Hanging Storage Box

[wkisting]

Hi all,

The forward area on our CS20 (under the forward hatch) is so large we've never really stowed anything there because it is hard to reach down inside that voluminous area to retrieve anything. I finally got around to working a solution: a hanging storage box (approx. 15-1/2"W x 13-1/4"L x 14"D) that fits right beneath the hatch lid. As it turns out, this is a handy place to stow our spare anchor (a 4-pound Fortress Danforth-style anchor) so that it can ride securely and still be easy to access when we want it. I'd definitely recommend this if others have had the same trouble... it's very handy for stowing things within easy reach of the hatch opening.

Now, if only the warm weather would come back to Georgia...

[Jeff MacDonald]

That's awesome, Wes. You've definitely earned the right to place the title "Tinker" after your name.

[ecgossett]

That's awesome, Wes. You've definitely earned the right to place the title "Tinker" after your name.

Any construction details? In noticed the rope on the inside of the box..

- Edward

[wkisting]

Any construction details? In noticed the rope on the inside of the box..

Sure... The box rim is made from 5/4" x 2" Fir, and panels of 1/4" Okoume ply for the sides and bottom. Small thickened epoxy fillets (no need for FB tape) hold it all together (I used tape and a staple gun to hold the box together prior to glue-up). For the grab handles (rope), I drilled a few holes in the box sides just under the rim, then laced the rope through and tied knots to keep the rope in place. There are two small ledges attached inside the hatch rim for the box to hang on. To make the ledges, I cut 1/2" wide strips out of a 3/16" thick cutting board (I wanted something light, waterproof, and scuff resistant for the ledges). Then I screwed the ledges onto the inside of the hatch rim (on the fore and aft faces inside the hatch rim). The box rim creates a 1/2" wide lip all the way around the outside of the box, which sits nicely on the ledges but allows the rest of the box to pass through the hatch easily.

The key to a good fit is to build the rim so that it is exactly the same size as the internal dimensions of the hatch, minus about 1/8" in each direction for clearance. You can probably tell from the picture that I made a small pivoting coverplate to cover the hole for the anchor shaft in case we want to close it up for some reason. The other hole is to allow the hatch lid hold-down bungee to pass up through the box. Once the bungee is passed through that hole, you can attach a carabiner clip or screw on a small stop block to keep the bungee from slipping back down through the box bottom.

We kind of lucked out on the vertical dimensions but it is sized so that when the hatch lid closes, the hatch cover just barely makes contact with the mud palms at the head of the anchor, keeping it from shifting or bouncing around. We probably need to add some soft rubber to keep the palms from scratching the underside of the hatch lid though. Otherwise, it is perfect for our needs. I really like this anchor, so I'm thrilled to have found a way to carry it assembled without it scuffing the interior up or being stowed in an awkward place.