Mahe 36: Hatches, Windows and Ventilation

[NB2013]

The Head Emergency Hatch's are 20" tall by 15-3/8" inch wide.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post668880

[rabbi]

Excellent, thanks!

I tried all kinds of search terms but of course I missed to search for the obvious term "head"

[Seastream]

The 'glazing' (rubber gasket surround) on our sliding glass doors is bulged out in places and torn at one point and needs replacing as the doors won't slide shut properly. Suggestions on whom might perform this work? Auto glass repair dealers, etc.? I'm currently in Fort Pierce, FL.

[cathnath]

Our hatches have crazing on the perspex. In hindsight, we should have had hatch covers made to protect them from the elements.

It would be good to somehow buff the windows, rid the crazing and make them nice and clear again.

Any ideas on how we could do this?

[ZipTie]

cathnath,

Sometimes its much easier to just replace the hazed over hatch windows.

If your willing to put in the time and effort than you can try a polishing kit.

The ones I have tried have worked for a year or two and than the hazing came back and I ended up replacing the hatch window anyways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVPw201VqSc

[robincurtains]

It really looks amazing!

[Seastream]

One hatch lever in our stbd head is 'very' hard to move. Tried WD 40, PB Blaster; no go. Anyone with any ideas on why this should've happened?

[Mowzer]

Originally Posted by Seastream

One hatch lever in our stbd head is 'very' hard to move. Tried WD 40, PB Blaster; no go. Anyone with any ideas on why this should've happened?

We have the same (but opposite problem.). Our hatch handle has gone very loose but we have tried removing it unsuccessfully. We have a replacement kit but can't get the original off since it looks like the parts are corroded together. May have to drill the whole unit out but worried about damaging the hatch. Ideas appreciated!

[Tiemates]

Our Mahe is in the BVI and I'd love to make these screens up in the off-season. Any chance you have a scan/pdf of the hatches I can use to make up templates?

[Tiemates]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

I had three hatches that did not have bug screens, so I made some.

Here is how I made them.
1) Make a cardboard template using your boat hatch
2) Make a 1/4 inch smaller template to allow for rubber D seal all away around.
3) Trace template onto a sheet of 1/2 thick Azek
4) Cut 1/2 thick Azek sheet with a jig saw
5) Slice the 1/2 Azek hoop into 2 half’s using a saw or sheet rock knife
6) Cut a piece of screen to size
7) Contact cement both half’s of now 1/4 thick Azek
8) Apply the screen to one side and then put the other side on and clamp to dry
9) Cut any excess screen sticking out
10) Contact cement on the D rubber seal
11) Screw on a strap handle

They look better than the factory screens

Sorry.... mis-posted this. Hopefully, Cotemar can still help :

Our Mahe is in the BVI and I'd love to make these screens up in the off-season. Any chance you have a scan/pdf of the hatches I can use to make up templates?

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Tiemates

Sorry.... mis-posted this. Hopefully, Cotemar can still help :

Our Mahe is in the BVI and I'd love to make these screens up in the off-season. Any chance you have a scan/pdf of the hatches I can use to make up templates?

Sorry, I do not have a PDF file. I just traced the boat hatch. They are very easy to make from a cardboard template

[Seastream]

Revisiting window leaks, please see pix below. Our stbd saloon window leaks, near the spot where the channel that allows rainwater to drain from the top is located. Note the white water mark on the window screen in the pix.
Problem is, there's no way I see to access the topside of the window with a caulk gun. Must I take the fiberglass surround 'cap' above the window off and if so, how's it attached?

[MKB53]

The first thing would be to make sure the leak is at the top not the bottom. On my Mahe we had a leak at the forward starboard corner that was difficult to track. Turned out that the window and sealant had been put over the blue film on the corner. The film had cracked and lifted off the fiberglass. So the sealant was fine but the water was getting in under the film. Note that the water was actually going UP to get in. A combination of capillary action and wind pressure I guess. Negative pressure in cabin due to a vortex in the cockpit. It was fixed by gouging out the sealant AND blue film part way and resealing.

If you do have to to take the kepi/shade off it is just glued on with Sika. Some have come loose through people hanging on to them and needed resetting.

[Seastream]

Excellent, thanks! The water does indeed appear at the front bottom corner of the window inside the saloon. I simply presumed the leak would be below the drain channel because that's the part of the seal that gets the most 'wear'. I'll verify with a garden hose.

[MKB53]

Took me a while to find. I was able to establish that the water was not running down the inside so it had to be the bottom corner. When I got back on the boat after a few days and water had got in you could see it oozing from under the blue film when you pressed the corner of the window.