How to secure lockers?

Discussions about Cape Dory, Intrepid and Robinhood sailboats and how we use them. Got questions? Have answers? Provide them here.

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Steve Laume
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Joined: Feb 13th, '05, 20:40
Location: Raven1984 Cape Dory 30C Hull #309Noank, CT
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How to secure lockers?

Post by Steve Laume »

Has anyone come up with an attractive method of securing interior lockers on our boats? There are all sorts of drawers and doors that would fly open if something drastic were to happen. Barrel locks, shock cord any ideas? When I look around my boat and imagine a violent shock it would be a total mess. A knockdown would be downright disastrous. I suppose that would be the case even if all the lockers were secure but at leat there wouldn't be as much of a mess to clean up. It would be great if there was a very simple piece of hardware that would solve the problem for all the doors. Any good ideas out there? I am seriously considering this Bermuda thing, Steve.
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Sea Hunt
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Location: Former caretaker of 1977 Cape Dory Typhoon Weekender (Hull #1400) "S/V Tadpole"

Post by Sea Hunt »

Steve:

I am not familiar with the interior cabin and cabinet configuration on a CD 30C so the following may not translate well to your sailboat.

On several commercial dive boats that have a lot of interior cabinets, drawers, etc., they run a metal stick down through metal brackets screwed into each drawer (or down through each of the drawer handles) with backing washers, etc. The metal stick is bolted to an "L" shaped floor bracket at the bottom and to a similar "L" shaped bracket near the top of the cabinet or drawer. This seems to work well even in what I would consider some very rough ocean conditions.

Of course, the above is not very aesthetic but on long range commercial dive boats aesthetics is the last thing anyone thinks about. :)

For your upcoming Bermuda trip I am sure there must be a less intrusive method to secure interior cabinets, drawers, etc. Have you looked at any of the books by the Pardeys (sp :?: ). They have a LOT of experience in ocean voyagers.
Fair winds,

Robert

Sea Hunt a/k/a "The Tadpole Sailor"
CDSOA #1097
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eb1smith
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Joined: Jan 16th, '06, 11:44
Location: Cape Dory 31
s/v Larissa

RE: How to secure lockers?

Post by eb1smith »

Steve: I am looking at putting a little piece of wood to secure the locker doors on my CD-31. I saw them in an article from Blue Water Sailing. The idea is that they would be about two inches long and would attach above the door and you could rotate them down to secure the door. For the drawers I use an eye-strap and bungee for securing them, and for the bilge opening I use a flush turning lift lock handle.

Fair Winds.
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bottomscraper
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Location: Previous Owner of CD36 Mahalo #163 1990
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Something like this?

Post by bottomscraper »

On Mahalo we replaced the original drawers under the V-berth with hinged doors that fold down and latches similar to the ones below. I purchased mine from eBay.


Image

I don't know anything about this supplier below but the prices seem reasonable, they also have lift handles that look like they might work well for bilge access panels.


http://www.marinepartdepot.com/dring.html
Rich Abato
Nordic Tug 34 Tanuki

Previous Owner Of CD36 Mahalo #163

Southern Maine
http://www.sailmahalo.com
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Ben Thomas
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Location: 82 CD30 Milagro Hull #248

Secure lockers/drawers

Post by Ben Thomas »

http://s405.photobucket.com/albums/pp14 ... =slideshow

I used the barrel bolt approach for all the drawers and cabinets that contents were dumped out at times. Alarming to hear that crash from down below when adrenaline is pumping at the helm.
It involved some removal of trim and a small backing plate for the body of barrel bolt to ride on, bringing it on same plane as the face of drawer or cabinet.
Three V-berth pull out drawers were removed and face of drawer reinstalled with piano hinges on bottom edge. 1/4" baltic birch base was laid in for bottom of new areas. Increased usable space.

Happy with barrel bolts, just have to remember to latch them.
Ben
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dugout
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Location: Maryland's Famous Eastern Shore

Post by dugout »

Steve,
Ben provided some great pictures. It looks like your trip to Bermuda has begun, :wink:

Every boat is different and what is contained in a locker usually dictates how you want to fasten it. Heavy items will test enclosures more than light stuff.

For this leg of the journey, I'm going to give one piece of advise.
Get these two books. They are chuck full of info for what you are doing.
The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat, By John Vigor
Offshore Sailing, 200 essential Passagemaking Tips, by Bill Siefert


These books will not cover how to find canned butter in Bora-Bora but both are clear, concise, and to the point of how to prep a boat for offshore, and most importantly, the mindset needed. Once you have the mindset, the goals are always in the back of your mind and it will change the way you approach most projects and you will develop systems that work for you and keep you safe.
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