Hood or trunk release latch?

[bdag]

I've been dormant on my build for almost a year now due to some mental roadblocks on how to handle a few bits. One is the door handles. I've settled on Tri-mark style paddle handles for the doors but I can't seem to get a T-handle for the hatch that would be keyed the same. I wondered if you couldn't build the hatch similar to how a hatchback or trunk on a car would be. No exterior handles (nor lock in this case). The hatch would be released via a cable just inside one of the doors. Might make break-ins less likely. Has anyone considered or built this approach? Drawbacks?

For that matter, why not use the same hinge and drainage system that a trunk uses? I'm doing an all wood exterior so no cladding to hide mistakes.

Thanks,

Brian

[KCStudly]

In my "research" (stealing other people's experiences) I found that there were quite a large number of people that had trouble getting their hatches to seal properly using just the T-handle rods and ultimately switched to draw down style latches at the bottom on each side. This style of latch generally requires a separate padlock, so that's what I plan on using. Wish they could be keyed alike, but... oh well.

[eamarquardt]

I used to have a sailboat with cockpit lockers. Most folks used padlock hasps to secure the lockers. I didn't like that idea as they'd be good at poking you when you bumped against them in rough seas (and the seas were often very rough where we sailed).

'So, I put eyes inside the hatch held in place by SS Allen/Button head screws so the exterior of the hatch was very smooth with just a couple of buttonheads exposed. Then I had clips that I could connect cables to to on the inside of each hatch. Then I had a mechanism that would allow me to tighten up the cables so the hatches could not be opened. To open them, I'd loosen up the cable so you could open the hatch just enough to undo the clips and release the cable. Sounds like what you have in mind. With a turnbuckle to adjust the slack and an over center tightening mechanism I'm sure you could make it work and draw down your hatch as tight as you like.

Cheers,

Gus