Rain Rain Go Away

Many people ask about living on a boat.  Here is one of those things that you would only understand if you live on a boat.  Weather is a tricky thing.  You see on a live aboard sailboat it is really nice to have all the hatches open and even the wind scoops up to allow the fresh air to make its way through the boat.  On Alibi I remember often feeling like we had airconditioning in the galley because if the wind direction was right and the wind scoops were up it created such an excellent breeze.  However the downside to this natural resource is the rain.  Its not just a matter of shutting the window when it looks like it might pour, or when there is a sudden onslaught of rain. Oh no it means taking down the wind scoops which are usually tangled all around themselves, removing the bug net, cursing the person who opened the hatch in the first place for tightening the bolt too tight, and finally slamming it down on your own soaking wet head because you really just didn't move fast enough.  There are four of these wonderful hatches on our boat.  One over our bunk, one over Marley's, and two in the living area, one of course in the chair where Jacob spends most of his time.  So if there is a spur of the moment rain shower it is really important that all of them close at once as dampness = instant mildew on a boat! 
Another key point when closing of the hatches is to make sure once you have recovered from your concussion after it came slamming down on our head that you lock the hatch securely because a closed hatch is not necessarily a dry one.  The locking seals it and then all your hard work will not be in vain and there will be dry bunks for all to sleep in that night. 

That brings me to my final tid bit of hatch advice.  Night time rain! ALWAYS a surprise! Because if we knew it was going to rain in the middle of the night we wouldn't have left the hatches open in the first place.  Usually it starts with a little sprinkle that lightly wakens you from slumber but in an instant you are awake startled thinking you are going under.  Quickly you have to bring yourself back into the land of the living and attempt to close everything up as fast as you can, without waking sleeping babies!  This almost always ends in concussions and babies being woken.  This more than often results finally with everyone in mom and dad's bunk until the alarm screams at 6am. 
Now do I close the hatches to go get Marley from nursery or risk it for a breezy boat when we come home? Better check out http://weather.bm for the latest!