The screw down thingys

[skipper681]

The hatch is leaking, the hinges are pretty much done. I rang Houdini but because it dosen't say houdini on the hinges they say it isn't theirs. The hinges are still doing their job albeit very loosely, the hinges haven't let go yet so still work.

That is all well and good but two of the four screwdowns on the inside are missing so it's leaking a lot, I'm wondering what they are called so that I can search for some on tinternet.

Kind Regards

 

[LittleSister]

I'm not clear what you mean by 'screwdowns'. Can you explain a bit more or provide a photo? (The fittings that clamp the hatch closed are projections on the handles operating on wedge shaped fittings on the frame, IIRC)

The usual problem with Houdini hatches is that they start to leak, and often at the hinges. I don't think this is necessarily from the hinges being loose. Somewhere on the internet (quite likely on this forum) someone explains how they resealed their hinges. IIRC resealing was not a straightforward as it might have been, and might take a couple of attempts to make it work.

Hence when I suffered a leaking Houdini (and the boat was on a mooring and I was short of time) I opted to replace the whole hatch with a new Houdini. (That wasn't as straightforward as it may have been, as it was a tight fit and the frame dimensions, and screw hole positions in the frame, were very slightly different to the original - probably the result of manufacturing tolerances and/or wear/changes in the jigs over the years.)

 

[coopec]

A photo of the screw down thingys would help.

Have you had a look at this clip?

How to reseal a Leaking Houdini Deck Hatch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqrw8NEpEEg

 

[neil_s]

On a previous boat, I used Brighton sash fasteners - available from screwfix. They are made of brass, though, might be a problem with an alloy hatch.