Replacing acrylic in a top hatch

[Sailing newbie selsey]

Can I draw on your collective experience, I have just bought a boat and discovered that both hatches are leaking. I intend to remove and re-bed the hatches. I have noticed that both acrylic panels are leaking from around their seals so will remove and resell them both in. I have seen a sealant called boatlife life seal recommend for sealing the acrylic back into the frame, any other products that people have used and can recommend. Thank you

 

[ip485]

Just to check do you mean glass, or is it acrylic, and are these deck top hatches or on the side of the vessel?

 

[Sailing newbie selsey]

Just to check do you mean glass, or is it acrylic, and are these deck top hatches or on the side of the vessel?

Sorry it is acrylic! And they are top hatches

 

[ip485]

For my acrylic hatches on the deck I used Sikaflex 295 partly because it is UV resistant, of course it is the usual black and it was well recommended. For deck hatches it really does require care and time, it is very easy to end up with a slight weep which is inevitably very annoying.

 

[ip485]

Ah, ok, and yes it is a DIY job but follow through some of the good You Tube videos, and take plenty of time - as I say the odd weep is very annoying! Mine are all fine, but as you can tell I had one weep after it was done. Also find a good acrylic fabricator. I used BrightonandHove plastics who were both good and good value (no connection). I guess they do mail order.

I wouldnt attempt them in situ - it is well worth taking them off (shuttering off the hatch of course) and deal with them at home at your leisure. All the fittings should also get a good coat of silicone grease both for lubrication, but also where these go through the acrylic even with the washers it is a sure source of weeping water.

As you know the hatches taking a real pounding in heavy weather so even a hose sprayed over the top doesnt prove a totally secure seal, pounding into a good sea is the ulitmate test!

 

[mrangry]

I have done this before with sikaflex but found the primers needed were very expensive. I would look at some other bonding agent like maybe ct1

 

[fedorac0re]

Can I draw on your collective experience, I have just bought a boat and discovered that both hatches are leaking. I intend to remove and re-bed the hatches. I have noticed that both acrylic panels are leaking from around their seals so will remove and resell them both in. I have seen a sealant called boatlife life seal recommend for sealing the glass back into the frame, any other products that people have used and can recommend. Thank you

following..

 

[Graham376]

I used Arbosil 1096 and still fine after 10+ years. As said above, take the opening lid off and weight the acrylic down into frame for a day or two while sealant cures.

 

[Daydream believer]

When you say top hatches, One assumes opening. In many cases it is just a case of opening them, cleaning the acrylic & the rubber seals & lightly greasing the seals. The problem being due to grit between the 2 surfaces
There are products for cleaning the acrylic & "greasing" the seals & others can advise, but I do know from the "My Hanse" forum this has been a simple solution that has worked. I think s vasaline can be used for the grease, but I am not certain. Acetone may be OK for the mating edges of the Acrylic; but check on a small area first, in case I am wrong.
Of course that will not solve a leak twixt frame & its mounting, but it may not be leaking there

 

[Lightwave395]

Puraflex40, cheaper than any 'marine' product, works a treat, as advise above, take the lid off and weight it down

 

[Neeves]

For weighing down, 20l plastic water containers work well or two of same if enough room.

Jonathan

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Can I draw on your collective experience, I have just bought a boat and discovered that both hatches are leaking. I intend to remove and re-bed the hatches. I have noticed that both acrylic panels are leaking from around their seals so will remove and resell them both in. I have seen a sealant called boatlife life seal recommend for sealing the acrylic back into the frame, any other products that people have used and can recommend. Thank you

When you say "leaking round their seals", do you mean that there is a leak between the acrylic and the frame, which is what the answers above seem to address, or is it what I took it to mean , that there ia a leak between the hinged frame and the frame that is attached to the deck?
If the latter, you can just measure the cross section of the existing neoprene seal and order a suitable length of it from Seals+Direct
Rubber Door Seals | Rubber Extrusions | Window Rubbers | Boat and Caravan Seals | UK
Cut it to the requisite length and stick the ends together using contact adhesive.

