Flipped doors

[rwp48]

My wife asked what we should do on Father's Day so we went down to the boat and did boat chores! Actually, it was so darn foggy that we couldn't see to get out of the slip.
After installing four spring hatch holders on the fish boxes on the transom we turned to something that has been bugging me since we bought the boat a year ago...the doors on the lockers of the jump seats in the wheelhouse. I've never understood why those things are hinged at the top. When you open the door it's in the way, blocking your access to the locker. You have to get down on your knees to get into the locker...stoopid.

I put a screw tip on my little cordless drill and got a box-end wrench to hold the nuts on the back and went to work removing the doors and frames. Easy-Peasy. And then, miracles of all miracles, when I flipped the frames over so the hinges were on the bottom, ALL THE SCREW HOLES MATCHED UP!! Double Easy-Peasy!! The lockers are soooo much better hinged at the bottom. The access is wide open and easy to put the tools and stuff in and out. If you haven't done this, try it. It will change your life.

I've been doing boat projects for for 50 years and I've never had one go this smoothly. Usually a one hour job takes one day...a three hour job takes three days. Kinda scares me to think what payback awaits me on my next project.

 

[flyhigh123]

mine open on the bottom. maybe they put yours in backwards? lol or maybe the previous owner of my boat flipped them around

 

[shawnee83]

Lol Randy. I'm right there with you on this. The larger hatch (right) to my storage under my bench seat was the same way. I flipped mine a year or so ago. Sooo much better. Sometimes it's the little things as they say. Like you, I always scratched my head as to why they ever mounted them that way. I let it annoy me for about the 1st year and a half of ownership before I got around to flipping it to opening from top down. The one on the left in pic is for Plano boxes and they mounted it as it should have been. Go figure? Pics from when I was purchasing boat.

 

[Brent]

Thumbs up!

 

[WestCoastNut]

Mine opened the same way, the smaller hatch flipping down and the larger flipping up. Thought it was the stupidest thing then finally realized I could flip it over, which I too did. I also removed that Plano holder insert which freed up space.


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[djam]

I was wondering if this is to avoid having it flip down on you on accident.

 

[sydngoose]

haha: awesome thread. Your excitement is contagious. Great job as always sir. I appreciate your post.

 

[duckbutler]

I did this last night too! Awesome! Thanks for pointing out the holes lined up! I just cant believe I let that latch nob/pin dig into my arm so many times! :roll: I've only had mine 3 yrs..