Does anyone else think it is not the government's job to decide which way a hatch is hinged?
if this is a gov't regulation it is saying that the hatch must open to blocks the wind means the cabin get little airflow when at anchor ... which to me is one reason that the M17 has a forward hatch. the US gov't (and the persons that elect the gov't) love the idea the a safe and risk free world can be legislated. much like the wonderful sticker i now must have in the cabin of my M15 that says that CO kills ... REALLY!?!? the pamphlet that came with the sticker not once talked about sailboat or pictured a sailboat. add to that the majority of the pamphlet talked about the dangers of swim step surfing ... david scobie M15 #288, not yet named Tom Jenkins <tjenk@gte.net> wrote: My M17 hatch is hinged forward, which I think might keep the unwary from scooping up a big dollop of green water down the hatch. Either way, I concur that the headstay is too far to reach from the hatch. How about wearing one of those nice combo life jacket/harnesses, and snap temporarily to the pulpit or to a transverse line between the teak handholds? You might even be able to rig a miniature jackline. Fact is, though, I suspect that most folks will find lots of things to wedge against while working the deck on a little boat like this. Does anyone else think it is not the government's job to decide which way a hatch is hinged? Tom Jenkins --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.