18" x 24" 4-Dog Raised Bolt Hatch (Model #DB464-1824A) - Painted Steel

The Model DB464-1824A utilizes an elongated profile to maximize clearance for personnel and equipment pass-through while minimizing its overall footprint on active work decks. By expanding the locking layout to a 4-dog configuration, compression forces are distributed evenly across the oval perimeter, making it ideal for spaces subjected to severe structural stress or shifting liquid cargo. The elevated 5" coaming lifts the sealing face well above deck level, preventing standing washdown runoff, mud, and debris from pooling near the seal.

Intended Use Cases:

• High-Traffic Holds & Voids: Engineered for storage holds, dry voids, and coffer dams requiring frequent, reliable opening and rapid closure by crew members.
• Exposed Weather Decks: Ideal for open foredecks, main decks, or transitional bulkheads prone to heavy seawater spray and standing washdown water.
• Rapid-Response Access Points: Provides a highly efficient entry point where quick physical clearance is required for maintenance or emergency damage control.

Primary Industries & Vessel Types:

• Commercial Workboats & Tugboats: Standard hardware for main decks on harbor tugs, push boats, and offshore supply vessels (OSVs).
• Inland & Coastal Barges: Fits perfectly on the deck flats of liquid cargo, aggregate, or hopper barges needing durable, raised hatch boundaries.
• Commercial Fishing Fleet: Built to withstand constant washdowns and high-impact deck activity on commercial trawlers and processing vessels.

• Raised Coaming Protection: Features a 5" elevated vertical frame wall that acts as a natural structural barrier against pooling water, mud, and deck debris.
• Fast-Acting 4-Dog Mechanism: Replaces tedious multi-bolt perimeter rings with 4 high-leverage tightening dogs, vastly reducing the time required to secure or open the hatch.
• Elongated Clear Opening Design: Sized at 18-1/4" Width x 24-1/4" Length to provide an optimal clearance profile for personnel entry and quick cargo transfer.
• Heavy-Duty Structural Steel: Fabricated from thick, high-tensile structural steel to prevent cover deformation and survive severe impact on commercial work decks.
• Buna-N High-Compression Gasket: Features a premium Buna-N (Nitrile) rubber gasket track providing excellent sealing performance and broad resistance to fuels, oils, and marine chemicals.
• Universal Shipyard Finish: Arrives shot-blasted and coated with a universal shipyard primer (painted), making the assembly completely ready for immediate welding and final coating at the shipyard.

• Qualified Personnel Requirement: Installation of the 18" x 24" raised 4-dog hatch must be performed by qualified marine welders or fitters in accordance with applicable classification society standards (ABS, DNV, Lloyd's).
• Surface Preparation & Alignment: The 5" raised coaming must be perfectly aligned over a clean deck cutout and securely welded to prevent thermal warping or twisting of the perimeter sealing seat during fabrication.
• Dog Tension Calibration: Following structural welding, adjust individual dog tension nuts to ensure the cover seats evenly across the entire frame and compresses the Buna-N gasket uniformly.
• Mechanical Verification: Cycle all 4 mechanical dog levers to verify they articulate smoothly and lock down tightly without catching or binding.
• Debris Inspection: Prior to closing, ensure that the gasket track, coaming rim, and dog catch plates are completely free of weld spatter, slag, rust, or heavy topcoat accumulation.