Hatch Severed / Blew Off....

[conks01]

Hi,

Yesterday whilst the hatch was open winds extended it back against the piano hinge on the back and unfortunately the fibre glass failed and the entire hatch severed and blew away!

Fortunately the boat is in a compound so I was able to retrieve the hatch but on the back of the hatch the fibreglass flange has failed and severed away from the piano hinge.

I am not a fibreglass expert so was wondering how this could be repaired and to include gel coat etc.

I'm assuming I'll need to glass in new matting to the create a new flange but how could I do this and would I need to use a mould of sorts?

I've added a pic of the hatch albeit this is when I first purchased the boat - it doesn't show the rip but basically where the top part of the hinge adjoins the hatch, that top part of the hinge has the fibreglass flange attached to it!



Many thanks.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

It should be very straight forward to fix. If you refer to WestSystems Fibre Glass Repair Book, freely available as a pdf, it will tell you how to go about it. see link below: -

https://www.westsystem.com/wp-content/uploads/Fiberglass-Manual-2015.pdf

Note that West System products are expensive and other brands are lower cost. I have found East Coast Fibreglass very reasonable: -

East Coast Fibreglass Supplies

A kit such as David's Isopon Fibre Glass repair kit could be a low cost product with all the materials needed: -

David's Fastglas Glass Fibre Kit Car Boat Caravan Repair U-Pol Fastglass Resin polyester resin kit containing resin, hardener, glass fibre, mixing cup and protective gloves: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

Have a read up and see what is possible, it would not be that hard to fix. Gel Coating is a bit more detailed but again, not difficult. Once the GRP is repaired I would probably use a Gel Coat repair product from a tube, following the instructions and then sand back to a smooth finish i.e. Plastic Padding's Gelcoat Filler, widely available.

The key point is that the repair areas should be clean and prepared as per instructions, dry and free of oil and grease. Better to do on a warm and dry day than a cold and damp day.

Gelcoat Filler - Plastic Padding 165gm Tube: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Hope this helps.

 

[conks01]

Certainly does! Many thanks

 

[Graham_Wright]

Note that West System products are expensive and other brands are lower cost. I have found East Coast Fibreglass very reasonable: -
East Coast Fibreglass Supplies
[/QUOTI was going to ask for cheaper epoxy resin guidance today. Don't need to now! - Thanks.

 

[Wansworth]

That looks like a Macwester 22

 

[JumbleDuck]

That looks like a Macwester 22

Bet you a tenner it's a Westerly Jouster of some sort.

Edit: Changed my mind. definitely a Westerly forehatch, but the Jouster has the babystay in front of the hatch opening and the mast close behind.

 

[JumbleDuck]

It should be very straight forward to fix.

Agreed. Assuming that the old GRB is is still there I would stick it in place with some epoxy brushed on, then built up a few layers inside. Gel coat filler to smarten the outside, as you say, and the job's done.

 

[Wansworth]

Bet you a tenner it's a Westerly Jouster of some sort.

Edit: Changed my mind. definitely a Westerly forehatch, but the Jouster has the babystay in front of the hatch opening and the mast close behind.

I thought that but then the nomad doesn’t have side decks

 

[VicS]

That looks like a Macwester 22

Bet you a tenner it's a Westerly Jouster of some sort.

Edit: Changed my mind. definitely a Westerly forehatch, but the Jouster has the babystay in front of the hatch opening and the mast close behind.

I think you will find that it s a Westerly Pageant.


At least thats what he had yesterday.

 

[Talulah]

Instead of screwing the piano hinge back on I would consider fitting stainless inserts and attaching the hinge with small bolts. Stainless inserts are cheap enough on eBay and provide more resistance to a reoccurrence.

 

[conks01]

Nope and Vic, yes, its a Pageant!

 

[LadyInBed]

Instead of screwing the piano hinge back on I would consider fitting stainless inserts and attaching the hinge with small bolts. Stainless inserts are cheap enough on eBay and provide more resistance to a reoccurrence.

I was also thinking along those lines, but thinking of using a glassed in wooden batten.

 

[conks01]

Agreed. Assuming that the old GRB is is still there I would stick it in place with some epoxy brushed on, then built up a few layers inside. Gel coat filler to smarten the outside, as you say, and the job's done.

Thats the problem Jumbleduck, the GRP came away and is attached to the hinge independently and not to the hatch itself. There are sections of GRP rounded on each corner which i was hoping to bond to with the newly formed GRP flange before reattaching the hinge and the gel coat filling on the outside. To create the strip for the severed flange I think I'll need a mould?

 

[conks01]

Oh and I'm also thinking about fitting a stay but not sure how this will work, or attach

 

[convey]

Chop it all off, cut a rectangular hole, fit a proper Lewmar hatch or similar. Similar amount of effort, much better result.

Of course, it'd take a little work to set a level base to mount it but not that hard. I'd say less hard than trying to make a repair like your describing look good.

Nice little boat, I'd have one.

This is its big sister, but you get the idea.

As you point out, this time you lucked out because it happened on hard standing, what if it had happened at sea? Do you really think you can make one better than original first time off?

 

[Talulah]

Chop it all off, cut a rectangular hole, fit a proper Houdini hatch or similar. Similar amount of effort, much better result.

I’m guessing the raised hatch is due to headroom needed underneath for the heads.

 

[Hacker]

he could put a raised upstand that would give the same head room. Much easier to bevel the under surface to fit the deck camber and provide a flat surface to mount a new hatch.

 

[chrishscorp]

You could put your problem up on the 'Westerly Owners Association' Facebook page you never know there may be a spare one lying around worth a try.

Hi,

Yesterday whilst the hatch was open winds extended it back against the piano hinge on the back and unfortunately the fibre glass failed and the entire hatch severed and blew away!

Fortunately the boat is in a compound so I was able to retrieve the hatch but on the back of the hatch the fibreglass flange has failed and severed away from the piano hinge.

I am not a fibreglass expert so was wondering how this could be repaired and to include gel coat etc.

I'm assuming I'll need to glass in new matting to the create a new flange but how could I do this and would I need to use a mould of sorts?

I've added a pic of the hatch albeit this is when I first purchased the boat - it doesn't show the rip but basically where the top part of the hinge adjoins the hatch, that top part of the hinge has the fibreglass flange attached to it!

View attachment 94242

Many thanks.

 

[convey]

heads

Not in this case, although that kind of hatch is a typical signature on old Westerlys. Not a great one in my opinion as one is forever catching one's hair in the latches etc. But the way it's normally done is to lay down a bit of ply to make the level, so you wouldn't lose much or any height.

How would an upstand work? I suppose it would have to be thick enough to accept the frame of a hatch and just high enough to raise it above the cockpit? Pictures?

 

[JumbleDuck]

Thats the problem Jumbleduck, the GRP came away and is attached to the hinge independently and not to the hatch itself. There are sections of GRP rounded on each corner which i was hoping to bond to with the newly formed GRP flange before reattaching the hinge and the gel coat filling on the outside. To create the strip for the severed flange I think I'll need a mould?

Can't you unscrew it from the hinge, re-attach it to the hatch, glass it firmly in place and then screw up again.

Or find the owner of the Jouster which was wrecked on the Gareloch a couple of weeks ago and ask to buy the forehatch ...