Hatch Reinforcement

[ksuberk]

I have a 1983 Catalina 30. The anchor locker lid is weak and its only a matter of time before someone makes a new hole in my boat. Its just a thin fiberglass layup, no core. I have West Systems 105 Resin and 205 Hardener.
My plan is to pull the lid, sand the inside to remove paint and/or gel coat and prep. Coat the surface with the West mixture, lay in glass mat, and roll out with more resin mix.
Questions: Which glass mat/ weight (seems objective) and how much layup (seems subjective).
Thanks

[a64pilot]

Never seen your locker lid, but wouldn't glassing in a stringer be better?

[ksuberk]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Never seen your locker lid, but wouldn't glassing in a stringer be better?

Probably, and less work. I'll snap a pic in an hour, depending traffic.

[casual]

Core it or glass in a couple of stringers. Mat will flex and offers little more support.

[psk125]

Six ounce cloth or mat should be fine. You could turn the layup into stringers simply by glassing over a couple of small tubes or half-round wood mouldings laid across the span when you do it. Coring might be too much effort for the end result to be worth it.

[Cheechako]

You're far better off to glass in a couple pieces of ply core or glass/epoxy some foam or balsa core. Far stiffer. Takes a lot of added glass to stiffen things up without it.

[ksuberk]

Here is the hatch lid. The FG thins at the perimeter. Center is not compromised.

[Cheechako]

That hatch is cored already. It's fine... you really think someone is going to step thru it?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

That hatch is cored already. It's fine... you really think someone is going to step thru it?

It is cored and appears broken at the edge of the coring

[ksuberk]

Yup. I just noticed too. But 3" around the perimeter is not. Just layup. You can see the hairline of the damage, right at the end of the core.

[ksuberk]

Same thing on the lazarette, core ends to accommodate weather strip.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

It is cored and appears broken at the edge of the coring

Ahh... I see that now... looks like leave the core and grind the damaged area and reinforce that with glass.?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Ahh... I see that now... looks like leave the core and grind the damaged area and reinforce that with glass.?

that is what I would try first

[ksuberk]

Copy, fellas. Thanks for sticking with me while I get my story straight. Thoughts on which glass and weight? Number of layups?

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

...wouldn't glassing in a stringer be better?

Agreed. If you really need to reinforce it then you need to REALLY reinforce it!