Chapter Six: cabinets, Lockers, Hatches, and Storage Space Hardware
We all have things on our boats that we're quite used to, and even if we dislike how they feel, operate, or where they are, we keep and use them. Sometimes, this is to our unknowing detriment. Often, these are things we use every day, and how we use them has become natural muscle memory and routine. We might not even notice that they're not comfortable or ergonomic, that they don't move in a natural way, or that they're not in a practical position on our yacht. Worse, we might not even notice that they're unsafe or hazardous.
This topic is about cabinets, lockers, hatches, doors, and storage areas that are examples of some of these possibly unsafe and/or dangerous things I've mentioned. It's about how these spaces function with their accompanying hardware and how they can present unsafe scenarios or hazards—either actual physical hazards to you or your crew or hazards to the seaworthiness of your boat, which, of course, are also hazards to you and your crew's safety. And remember, you might be used to how things operate on your boat (which doesn't mean they're safe), but your crew probably isn't familiar with anything on your boat.
Some of the things we're going to discuss may exist on your boat, and it may seem like there's no problem with them. It could be that you're so used to using them you don't even notice there's a problem. Or it could be that you've never even considered how they function and how that might translate to real-life scenarios under which they haven't been tested, making you unaware of their hidden dangers. Or maybe you've felt like you didn't like a particular aspect of something but always felt it was too much of a hassle to replace or change—or maybe even that it was irreplaceable—so you live with it. I would urge you to take a look at these things we're going to discuss and seriously consider the solutions we're going to provide when fitting out your yacht and even changing them if they already exist on your boat.
Because here's the thing, and I can't stress the importance of this enough: nothing—and I mean nothing—should be able to get away from its place when underway, especially if there's weather approaching. This means all compartments need to have secure closures or closing mechanisms. These closures and mechanisms must stay closed no matter what. No matter how the door or hatch opens and closes, it needs to work perfectly, be operated safely to prevent injury, and absolutely stay closed. They also need to be operated easily and quickly by everyone on board, including those who aren't familiar with your boat. I always suggest a tour and tutorial for all new crew on where everything is and how to get to everything, including how to operate all latches and all the closing and locking devices, especially if they're unfamiliar types of devices. Basically, you want to let everyone on board know how to operate all cabinet and storage area hardware and what's in those cabinets.
This may not seem like a seriously important topic, but I can assure you it is. I am very passionate about this. These seemingly simple things, left unattended, could injure you or jeopardize your life in a bad seaway. I also see that very often, even seasoned sailors aren't aware of these dangers or live with them, knowing they exist but not changing them for any number of reasons. I've said this before: in every picture I've ever seen and every story I've ever heard after a yacht has been knocked down, the skipper and crew always say the same thing: "Below decks was a dangerous mess!"
Latches and other closing mechanisms have criteria they need to meet in order to have safe and effective operation. Here's my list of criteria for hardware, and we'll follow this with a list of examples of inappropriate mechanisms, devices, or closures.
Criteria for Hardware
They need to keep the locker, hatch, or cabinet closed no matter what. They must not be able to be opened from the inside by objects falling against the door or the latch.
The mechanisms should not stick out any more than necessary to avoid hitting your elbows, knees, or head.
They should not be "knobs" or have hooks or any other types of shapes that can catch on clothes or cut you.
They should not have restricted areas that you have to stick your fingers into in order to operate the door or locking mechanism. Examples include finger holes—or worse, finger holes with the locking mechanism inside the hole—or small rings you have to pull out of an indent to put your fingers through.
Bypass doors need a mechanism to keep them closed.
Examples of Inappropriate Hardware, Latches,
And, Closures
Ball catch (or what I call a knob and ball bearing catch): Can be pushed open by things inside the space.
Elbow Catch: Can be opened from inside. They also are generally used inside of a door requiring the reach-through finger hole in the door.
Hold-down clamps (or what I call thumb latches): Can catch on your clothes, be flipped open, and you can hit your knee, elbow, or head on them.
Ring latches: Can get stuck down, making them difficult to open. They can also stay up and catch your toes or flip up and catch your toes. Some have small tongues that don't latch well and can break your finger.
Ring lifts: Can get stuck down, making them difficult to open. They can also stay up and catch your toes or flip up and catch your toes and can break your finger.