 

[Quandary]

I replaced the 22 year old acrylic in my portlights, windows, and two Lewmar deck hatches with a complete kit supplied by specialists Hadlow Marine, for bedding the windows they supplied Arbosil 1096 and for the pair of hatches Arbosil 1081, been in place for over a year now without problem. One cartridge of 1081 was more than enough for the two hatches. To remove the old sealant they supplied a bottle of 'Detak' a solvent originally developed for councils removing chewing gum. Plenty of making tape is a good idea when using these things, spatulas for pointing were made from scraps of acrylic with a chamfered edge so do not scratch. They also suppied some Greygate polish which is claimed to extend the resistance of the acrylic to crazing? I did not replace the rubber seals on the portlights or hatches though they did benefit from thorough cleaning. I took the hatches with their upper frames to my workshop to work on them, easy to remove the hinges, temporary covering of hardboard and poythene, the acrylic was loaded with a considerable stack of yachting magazines (about 50 kilos, must be why I kept them)) for two days while the adhesive sealant set. Hadlow Marine have a website with useful advice and information for anyone doing these tasks. Not the very cheapest but good value for the service provided.
As a satisfied user I would recommend all of these products.

 

[Rappey]

I rebedded my acrylic into the aluminium frame using sikaflex and the proper primer.. 5 years on its leaking badly.. Not impressed.
When i redo them im going to find a specialist sealant that actually does bond with the acrylic as many sealants seem to have a problem with this..
You can tell a particular sealant isnt suitable when its easy to peel back off.

 

[Sailing newbie selsey]

I replaced the 22 year old acrylic in my portlights, windows, and two Lewmar deck hatches with a complete kit supplied by specialists Hadlow Marine, for bedding the windows they supplied Arbosil 1096 and for the pair of hatches Arbosil 1081, been in place for over a year now without problem. One cartridge of 1081 was more than enough for the two hatches. To remove the old sealant they supplied a bottle of 'Detak' a solvent originally developed for councils removing chewing gum. Plenty of making tape is a good idea when using these things, spatulas for pointing were made from scraps of acrylic with a chamfered edge so do not scratch. They also suppied some Greygate polish which is claimed to extend the resistance of the acrylic to crazing? I did not replace the rubber seals on the portlights or hatches though they did benefit from thorough cleaning. I took the hatches with their upper frames to my workshop to work on them, easy to remove the hinges, temporary covering of hardboard and poythene, the acrylic was loaded with a considerable stack of yachting magazines (about 50 kilos, must be why I kept them)) for two days while the adhesive sealant set. Hadlow Marine have a website with useful advice and information for anyone doing these tasks. Not the very cheapest but good value for the service provided.
As a satisfied user I would recommend all of these products.

I have taken the old hatches off this weekend and making the most of this dry weather! The frame holding the acrylic is made of fibreglass is Arbosil 1081 still a suitable sealant to use to re-bed the acrylic in to its frame being that it is fibreglass and not aluminium

 

[Quandary]

I can not see why it would not be, if it works with acrylic it should be fine with GRP but i will do a search on Arbro's web site in case I am wrong, or you could ring their technical department if you are in doubt?
Edit
Their technical data sheet lists uses as shop fronts, sanitary ware and aquariums, it does have a rider suggesting that it is not suitable for all metals?
My understanding is that its advantage for hatches is coping with thermal movement.

 

[neil1967]

Another vote for Hadlow marine and arbosil 1096. Done one hatch and the second will be done soon.

 

[Graham376]

I can not see why it would not be, if it works with acrylic it should be fine with GRP but i will do a search on Arbro's web site in case I am wrong, or you could ring their technical department if you are in doubt?
Edit
Their technical data sheet lists uses as shop fronts, sanitary ware and aquariums, it does have a rider suggesting that it is not suitable for all metals?
My understanding is that its advantage for hatches is coping with thermal movement.

I used 1096 after speaking to Arbo tech dept, it was their recommendation.

 

[Quandary]

I used 1096 after speaking to Arbo tech dept, it was their recommendation.

Hadlow supplied me with both 1096 and 1081, the 1081 for the hatch acrylics which were bedded on EHB tape which was more adhesive than the Scapa tape they supplied for the window frames, I spoke to the owner and was impressed with his level of knowledge and experience. Arbo do recommend 1081 as suitable for glass to glass joints in curtain walling which is quite a testing application. Of course I am not suggesting that 1096 would not be suitable.