Do you leave your top hatch open while running at cruising speed?

[Richard C]

Hello CSR fellows!

Question ???

The admiral and I are not agreeing on leaving the forward cabin top front hatch open while cruising (our cruising speed is 17 knts / 24 mph). It is secured with two brackets and quite heavy but I'm afraid it would rip off or break at some point. Anyone running with their top hatches open but securely tighten?

Same for the smaller one located above the forward head, do you leave it open while running at cruising speed?

:smt100

Thank you for your input! Smooth sailing everyone!!!

 

[sandydlc]

I think that the risk of damage to the hatch makes it inadvisable to run with it open. I would vote to close and latch it while underway unless you're only running at idle speed (<7 knots). We would never run with ours open while at cruising speed.

So, who is happier with my answer? You or the admiral?

Sandy

 

[MonacoMike]

If you are in a situation where it is unlikely to have water splash on the bow just leave it up an inch or so to push air into the cabin.

MM

 

[Dani-Lu]

Going slow, no problem. At cruise speed you are risking ripping the hatch off - I wouldn't do it.

 

[shinsr]

Do not run at speed with it open - I always kept it closed and locked - one day the detailers had opened it to clean around it, forgot to lock it down, and while underway it popped open and broke the main lock down arm. Just took he right direction wind to get under it....

 

[skibum]

I only run with it open at no wake speed.

 

[ASH]

I had one blow open and break the glass....Expensive mistake. It was closed but not locked.

 

[Robski97]

Not Advisable
Rob

 

[HUMPH]

The funny thing is, if you read your owner's manual, I believe it tells you to open the hatch and close your cabin door to create pressure to not allow CO to migrate into the cabin??? We run with hatches open while going 20kts quite often. It keeps diesel exhaust out of the cabin and runs a high volume of air through the cabin to keep it fresh. Of course hatches are closed when in seas that get the top sides wet. There are thumbscrews on the hatch arms to hold them in position.

 

[Bob & Sue]

We run with hatch open at cruise speed about half the time keep the 2 knobs tight while open unless there's container ships around burying our bow.

 

[aerobat77]

i ran it secured in a partial open position many times at any speeds and can assure you the wind by far is not able to break the brackets. another story to consider is of course when you take a wave over the bow.

 

[Carpedmman]

I will only run with the hatches latched or in the "Vent" mode (Open about 1/2-3/4") the likelihood of the hatch blowing open and smashing on the deck is NOT a boating issue I want to deal with on a sunny day.

 

[Gofirstclass]

I usually have mine open even when we're running on plane.

Funny story/confession of my sins--we were coming out of Portland, OR with the hatch open and secured by the thumb wheels. The water was calm and we were running on plane. After going through the lock at Bonneville Dam the wind picked up, blowing hard on our bow. The further upstream we got the harder the wind was blowing, and before long we had spray coming up over the flybridge.

Oops, after an hour or so of that I noticed I still had the hatch open. We got to about Hood River and closed the hatch and when we got to The Dalles, a distance of about 90 miles, we pulled in for the night. All of the bedding and carpets in the fwd stateroom were soaked. We had to pull everything out and hang the bedding to get it to dry. Fortunately there was about a 30kt wind at 100* blowing and it dried everything in a hurry. The bad thing is we looked like the Clampetts of Beverly Hillbillies fame.

 

[copb8tx]

I've run with the hatch open on every Sea Ray I've owned and never had an issue as long as the two thumb wheels are secure. If it's rough, choppy or windy I'll close it but other than that I like having the fresh air pour through the cabin.

 

[SloBurn]

I usually run with it opened about 1- 2 inches. Unless it's extremely windy or if there's a chance of taking a wave over my bow, which I don't think has ever happened. It is locked in place with two thumbscrews, of course. But, I'm on a lake where the chop never exceeds 2 feet, usually.

 

[dpmulvey]

Hello CSR fellows!

Question ???

The admiral and I are not agreeing on leaving the forward cabin top front hatch open while cruising (our cruising speed is 17 knts / 24 mph). It is secured with two brackets and quite heavy but I'm afraid it would rip off or break at some point. Anyone running with their top hatches open but securely tighten?

Same for the smaller one located above the forward head, do you leave it open while running at cruising speed?

:smt100

Thank you for your input! Smooth sailing everyone!!!

Your speed conversion is a tad off. 17 knots = roughly 19.6 mph. The force is less on than the hatch than you think. If you are worried, put a tie down strap over the leading edge of the hatch to counteract the effect of the wind or a failing thumb screw. FWIW, I've run at cruise with the hatch open an inch or two with no issues.

​

 

[Richard C]

We really got mixed opinions, now need to decide what to do or not do ... Definitely do not want to experience what hapenned to ASH.

@Sandydlc: I prefer to keep the hatch lock and close but the admiral insist to leave it open to let the fresh air in and cool down the cabin. You know, usually the admiral always have the last word!

 

[AMFM3]

I have ours open frequently. Never had an issue.

Mark

 

[Fly'n Family]

Never had an issue, though admittedly I'll only run it about 3" open and I boat on a mellow lake.

Also, 1 knot = 1.15 mph so 17 kts = 19.56 mph.....

 

[Bob & Sue]

 I prefer to keep the hatch lock and close but the admiral insist to leave it open to let the fresh air in and cool down the cabin. You know, usually the admiral always have the last word!

You seemed to have answered your own question.
Hatch open happy cruise.
Hatch closed not so happy cruise.