Head ventilation

[mregan]

Looking to install some ventilation in the head.  There is a solar vent but with the dodger on it doesn't get enough sunlight to operate.  Any other options?  We typically keep the door shut while underway and it gets rather warm inside.

[Kevin Henderson]

Not certain if it was a standard installation in later models, but my '88' has a small hatch located in the head.  (By contrast, the aft cabin has a solar nicro vent) .

I've attached a picture to try and show how mine is installed.  FWIW.. I cannot imaging the head NOT having a hatch like this for sunlight and ventilation.   

[mregan]

Thanks
I was thinking of a small hatch but wasn't sure if it would fit.

[Ron Hill]

mre : Some people have put in a small Beckson hatch in their 1986's (standard in most 1987s and subsequent) and some have also cut in a side Beckson port into the head side fixed port.

A few ideas

[patrice]

Hi,
I have the same set-up as Kevin on our boat.

And, yes the solar vent does work under the dodger.

[n624ma]

We installed a Lewmar (Size 0 ?) on Cynosure (1987) this winter. I removed the solar vent and put the existing hole in the cutout for the new hatch, it's close, but it hah adequate clearance on the handrail and the winch. Pretty easy project (after you get the nerve to drill the first hole in the cabin top) I made a template to locate the hole saw locations for the corner radius's then just connected the corners with an oscillating saw and finished up with a sanding drum. the whole cut out job took about 2 hrs including making the template. Then I cut back the plywood core with a rotary file and sealed it with thickened epoxy.

The interior trim and screen is sold separately.

[mregan]

Did you find the opening port in the head wasn't enough ventilation.  I need to replace my fixed ports and my other option was the cutting a port into it.

[n624ma]

The port in the deadlight provides some ventilation, but you can't leave it open in the rain. The overhead hatch is under the dodger so it can be open in the rain ( we are either on the mooring or at anchor 99% of the time we are on the boat). With the drop boards in the companionway there is a low pressure are in the dodger so even in the rain the overhead hatch is reasonably effective.

Of all the Catalina 34's we looked at while shopping all the ones with the port in the deadlight had cracking radiating from the port cutout. We are planning to replace all four deadlights this winter so we gt a head start by doing the overhead hatch this haul out.

[TonyP]

You can see our hatch in the YouTube link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DmVP18aeSk
If you pause at 3 or 43 seconds, you can see it opens the opposite side to m624ma's hatch.
We leave it open with the handle catching on the teak rail 24/7 under the dodger.
I presume it was an original factory item on our '92.
cheers
Tony