My engine room has a big hole

[HeadedToTexas]

For access from the pilothouse, that is.

Like virtually so many trawlers of this size, accessing the engine room means pulling up one or more hatches in the sole of the pilothouse. They aren't heavy, but they are awkward. I typically lean the forward hatch against the wheel while I do my checks or work, then replace it after climbing up out of the engine room.

As my Mariner 37 is hull #3, I envy the modern Helmsman features like the hinged, gas strut assisted hatches and ladders down into the engine room. That is, until I got ready to pull the trigger on installing a piano hinge on the forward hatch.

Sitting on the pilothouse floor with my feet dangling through the open hatch, it occurred to me just how much narrower the entry would be with that hatch taking up 6 inches or so. Even more if I installed gas struts to assist in opening and closing. That hatch "in the way" would also take away one of the places I hold onto when lowering in or climbing out of the engine room. I got cold feet.

How do you Helmsman 38 guys get in and out with that hatch "in the way?"

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Put another way, does the strain of removing the engine room hatch outweigh the reduction in access created by the hatch occluding about 10% of the entry?

 

[Comodave]

We had a Trojan that had huge and bery heavy hatches in the salon to the engine room. I could lift them up but then the problem was where to set them so that they were stable and didn’t fall on someone. I did the piano hinge and it made it easier to lift them and with a small hook they stayed in place when they were open. No danger of them slipping into the engine room or falling on someone. But they were probably 36” wide so access was not an issue.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

The main engine room has two hatches, but I only ever need the forward one for routine checks, oil change, inspections, and anything I've ever had to do. Suppose the rear one is for transmission or turbo maintenance and I will get to that in time. Neither is too big to lift or manage for now. And it occurred to me that to test the difference, I can lift them up and hook them in place piano hinge or not.

The generator room hatch in the salon sole is a different matter. It's twice the size and weight and there is not a convenient spot to hook it to when tilted up whether I install a hinge or not. The generator room is also half the depth and access is far easier. I'm thinking that a hinge in that one makes more sense.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I have to remove and store my hatch whenever I need to go below. Doing so has caused a few problems, especially when the boat is more crowded with people or supplies but that would be an issue with a hinged hatch also. I did almost fall into the engine room once while carrying the hatch out of the way, it was bad.

I never considered hinges but is is something to consider.

pete

 

[FWT]

If you look closely at the H38 website, the gas struts are installed in a way that does not use much of the side real estate.

It also doesn't appear you have a ladder down into the engine room. If not, that would be a valuable upgrade.

The hatch in the main salon normally doesn't have a ladder down. I am having one installed. The older I get, the more I will appreciate that.

 

[fgarriso]

It sure is nice having a walk-in engine room.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

It also doesn't appear you have a ladder down into the engine room. If not, that would be a valuable upgrade.

The hatch in the main salon normally doesn't have a ladder down. I am having one installed. The older I get, the more I will appreciate that.

Apparently Mariner didn't install ladders. I'm sure one is in my future, though I will sure miss the ease of getting around down there when the bottom of the ladder is taking up important sitting and maneuvering space. Do you remove the ladder once inside?

My plan for the generator room is to build a step over the generator start battery box. Better protection for the battery and easier entry.

It sure is nice having a walk-in engine room.

Oh heck yes. That would be great. The Mariner/Helmsman does have an entry off the day head, but that's all knees access. I had the best intentions of using it, but found myself never using it. Such is life.

 

[Comodave]

I put a ladder in our last boat. It was removable so when you got down you just lifted the ladder a bit and it came out of the brackets so it wasn’t in the way. Worked great.

 

[rslifkin]

No ladder in my engine room, but I've got a platform under the hatch. So you climb down onto the platform (which makes for a reasonable height to climb up and down) and then either down another step into the space between the engines, or crawl off the side to get elsewhere.

 

[FWT]

"Apparently Mariner didn't install ladders. I'm sure one is in my future, though I will sure miss the ease of getting around down there when the bottom of the ladder is taking up important sitting and maneuvering space. Do you remove the ladder once inside?"

Yes. The top rung fits over hooks. You will see some promo pics with it on and others with it off.

