Cowl Vents and Dorade Boxes: How Can I Add A a Shut Off?

[CarinaPDX]

For years I would just push a small towel up inside to slow the air flow. Also, I finished off the hole through the overhead with a 4" deck plate which allows me to completely seal off the inlet, which I have needed to do on occasion. When I did some work on the old teak boxes a couple of years ago I replaced the deck plates (plastic does get old and brittle after a few decades) with new ones and added a short bit of plastic sewer pipe on top as a further baffle. I have been thinking about installing a dead light on top of the dorade, above the pipe and deck plate, to provide some extra lighting in the forward corners of the saloon. While the ring is white the plate itself is clear so light could enter even if closed off. During the winter with strong east winds I close off one dorade so I don't blow out the heat too fast, although towels would serve as well.

Greg

[C38]

I just bought these for my boat.
https://www.ahoycaptain.com/plastimo_47822.html
Comes with a nice closing feature.

[Manateeman]

I’ve got to hide my iPad so the crew can’t read these posts. They stuck big plastic spiders in the dorade down pipes on top of the towels...so this morning I pulled one of the towels out and jumped about three feet straight up.
They laughed for hours. Not funny. I’m cutting the rum ration.
Mark

[Tom_F]

Thanks everyone for the input.

@Mark, that sounds like something my crew would do to me, too. Agree you should cut the rum ration.

[George DuBose]

Sometimes in storms, I put a Nerf ball in each of the Dorade scoops that always face aft.

The PCA inspector said I had to add "butterfly valves" under the openings in the overhead in the head and main cabin.

The butterfly valves are not 100% waterproof, but the Dutch inspector said that they would "slow down" the water ingress.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Tom_F

Thanks everyone for the input.

@Mark, that sounds like something my crew would do to me, too. Agree you should cut the rum ration.

Maybe
https://www.vetus.com/en/ventilation...tor-14538.html
I liked them, but won't keep a wave from going down into the cabin.
Boatyarddog