Hatch Installed

We have completed the replacement of the Lewmar hatch with a new Maxwell "Offshore" hatch. The new hatch was slightly bigger than the old one so we used a rough paint-remover disc on an angle grinder to take 8mm off each axis. The new hatch has four handles and can be latched and unlatched from the deck unless the handles are in the "lock" position. Note that we took the opportunity to reverse the hatch, partly for the obvious reason of minimizing the risk of spray and more serious water entering the boat, and partly to avoid an opening problem presented by the chain plate just aft of the hatch that supported the baby stay that was removed to accommodate the radar. (Edgar said that the angle between the baby stay and the mast was so sharp that the effectiveness of the stay was questionable. We rely on the inner forestay to steady the mast.)

Today we installed a second midships bollard on each side of the boat. These bollards are slightly bigger than the existing ones and are backed by thick stainless steel plating. The idea is to have one bollard for the forward springer line and one for the aft springer. ... When I purchased Pachuca she had no midships bollards.