44 Helia "sunk" in the Atlantic

[AllenRbrts]

Originally Posted by Snore

As a delivery and charter captain, I have been following this thread with great interest. Has anyone contacted FP or Lagoon?

The field engineered fix looks good, but curious what the manufacturers say...

I posted earlier on this thread the emails I sent and received back.

[AllenRbrts]

I have had a number of folks ask for help making the "fix". I'm going to make a batch of sets complete with solvent glue and alcohol wipes. If you would like a set, the cost is what it costs me plus the $6 for shipping in the US (my guess is less than $50 per hatch). I have a couple of weeks to get this done before I go back to my boat full time. If you are interested, send me a PM.

[jcarr]

Can somebody describe how water progressed into the engine compartment. Seeems it would be watertight to the cabin and would be able to provide enough bounency to keep the side with the breech floating more level and stop the progression to flood the other hull.

[Bean Counter]

Does the Helia have the front and rear compartments connected by drain hoses to the bilge? If so, if these are left open water can flow between all 3 compartments.

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by AllenRbrts

I have had a number of folks ask for help making the "fix". I'm going to make a batch of sets complete with solvent glue and alcohol wipes. If you would like a set, the cost is what it costs me plus the $6 for shipping in the US (my guess is less than $50 per hatch). I have a couple of weeks to get this done before I go back to my boat full time. If you are interested, send me a PM.

I can understand tossing away around $500K for a used cat-house-condo that sinks offshore due to a poor French manufacturer design, yet $50 for a patch to try and fix that fatal flaw seems ... well ... a tad expensive.

(Hahaha. Sorry ... Yankee humor)

[AllenRbrts]

Originally Posted by jcarr

Can somebody describe how water progressed into the engine compartment. Seeems it would be watertight to the cabin and would be able to provide enough bounency to keep the side with the breech floating more level and stop the progression to flood the other hull.

The owner didn't describe it to me, so I'll speculate. If the hatch lens is gone, there is nearly a 3 sq ft hole in the boat at the waterline. There is no pump that will keep up with that large of a hole. The boat will settle by the stern because of the floatation in the bow. The cockpit bench is not waterproof to the engine compartment, so once water starts coming over the stern in large amounts it will take on water and drain into the engines. The engine compartments hatches are sealed, but compartments are connected together for the rudder crossbar. Also, the hulls not sealed from each other, they are connected just aft of the hatch below the salon floor and obviously once the salon is awash they are connected. Finally there are cable runs from the hulls to both engine compartments which are not sealed.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by AllenRbrts

The "fix" when installed does not interfere with the normal operation of the hatch. It only contacts the frame which holds the lens, not the outer frame connected to the boat. I'm not too sure how much pressure the lens needs from the "fix". I tightened till everything was snug and then did another 1/2 turn or so. The bar is really tight and can't be moved. However I don't think it puts too much pressure on the lens itself so as to distort it in anyway.

Another option when I asked a local marine window shop suggested that if I’m worried about the lens coming loose (we have Goiot hatches; I believe from their product catalog our escape hatches are deck hatches that are not certified as escape hatches!) that the easiest fix is to screw the lens to the lens frame using one or two screws per edge.

Before doing that we’re going to rebed all of our lens (12 hatches, sigh) with DowSil 795 - a structural adhesive. Those puppies won’t be going anywhere for a long time after that.

[CatNewBee]

Do not make it too sturdy, it is at the end not just a window, but a escape hatch, you should be able to open it easily in case you capsize. If you bolt it through, you may need tools to open it, the bolt may turn wfen trying to unscrew etc.

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

Do not make it too sturdy, it is at the end not just a window, but a escape hatch, you should be able to open it easily in case you capsize. If you bolt it through, you may need tools to open it, the bolt may turn wfen trying to unscrew etc.

Hi Cat, if you’re referring to my comment about screwing the lens to the frame I mean to the frame the lens sits in, not the frame that is mounted to the hull. The screws only hold the lens in place (same concept but different method to the one AllenRbrts described).

[CatNewBee]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Hi Cat, if you’re referring to my comment about screwing the lens to the frame I mean to the frame the lens sits in, not the frame that is mounted to the hull. The screws only hold the lens in place (same concept but different method to the one AllenRbrts described).

No problem, just keep the main function in mind.

[Polux]

There is another cat that sunk recently. I mean, did not sunk because the skipper managed to strand it over a sand bank. Naufragio in Sardegna: Catamarano affonda a Cala di Volpe

[AllenRbrts]

Originally Posted by fxykty

Another option when I asked a local marine window shop suggested that if I’m worried about the lens coming loose (we have Goiot hatches; I believe from their product catalog our escape hatches are deck hatches that are not certified as escape hatches!) that the easiest fix is to screw the lens to the lens frame using one or two screws per edge.

Before doing that we’re going to rebed all of our lens (12 hatches, sigh) with DowSil 795 - a structural adhesive. Those puppies won’t be going anywhere for a long time after that.

Interesting idea. I would worry the lens and the frame would be too tightly connected. Acrylic and aluminum have different expansion coefficients (70 vs 22) (which I think is part of the original problem with the hatch because it is stresses the silicone glue) so if the frame and the lens are screwed together tightly it could perhaps fracture the frame. Might be okay if the hole in the frame is oversize and the screw is not too tight to allow the lens to move. I'm not sure how much expansion and contraction to expect, but I would suggest figuring it out before screwing down the acrylic

[Dirk01]

I'm not a native English speaking person , but would'nt it be more precisely to call it submerged but still floating instead of sunk?

[44'cruisingcat]

You need to understand the rules of this forum.

If it was a monohull you'd say its still afloat.

Because it's a cat, it has sunk.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

You need to understand the rules of this forum.

If it was a monohull you'd say its still afloat.

Because it's a cat, it has sunk.

If it can no longer be sailed or driven your quibbling about technicality's