leaking hatch cover

[corkonian1]

Having lost my grp hatch cover , I made up a wooden one from wall panelling boards(tongue and grooved ) fixed to a frame with copper nails and coated with Ceetol.
It looks ok but leaks when it rains. Other than coating it with glass fiber and congealed snot ( I hate the stuff), what is the best method of making it water tight?

 

[Peterduck]

Before you can do anything else, you need to determine exactly where the water is coming in. Then work out the circumstances when it is leaking. Thrashing to windward in a F5 is a different kettle of fish to sitting on a mooring in the drizzle. Having these two sorted out should tell you what to do to cure the problem. The late, great, Maurice Griffiths sorted out the leaking forehatch problem very well, if you can find his solution. It is complex, but very effective.
Peter.

 

[Niander]

wouldn't a rubber seal sort it?

or if through the groove joints lots of varnish?

 

[cliffordpope]

Tonge and groove is not weatherproof, and no amount of varnish will seal it properly because the joints will open and close. Surely anything with wooden planks edge to edge requires a tapered groove and caulking just like a laid deck?

 

[Niander]

what angle of taper is best?

 

[cliffordpope]

I think that as with carvel planking or laid decks, the planks should touch on the inner face and have a gap of about 1/8" to 1/4"on the outside. Then you force in whatever concoction you believe in - oakum and white lead paste, or some sealant out of a gun. This then expands or squeezes as the planks swell and shrink. It's bound to leak a bit, I think.

 

[Niander]

Ah ok paintable sealant and paint sounds good...surely that would stop the water with a rubber seal