Install an Access/Compartment door on a 13 ft Scamp

[katmaicub]

Hello - I am looking to install an access/compartment door on my 13 ft Scamp.

It will go on the outside into the area underneath the passenger dinette bench -where the water tank usually goes.

I'm hoping that someone has already done this to a 13 ft so you can share your dimensions.

So if you have done this to a 13 ft my questions are:

- What size hole did you cut?
- Where did you get your Access/Compartment Door?
- Was it a locking door?
- Any suggestions from your experience?

Thank you!!

Gayle
1990 13 ft Scamp

[renewableart]

Hello. i have been doing a rebuild and i installed hatches to enter under the bed area of my 13ft scamp. if this helps i used a 12 1/2 x 8 1/2 inside measure boat deck hatch that i got off ebay. i used two hatces and did bothe sides of the scamp. with the curves that was the largest i felt i could install with out problems.... that is large enough to reach any thing and every thing that will be in the compartment.

I have a hammer, nails and duck tape. I can fix it.

danny

[GMike A]

I have been watching this in epay but havent bought it yet. less than twenty bucks. I intend on putting in an external access port also.
RV Trailer camper Multi Purpose Access Hatch 8 1 2x8 | eBay

[renewableart]

hello mike. an 8 x 8 is small you not going to get much through that small of door. I dont know anything about the Casita, but on the rear of the 13ft scamp there is enough flat behind the finder to install the 12 by 8 as i have installed. i would be afraid any thing larger would be problems because you would be getting in to a curve.

I have a hammer, nails and duck tape. i can fix it.

Danny

[GMike A]

Originally Posted by renewableart

hello mike. an 8 x 8 is small you not going to get much through that small of door.


Danny

Thats true. I have a H2O heater on that side so I could go larger on the passenger side with a hatch similar to yours something with a symbolic locking mechanism.

[katmaicub]

Hi Danny - thanks for the reply.

I found some marine hatches and the one that locks I think is a little smaller than what you put in.

Does your hatch lock?

gayle

[renewableart]

My hatch's do lock closed but the don't lock with a key. that will be installed later.

[katmaicub]

Hi Danny -

I was wondering if I would be able to add a lock to one of the ones I found that does not have a key lock.

My goal was to be able to fit an access door large enough so that I could fit my propane stove through it - if that happens then I would want a key lock on it.

What type of lock are you planning to install on it?

I'm totally clueless to this sort of thing .... that's why I was hoping to find one in the right size with it already on it.

I appreciate you taking the time to reply! Very helpful!!

gayle

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by katmaicub

Hi Danny -

I was wondering if I would be able to add a lock to one of the ones I found that does not have a key lock.

My goal was to be able to fit an access door large enough so that I could fit my propane stove through it - if that happens then I would want a key lock on it.

What type of lock are you planning to install on it?

I'm totally clueless to this sort of thing .... that's why I was hoping to find one in the right size with it already on it.

I appreciate you taking the time to reply! Very helpful!!

gayle

You probably want something like this. RV Baggage Compartment Door Lock 5/8

Without a key they are typically called thumb locks.

[renewableart]

As Tom said, yes you can put on a key lock. I have added them to my 30ft camper that I have that did not have key locks. you can pick them up at any hardware store. there cabinet door locks... and look for the lock that has the 2 swing arms that way you can adjust the lock to fit tight.

I have a hammer. nails and duck tape i can fix it

danny

[Francesca Knowles]

Greetings from Camp Cheapskate!

I put 10" high by 19" wide access doors in all four corners of my Trillium using refrigerator vent doors like the one at this link.. They were about 1/3 the cost of "the real thing".

For dust control, I closed up the "louvers" with reflectix, though I may at some point just trim them out and install the fiberglass panels I cut out of the trailer sidewalls.

I'm not worried about theft so am content with the cam locks supplied. They can be replaced with the locking version very easily by the simple removal of the tab that holds the locks on. Here's a link to the locking cams alone for $4.00 apiece: locking camlock

Francesca

[GMike A]

I have so many bookmarks of items that have been posted on this forum that I had to subdivide them several times into manageable segments.

Lots of good parts and tidbits that I am collecting for my reno

[renewableart]

I have a lot of ideas and i just framed out all the cabinets in my scamp this past weekend. tonight glued down the top for the kit. counter. will get pics on my page in a few days.

I have ordered more marine parts for the scamp.

danny

[Roy in TO]

If you keep an eye out for older style square framed hatches, many of them can easily be cut down to fit your dimensions and either screwed or solderd back together. I've got a bunch that i plan on putting in both the boler American and Trillium 4500 this summer. I plan on using the cut out fiberglass to insert into the door panel instead of the metal panels that come with them.

[Hambone]

I put in 11x13 marine hatch, non-locking....made 1/4in plywood backer and epoxied/glassed in (something for nuts/bolts to tighten up to). Hinge on mine is on bottom. Think I purchased it from West Marine
Its great thats where all MY stuff goes

[KamperBob]

I installed hatches in my 19' Scamp back in 2007. At that time what I found and went with was brand line called Nuova Rade from West Marine.

I went with the 14 x 24 inch size. That was a squeeze for my 19' Scamp. BUT the resulting storage was amazing! (See pix below. And note: my mods included moving the water tank and other reconfiguration changes to maximize storage space.)

For a 16' Scamp that same size hatch would work equally well. Both share the same lower shell after all.

For a 13' Scamp, however, the wheels encroach more under the dinette benches. That leaves less flat wall space to work with. So smaller hatches are needed for smaller eggs. Hold that thought!

Meanwhile, here's some follow-up field experience. In hindsight I didn't need the hatch opening to be quite that large. At the time my requirement was to carry my portable gas grill back there. And that worked great. Isn't there always a BUT?

Drawing such a large hatch down to the shell did torque the hatch frame. That puts more stress on the rear latch. After 6 years it's not sealing 100% anymore. A solvable problem but still. If I had it to do over, I'd choose a smaller hatch that would fit better. (I stopped carrying my grill in the Scamp after making an even better place for it in my truck bed.)

Coming soon: a MUCH better hatch solution, especially for 13' Scamps!

[GMike A]

Where did you move your water tank to? I would be most interested in that. Nice hatch that I will be looking into. Thanks

[Eddie Longest]

Tempress hatches sold by marine stores work pretty good. I found their website at one time and they did sell lock kits for their hatches. No one seems to stock the locks in the marine stores. The hatches can also found on EBay and Amazon. Looks like the hatches some people here used. The taller the hatch the more issues you may have with the body curve and may need to make a spacer for the bottom.
Eddie

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by GMike A

Where did you move your water tank to? I would be most interested in that. Nice hatch that I will be looking into. Thanks

Thanks, Mike. The tank move was in concert with major reorganization of the rear dinette. A lot more pix of my 91S19 mods are here. (I don't want to bend Gayle's thread too far from its S13 hatch focus.)

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by Eddie Longest

Tempress hatches sold by marine stores work pretty good. I found their website at one time and they did sell lock kits for their hatches. No one seems to stock the locks in the marine stores. The hatches can also found on EBay and Amazon. Looks like the hatches some people here used. The taller the hatch the more issues you may have with the body curve and may need to make a spacer for the bottom.
Eddie

I would attribute the frame torque I reported more to the hatch length than height. I plan to correct the issue this season. The lower rear corner will probably get the most shimming. I plan to document that work as well so stay tuned.