Deck Latch Tartan 3500

Our Tartan 3500 came with flush mounted cylinder cam locks on the anchor and propane lockers.

When we first bought the boat, these were corroded beyond repair. I tried soaking in kerosene, vinegar, fresh water.... but could not free the cylinders.  I even purchased a replacement set from Tartan.  These locks were manufactured by Accon Marine and from what I can tell are only suitable in a non-marine (salt-water) environment.  The locks are of poor quality and only lasted a few months.




What a challenge to find the right latch - I finally found the perfect replacement.  As much as I wanted the square frame, I ended up going with a round compression lock that claims to be waterproof and resistant to salt-water, corrosion.

http://www.gemlux.com/catalog/2-Locking-Compression/5124-1432

There were several challenges – my anchor locker deck thickness is 15/16”; propane locker is 1 ¼”.  Many of the locks are limited by the deck thickness of 13/16” (.88).  To add confusion, the offset to the mitered groove in the locker is 2 ½” and propane locker is 1 ¾”.  I need adjust ability from 1 ¾” to 2 ½”.  Then there’s size of the arm, though I could always cut it shorter.

What finally influenced my decision was the Gemlux online calculator,  

http://www.gemlux.com/catalog/latch-compression  

After spending too much time looking at the mechanical drawings and technical specs for several of these latches, I found their calculator and voila -  they have a flat plate for thicker decks, and various shaft lengths and cams. 

Customer service was outstanding and very patient as I sorted through variables such as deck thickness, grip, cam length, offset,.... Although I wanted the similar squarish flat frame, the sales guy at Gem Products told me that the square locks are fading and people are going with these compression locks.  Claims to be waterproof, which hopefully will keep my anchor locker dryer.  Amazing customer service.  I'm looking forward to finally having a secure anchor locker.

Installation should be pretty easy.  These locks require a 2" diameter hole cut in the deck, using a hole-saw.  This seems a lot easier than cutting odd-shaped holes for shaft, routing out the recess, etc. Now that I found the proper configuration, it should be very easy to install.  

Don

Intuition - Tartan 3500 - #115