Message 13 of 13
Posted by member Marie O'Connell Hardy Editor on Sunday 23 February 2014

Hi again Roy, Why don't you send a photograph of it to me and I will slot it in somewhere in the next issue of the magazine? Just jot down a bit about it and email it to me. I will be interested to see it, and maybe someone will get in contact with you having read about it in THO. All the best, Marie HOC Editor

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Message 11 of 13
Posted by member Clive ffitch on Thursday 20 February 2014

Hi Marie, Sorry! Just picked up your post - we've been a bit pre-occupied with non-boatie-stuff recently, and just called back at last to the forum. Yes, very interesting in the HOC magazine... thank you very much indeed, a very pleasant surprise!!! Re the mushroom vents, we already have one on the foredeck hatch which so far hasn't caused any problems with mooring lines etc, but a good point! With the wheelhouse hatch/sunroof, we figured that not much will get caught up there, and will be going with that solution. We have opted now for a simple ply cover - I'm using 9mm which has just enough flex to fit easily, and will be securely sealed to the grp frame coaming. We have decided we do not need it opening, and will paint all up white to match the wheelhouse itself, with (for the moment) a simple manual mushroom vent of the same type as the foredeck hatch one. Simple solutions are often the best! Best, Clive

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Message 9 of 13
Posted by member Clive ffitch on Saturday 4 January 2014

Hi Roy, Just picked up your message - all sounds very interesting, and I'll email you separately re your teak hatch etc. The curvature had occurred to me and I was intending to go and measure quite how much it is - though it did not seem an issue on the Shorebase Red Pepper boat... or at least not a stated issue! 8mm polycarbonate was used in this instance, which definitely looks bent to shape in the pics. I think most hatches are acrylic which are maybe not so flexible. Only other option I guess would be the DIY thick Perspex route with the right thickness versus flex numbers. Clive

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Message 7 of 13
Posted by member Clive ffitch on Wednesday 1 January 2014

Hi everyone, Thought I'd revive this topic, as we need a new game plan for our wheelhouse/sunroof hatch on Adele. By the end of last season we were getting some mould starting to grow inside the canopy, which is a new one on the boat from the previous owner, and nicely tight fitting, but with the inevitable gaps around the outboard/well area. Warmth plus moisture on the mooring soon equaled a quick increase in mould by the time the boat came out of the water, and poor ventilation was easily diagnosed as the problem (see separate posting re mould and how it was easily removed). The cabin had absolutely no mould inside, as I had fitted a louvre vent to the upper cabin door at the beginning of the season, and a highly effective simple mushroom vent to the fore-hatch, which is always left a half inch open. So... I'm now after fitting a simple mushroom vent to the sunroof hatch to similarly solve the ventilation issues under the wheelhouse and canopy. Currently we still have the standard canvas cover, with some flimsy reinforcing slats, which could probably take a basic mushroom vent fitted into it, with a bit of a mod or two, but I also like the Red Pepper / Shorebase solution of a rigid cover (mentioned in earlier post below) in place of the canvas one. Easy to fit a mushroom vent to this. (See www.shorebase.co.uk/boating/hardy/hardy.asp ). I'm leaning heavily towards the rigid hatch + vent solution, but what are other members' thoughts on sunroof and ventilation? I don't see the point of an out-of-character and impractical (and expensive!) fully opening hatch in the top of the wheelhouse, and I gather the Bosuns have a rigid hatch anyway. Looking forward to others' thoughts! Happy New Year! Clive

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Message 5 of 13
Posted by member Steve Hook on Wednesday 18 February 2009

Hi Andy I have what your looking for fitted to my 1994 Pilot 20 A purpose made tinted glass in brushed alloy frame with rubber seals & adjustable opening strut.... looking back at the old invoices from previous owner it was ordered from Hardy Marine(2001)cost £261....also i did see some good looking glass/alloy hatchcovers on ebay last w/end that might be useful.....good luck Steve

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Message 3 of 13
Posted by member Dominic And Nicola Gribbin on Tuesday 17 February 2009

Hi Andy Force 4 chandlery, Purple Marine , Mailspeed etc....they all sell suitable marine-specific opening hatches of varying sizes/designs as you describe. Easy to fit. Beware of using non marine equipment. It will break up and rust away in short order. Also, take care over the choice aesthetically as the wrong 'look' of hatch could ruin the boat's lines. The Pilot is not a go-fast 'Sunseeker' so in my opinion, tinted hatches should be avoided at all costs. Dom.

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Message 1 of 13
Posted by member Andy Wells on Thursday 5 February 2009

The fabric cover on my Pilot 20's 'sunroof' hole in teh wheelhouse has finally given up the ghost and will need to be replaced. I'd rather fit a perspex, lift up lid, similar to a cheap sunroof on a car. Has anyone got any thoughts? Any one fitted one? Any ideas? I'd rather buy something ready made, and I definately want it to be openable, probably by unlocking it and lifting it up at the back to provide ventilation, and preferably with the option of removing it on very nice days. Andy

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