Sea Hood

[commanderpete]

I'm going to be adding a Sea Hood to my boat. Here's a few links and pictures I had come across. Various ways to make one--wood, plywood, fiberglass and combinations thereof.

http://www.triton381.com/projects/re...n/decktrim.htm

http://www.tritonclass.org/mir/236seahood.html

http://seaweed.thebilge.com/slidinghatch.htm

http://www.pacificseacraft.com/cgi-b...tview.php?4417

I've been trying to think of the best way to secure it to the deck. Would prefer to bolt it through the deck somehow, rather than sending wood screws up from underneath.

I could easily bolt it on if the hood had an outward flange, but I don't want to do that.

I just want the hood to be securely attached, but capable of being removed if the need should arise.

[ebb]

hey C'pete.
[SORRY. Erased a bunch of blather here........]

[ebb]

C'pete'
Believe you've created a kind of rubric's sea hood here that can't be solved by anybody over 18. The only solution is a temporary one that would require one of your usual foredeck crew to sit on your forecabin with her frock drapped in such a way as to forestall the entry of boarding seas under your hatch. No flanges or fastenings required. No barrel nuts either!

[Tony G]

C'Pete,

How removable do you meanwhen you say removable? If you use something on the line of the Pacific Seacraft example youattached you could always remove the front panel and main hatch. That's prety removable. The side rails could be epoxied in place or even adhered with 5200... They say there is an agent you can use to remove that stuff now.

Part of me likes the traditional wood hood with a smooooth curve and tastefully contrasting wood species. Part of me likes a slick, low profile garage with a nice full instrument dash on top.

Eh, to each his own...

[ebb]

Got morn, dis is Carl here, shpeaking to you from Valhalla....

Yes, well, here's my input. Think the garage should look like the hatch with splayed sides and front, not a 90degree box you see a lot. Think it should be layed up inside a female form with frp. The splayed dish shape also would make it so much easier to laminate and remove from the form! Since there is a span, you can do it exactly like the hatch (assuming the Commander hatch is like the Ariel hatch) with a curved top which will keep it from deflecting, and adds enormous strength, when sat on.

It would be slim and tidy with a low profile because no plywood is used. 1/4 to 5/16" thick.

Tony's right on with the rise for the instruments at the open end, but you'ld have an up-flange here to act as a rib across the opening that would also be the breakwater and provide attachment for the bottom of the sunbrella dodger.

How do you attach the cowl to the deck? You could 5200 strips alongside the hatch and across the front. Let'e say 1 1/2 X 1 1/2" (wider on the bottom and smaller at the top) - they are shaped/angled exactly like the hood on the outer sides, so that when you mount the hood it slips snuggly down to the deck over these strips. Snug makes it strong.

Now comes the hard part:
Find some barrel nuts (would go for the 1/4" s.s ones from Jamestown*) you can glue into these strips (3 per side, 3 in front?) Attach the hood thru matching holes and wallawalla 'easy removal.'


* these require a 5/8" hole to be set in, a larger/taller strip may be required to comfortably take these. I would be very unhappy if the glue let go and the barrelnut decided to turn while I was unscrewing the machine bolt to take the hood off. Bummer. (the domestic alternative to the b.n. is called a T-nut. It has a wider flange for a 'head' and spurs that you set into the wood. Maybe find these in s.s.?)

So instead, one might consider including a metal bar attached to the wood rails, have to be 1/4" thick stuff for the threaded holes. Or maybe instead of long heavy bars, shorter rectangular pieces with threaded holes could be dapped into the logs and screwed on to match the hood's attachment points.

Poisonally, would break yer first rule and sneak in some lag screws (bolts WOULD be better) anyway along with the 5200 holding the mounting pieces on!!

Theryar bud, half done already

[ebb]

C'pete suh,
There is absolutely nothing better than a full size model of what you want. Seeing the problem from all angles eliminates future surprises. The first one can be taped together box cardboard using the hatch (with a suitable spacer) as the form) You can progress to poster board and white cardboard from the office supply store. From there you make the shape with doorskin or plywood. Then........

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Better idea than bloody screws,,,
Imagine that when you are putting the completed seahood in place you lay it down on the deck in place - but a few inches forward of where it's supposed to be. Then you push and slide it home and tight. You have engaged a number of angle(?) keepers that hold the hood from moving. You provide somewhere one (1) fastener to keep it from being inadvertantly moved forward - which would disengaged the hook keepers. To officially disengage you'ld stand in the companion way facing the seahood and give it a good shove. That is it, NO series of screws!!! Easy. You could take it home to admire it every time you left the boat. Can imagine it would be just as easy to separate it from the dodger, half a dozen snaps and wallawallawalla! HA!

[CapnK]

C'pete -

Did you see Ray Henry's (from the TSBB) job he did on Seaweed, his Nimble? The link is here:

Seaweed