Annie wrote:

David D wrote:And again being a circular hatch I can't pass up a circular disk up thru it to close off externally.  I would have to have disk stored on deck on a lanyard, or a folding disk?

David, have you ever come across those little pressure cookers with the lids that have to be slid on and then turned through 90 degrees to secure the handle and lid?  The lids are what I would term 'oval' although no doubt that is the incorrect geometric term.  To me, the obvious way to make a Hasler-type, clamp-down disc over the opening would be to copy this idea.  You could then put it up from inside, turn it and clamp it down.  Personally, I don't see why you couldn't use over-centre catches for this, too.

Excellent idea, Annie. Award yourself a gold star. The mating edges of the rings have to be accurately circular, so as to be free to rotate, but the aperture through the rings can be any shape you like, and oval or elliptical sounds good to me. Why has no-one done this before?

Arne wrote:

Yes, Annie,
you can of course alter the hatch arrangement any time you like.
Just a little word in defence of the sprayhood: Mine is held up with only one line on each side  -  no buttoning necessary, so it can be raised or lowered quickly. More often than not, I sail my Ingeborg with the sprayhood lowered, but when sailing upwind, and Ingeborg starts spitting spray (which she likes), I raise it. It also lets me stand up in the hatch when cooking or washing up. Remember, Ingeborg’s tiny cabin (139cm headroom) puts me on the borderline between serious boating and camping afloat (..rather closer to the last...)

You say you lower your sprayhood: well you are very much the exception to the rule here (but aren't you generally?).  So often when I go on boats it is perfectly obvious that the sprayhood hasn't been lowered in years, if only from the amount of clutter gathered underneath them.  The excuse is that folding it damages the plastic window ...

However, even if I wanted one, I don't think it would be ideal on Fanshi: they are much more suited to boats with side decks that allow you to fasten the sprayhood securely to the coamings and permit access down the side decks when the hood is up. 

David D wrote:

As you know I am exploring inserting a pram hood in my new sliding hatch/ conventional companionway Badger.

Annie and David T make excellent points.

If I can ask them directly, does water get in thru the seal at the rotation rings when water washes past?

I think you mean between the dome, or flat cover, and the fixed ring that retians the rotating ring? A downward facing lip, or a self-adhesive foam sealing strip, on the dome or cover, if it's a problem.

David T your security hatch is under the hood between 2 layers of hatch.  Where does water that hits that from rain or seas go?

There are drain holes in the main sliding hatch, out to the sides, and the inner slide has a downward facing lip on its sides. But solid water doesn't reach here when the hood is up. The only issue is when you forget to put it up, and it rains overnight; then you get a nice refreshing shower when you push it back in the morning. But note that to use this slide, the main hatch has to be twice as long as normal if the internal slide is to be fully enclosed. When I put in the mizzen mast, I had to shorten the main hatch, and then the internal slide protruded out of the front of it when slid open. When I took a green sea over the bow, some of it would find its way through the open front, along inside the hatch and down my neck.

I do like Annie's dome that clamps down but that won't work on my sliding hatch.  And again being a circular hatch I can't pass up a circular disk up thru it to close off externally.  I would have to have disk stored on deck on a lanyard, or a folding disk?  It could be more robust and dog down harder for security and weather tightness.  Is that the thinking David T?

I think the practical solution is a flat disc that is stored below, and can be passed out when the hatch is slid open and the washboards are not in place. A folding disc would need a waterproof hinge - not easy.

Teetering on the edge of small spray hood/ dodger with windows just the size of the hatch VS Hassler pram hood here.

All in all, starting from where you are now, I think the small sprayhood, with a total angle unfolded of 170˚ (or such that you can still see aft), with buckles to partially fold it at 135˚ (rather than the total 135˚ of the Hasler pramhood), would serve you well and be easier to make than a Hasler or solid dodger. Unlike a solid dodger, you can lower it to get at the rig controls without full body exposure - useful in foul weather. I find mine to be quite serviceable on Weaverbird. Yes, the Hasler is the de luxe option, but this is a good second best.

Yes, Annie,
you can of course alter the hatch arrangement any time you like.
Just a little word in defence of the sprayhood: Mine is held up with only one line on each side  -  no buttoning necessary, so it can be raised or lowered quickly. More often than not, I sail my Ingeborg with the sprayhood lowered, but when sailing upwind, and Ingeborg starts spitting spray (which she likes), I raise it. It also lets me stand up in the hatch when cooking or washing up. Remember, Ingeborg’s tiny cabin (139cm headroom) puts me on the borderline between serious boating and camping afloat (..rather closer to the last...).

Arne

Arne wrote:

Annie,
When seeing the cockpit and hatch layout, I start to wonder what your boat is meant for. I thought it was meant for coastal sailing and living on board in safe harbours. Now it looks as if you are mainly having ocean passage making on you mind.
Is it only me?

Well partly, I just can't help myself, Arne.  But in fact the pramhood is a wonderful thing for living aboard, coastal sailing or offshore work.

• Living aboard: the tidal streams run quite strongly round here.  In the summer you want a strong through-draught; in the winter you want ventilation without the rain coming in.  A pram-hood is the ideal way of doing both of these.  It is also a gorgeous place to stand in the morning with a cup of Lapsang Souchong while you watch the day awaken.  Even when it's raining you can smell and hear the new day.
  
• Coastal sailing.  I love the sun and can take a lot of it, but you can get too much of a good thing.  But when I'm coastal sailing I often want to be outside to watch the birds, the scenery and the other vessels.  From the shelter of the pramhood I have the same view as in the cockpit without being baked.  And, again, for winter sailing when the S wind is icy, it's nice to be able to shelter.
• If I do decide to go to the islands, I will be happy to have the pramhood.

Add to the above that I don't like sliding hatches: all the ones I have had to share a ship with have leaked.  The thought of fitting an alloy hatch +/- 1mm to the centre deck would have been enough to put me off, anyway!

I'm not fond of washboards, either.  If you don't immediately locate them somewhere secure, as soon as you remove them they rattle and slide around in an infuriating manner.  The choice of perspex is, I trust, self-explanatory.

I recall Jock McLeod telling us that the Blondie's ideas consisted of three, symbiotic concepts: the junk sail, wind-vane self-steering and the pramhood.  I suppose, just like the junk sail, until you have actually sailed with a pramhood, it's hard to understand just how wonderful they are.  In my case, I'm addicted to all three of the concepts.