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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Sliding Hatch

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ed_spengeman
1st Mate

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USA
98 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/09/2010 : 09:57:40

I know we discussed this but I couldn't find it with a search.

I removed the teak holding the hatch on for some stripping and varnish. I found that about eight inches of the flan ge on each side of the hatch had cracked along the fold. My thought is to clean the lip and apply a thickened West paste to form a fillet along the break. I would also put small teflon pads on each side at the header. My friend pointed out that, when standing on the hatch, the weight on the one end would now be supported by the tab thus stressing the hatch somewhat. I called West and they thought it would work. I am not considering glassing it because I haven't experience along those lines YET.

Any thoughts or suggestions. I'd rather be sailing!

ed spengeman
Indianapolis (geist)
Port Captain
Palakida
83 tr/sk

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2010 : 14:40:54

I have the same cracks. They were there when I bought my boat 3yrs ago and really haven't changed in that time so I am going to leave well enough alone.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2010 : 15:41:37

I faced the same issue. I believe the design is intended to put the weight on the two molded ridges on the pop-top, not on the flanges. The flanges are intended (I believe) to hold the hatch in place--not to support it.) I bought some nylon chair slides with rubber cups on the backs. I cut some slots in the cups, to fit on the forward edge of the hatch--one above each ridge. (The aft edge rode smoothly on the teak brow on the same ridges.) The hatch slid much more easily, without the loud SQUAWK, and the flanges are safe and should stop wearing. Let's see if they're still working on Bruce "Voyager" Ross's boat.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/09/2010 15:45:08

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2010 : 14:30:39

I happened to take a closer inspection of my hatch today and Dave, you are absolutely right. It seems through the years the hatch and the front teak (the piece with the handle) wear down to the point where the fiberglass flanges on the sides start to rub and take the load of walking on it thus cracking the flanges. Very good Dave. Thanks!

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2010 : 18:22:19

We were facing the same situation with our 1981 C25. It appeared that both surfaces, the flange of the hatch and the slot in the teak had worn. If we had kept the boat we had plans to add fiberglass to the flange and a thin piece of teak in the slot . . . and lubricate with beeswax thereafter.

Haven't been able to picture the nylon chair slides in my mind yet - though it sounds like a viable solution!

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2010 : 19:11:43

I wish I had a photo that showed the slides in place... The ridges are obvious, with cutouts in the forward rim of the hatch to fit over them. I found that the squawking problem came from the hatch edge against the ridges--not from the flanges in the teak rails. The slides lifted the flanges just enough to eliminate the load on them and put in to the vertical edge, which is much more capable of carrying it. The hatch worked like a dream thereafter.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/11/2010 19:12:38

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2010 : 20:04:06

Re-glass the flanges to repair and use this to shim the hatch so it will slide smoothly. This stuff should stop any future wear.

http://www.apsltd.com/c-4492-japanese-glide-tape.aspx

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2010 : 23:52:34

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 . . . Re-glass the flanges to repair and use this to shim the hatch so it will slide smoothly. This stuff should stop any future wear . . .

http://www.apsltd.com/c-4492-japanese-glide-tape.aspx
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Wow, Gary, great find! Thanks for sharing.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2010 : 07:12:53

I've heard from someone on another forum that after you add this tape the hatch will slide very easily and could flip out from under you if you're standing on it so please be careful.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2010 : 20:00:10

Dave,
I've been away for a while (Vegas). The teflon slidey things vanished eventually, so I'm afraid the hatch is sliding on its flanges. I check them periodically, and at some point, will glass them over again.

I do apply bar soap to the bottom of the flanges periodically, and that acts like a lubricant. You can also use spray on silicone.

Responding to GaryB's comment about the cover slipping, I never stand on the cover. I found out the hard way that it moves when you least expect it.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2010 : 20:51:24

Bruce--IMHO you can add fiberglass to the flanges, but they simply aren't engineered to support the hatch--particularly if somebody steps on it. (You don't build a house with 2x10 floor joists lying flat under the floor--you put them upright.) The only thing that keeps the flanges from breaking off is the hatch's contact points with the two raised rails. Lifting the hatch at those contact points with something that will slide will take the stress off the flanges and stop their wear. If you lift the hatch slightly, as I did with the nylon sliders, so it's supported at the forward edge, like it is on aft edge by the teak arch riding on the two rails, the flanges won't be stressed, and the hatch slides smoothly without squawking. It doesn't need lubrication--you want it to stay where you put it.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/13/2010 20:53:29

johnmcb
Deckhand

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USA
17 Posts

Response Posted - 12/10/2010 : 17:36:50

I removed the port teak rail and pulled the hatch. I was surprised find that a relatively small edge of the hatch rode on the fiberglass rail on the pop top. I glued some paint stir sticks to the hatch to create a larger area for the hatch to ride on. I then put penetrating epoxy on the stir sticks and the glide tape referred to above on top of that. Hatch now works like a dream and no more screech noise. If I can figure out how to add photos, I will. Thanks for the link to the glide tape.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2010 : 09:17:48

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 Dave,
I've been away for a while (Vegas). The teflon slidey things vanished eventually, so I'm afraid the hatch is sliding on its flanges. I check them periodically, and at some point, will glass them over again.

I do apply bar soap to the bottom of the flanges periodically, and that acts like a lubricant. You can also use spray on silicone.

Responding to GaryB's comment about the cover slipping, I never stand on the cover. I found out the hard way that it moves when you least expect it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I don't stand on mine either. No point in stressing the hatch flanges. I was just passing along what I had heard on another forum so no one has an accident.. Apparently some people much lighter than myself do occasionally stand on their hatch.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 12/11/2010 : 16:02:34

I've never liked the main hatch slide design from day one. When it showed signs of wear I glassed the flanges with a thick layer of matt, then sanded smooth. It's thick enough to support some weight, It works about as well as it's ever going to.

Edited by - aeckhart on 12/11/2010 16:03:12

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