Deck Hatches

[phorvati]

I've gotten nothing but compliments from various friends, cruisers and surveyers, on my bomar hatch. I got a 24x24 blue water hatch for around 1100$. three years later there is no flaking on the aluminum frame and support bars. The factory was only about three hours drive for me so that made sense.
Petar

[Splash Gordon]

Get hold of HBH/Boomsma. They're in the Pacific Rim, but they supply Gebo hatches. Which don't leak. I know.

[avazquez]

My boat has Goiot hachtes. They are all 20+ yrs old an still seal great, are strong and all are still being built by Goiot.

[starfish62]

Anyone have any experience with aluma-prep (or similar) to "bring back" aluminum hatches? Don't have the cash to buy new, and was thinking of replacing the lexan (very crazed after 25 years) and prettying up the ones I have.

[GordMay]

ALUMIPREP 33 is a phosphoric acid based cleaner, brightener and pre-paint conditioner for aluminum.
ALUMIPREP 33 should not be used on high copper bearing aluminum alloys, or high copper aluminum castings.
I've happily used it as a pre-painting prep' for epoxy paint over aluminum.
I've never tried it, as a "re-conditioner" (on it's own).

[starfish62]

I used it to prep my mast before an Awlgrip job, and it seemed to really clear the scum off (sanded a bunch, too, of course). A friend said that there were products that effectively "re-anodized" unpainted aluminum. My hatches don't leak, and they are solid, so probably worth reconditioning, but I don't know what I'm getting into there. Any experience with replacing lexan?

[Splash Gordon]

Just a cautionary note with reglazing: I dunno about other plastics, but over here, GE, who make Lexan, only recommend Simson ISR 70-03 and their Primer G for glazing. I know this is what many major manufacturers use, and if you'd like to give me a PM, I'll give you some details.
When you're re-glazing, your prep has to be 100%, and masking is all-important. Over here we use electrical tape or buff-tape to stop the primer getting on the acrylic. Cleaning the rabbett on the frame out's quite important, and if you use a wire brush on a drill, be quite careful not to scratch the ali. I believe that bead-blasting/grit blasting's also good, especially if you're going to get your frames recoated. If you are, it's a nice look to have them powder-coated to match your decks!

Good luck

[cat man do]

If you are, it's a nice look to have them powder-coated to match your decks!

Sorry Splash but,

NO NO NO, powdercoating is bad (unless you get anodising done first.)

Any sort of damage to powdercoating allows water ingress and alloy corodes making white powder which lift's powdercoating off.

I've had it happen and it is a PITA

Acid wash using product suggested before (phosphoric)

recoat with a product call Tectyl 151 from Valvoline (no info online) but it is used by mast builders and tinny makers in Australia.

I apply it with a rag and do multiple coats, it dries clear and retains the shiny look from the acid wash.

Further down the track if wanting to re apply it is recoatable into itself.

Dave

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by cat man do

... Acid wash using product suggested before (phosphoric) ...

There are numerous products designed to clean & etch Aluminum - search "Aluminum Brightener"

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by GordMay

There are numerous products designed to clean & etch Aluminum - search "Aluminum Brightener"

I may have been wrong there saying Phosphoric based product.

What I used to use was a product called "Albright Heavy", slop it on the ally, it goes all white and frothy, hose it off and put the sunglasses on.

All I can find on Google now is this

ALUMINIUM CLEANER-BRIGHTENER (5Ltr)

*... "ALBRIGHT"

*... ALUMINIUM BRIGHTENER & CLEANER
*... A cost effective means of cleaning aluminium.
*... Great for restoring dull aluminium tray backs, tool box's, aluminium boats, bull bars etc.
*... Easy to apply using a paint brush or spray applicator, wait ten minutes, wash off with water. Brings new life to dull aluminium.
*... Can be used to clean Aluminium prior to welding.
*... Contains:
*... Sulphuric acid 208G/L
*... Ammonium bisulfide 79G/L
*... Can be diluted with water for desired strength



Which is not Phosforic based, though I am sure the stuff I used is.

I have some back home, but thats 700klm away.

Dave

[starfish62]

Thanks guys. Cat man, is the Albright safe on paint? I've got an awlgrip job on the hull that looks awesome, but the aluminum rub rail--though in good shape--could really benefit from a "brightening." However, to pull the rub rail off would be a nightmare as there is NO access to about half of the thru bolts' backing plates.

[starfish62]

GE, who make Lexan, only recommend Simson ISR 70-03 and their Primer G for glazing. I know this is what many major manufacturers use, and if you'd like to give me a PM, I'll give you some details.

Thanks. Will send a PM. The hatches themselves are sturdy units (I cannot find any manufacturers' info on them). And we still haven't caught up financially from 2 months on the hard, so I'm willing to discount my labor and DIY.

[Don Henderson]

Can anyone suggest the best way to remove a Lexan hatch lense from its frame, and what bedding compound to use when replacing it?

[Joli]

We've had good luck with Manship. I think they were the original builder of Hood Hatches and then went on their own?

Man Ship Marine

[Whimsical]

Has anyone seen the Jim Black & associates hatches. They are a fibre reinforced plastic and have tempered glass instead of plastic. The glass is particularly tempting for me and I would like to hear how they hold up over time.
Jim Black Inc.

Mike