Hooks: Can flip open, have a sharp point, can catch your clothes, and can cut you.
Bolts: Can catch your clothes, flip open, and can get corroded and jam.
Holes In Doors: Can break your finger.
Finger holes with a locking mechanism inside: Can break your finger and are ergonomically uncomfortable. Usually an elbow latch inside.
Adjustable Ball Catch
Elbow Catch
Hold Down Clamp
Pull Ring Catch
Pull Ring Lift
Bolts
Hooks
My Favorite Cabinet, Hatch, And Locker Hardware
So, let's now take a look at some appropriate solutions to close and keep closed cabinet doors, hatches, and lockers.
For inset doors, I like a very simple turning latch. They are two-part pieces of hardware. One piece is simply a catchplate; the other is the mechanism with one moving part. The catchplate goes on the operable door, and the mechanism goes on the fixed part surrounding the door. When the door is closed, the mechanism is simply turned to stand over the catchplate, on which there is a tiny "nub" that keeps the turning mechanism in place, and the door is secured. They are simple, strong, practical, and safe because they keep the door closed. They are also low profile, so they can't catch on your clothes or knock your elbow, knee, or head.
For overlay doors, I like a clever, flush-mounted, push-in, pop-out turning knob. It has a tongue on the one end of the device that's through the door, which catches on the provided metal catch mounted on the cabinet's frame. The knob turns in both directions, is very ergonomically comfortable, easy to grab and turn, and when not in use, it pushes and clicks in to be almost completely flush with the door. Again, this eliminates the possibility of hitting your elbow, knee, or head on it. They come in several materials, although I like the black plastic material best, partly for aesthetic reasons and partly because they won't corrode. They are still quite strong.
Quick-release pins are basically clevis pins with a ball bearing tensioned in their end that can be released with a push-in button on the operator end. The operator end also has a flange to wrap your fingers around, and some have a small hole in the flange for a lanyard. These are perfect for bypass doors, where you can drill a hole through both doors at the overlap, insert the pin, and both doors are kept closed. When open, the pin can hang right there on its lanyard, ready to be re-inserted in the doors.
These three types of closing mechanisms will cover most of your cabinet and locker closing and securing needs below decks. In some cases, one or the other might also be able to be used on larger doors, such as the door to the head.
For hatches—like those in the sole of the saloon or lazarettes above decks—I prefer lift-and-turn latches or compression latches, depending on the usage, either above or below decks. The compression latches are watertight, the lift and turns are not, and both can be bought in locking and non-locking versions. They fit into holes in the hatch drilled at either 2" or 2 ½", and they fit with an almost flush finish. They do have a pull-up ring, which I'm not super stoked on, but the rings are not tiny, and you only have your finger through them for a second to pull it from its indent; your fingers actually wrap around the ring to operate the mechanism. They also snap down and stay down well, they will not spring up on their own. They are adjustable, have a long threaded stem the catch goes on, enabling them to fit a wide range of hatch thicknesses and can be adjusted to pull down quite tight. As well, these are made of stainless steel, and depending on which brand you buy, they are of high quality, so they won't corrode, getting stuck closed and becoming difficult to open when you need them to operate the most, or getting stuck in the up position with the ring sticking up. I bought Gemlux, and I am very pleased with them!
The importance of the compression latches being watertight means they are perfectly suited for above-decks use in lazarettes, where you don't want any water ingress. These latches will cover most, if not all, of your yacht's needs for securing hatches above and below decks.
Caution: Do not buy the cheaper plastic or metal ones called “slam-latches with plastic parts for hatches or lazarettes. They are "okay" for below-decks cabinetry, but they have small rings for operation. I much prefer the aforementioned devices for their simplicity, longevity, safety, and strength.
There is another unique system for holding only small hatches in the saloon in place. It is not suitable for larger hatches with any amount of weight, or lots of stores beneath them. It involves using a bungee cord or two, stretched tight to the hatch from an attachment point in the compartment they’re covering. The bungee should be stretched quite tight, leaving only enough stretch in the bungee to lift the hatch just enough to remove the bungee from its connection point on the hatch. It is a clever system, but has its limitations in that, as mentioned, it shouldn’t be used for larger, more heavy hatches, or on hatches with a lot of gear below them. Most appropriate for spaces that house things that need to be accessed such as transducers, or through-hulls.