Leaky Forehatch

dylanwinter

dylanwinter

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Mar 2005
Messages
12,954
Location
Buckingham
www.keepturningleft.co.uk
I have a leaky forehatch

it dribbles when it rains

I naow have a small tarp over it when I leave the boat

I think that the dribble comes when the hatch fills with water and then the rain gets between the glass and the aluminium surround

does this mean it is curtains for the hatch?

or is there some way of dismantling it and replacing the seal?

beginning to miss the slug's bombproof dustbin lid style fore-hatch

Dylan

here is a shot of the outside

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/blogs/tides-rise/

and here is one of the inside

http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/blogs/bloody-freezin/
 
They can ( usually) be rebuilt

DIY may be a possibility but there are firms who do this

Eagle Boat Windows (Nelson, Lancs)

Hadlow Marine (Hadlow, Kent)

Seaclear ( Maidstone, Kent)

are the ones that immediately come to mind.

Captain Tolley's Creepng Crack Cure may be worth a try, if only as a temporary fix

A tailored cover might be wise in the long term
 
Give creeping crack cure a try, used it on my boat windscreen as a temporary fix three years ago and it's still holding the dribble at bay.
 
Had same hatch on a boat that leaked, it was creeping in through the main seal the hatch closed onto. Cure was to smear the rubber seal with Vaseline, may not work in your case but worth a go. Seems to be a common problem because a boatbuilder who uses the hatch knew immediately what to do.
 
Creeping crack cure works well when everything is dry. I tried it on a window years ago and it had water deep down in the crack. It never set and continually leaked.

Doubtful if it will work very well in weather we've had. Pretty certain that it would be OK if no traces of water deep down in the crack.

I replaced my crazed hatch with polycarbonate, bedded it on some Arbosil tape with Arbosil 1096. It was easy to do, worked without chemical etching (just wet & dry) and wasn't leaking after 10 years.

Double check on correct Arbosil product for material you are using. I called their tech. guys and he actually sent me a free sample of the correct material (tape & sealant). I was doing windows and hatch and had enough to do all the work. Pretty certain that was a one-off offer, really nice guy, but it was about 11 years ago.

Getting the polycarbonate out and everything cleaned took most of the effort.


If you do want to try Creeping Crack Cure then I'd suggest drying as much as possible (hair drier?) before putting CCC anywhere near the hatch.
 
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That looks like a modern aluminium Houdini (mine's bronze and waterproof) I wonder if it's flexing due to not being fitted squarely. maybe re-bedding would effect a cure.
 
we repaired one on a sonata had to take the hatch off and take it home but once home we striped it right down replaced the glass and the ruber seal it wasnt easy but got there used car windscreen sealer/glue on the glass and some O ring material for seal ring it was well worth it in the end and worked certanly worth a vidieo just a thought though on a mates we found that the hinge pins had worn and so had the locking plates causing it not to sit tight when locked so dribled in a bit
 
A tailored cover might be wise in the long term

Thats my std fix.
Held in place by 4 of those little press stud popper thingies drilled in deck.
Canvas also keeps out light when the bleeding sun insists on coming up at 4.30am on "summer" (look it up) mornings.
 
Dylan,

I've noticed nothing but praise for Eagle Windows on here, must be your first port of call.

Beware the ' Houdini direct replacement ' offered by Seateach; a chum tried one, and apart from a different size hole in the boat and different bolt spacings, yes I suppose it's a direct replacement ! :rolleyes:
 
I had the same trouble with a 10 year old mainhatch. Captain Tolley slowed down the leak but couldn't stop it completely. Don't know where you're located but I used a company in Chichester, Navigators, to rebuild the hatch and it was £230 well spent. Boat is now, unlike Wales, a leak free zone.
 
billmacfarlane said:
I had the same trouble with a 10 year old mainhatch. Captain Tolley slowed down the leak but couldn't stop it completely. Don't know where you're located but I used a company in Chichester, Navigators, to rebuild the hatch and it was £230 well spent. Boat is now, unlike Wales, a leak free zone.
Click to expand...

Bill,

I've never heard of Navigators but I'm based in Chichester and they sound a handy outfit, where are they based, please ?
 
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