[C320-list] Hatch Leak Question

[Jeff Hare]

Hi,

I see you've gotten lots of good advice here.  

The hatches are bedded using a putty, not caulking at the factory. 

Removing the hatch involves just removing the handfull of frame screws and lifting off the hatch. 

Cleaning off the putty takes about 10 min or so. 

Applying the Bomar foam tatch tape takes about 5 min. 

Then drop the hatch back in place and screw it down.  Trim off any excess tape with a raazor blade. 

The hatch frame will be drip free for longer than you're likely to own the boat. 

I redid my forward hatch in an hour and it's never leaked again. 

Don't use 5200 or polysulfide. They're not used for these applications anymore.  Use the foam hatch tape, its too easy and very little mess.   

I ordered a 33' roll online for $40 and used about a third of it and gave away the rest. Maybe go in with a couple others and split the cost?

Something to consider if you have the rear cabin lewmar hatch.  If you're going to rebed the centerline main cabin hatch, consider doing the aft one also, and SWAP them. The centerline one gets crazed after several years, and the aft cabin hatch is identical and protected from the sun, so it'll be in pristine shape. 

-Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: "Dennis Harris" <dharris02 at suddenlink.net>
Date: Wed, 12 May 2010 11:14:44 
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Subject: [C320-list] Hatch Leak Question

On my 2000 C320 (#694), I have a small leak at the main cabin Lewmar 
centerline hatch that is below the boom (at forward corner only).  It leaks 
just a little only in extremely hard blowing rain or when hit with the hose 
pressure in washing the boat.  In normal rains, there is no evidence of a 
leak.

At this location, when the hatch is removed, what will I find?  From inside 
out, I assume it will be something like this:  inside liner, a void between 
the liner and fiberglass cabin top, lower portion of fiberglass top, 
possibly some sort of filler (wood, foam, no filler at all, just solid 
fiberglass), and top outer portion of cabin top fiberglass.  That's my 
guess, but for those of you who have removed the hatch for some reason, what 
is really there?

If wood or foam or other filler between layers of fiberglass is there, did 
you do anything to it before reinstalling the hatch.

Is this a place suited to use the Bomar tape type adheasive?

In removing the hatch to reseal it, how did you break the hatch away from 
the current sealant?

Thanks,

Dennis Harris C320 #694