hatch doors

[sportskiff]

how do you folks hold them open ? I have an idea, but would like to see what you folks are using,
thank you, old ranger

[Fillet1]

old ranger - Which hatches? Front deck on a DLX?

[sportskiff]

:-[ eek, er, YES the 2 on the front deck, i have been watching the better half wrestle with em,and am thinking there has to be a better way. old ranger

[Harry]

Not sure how yours are set up Ranger, but on my DLV gravity usually holds mine open. They swing up and over from one side and just hang down.

Like I said, not sure how yours open, but am eager to hear what you have up your sleeve.....Do tell.

[Harry]

Aren't the DLX hatches on the "front of the deck? The DLV are in the top.

[Fillet1]

How about those ss spring hatch supports?

[sportskiff]

;D  yup the dlx hatches are hinged at the top, so when ya go in, they rest on you. what i been thinking about is  screen door spring. I plan to cut a bigger one 1/2 dia or so, into 5-6" long, twist an eye into the end,hook both eyes thru an L- bent piece of alliminum ,40 thou or so,attach one to the side of the hatch opening, the other to the hatch door, would hold it open, then ya push on the side of the spring to"fold" it and the hatch will close. What you folks think??? they make such a goodie??????????
old ranger

[Harry]

Sounds good.

But what about those shock type holders like I have on the back of my SUV (blazer) that helps hold the rear window hatch up?

I've seen thosed used many times on some of my buddies boats to hold open hatches.

[Fillet1]

Old Ranger -

like this:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/104079/0/0/hatch%20spring/All_2/mode+matchallpartial/0/0

[Coach]

Old ranger - What size/type motor do you have on your 2180 DLX? How does it push the boat?

Coach

[fishlind]

Are the hatches through bolted or screwed in? If so, maybe you could remove the fasteners and rotate the hatch 180 degrees. This would let the hatch hinge down. Just a thought.

[sportskiff]

Hello Fishlind,
the wife lays down and belly crawls into the hole, as does the kid, as I am SHORT, ROUND, I can't reach all they got packed in the bow. They'd break 'em off (or I would), I think I am going to make something out of a ss screen door spring, lift an it stays open, them gas struts are neat, but they shure cost a pretty penny, and how long would they work?? I've had the like on my cars for years now and always resorted to vice grips to "hold em open", not much confidence in the things. Need something cheaper and something that wont fail. Let ya'll know how it works.
sportskiffgimp

[chumhead]

I was thinking about a set of the spring supports that hold it up until you bend the spring allowing the hatch to close, but I have found out that I really don't go in there enough to worry about it. Spring hatch supports would be the low cost, no maintenance way to go, IMHO.

chumhead

[dcc134]

I'm not sure if this is the kind of hatch that you are looking for.

[FLboy3]

I turned mine upside down and it works great. Try it, you can always turn them back if its a problem.

[sportskiff]

Hey flboy3,
my "crew" (term used LOOSLEY here) would think that they had "new steps" to the front deck. We put a swim platform on and these folks still climb over the motor..............am now thinking of hygrolifics (old timy drawings) 'cause they cain't read.........easy to draw stick figger with engine crushing it, HUH?????
Good Idea though, really is. I gotta "idiot pruf" it ALL.

:-X :-X :-X Reggie