Hatches at Night, Open or Closed

[Happ]

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

Are you sleeping on the boat at night, or are you away?

I wouldn't leave the hatches open while I'm away. Not only is it a risk for burglars or whatever, but I'm also not going to be confident enough in a weather forecast to leave them open...

If I'm sleeping on the boat, I would certainly leave the hatches open in good weather. If someone is coming onto the boat, I find it hard to imagine I wouldn't wake up. Plus, how many thieves are really going to enter a boat that's obviously occupied?

Maybe I'm just naive, and to be fair I certainly have only taken my boat to places with safe reputations. But I've also never heard first or second-hand of a boat being robbed while the crew was on board - we call that piracy, don't we?

In the mid 80’s I had sailed singlehanded across Lake Michigan and arrived in Chicago about 2a in the morning at my mooring. I was exhausted and went right to sleep. I was awakened when I heard footsteps onboard. I scared the person on deck off the boat but the damage was already done. The had slashed my inflatable up to get to the dinghy outboard. The outboard was gone and the inflatable was no repairable.

[Amapola]

We close our hatch at night so we don't have to scramble to close it in the middle of the night when it starts raining. It's in the forward cabin so it doesn't provide much ventilation in the main cabin anyway.

[michaeld]

Check https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/ for reported incidents and safety information. I opine I have more chance if being robbed at home than at sea.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by michaeld

Check https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/ for reported incidents and safety information. I opine I have more chance if being robbed at home than at sea.

I agree, it’s mostly thievery at the moment, but beware that the past shows this can change drastically quick into violent and often deadly attacks. There are hotspots that could be avoided but those spots are some of the most popular among cruisers (which is probably why it happens there). Examples: Rodney Bay, St Lucia or Rio Dulce, Guatemala.

[AlanT]

Originally Posted by wingssail

We've always kept our hatches open (and the huge bow hatch faces forward). This included a circumnavigation and visits to 35 countries. We were boarded during the night in Shilshole Marina in Seattle and Sydney Superyacht Center in Australia. (both times when I appeared naked and yelling the intruders literally leaped off the boat in fright).

We thought about bars, never got around to adding them. Occasionally we secured the hatches partially open (without enough room for a person to enter) and hoped the noise of an attempt would alert us, but we never had a problem.

Lucky, I guess.

+1 Sailed halfway around the world and back. Kept hatches open while aboard and when the weather suited open hatches. Boarded once, at night in Barcelona. Heard him land on the deck (rear master cabin med moored) and like you appeared naked and yelling. He retreated off the boat carrying a pair of my deckshoes. Installed an alarm system after that with pressure pads, never used the damn thing. It was a one-off issue and I am not paranoid.

~Alan

[delphys44]

A well secured bar across a large hatch would likely protect your cabin from an intruder dropping in while you are on board at night; equally well as it will prevent you from leaving the cabin through the hatch in case of an emergency like a fire.
I personally would rather deal with the former problem versus the later.

[zstine]

Originally Posted by delphys44

A well secured bar across a large hatch would likely protect your cabin from an intruder dropping in while you are on board at night; equally well as it will prevent you from leaving the cabin through the hatch in case of an emergency like a fire.
I personally would rather deal with the former problem versus the later.

it is very easy to design a latch that can be operated from inside, in case of fire, but cannot be opened from someone reaching in from on-deck.. especially if the person on deck doesn't know how the release is designed.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by zstine

it is very easy to design a latch that can be operated from inside, in case of fire, but cannot be opened from someone reaching in from on-deck.. especially if the person on deck doesn't know how the release is designed.

Indeed. Hint: it’s those without safety measures claiming nothing is needed or it’s even better without. They need that to comfort themselves

[dc9loser]

Motion detector lights either Solar powered or wired.

As for a weapon, a sharp sword is legal and deadly. Its actually faster and deadlier than a firearm and will appear as a decoration to the authorities.

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Indeed. Hint: it’s those without safety measures claiming nothing is needed or it’s even better without. They need that to comfort themselves

may be some of that, but this is an international forum and there are folk here from areas that are not as dangerous & crime-ridden as where you are (paradise ? really ?)

we have different experiences hence the different responses

cheers,

[sailorboy1]

some people are so scared I wonder how they can sleep anywhere

[MAJICDAN]

Open with security bars that easily unlatch and swing down from the inside.

[Saleen411]

The only time I kept the hatches closed without aircon was in St Lucia. One night we were the ONLY yacht moored between the Pitons....sitting ducks if you will.

It was a miserable hot night as our generator had pissed out all it's oil earlier that day, but safety first.

Open hatches also means bugs and rain....closed with ice cold aircon is the ONLY civilized way to go. hehe ...oh, and electric toilets. No composting litter boxes or manual pump things on my boats...uh uh...no way!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by chrisr

may be some of that, but this is an international forum and there are folk here from areas that are not as dangerous & crime-ridden as where you are (paradise ? really ?)

we have different experiences hence the different responses

cheers,

For most people the Caribbean is cruising paradise. It’s probably really safe in Australia and New Zealand but from PNG north you’ll find trouble as well. Thing is that it can happen everywhere and being prepared is the right way to handle it. Like having a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, Epirb etc.

[MAJICDAN]

I have traveled the world for the last ten years and have found criminals are in every country that I have visited.. It seems like that the most boat related crimes were in Europe and Indonesia. I have not personally had that much trouble but I have seen many other boats that I have anchored around. I have had radios stolen from my pilot house but so far they have never made it inside.