Leaky Lewmar Hatches and new seals

[elandra65]

Hi everybody,

apologies if this has been discussed before but after a search here and elsewhere I cannot find the answer I want. I have several Lewmar low and medium profile hatches (current models), size 20 to size 60 that are leaking. The method that Lewmar suggests is to buy new seals, dismantle the hatches (they use a split hatch frame), simply insert the new seals and join the hatch frame back together again with no sealant at all. Trouble is I don’t particularly trust this method as it relies on close tolerances and a good pressure all the way around the seal. When the seal gets a bit old it is likely to leak somewhat and a search on the WWW confirms that many do leak and they are a problem. It makes sense to me to use some sort of sealer in the assembly process to ensure that it is less likely to leak even though this may be difficult. Given these hatches are ubiquitous how have members on this forum dealt with these leaky hatches. I also want to have an alternative response to simply buying new seals when I am in remote and non westernised countries.

Regards

Andrew

[Jacana]

Hi Elandra,Recently attempted to replace seals in the same hatches and couldn't get them back together-ended up buying 2 new hatches $650 each and now have 2 spares which I would like to have redone with new seals.If you know anyone who does this please let me know.
Certainly no sealant is needed on the seals or frames as the fit is watertight as is .

[DavefromNZ]

I found that one hatch leaked around where the seal ends joined at the front of the hatch. I used a sealant and seems ok so far.


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[double u]

the seals (on the original hatches) are glued onto the acrylic & the assembly shoved into the split frame. any leaks between aluminiumframe & seals do not lead into the boat, any between acrylic & seal will leak into the boat. best bet: buy acrylic with seal, as by the time the seal is finished the acryl will quite probably be crazed too (& believe me: the crazing definitely weakens the acrylic...I once put a knee through one).
part numbers on lewmar.com, can be ordered from the lewmar distributor of your confidence...

[Blackie Swart]

I replaced 2 x window seals on a Voyage last year. Fortunately we had lots of spares on the boat, especially for the hinges/friction lever.
It was difficult to split the frames as the locating screw had corroded off and had to be drilled out.
Putting it back together was a mission - we had to strap the frames using some rope and twisted it to pull the two halves together without squeezing the rubber out the channel.
We did not use any other sealants and the job worked well although very time consuming.

[double u]

the joiners are availble too, but we've had a guy who's frame-halves were so firmly corroded to the joining pieces, that he had to get new lids
(stickler-mode: "hatch=opening outwards; window=opening inwards

[Valmika]

You can call these Guys. They have always been helpful to me on the phone and since they are the only repair facility in the US (they say) that has the Beneteau green plastic for hatches I am tied to them. I did order all new port lights from them and they fit perfectly for a DIY project. I am thinking of having them do my hatches but the shipping and turn around time are a bit of an object.

Marine Hatch Repair – Selectplastics

[timbenner]

I would try cleaning the seals first and applying vasoline to and around the seals.

[rfadler]

What a coincidence, just yesterday I replaced a seal on a Lewmar low profile size 10 hatch. A couple of weeks ago my brother replaced the seals on two of our medium profile size 40 hatches. This was the first time either of us had done this and it wasn't too hard. Certainly once you've done a couple you'll either get the hang of it or realize it's something you would rather pay someone else to do.

Splitting the hatches can be a pain. We were lucky and found that while the screws holding our frames together were corroded, none were so bad that we couldn't remove them. When reassembling I used some ECK Corrosive Inhibitor, there are other greases out there that help isolate dissimilar metals (aluminum hatch frame and SS screws).

I bought replacement gasket material from Hatchmasters/Select Plastics. They sell a special glue to glue the gasket material together. They explained to me that a lot of people use silicone but that doesn't last very long.

I measured the old gasket when I took it off and cut the replacement about 1" shorter (assuming the old one stretched). Once the ends were glued I stretched it over the old acrylic and slid the frame back on. I used dish soap as a lubricant. My brother used spay silicone lubricant. Both seemed to work. We'll find out in a couple of years if either has a detrimental effect on the life of the gasket.

I used a long bar clamp (found at Home Depot or Lowes) to compress the frames together.

Good luck!

[Goosebumps]

For what its worth I repaired, temporary 3 years ago, my Kewmar hatches seals with a selfsticking foam square in section, grey in colour, sorry dont kbow what its called but available in most DIY i think. Until now the hatches are sealed ok. Ok might not be permanent solution but works when passagemaking and seawater leaks on your head. I remember that was exactly what happened sailing out of Cape Town.

[Goosebumps]

Originally Posted by Goosebumps

For what its worth I repaired, temporary 3 years ago, my Kewmar hatches seals with a selfsticking foam square in section, grey in colour, sorry dont kbow what its called but available in most DIY i think. Until now the hatches are sealed ok. Ok might not be permanent solution but works when passagemaking and seawater leaks on your head. I remember that was exactly what happened sailing out of Cape Town.

Sorry need to add, after sticking foam to seal close the hatch fir a day, the foam shapes itself to seal, after shape stays.

[elandra65]

Thanks everybody for your responses,

A special thanks to DoubleU for making me aware the critical issue is between the seal and the lens. If I can make this watertight which should be easy I don't have to worry about getting a good seal between the rubber and the frame as it will simply leak onto the deck.

All the best

Andrew

[belizesailor]

Lewmar's design is crap. Really, how many potential leak points is it possible to design into a hatch? Look at a Lewmar hatch for the answer. Plus all the joints make them flex just to make matters worse.

If feasible, replace them with something else and save yourself lots of future maintenance hassle.

[double u]

...sure, those cast aluminium frames of the 80ies were sturdier - on the other hand: ever had to replace an acrylic that was glued in with sealant? quite messy & when you do it first time you have a 50% success rate (& believe me, I changed a few glued-in acrylic in my time...)

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by double u

...sure, those cast aluminium frames of the 80ies were sturdier - on the other hand: ever had to replace an acrylic that was glued in with sealant? quite messy & when you do it first time you have a 50% success rate (& believe me, I changed a few glued-in acrylic in my time...)

Like everything, its all a compromise, Ive also wasted countless hours replacing almost every failed dinky component (a bunch) on Lewmars and fixing leaks from all of their potential leak points. I do think they make, or did, a beefier series with solid frames at least.

Replacing the lens welting, which you have to trim to fit and then glue, is a PITA on Lewmars too, low success rate the first time you do it.