My 12 1/2 built in 1941 had a four inch bronze hand hole located on the foredeck between the mast and the crown of the coaming. I have seen a few boats with the hand hole located in this general area before but I am not sure it is correct (meaning originally placed there by HMC). The 1938 plans call for the hand hole to be on the forward bulkhead just above the starboard seat.
One of the owners of my boat had two huge plastic openings where the hand hole would have been, so I think mine was moved to this new location. I originally thought that the new location would allow for a hand pump to get down into the forward compartment, but since there is a 3/4" drain hole in the base of the floor timber at the frame #8 bulkhead position, I though that this probably not a reason to put the hand hole there.
Does anyone know of any other reasons why HMC might have moved the hand hole to this location, because I am thinking that owners do this. Right now I am planning to put it on the bulkhead above the starboard seat where the 1938 plans say it should go. I don't really think that is a great place either because it really just acts like a vent opening only, because you can't reach anywhere from there, except maybe visually. Having it down by the floor timber seems more appropriate to me if you want to get every last drop of water out, but I'd rather stick to the plans. I was planning to have a hatch anyway to be able to store things forward like life jackets.
I must dig this piece out and check the screw holes because I think the support shown in the picture below may have been screwed in from below, indicating that it was a change made after the boat was completed.
