Standing on Lewmar hatch

[Fendell]

Hi All,

Long time lurker, first time poster so go easy on me!

On our road to setting off cruising in a few years, we Chartered a Leopard 40 recently and all the deck hatches had 'NO STEP' written on them. My question is are these designed to be walked on? the hatch above the master cabin is right at the feet of the winches/clutches etc, and not being able to stand on it was a pain in the bum.

At the time I assumed it was to due to it being a charter vessel, and was to reduce the likelihood of someone going through one. Thoughts?

[rslifkin]

Personally, even if I know it's strong enough to stand on, I consider all hatches to be "no step". I figure the extra weight on them can't do the seals any favors over time (squishing them down and making them not seal well). Plus, if anything flexes slightly in the hatch from being stepped on, the flex cycles will cause a little bit of fatigue and also end up shortening its life.

[Shrew]

My thought is, if you get in the habit of stepping on them, you incorporate that into every day life. Then when it's raining as you continue to not think about it, you step on that skating rink surface and end up on your arse. Now, you hope you didn't come down on something wrong and twist, sprain or break something in your attempt to minimize the fall. While the entire time whatever you were doing up on the bow to begin with just got put on hold.

I try to make it a habit to stick to the non-skid surfaces. Then when you're not thinking about non-skid, you're on it anyway.

[dfelsent]

Non-skid grip tape belongs on the hatches. They are dangerous otherwise.

[Fendell]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Personally, even if I know it's strong enough to stand on, I consider all hatches to be "no step". I figure the extra weight on them can't do the seals any favors over time (squishing them down and making them not seal well). Plus, if anything flexes slightly in the hatch from being stepped on, the flex cycles will cause a little bit of fatigue and also end up shortening its life.

Thanks rslifkin, totally get what your saying.

[Fendell]

Originally Posted by dfelsent

Non-skid grip tape belongs on the hatches. They are dangerous otherwise. Attachment 201157

The non skid is a brilliant idea, and something I will defiantly keep in mind down the track when we get a boat of our own. cheers

[Fendell]

Originally Posted by Shrew

My thought is, if you get in the habit of stepping on them, you incorporate that into every day life. Then when it's raining as you continue to not think about it, you step on that skating rink surface and end up on your arse. Now, you hope you didn't come down on something wrong and twist, sprain or break something in your attempt to minimize the fall. While the entire time whatever you were doing up on the bow to begin with just got put on hold.

I try to make it a habit to stick to the non-skid surfaces. Then when you're not thinking about non-skid, you're on it anyway.

Thanks Shrew, would hate to drop my beer or antipasto plate over the side!
In hindsight we did manage to operate the vessel for a week with out standing on the hatches, so I guess it would just become second nature. Cheers for the reply.

[Snore]

IN THEORY one can walk on a hatch. See page 13 of this Lewmar document https://www.lewmar.com/sites/default...-B1439_Eng.pdf

That said, I would avoid doing so if at all possible for the reasons stated.

[pcmm]

The only hatches I'd ever step on are the old Bowmar cast hatches that have the 2 support bars in them. Otherwise they are a no step zone.

[a64pilot]

I never stand on a hatch, I have seen others do it and it gives me the willies, cause UV has to make that plastic brittle with age.
But then I am used to airplanes and they have many no step places that would seem to be great places to step, like wheel pants for instance, so I don’t mind it.

I’m sure a Charter vessel has no step on them cause if they didn’t some 300 lb idiot would jump on one and break it, probably still will, but I guess if he does with no step on it, you can make him pay for it.

[onavegador]

Lewmar manufactures three lines of hatches. I thought that you may stand on a hatch provided:
a) it is medium line or better (ocean line)
b) as written in other posts, sufficient amount of non skid tapes are on the hatch
fair winds

[thunderhoof]

On my boat the small forward hatches are placed so that it is almost impossible not to step on them when working at the mast. I find they will take the weight if they are properly closed and latched. I have a habit of putting them in the intermediate latch position to get more ventilation in the boat when at the dock. I have forgotten to set them to the latched position when going sailing and now have two cracked (Lewmar Ocean) glass inserts.

...just a reminder.

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by pcmm

The only hatches I'd ever step on are the old Bowmar cast hatches that have the 2 support bars in them. Otherwise they are a no step zone.

That’s what my boat is equipped with. Fantastic quality hatches.

[dmalcol1]

Tnere is no way that one should be out on a dack danceing around afraid of stepping on a hatch or any other part of vessel. Atkins & Hoyle Ltd

[ggray]

This is most interesting to me, as I have been meaning to ask here if anyone knows of someone breaking such a hatch by standing/stepping on it. I expect this thread may answer the question!

I have eight such hatches on our catamaran, all with nonskid tape on them. Except for two, which happen to be the largest and over the engine rooms, it would be easy and natural to avoid stepping on, but in some conditions I wouldn't want to think they couldn't be stepped on.

These have white translucent lenses (right term??) which I thought would be more resistant to the crazing I see in transparent lenses, but I don't know if that's true. I believe the hatches are the Coastal series, not the Ocean series, but I expect the lenses are the same, which is what I would be concerned about.

I'm not too worried about the seals, just the hatch lens.

So does anyone know of a hatch lens breaking from someone stepping on i?