Hatch Security

[oldvarnish]

I'm looking for good ideas for main hatch security. I have the conventional type - 3 vertical removeable slides and a sliding top.

I want to maintain ventilation in hot places, keep bugs out and, most importantly keep villains out while I sleep soundly.

All ideas welcome.

[ozskipper]

Internal lock on the new "vented" wash boards

Cheers
Oz

[GordMay]

MarkJ posted some photos & discussed his excellent “security wash board” (companionway security bars). I can’t find them right now, so you might ask him to comment.
➥ Cruisers & Sailing Forums - View Profile: MarkJ

[tager]

Atom Voyages has a little article on this very subject.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by tager

Atom Voyages has a little article on this very subject.

➥ Atom Voyages | Improvement Projects, Page 1

➥ Dodging Pirates in Southeast Asia - SailNet Community

[hellosailor]

In theory we all have hatchboards that can be secured from the inside (per ORC standards) and from there is isn't a big leap to securing vented hatchboards, if you want to carry a second set.

But you might look for a backpacking security mesh. This is thin stainless cable laid up like hurricane fencing, the idea being you wrap it around a backpack and lock it, so no one can pilfer the backpack. It would make a reasonable deterrent on a companionway or hatch while not being bulky.

For more positive security...you're into rigging some sort of bars or obstruction, or perhaps using some heavier stainless cable and a mess of crimps to build a heavier duty version of the same?

[BLUEwaterchaser]

I picked this up for my water go'er. I use the thermal sensors and have it set only to alert me and set off an alarm,as well as mark the last known position. I've only had one incident so far with a stray cat crawling through the hatch.

Solar Powered Security & GPS System solarTrac2 - $995.99 :

Its a dandy to use and set up, plus doesn't drain your batteries during the night as its self contained.

[BLUEwaterchaser]

To the original poster.
Have you thought about installing fans and close your entry points?

[MarkJ]

Have one of these knocked up



The hatch, I mean....



Mark

[swagman]

We had a second set much like Marks made for us in the Canaries before heading to the Carribbean. We found a window fitter with the aluminium cast mesh, and we got ours backed by finer netting to keep the bugs out.
Both the security washboard and our conventional washboard had the lock in it which latched up into our slider.
That made it really easy to reverse the washboard and lock it from the inside when overnighting in scarier spots.
Cheers
JOHN

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Have one of these knocked up

and put a better lock on it.............

[Kay Koudele]

We installed an 12V electrical alarm system that we could activate when desired. It had a presssure sensor pad that we could put on the floor of the cockpit under a throw rug, as well as the sensor beam for the open companionway. Any motion, or pressure on the floor would activate the alarm. In the tropics it's just too hot to close the hatches, even partially, even with fans. A cloth mosquito screen over the openings kept the bugs (and cats) out. We had one night episode in our 4 years cruising when it worked as designed and we were grateful for it.
www.kaykoudele.blogspot.com

[denverd0n]

One concern that I have with some of the security bar systems that I've seen is, what happens in case of a fire during the night? Will you be able to exit the cabin quickly enough?

If you put bars on all of the hatches that are large enough for a person to climb through, I really think you need to have some way to quickly and easily open them from the inside in case of an emergency.

[hellosailor]

"I really think you need to have some way to quickly and easily open them from the inside in case of an emergency. "

Explosive bolts.

For some reason, never never in stock at your local West Marine.

http://www.thomasnet.com/products/ex...6500201-1.html

Or from your local Mercedes dealer, they're using them to disconnect the gullwing doors from the new model, to allow for rescue from the inverted position. (Can't lift a gullwing door when it is "under" the car.)

[BLUEwaterchaser]

Explosive bolts!?! I do hope that was just a silly joke
I don\\\'t like the idea of the mesh guards either, I have been in one house fire where the dwelling was filled with smoke and its quite a chore to try and find a door let alone fumble with locks while trying to save your own life.