I've removed my wind instruments, depth, log etc. from a cowling on deck ahead of the main hatch due to damp and water ingress. I'm now trying to decide whether to return them to the same position with improvements to the housing to make it more weathertight or to mount them in the cockpit adjacent to the hatch in a more traditional fashion. Can anyone give me advice on the pros and cons of each option.

Gordon

We have a few GK,s here in Scotland,on the Forth, and a variety of positions of instrumentation.
Most common location seems to be on the bulkhead beside the main hatch/washboard ,but as we all know the crew/great unwashed just lurvvve to hang around here,obscuring all the information, rather than perch their ickle oversize asses on the high side where they should be; rant rant rant etc

One of the GK,s (Going Koncern) has mounted his on a bridge piece that spans across the top of the sliding hatch. I reckon he made it himself from exterior ply ( Scots, so too tight for marine ply) and sheathed it in epoxy and faired off all corners so it looks pretty cool and groovy.
Seems to have no probs with it and he can be encouraged to spout forth about it for a good hour or so at the merest hint of crticism so be well warned.

In essence...... his is the most sensible, but dont let him know I said that!!

Yep, if previous owners hadn't put mine on the bulkhead I'd do same and put over the hatch.

Crew knees get very close to them when bracing against the bulkhead to wind winches...makes me nervous ($$$'s) and of course it only takes a lump of rope tail to cover up the digits.

Of course digits are further away when on the hatch, but at least some of the rail crew can look at some numbers as well.

I'd like to go all racy with a big thing stuck to the mast that can be viewed clearly from space, but missus says no.

Still a compromise with hatch mounting............learnt many years ago that the person who is blocking the depth reading whilst sat in the companion way is the first to smash his teeth out when you stop suddenly when hitting the rocks......maybe that's irony for you...

Cheers,

Keith in Singapore

I'd stick with the separate mounting across the top of the deck / hatch (from memory, that's pretty much what Hurly Burly / Margarita has ?).

The first log I had on Gate Krasher was smashed due to the crew putting a knee into the display whilst cranking on the deckhead halyard winches, and i've never trusted the bulkhead mounting since !

Crew....winching from within the cockpit.......sacrilege; don,t they know that the bit from the blunt end of the boat to the slidey door is all mine ( the helm,s) and the rest belongs to them (especially the bag of fun hung at the pointy end!!)
Sod ,em; ban them from the cockpit cos they only break things....you know it makes sense!!

Thanks everyone, I think that comes down in favour of sticking everything back in the pod over the hatch. Ask the audience is certainly an easier option than trying to figure it out for yourself. My crew are generally little more than indolent ballast but I love them all the same.