[C320-list] hatch replacement

[Bruce Hunter]

Gentlemen,                     I just replaced the main saloon, front trapezoidal, head and 4 opening portlights. On the head hatch I ran into rot. I dug out the rot until I found dry balsa, took a West System injection needle and sprayed the cavity with acetone and put the cabin heater on high for a few days with the hatch opening covered with weighted cardboard. I then filled the void with West Systen Six-10 thickened epoxy including potting out ALL the hatch mounting holes. It came out great! I bedded all replacements with Bed-It Butyl tape slowly tightening and then walking away, this took a few days and actually still going on but everything is water tight.
Bruce HunterNauti Time #719

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  On Thu, May 20, 2021 at 10:31 AM, Bruce Heyman<BruceHeyman at cox.net> wrote:   Hi Bill,
Generally I feel that if the balsa core has gotten wet and been that way for any period of time the it probably needs to go.  Just too likely for rot. I would dig out the balsa core until you get to good solid material.  Then wet the whole area out with epoxy after cleaning up with acetone.  Before the epoxy cures I would then fill the cavity with thickened epoxy making sure there are no voids and no exposed balswood.
Bruce
Somerset, San Pedro CA

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of wdoc1 at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2021 5:33 AM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] hatch replacement

Just ordered a Lewmar Low Profile Size 44 hatch to replace the leaking/hard to disassemble/repair Coastline hatch over the main salon of my C320. Planning to fill any non-matching screw holes with epoxy. There are a couple of areas of fiberglass delamination around the edges of the hatch opening, some up to 1/4". Should I epoxy these edges and the core face? do I need to remove the core? seal existing hatch lens & wait til end of season/winter lay-up to allow more complete drying? All suggestions welcome!
Bill McConnellDiversion #714