Forehatch leaks

[rex_seadog]

As well as problems with the loo and seacock we've also recently been suffering from a leak from the forehatch of our 1984 Delta. Hunters suggested it was probably a Houdini hatch and I phoned them to order a new seal together with a new support strut (damaged by a heavy footed oaf on the foredeck!) at a cost of over £27 (phew!). However as received the extruded rubber seal looks quite different from my recollections of the existing seal. The strut is also different but Houdini said someting about a modified design. Unfortunately I doubt if I will get down to the boat to have a close look this side of Christmas. Is it possible that another brand of hatch is fitted? It is aluminium, about 18 inches square with 4 bars protecting the top. If anyone can help I have an digital photo that I could attach to a PM if someone could explain how to do this.

 

[stubate]

just a thought,
just bought a beneteau 351 with lewmar port holes/windows and they all leaked, some a little and some a lot. some one had gone mad with a mastic gun on two of them and had made a right cock up of the seals. i spent 3hrs cleaning one up and became quite au fait with how they work. the locking handles pass thru the acrylic and are sealed with an O ring. I flipped out the blind plug on the inside of the port locking handle, unscrewed the fixing screw and took the handle apart, vaseline on the spindle and O ring and reassemble moderately tight.
lo and behold no leaks !!
the moral is it is not always the obvious that is the prob so check the thru glass closing handle seals as well, Oh and when a brokerage tells you that it can fix it tell them to keep the mastic gun away!!

 

[salamicollie]

From your description you have got a Houdini... Does yours have the window type levers or the slam latch? If its the slam latch the new type seal looks different but it will fit - at least it did on mine. It allowed us to keep our old hatch going for a couple more years. In the end had to replace it with .. another houdini (but a new one) - Other hatches have very different profiles and I couldn't face the hassle of re radiusing the corners

Hope this helps