 

[FWT]

It sure is nice having a walk-in engine room.

Sure would be nice. Not sure any such thing exists in a 38 ft. LOD boat. If so it would be a pretty tall boat.

 

[chanprr]

Apparently Mariner didn't install ladders. I'm sure one is in my future, though I will sure miss the ease of getting around down there when the bottom of the ladder is taking up important sitting and maneuvering space. Do you remove the ladder once inside?

My plan for the generator room is to build a step over the generator start battery box. Better protection for the battery and easier entry.

Oh heck yes. That would be great. The Mariner/Helmsman does have an entry off the day head, but that's all knees access. I had the best intentions of using it, but found myself never using it. Such is life.

My 38E had a two rung ladder for engine room access from the PH. I ordered a three rung one to make it easier to step down and back up. Check with Van if you're interested in having one made. It will come with the necessary stainless steel ladder hanger and cups to set the base of the ladder on the floor plate. The ladder is removeable.

 

[Helmsman]

I have been in and out of the engine room quite a bit in the past three weeks. The ladder is a real asset. It is removable, and can be placed out of the way, when I work down there. The gas struts placement is a non-issue. They don’t affect my access in the least.

I think the arrangement works well. You may want to measure the size of the opening, and compare that to a current Helmsman. If they are the same size, then adding gas struts and a ladder would be a positive upgrade for you.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I now make sure the hatch is not simply lifted up and balanced back. I had one fall on my fingers. Fortunately, I had three fingers all "evenly" smashed by the edge of the hatch so none of them broke, which amazed me. I felt that accident for a couple of months. I've also had the experience of stepping into the hatch opening. I didn't fall completely into the ER, but fell far enough to twist my knee. Took almost a year before it felt right again. I now consider the open hatch like there is a bear trap on the floor (after he moves his beer at 9:40).

I haven't come up with any solutions, other than extreme caution.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

I hadn't seen this for gallery image on the Helmsman website, but it's the same as I remember and among the few ways to install gas struts that have enough power to help with the hatch. Between the thickness of the hatch still in the opening, the not quite vertical angle it rests when up, and the space lost to the gas strut, the amount opening lost for access just isn't worth (to me) the convenience of the hinged approach.

To enter the engine room, I lower myself to sit on the pilothouse floor facing aft using the helm seat and raised floor of the pilothouse settee for support. My feet go to the filter bracket on the engine until I come to rest on the floor, then I hop down the last several inches to the engine room deck. Having that hatch and strut in the way would mean no support from the raised settee floor and maybe 8 inches less width to the entry. I suppose a ladder would change all that. Do you guys face starboard when descending the ladder?

 

[Helmsman]

I hadn't seen this for gallery image on the Helmsman website, but it's the same as I remember and among the few ways to install gas struts that have enough power to help with the hatch. Between the thickness of the hatch still in the opening, the not quite vertical angle it rests when up, and the space lost to the gas strut, the amount opening lost for access just isn't worth (to me) the convenience of the hinged approach.

To enter the engine room, I lower myself to sit on the pilothouse floor facing aft using the helm seat and raised floor of the pilothouse settee for support. My feet go to the filter bracket on the engine until I come to rest on the floor, then I hop down the last several inches to the engine room deck. Having that hatch and strut in the way would mean no support from the raised settee floor and maybe 8 inches less width to the entry. I suppose a ladder would change all that. Do you guys face starboard when descending the ladder?

Yes, the ladder is on the starboard side.

 

[Jeff F]

I've also had the experience of stepping into the hatch opening. I didn't fall completely into the ER, but fell far enough to twist my knee. Took almost a year before it felt right again.

Same here. It's easy to do.

 

[psneeld]

On my old boat, the quickest way down into the engine room was flip open one hatch, let it lean against the saloon table, step down onto the exhaust manifold (about 1/2 way down) and then step onto the nice wide engine room decks I cleared of all other equipment.

If really rough, I did think occasionally about hinges/gas strut for that hatch.

I never seemed to travel in really rough stuff enough to get around to it.

 

[rslifkin]

On my old boat, the quickest way down into the engine room was flip open one hatch, let it lean against the saloon table, step down onto the exhaust manifold (about 1/2 way down) and then step onto the nice wide engine room decks I cleared of all other equipment.

