Helm Station Hatch Project Part 1

When you're sailing somewhere and out in the elements all day or all week, the sun, wind, and rain start to wear on you. I decided to complete the bimini and design and install a helm station hatch so I could slide some protection over me.

Privilege catamarans have always had an awesome design on the helm station where it doesn't require an extra little hard top covering and poles to hold up canvas to enclose the helm station. All you have to do is slide the hatch open if you want to stand up and get a good view, or slide the hatch closed if you want to huddle in protection when the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Unfortunately, Bliss originally had a soft top bimini but one of her owners opted to replace that with a hard top - thank you previous owner!!! This hard top has molded fiberglass rails as if it was an option to include a hatch but that option wasn't opted for. 🧐

That made it easy for me to decide to finish the job and install a sliding hatch made out of 3/8" tinted acrylic and t-tracks that are normally used for various controls around a sailboat. Tracks allow you to move cars up and down that have attachments for blocks (think pulleys) or to create a moveable attachment point (how self-tacking jibs are possible).

Enjoy watching me troubleshoot how to install a track on two curved parallel lines with only 2mm of inaccuracy allowed. No problem at all! 😅

Sit back and relax since, if I mess up, you don't have to worry about it!