Securing companionway offshore

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

I have the same arrangement now. Looking for a simultaneous inside AND outside solution.

If you currently have a bolt.... then the spring loaded bolt with pull lanyard solution should pretty much drop in.

[sanibel sailor]

Except my bolt is at the Forward end of the hatch, likely done this way due to the thin shell and desire to hide attachment screws under the spray hood. See picture in post 1

[Breaking Waves]

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

Except my bolt is at the Forward end of the hatch, likely done this way due to the thin shell and desire to hide attachment screws under the spray hood. See picture in post 1

Probably the very least work solution for your situation is the “two ball lock pin” solution. You have two ball lock pins stowed in little mounts above and below hatch, a hole for the pins to go thru the sliding cover into a small L bracket with hole screwed to side rail just below cover. Works from both sides like : You stick a pin in to lock cover, and person on other side of hatch can stick their pin in to push yours out and open it. Is approved solution.

Otherwise the spring bolt could be made to work, but yes, probably easiest to move to horizontal orientation mounted on sliding cover, rather than string lanyard from that bolt location.

[psk125]

Have been thinking more about this. K.I.S.S. Drill a hole through the frame and dropboard that goes from the outside to the inside of the cabin. Get two snugly-fitting clevis-type pins or rods that will slide into the hole to lock it, with lanyards to keep them conveniently nearby, one inside and one outside. Pushing the pin in from one side will lock the board(s) in place. The pin on the other side can be used to push the first one out, and then be pulled out as well, so the board(s) will be unlocked. The pins stay either inside or outside, and the boards can be locked or opened from either side, or left unlocked with the pins hanging. This type of pin https://hardware.schaefermarine.com/...oducts_id=3810 might not be long enough, but will give the idea. A small block might be installed to drill the hole through if the frame of the hatchway called for too long a hole.

[sanibel sailor]

The two pin deal may work. There is a significant gap between the outer edge of the slider and the rail. Might make finding the outer hole with the pin difficult as it will need to be done blindly. I might be able to add a block with a funnel shaped opening to the inside of the hatch to guide the pin in. Pushing pin out from either side would be easy. Holes in rail/hatch could be covered with tape to prevent water ingress during normal conditions.