If really rough, I did think occasionally about hinges/gas strut for that hatch.

I never seemed to travel in really rough stuff enough to get around to it.

That's basically what I do. If it's rough I tend to lay the hatch supposed down instead of leaning out.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

This is exactly where I see myself ending up.

On my old boat, the quickest way down into the engine room was flip open one hatch, let it lean against the saloon table, step down onto the exhaust manifold (about 1/2 way down) and then step onto the nice wide engine room decks I cleared of all other equipment.

If really rough, I did think occasionally about hinges/gas strut for that hatch.

I never seemed to travel in really rough stuff enough to get around to it.

That's basically what I do. If it's rough I tend to lay the hatch supposed down instead of leaning out.

 

[Lepke]

I walk thru a door.

 

[fgarriso]

Get a VERY short crew member.

 

[AlanT]

It sure is nice having a walk-in engine room.

+1

 

[AlanT]

I walk thru a door.

 

[Delta Riverat]

On ours, there is a little door in the mid cabin. The entry position is to sit down and put your legs through, then bend forward and proceed forward until you can sit on a fresh water tank. This is "rest position one" and you are looking aft between the engines.

Rest position 2 is aft sitting on the waste tank and looking forward. Yeah, you can't stand in the engine room, gotta walk bent at the waist. Getting out you walk bent over and put a knee down (on the 2 inch think pad) and pull yourself out.

Yeah, walk in stand up engine room? I'm gonna need a bigger boat -

 

[Barrie]

I have the same boat as yours. First thing i did when I got it was install piano hinges on all floor hatches, even the generator space. Also installed a ladder that is easily removed. The space reduction to enter the engine room was 3". Non issue. See photo.
The best money you will ever spend.
Barrie

 

[Sharpseadog]

Me too

I now make sure the hatch is not simply lifted up and balanced back. I had one fall on my fingers. Fortunately, I had three fingers all "evenly" smashed by the edge of the hatch so none of them broke, which amazed me. I felt that accident for a couple of months. I've also had the experience of stepping into the hatch opening. I didn't fall completely into the ER, but fell far enough to twist my knee. Took almost a year before it felt right again. I now consider the open hatch like there is a bear trap on the floor (after he moves his beer at 9:40).

I haven't come up with any solutions, other than extreme caution.

I once stepped back with hatch open and landed my back on the filter plate on top of the engine. Still not sure how I didn't hit my head on the edge. Mariner Seville Pilothouse 37 hull #7). My Raymarine tech apparently grabbed the open hatch while climbing down and dropped it on his hand. No broken bones, but lots of stitches. I have since made up a short piece of paracord with a loop on both ends. I thread this through the hatch handle and put both loops over the adjustment knob on the pilothoue table. Although the hatch is pretty stable in upright position, the cord is a simple extra safety margin. I un-loop it from hatch handle and leave it with both loops over the knob for storage. As far as entry goes, I face aft, put one hand counter top and other on table pedastle, then step on to the filter plate with right foot, then onto a small folding stool with left foot. I reverse this when climbing out, still facing aft. I leave the stool in the E/R to sit on when checking oil, etc. Easy to fold and set on pilothouse floor if I need more room. This works for me. ️️??

 

[Slowboattochina]

Our one-off Lien Waa 45 motorsailer has the same problem. For quick checks, I can access the side of the main engine from an opening hatch in the companionway to the aft stateroom. Anything besides that i have to lift the heavy non-hinged hatches in the pilot house. I thought about putting hinges and struts but the hatches would hit the pilothouse wheel. No ladder to climb down but i can reach it because I am 6'5. Once down there it is tough because I am 6'5.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

I have the same boat as yours. First thing i did when I got it was install piano hinges on all floor hatches, even the generator space. Also installed a ladder that is easily removed. The space reduction to enter the engine room was 3". Non issue. See photo.
The best money you will ever spend.
Barrie

The ladder must make a big difference. I take it you set the ladder aside once you’re down in the engine room?

Do your piano hinges stick up at all from the top surface of the hatch and floor when the hatch is closed?