Pneumatic Spring for MK II Cockpit Locker

[Steve Sayian]

I want to install a pneumatic spring on the cockpit locker cover.  It's fallen on my daughter's hand a couple times because she doesn't have the strength to open it.

Has any MK II owners done this retrofit and if so what is the weight of the locker cover and what did you use for the pneumatic spring assembly.

Also, if anyone out there has a newer version of the MK II and it has the spring installed from the factory, can you give me the mfgr and p/n of the assembly if you can see it.

Also going to write Catalina and see what they say for the mfgr, p/n.

Thanks much,

Steve

[Ron Hill]

Steve : Don't know of anyone that has put a pneumatic opener on that locker lid. 
I'm not too sure what you'd attach the bottom side to or how??

Most of us have come up with a tie around the winch from the hasp eye once the locker is open, so it can't just inadvertently fall down.

[Steve Sayian]

Ron,

Yup, I do that but it's the weight of opening the locker cover that I want to overcome.
Appreciate the tip.

Hope you enjoy your time on the water.  I'm extremely jealous!!  I'll be there in 3 years!

Thanks,

Steve

[Stu Jackson]

Steve,

If she can't raise it herself, then you need a pneumatic lift.

I've had success with these:

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=11151&partNumber=120030&langId=-1&searchKeyword=hatch+holder#.UZgmm8qS_yA

You could try looking into West Marine's search feature and maybe find a pneumatic one.  Since my favorite boat store is ACE Hardware, you might want to also consider that and/or an automobile store.  They have ones for hatchbacks that should work.

[Roc]

Steve,
Funny you started this post, but I was just thinking about the same thing!!  Would like to hear if anyone has any ideas, but my MkII came with a wire tether with a plastic hook that I attach to the lifeline.  It's a pain to always hook the tether, but it works (there is also the same thing on my anchor locker).  Having a pneumatic gas-charged spring would be nice.  However, the tether keeps it up.....but doesn't help with the weight of the locker lid.  I think the earlier post about the WM spring can be dangerous.  If the spring is knocked somehow, the lid will come crashing down.

[Stu Jackson]

Roc, you're absolutely right.  If it's hit, it comes down.

The real issue is finding a pneumatic holder.

Not so hard, they're out there, but not necessarily at boat store.    Try Pep Boys or O'Reilly or Napa auto stores.

[Steve Sayian]

I know the spring your talking about and that's not what I was thinking about.  The issue I have is not knowing the weight of the locker cover to properly size the lift.

This is what I was looking at with the mounting brackets.  Would possibly mount one on each side of the locker cover.

http://www.amazon.com/SUSPA%C2%AE-Spring-Strut-Shock-C16-04270/dp/B0041EBSTS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1368957709&sr=8-4&keywords=gas+springs

[Stu Jackson]

Steve, I'd venture to guess that even the smallest one would "work" since it is gas filled and would both stop the hatch from slamming and keep it up when extended.

Unless you have a spring scale to weight the hatch, you could lift it and then compare it with a known weight, like a small anchor or something you're sure of in terms of weight.  That'd be close enough.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : You can go to any auto parts store and they have an entire rack of pneumatic struts of many sizes.

The problem still remains on what/how you are going to attach the bottom end to inside that locker?? Remember there's a lip (to keep the water out) all the way around!!  A thought

[Fred Koehlmann]

I just tried my fish scale on the lid, and it bottomed out at 7lb. before it would lift. I'm guessing the lid is in the 14 to 24 pound range. Looking at the attachement issue, looks like you would need to glass a block into the base to get the strut mounted. You would really need to experiment as to whether you want it forward or aft so that it doesn't block access to the sides of the locker too much.

Cheers, Fred.

[Clay Greene]

Don't know if the hatches are the same but on our Mark I boat I glued a wood block on the bottom of the lid with 5200 and then screwed the end of the arm into the block. I did the same thing on the side of the hatch. Works fine. I got one of the spring arms from WM but in retrospect the pneumatic arm would have been better.

[Steve Sayian]

Clay,

Sounds like exactly what I want.  Do you have any pics, and how big (weight carrying capacity) was the arm?

Steve

[Clay Greene]

Sorry, Steve - I just saw this.  I will take a picture tonight when I am at the boat.  It was a larger version of this West Marine-branded product. 

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=14243&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=50667&subdeptNum=50680&classNum=50683

I couldn't find the large version online. 

I did see that WM had lots of pneumatic springs available. 

[Steve Sayian]

Thanks Clay!

[Clay Greene]

Here is a photo of our hatch arm installation.  Nothing too sophisticated - just two oak blocks glued to the fiberglass surfaces for 5200.  I let it set for a week before I screwed the arm to the blocks.