Plastic Classic Forum

I'm planning on removing the death lockers on my early Triton and either making top opening cockpit lockers of installing some sort of sealing hatch. Anyone have pictures of a late model hatch door or pictures of how they built their own? I'm figuring I need some sort of lip glassed in around the opening that can take a seal since my goal is to make the cockpit water tight.

John
Triton Yawl #15 Silver Girl

Mine was done by a previous owner. It has two lids on both sides. Basically you start with a flat top. cut out your opening. Build a recessed box 1" deep and attach to the bottom side of the hole you just made. Build a rim around that out of 1" X 1" material set in 1/2" from all sides. Mine was made out of wood. Now cut out the inside of the recessed box from that rim. Make a lid to fit. Trim out a water way on each end.

I am doing this from memory but I can take some pictures tomorrow.

Personally I think a sealed side hatch made proper is better. A 1" lip completely around the cutout epoxied to the inside. This could be made out of marine grade plywood 5/8" thick. The total piece would be 3" wide on all sides. Use a very thin seal on the 1" lip. Use 3/8" plywood for the door with a lip routered out for the depth of the side panel. make it into a fiberglass part 1/2" lip over the side panel. hinges on bottom clasps on top. Or you could just fit it into slots on the bottom and clasps on top. Much easier and better access. Plus no water is going to get in.

Dan

My late model Triton cockpit storage lids:





Note: there is a gutter along the sides and outboard edge. The gutter is about 2 inches deep across the outboard edge (the 'back' of the lid). The gutter along the two sides slopes down (excessively so in my opinion) to allow the water to drain into the cockpit well.




Now... if I were to make new lids... I would be sorely tempted to make some nice teak lids finished bright. Those are on my 'might be nice' list; probably at least ten years into the future.

bcooke wrote: Note: there is a gutter along the sides and outboard edge. The gutter is about 2 inches deep across the outboard edge (the 'back' of the lid). The gutter along the two sides slopes down (excessively so in my opinion) to allow the water to drain into the cockpit well.

My cockpit locker lids on my Renegade are virtually identical They are not water tight (they would leak if submerged) but very water repellent. The slope of the gutter on the sides may seem excessive, but it means they work even when healed over. I think it is a great design.

bcooke wrote:Now... if I were to make new lids... I would be sorely tempted to make some nice teak lids finished bright. Those are on my 'might be nice' list; probably at least ten years into the future.

I keep all my projects on one list. Unfortunately ones like this and my new fancy inlaid salon table seem to keep slipping down the list as other items get added. I don't even try to estimate when they will make it to the top any more. Hopefully your estimate is conservative Brooke.

Here are the pictures from my Triton. I forgot to take pictures of the lids.

Dan

Teak cockpit locker lids finished bright surely do look wonderful - that's what Weatherbird had and I always loved them. But there is a downside - they're downright slippery, and often wet, and regularly walked-on! On Weatherbird we usually had them covered with cushions, so it wasn't such an issue - but when we didn't I had to pay attention to navigating them to make sure I stayed aboard.

Just something to consider. I still wouldn't change them if I still owned Weatherbird, but there is a downside.