Replacement Houdini Hatch

[yachtorion]

I've replaced an old Houdini Super 50 on my boat. I put a new Houdini hatch in to make it a simple drop in replacement.

Thought I'd mention that the design seems to have changed sometime in the 30+ years between the two. Not unreasonable! The hole needed a little bit of enlarging, and some of the screw holes are in a different place.

No big deal, and the new hatch is much nicer. It has better handles and hinges, countersunk screw holes and a much improved stay. Very happy with it!

It just isn't a 100% drop in replacement. So something to keep in mind if changing.

 

[Seajet]

A friend of mine did not take it as well as you when his ' drop in Houdini Replacement ' proved anything but, with a different aperture and different bolt spacing it could hardly be less like a drop in !

Hence I always tell people going for replacement hatches to double check these measurements with the chandlery supplying them and get the people there to actually measure the things themselves, especially if the buyer is some distance away by mail order...

 

[rbmatthews]

Interesting. We replaced our Houdini Super 50 in 2010 from the original of around 1988/89 vintage, and it literally was a drop-in - same aperture size and screwholes were in precisely the same place, which we though was pretty good given the 21 year difference. The changes must have happened in the last seven years. I remember Houdini were very friendly and helpful.

Details at our blog below under the Refurbishment | Houdini hatch tab if you are interested.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Gladys Houdini was replaced with a Gebo from Sea Teach, adeveritsed as "Houdini drop in replacement"... and it did exactly what it said on the tin...

 

[Scillypete]

I learnt many years ago that one thing you can guarantee with a Houdini hatch was that it will leak and every boat I've had that was fitted with one had it replaced at the earliest opportunity with a Gebo from Seateach as per Gladys post, much better hatches and never any leaks.

 

[langstonelayabout]

I learnt many years ago that one thing you can guarantee with a Houdini hatch was that it will leak and every boat I've had that was fitted with one had it replaced at the earliest opportunity with a Gebo from Seateach as per Gladys post, much better hatches and never any leaks.

LOL - I still have flashbacks of the slightly kn*ckered Houdini hatch allowing water to pour (not just drip) into the forepeak of my E-Boat. I had to replace it with another Houdini too: the Gebo hatch I tried wouldn't fit due to the recessed fitment in the deck and the 2 forward hinges on the hatch. Shame really.

 

[Seajet]

It was a ' Houdini direct replacement ' from Seateach which so wound up my chum; that was a lot more than 8 years ago.

I don't know if Houdini changed, or the supplier of the replacement jobs did - as other people say, the last thing I'd replace a Houdini with is another hatch anything like it !

I can say my second Lewmar Ocean hatch had different bolt spacings to the previous one, and they were both pukka Lewmar from Seateach, which was annoying of Lewmar to do but at least the hole in the deck was the same.

 

[[3889]]

I learnt many years ago that one thing you can guarantee with a Houdini hatch was that it will leak...

Yep, though I didn't know about the Gebo drop in and went for Lewmar which involved cutting away. Still worth it to avoid Houdini, though.

 

[yachtorion]

Sticking up for Houdini a little bit...

The hole enlarging was very minor. Only a couple of mm. On my boat, it was quick and easy with a carbide paint scraper. Drilling the new holes was easy, most still lined up. The old holes are underneath the neoprene tape I used as a seal. I'll poke some filler up into the spare old holes in due course. I poured a lot of water over the top and it seems good for now.

I think the improved design is worth the hassle. It's not unreasonable for a project to change over the course of 40 years.

The old hatch was leaking in three places. The seal between metal frame and deck - the sealant had crumbled away. The rubber seal between the frame and hatch itself has decayed. It's also leaking between the frame and glass. It's this last leak that's fatal as Houdini consider it non-servicable.

I agree all Houdini Hatches leak in the end - I'm not bothered though - the old hatch had lasted 30 years. If this one does the same I'd see it as good value. The hatch is near an oil lamp. I'm more confident in having the glass than the acrylic near a minor heat source. The quality of construction of the new hatch compares well with other brands I've seen.

 

[yachtorion]

Turns out I needn't have deleted that lost post. After some googling and looking through my own old photos - it seems that there is a subset of Houdini super 50 hatches that have 4 screw holes around the hinges, one each side of each hinge. Most seem to have 3 holes there - one either side of the hinges and one between them.

Most of the 4 hole hatches seem to be on Hunters from the early - mid eighties. It might just be anything older than that has been replaced.

The new one came with 3.

Not fascinating news but might be useful to someone one day. The difference in dimensions is quite slight from old to new. The original hole needs to be a good and tight fit not to accept the new hatch as well. Combine those facts. Could this be why people report different experiences with drop in replacements?

I wonder if it's even possible that at some point in the past these hatches were supplied undrilled? The line around the flange on the old hatch would help accurate drilling. Perhaps un-drilled was an option and companies like Hunter took it. Then different folks drilled differently? The newly de-anodized part would be hidden under the screws.

Perhaps some of these old hatches aren't really Houdinis. Anyone know?

Just for the avoidance of doubt I'm not in the marine trade and have no connection to Houdini or any of their competitors. Apart from a few hatches.