Yale lock tumbler question

[carolinacoast]

The salon door to the aft deck is locked shut. My energetic nearly 3 year old crew son has spun the dead bolt latch to the point of spinning. I ordered a new tumbler from Sam's today.

So for the first time I tried to unlock the salon door from the aft cockpit, and either my pilot house key does not work, or when the tumbler fails the dead bolt key lock fails also. Could someone provide some insight?

If I have to pop the doors, I apparently have some work to do on some of the screw heads that hold the trim piece in place on the salon side. There is varnish on several of the heads that preclude using a phillips to get them off. I assume I need a pick or something similar to free the screw heads if there is not a keyed lock solution to open the door. I assume a heat gun would be hard to focus the temp on the heads without harming the varnish?

Can a locksmith open it from the outside?

Taking my 87 year old father out next week, and really need easy access to the lines on the aft deck.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[SKYCHENEY]

I don't think you can get to the hinges to get them off. Have you tried just unlatching the fixed(port) door first and pushing it open? Or, what about drilling out the old lock since it is junk anyway?

[carolinacoast]

I did try 'popping' the door with the port door unsecured. It looks like it may shatter the trim piece that is attached to the port door long before I might succeed. Your idea of just drilling out the old lock from the outside is a better strategy. Will try that when the sun returns. thanks.

[carolinacoast]

Update. Drilled the lock and unlocked the door. 3 broken bits before I just bought a proper bit for the high quality stainless that Hatteras installed on our boats. removed the screw and swapped the lock with the new part from Sam's. Thanks Sky for the great advice and solution. The knowledge and experience of this forum is invaluable, and also the plug and play parts from Sams.;)

[jim rosenthal]

Now your can let your son out of the brig, Captain....:)