preventing the drawer from opening. I'm sure we've all been THERE! Even inverted the drawers should hold their contents. Haven't been there yet, and hope I never do, and most likely in such case the drawers would be the least of my worries, but...

Tim J

[hellosailor]

I never liked the fingerholes myself, but on thinking about it...the gravity-locked drawers could be fatal in a roll over. Like anything else--they need a way to be really SECURED in the event of really nasty offshore wx. A bungee or strap over the front of a draw set would seem like a reasonably soft and simple way to make that happen.

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I never liked the fingerholes myself, but on thinking about it...the gravity-locked drawers could be fatal in a roll over. Like anything else--they need a way to be really SECURED in the event of really nasty offshore wx. A bungee or strap over the front of a draw set would seem like a reasonably soft and simple way to make that happen.

Especially if filled with sharp knives!

[hellosailor]

Not to worry, Hud. Knives that are left to bang around in adraw will never be sharp forlong, and the folks who like to keep their knives sharp, never let them bang around that way.

[MidLandOne]

Originally Posted by Wotname

I would love to hear of DIY quick access solutions for soles.

I have seen lots of different methods that are either expensive or a major to retrofit. We have light hatches and store nothing in the bilges (our bilges are full of fixed items such as water tanks, grey water sumps, mufflers, etc) so I just used el cheapo Durabell type plastic catches like these -

The bayonet bit hanging vertically off the bottom of the hatch aligned with the hatch edge and the mating bit it latches into on blocks under the sole at the edge of the cutout in the sole. I found I needed no more than two on any of our hatches - one needs a good pull to get the hatches released, they certainly won't fall out by themselves.

Can be very tricky to fit as can't get into the bilge to line the catch pieces up with each other - I did it by mounting the mating pieces screwed in final position, stuck the bayonet piece into it with tight fitting screws through its mounting holes such that when I pressed the hatch down on it the screw points left dimple impressions in the bottom of the hatch. Then just screwed the bayonets onto the hatch bottoms using those dimples as the guide. They all worked out first go. For all similar things an alternative way is to mount one piece of the hardware and then temporarily gluing the mating piece on using hot melt glue, breaking off and readjusting as necessary before screwing in final position.

The other similar difficult one is the hatches under bunks and settees. The best and simplest solution I know of, in my view, is just simple toggles cut out of thinish ss flat bar, screw with washer under head through the centre and mounted on the fixed part so that rotating it one side of the toggle sits over the hatch board (all metal edges rounded and pan head screws to avoid abrading the bottom fabric of the squabs and the fastening screw in tight enough so toggle is firm but still able to be rotated).

Regarding the "finger breaking" holes and latches in locker doors, the secret is that one has to make the finger hole generously sized so there is plentry of room for the finger to go through at an angle if one is thrown around, and remember to never try to undo the latch cack handed ie if finger latch on right hand side of the hole then use left hand and vice versa.

[maxingout]

On Exit Only, we use two inch self-adhesive velcro strips on the drawers and doors. We apply velcro strips to the drawer and to the frame of the cabinet in at least two locations on each door or drawer. Under normal circumstances, we don't use the strips - we simply neutralize the strips by applying the "opposite" type of velcro.

If things get rough at sea, we remove the "opposite" neutralizing velcro from the doors and drawers, and now the two inch velcro strips come in contact, and the doors and drawers are securely closed.

If conditions aren't bad, we use only one velcro strip. If we are in a tropical storm, then we unleash two velcro strips on a drawer and three velcro strips on a large size door.

We have never had a door or drawer pop open when they are stuck in place using the velcro. It's pretty much a fail safe way of keeping the doors and drawers closed.

When you want to open the door or drawer, you firmly and steadily pull it open, and with a modest amount of force, they pop open.

You also have the option of waiting to apply the velcro strips to when you need them. Keep a roll of self-adhesive velcro in a locker, and if you ever need it, apply it, and your drawers and doors will remain closed during the storm.

[Wotname]

All good ideas - that is one of the many reasons I love CF.
I am intrigued by the Maxingout's velcro strips -sounds simple and effective although I have never been happy with self-adhesive velcro. One side always seems to be less adhesive than the loop and tape interface. Maybe it's a heat / time thing, works OK when new and cool but I am sure if it works for Dave, its probably well thought out.

[cooper]

A few more ideas....A. the draws behind the door. That is the draws are set back and a normal door is in front with a single door snib.
B. the pin and spring. A hole is drilled into the side of the door (or draw front) of about 11 mm dia and 60 mm in depth. A slot of about 6 mm in width , 20 mm from the edge of the door and about 30mm long is routed on the front face of the door so that it is parallel and intersects (trenches) along the hole.
A piece of stainless rod 60 mm long has a 6mm hole tapped into it in the middle. A small spring is shoved into the hole, followed by stainless rod. An SS unbrako bolt is screwed through the slot and into the stainless rod. and thats it a stainless captured spring loaded barrel bolt. Cutting one end of the stainless rod on an angle will make it self locking on closing.

[maxingout]

Our velcro strips have been in place now for 14 years and they are still working fine. They have never required replacement.