Sexual Orientation of her Flaps

[atoll]

as many might know i now have a cat.

the cat is due for surgery on two of her holes in the deck.

i was wondering if their was any wisdom on the forum regarding the orientation of her flaps,ie

#1 both facing forward,
#2 both facing backwards,
#3 front one foward, aft one backwards.
#4 front one backwards,aft one forwards.


by flaps i mean "Hatches".......for the more nautically inclined

[Garrettw]

On a monohull, for CE A Ocean rating purposes, doesn't a foredeck hatch have to open facing aft? I'm not sure if that would necessarily apply to your cat since your hatches are a little further aft. Perhaps it's worth contemplating keeping the most forward one facing aft just for risk management. If you were really hard up for wind flow in an anchorage you could rig a scoop there.

[cwyckham]

My hatches are bi-orientation. You can pull the hinge pin out and switch them easily. Might want to find some that swing both ways.

[Pete7]

Opening forward for me, so you get a nice cool breeze when anchored.

Pete

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Garrettw

On a monohull, for CE A Ocean rating purposes, doesn't a foredeck hatch have to open facing aft? I'm not sure if that would necessarily apply to your cat since your hatches are a little further aft. Perhaps it's worth contemplating keeping the most forward one facing aft just for risk management. If you were really hard up for wind flow in an anchorage you could rig a scoop there.

this is probably the orientation i will go for,mainly because the handels will be easier to reach in the event of a rain shower at anchor or when sailing,spray is less likely to enter an aft facing hatch if slightly open.

[SaucySailoress]

Our foreberth hatch, the biggest one, opens forewords (in other words, full on into the wind). That is so we can get maximum airflow through when at anchor. It does mean that we can't have it open on passage, since we always forget to close the darn thing when it picks up, but if there is any sort of breeze, we get plenty of circulation through the other hatches which are all rear opening.

I guess that makes us bi.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

My hatches are bi-orientation. You can pull the hinge pin out and switch them easily. Might want to find some that swing both ways.

i am allready in possesion of two lovely bits of kit for the lady.

when trolling the boat porn sites, there was a dearth of apparel that swung both ways

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Opening forward for me, so you get a nice cool breeze when anchored.

Pete

i am in the process of putting a small hatch in the forward bulkhead to the anchor locker,this will allow air to pass through to the cabin from the anchor locker,with out having to worry about spray or rain when sailing or on anchor if the anchor locker hatch is opened slightly allowing air to pass through the boat,so that any water will drain to the bottom of the anchor locker.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by atoll

i am in the process of putting a small hatch in the forward bulkhead to the anchor locker,this will allow air to pass through to the cabin from the anchor locker,with out having to worry about spray or rain when sailing or on anchor if the anchor locker hatch is opened slightly allowing air to pass through the boat,so that any water will drain to the bottom of the anchor locker.

Now that ain't a bad idea, is it going to be a fiberglass cover, part of the deck that can be propped open or a hatch.

See, I don't know much about Cats

[atoll]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

Our foreberth hatch, the biggest one, opens forewords (in other words, full on into the wind). That is so we can get maximum airflow through when at anchor. It does mean that we can't have it open on passage, since we always forget to close the darn thing when it picks up, but if there is any sort of breeze, we get plenty of circulation through the other hatches which are all rear opening.

I guess that makes us bi.

i guess being able to use the forward facing anchor locker hatch,which can stay open in most normal conditions ie rainy or spray should give us the best of both worlds.

though on anchor forward facing hatches really do pump the air through the boat.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Now that ain't a bad idea, is it going to be a fiberglass cover, part of the deck that can be propped open or a hatch.

See, I don't know much about Cats

it is a forward facing fiberglass flush deck hatch above the anchor locker,that shares the fwd cabin bulkhead,where i intend fitting a a lewmar port that is sealable.

here are a couple more photos the last one gives you an idea of the ventilation via the anchor locker,this was before the bulkhead was put in place.

[cwyckham]

That observation bubble by the mast is dead sexy.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

That observation bubble by the mast is dead sexy.

how about these "Bad BOYS!",arrived today,and are of a seriously solid construction

[SaltyMonkey]

They are very nice, but you should face the forward aft and the aft forward and the sideways left and the left sideways right, at least I learned this from Boaty.

And once you are done make sure no water can come in from a rogue walking the deck. I use a firehose with a wind machine.

[thinwater]

Forward. I have a cat and I can't imagine cabin top hatches facing aft. Bows and anchor lockers, yes for the same reasons as monos, but not cabin top. Do you really get spray up there with any frequency? At those times you will simply close them, since ventilation is not a problem in high winds.

Cats are different. Green water that far up on deck only happens when the hatches should certainly be closed.