Forecabin hatch stays

[Refueler]

The stays for the forecabin hatch are the old tubular metal jobs that are now hard to find. They are broken and only one half arm is left in place ....

I have managed to find and purchase two sliding bar traditional stays to replace old with ... but the mounting is different of course.

Here's the hatch - pretty standard affair :

Because of the very narrow metal skirt / surround - I am considering fastening the hatch end through the 'perspex' with stainless steel dome bolts / nuts instead of the old where a screw went into the side alloy.

The holes through the 'perspex' would be by hot wire - not drilled as I have seen such crack when people tried drilling. Because the 'perspex' will be the mount - I will fit two stays - not just one to reduce the stress on the 'perspex'

Later will provide photos after I've been to boat.

 

[Refueler]

OK here are the relevant piccies ...

The old fastenings .. single screw at coaming ... two horizontal screws holding bracket on hatch alloy.

Here we see the change needed ... old bracket vs new stays L shaped triangular bracket.

At fixed coaming end - the flat triangular bnracket ... thinking to cut the rivet and have the bar direct to the single point fixing.

Close up of the hatch end .... thinking to remove the old bracket and then hot wire hole the 'perspex' to fix the new bracket.

Fixed coaming end

Size / length is fine ...

If anyone has a simpler idea ??

 

[Neeves]

We had almost identical stays we needed 2 but bought 4 (from Aliexpress) we had a similar issue. They came with 'fixing plates' at 90 deg to each other. Our application was a lift up window in the helm station. We drilled the Acrylic and bolted through (round headed, Alan keyed, little bolts, M3 or M4) and used the same bolts through the aluminium frame (but tapped the frame). The stays were 'stiff', but that might have been because they were not parallel, and we had to massage the window/hatch open. They were not parallel as the window was trapezoidal.

We are still looking for a use for 2 stays.

Your work looks very neat.

Jonathan

 

[PetiteFleur]

I've drilled holes in Perspex without problems, sharp drill & slow speed, gentle pressure. If you can clamp a piece of wood underneath where the drill exits it should work. Also can be tapped which may be better?

 

[Stemar]

Plan A for me would be to straighten the top bracket and screw it into the frame like the old one.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

OK here are the relevant piccies ...

The old fastenings .. single screw at coaming ... two horizontal screws holding bracket on hatch alloy.

Here we see the change needed ... old bracket vs new stays L shaped triangular bracket.

At fixed coaming end - the flat triangular bnracket ... thinking to cut the rivet and have the bar direct to the single point fixing.

Close up of the hatch end .... thinking to remove the old bracket and then hot wire hole the 'perspex' to fix the new bracket.

Fixed coaming end

Size / length is fine ...

If anyone has a simpler idea ??

Remove the angle bracket and use the original fixing, use nylon spacers if required. You can always put the bracket back on if not successful. If drilling the Perspex will you be using a doubler on the outside. Thin SS or a piece of Perspex?

 

[Refueler]

I have thought to straighten the L shaped brackets first ... but once metal is folded like that - its hard to get it to look nice when bent straight, Its hard stainless as well ...

If I screw through the 'perspex' (actually I think its Polycarb) ... then I would use furniture screw 'cups' .... I don't think a doubler is called for ... but I can always knock up something with my 3D printer ...

There's plenty of time to think this one out ... boats not going anywhere for next 5 months ..

 

[Mister E]

If you use a wood drill bit then you will get a cleaner hole, you can use the point it it to drill from both sides.
I recommend that the holes a slightly oversized and an O ring used on both sides to reduce crazing.
The O ring needs to be a snug fit on the bolts that it sits inside to hole.

 

[Refueler]

If you use a wood drill bit then you will get a cleaner hole, you can use the point it it to drill from both sides.
I recommend that the holes a slightly oversized and an O ring used on both sides to reduce crazing.
The O ring needs to be a snug fit on the bolts that it sits inside to hole.

For jobs like this - I prefer to use a Hot Wire Rod to produce the hole ... then all I have to do is sharp blade to remove the molten plastic that is raised outside the hole.

 

[alahol2]

I've drilled holes in Perspex without problems, sharp drill & slow speed, gentle pressure. If you can clamp a piece of wood underneath where the drill exits it should work. Also can be tapped which may be better?

A sharp drill is what you don't want. It will try to pull the drill through too quickly. You want to deliberately blunt the bit so that it grinds its way through the acrylic.

 

[Alan S]

I just prop my hatch open with an offcut of wood, fine weather only : )