Leaking Hatches

[Stillraining]

I was at the boat and with our current 18+ inches of wet melting snow on the decks I now notice two hatches leaking.
After scraping off ice and Snow I have determined that they are not leaking at the deck joint but past the actual factory glass to metal frame joint in the lid itself...I can flex the glass and see a .001 or 2 opening between the two surfaces.

How do you effectively seal this?

Is there some penetrating type sealer one can let seep in and seal it up or do you need to pop the whole lens out and re-bed it?..In my mind that would be the proper way but figured I better ask here for some experience knowlage on the matter...and will it break needing a new lens ready made to go in?

Sorry this is the best picture I have of the hatch..as you can see it has a frame around the Plexiglas so its not a sealing issue with a gasket and dogs some may think

[starfish62]

I would think some sikaflex or similar worked around the glass edge would seal it up. Perhaps put a weight in the center to flex it downward & open the gap. It would probably be worth a shot before taking out the glass and rebedding the whole shebang.

[Stillraining]

Thanks for that

I had thought of that but didnt think it would last for one ... being way to thick to get down in between it would end up rather just be a slathering on top...not wanting a glob of caulking around the edge was hoping for some clear watery consistency sealer that would actually penetrate tight tolerances.

With my full 200 lbs in the middle of the lens it is a mere couple three thousandths gap.

[Mexico Mike]

One word: Ductape

Seriously, you're right that complete r/r would be the best idea, but be ready for a can 'o worms. I'd be tempted to tape around both sides of the join area and lay down a bead of sikaflex or equivalent flexable sealer for now. (If the temperature comes up enough for it to cure.)
There's nothing quite as permanent as a temporary fix!
Cheers,
Mike

[SilentOption]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

I was at the boat and with our current 18+ inches of wet melting snow on the decks I now notice two hatches leaking.
After scraping off ice and Snow I have determined that they are not leaking at the deck joint but past the actual factory glass to metal frame joint in the lid itself...I can flex the glass and see a .001 or 2 opening between the two surfaces.

How do you effectively seal this?

Is there some penetrating type sealer one can let seep in and seal it up or do you need to pop the whole lens out and re-bed it?..In my mind that would be the proper way but figured I better ask here for some experience knowlage on the matter...and will it break needing a new lens ready made to go in?

Sorry this is the best picture I have of the hatch..as you can see it has a frame around the Plexiglas so its not a sealing issue with a gasket and dogs some may think

If it never leaked before it could be the seal was sufficiently chilled and shrunk causing the problem. You may want to call the manufacturer and see what they have to offer.

[Stillraining]

I should have mentioned that I covered the offending hatches with a squar of visqueen and intended to wait till spring at this point as it is just to wet for one to get good adheasion and to cold as you say.

So I was researching now for the fix this spring..or I will put it off or forget..and be in the same boat next winter..

[Stillraining]

Has anybody any experience with this

Life calk LIQUID

[starfish62]

The Life Caulk has a good rep. I think that they're mostly polysulfide caulks, and are easily worked with and cleaned. I haven't worked with the liquid stuff, but it sounds promising. If you use it, let us know how it worked out. I'm guessing you'll have to wait a bit for a warm, dry day to give it a try?

[irwinsailor]

We use Captan Tolleys creaping crack seal anytime we find a leak, while not a permanent repair it buys time until you can do the job right later on.

[GordMay]

BoatLife "Life-Caulk" (Liquid & Tube), like 3M's "101", are Polysulfide sealants.

The solvents in polysulfide sealant attack some plastics, causing them to harden and split.
Do NOT use Polysulfide to bed plastics, such as:
Acrylic (Plexiglas), Polycarbonate (Lexan), ABS or PVC.

Polysulfides are generally safe for use with Epoxy, Nylon, or Delrin.

[AnchorageGuy]

You really need to do the repair properly. The plastic, I am assuming, needs to be removed and the whole piece re-bedded when weather permits. The Creeping Crack filler will work as a temp fix until then.

[Sandero]

I get a very occasional drip from the rotating fitting which locks my hatches. It's minor but I don't see how to seal this.

[Ziggy]

I had a similar problem with a leaky Atkins and Hoyle hatch. The sealant between the frame and the acrylic appears to be some sort of soft mastik. After getting a quote for repair from A&H that was about 50% the cost of a new hatch, I tried pushing the mastik with my fingers deeper into the joint and for the last two years the "repair" seems to be holding up.

I also investigated options for a more permanent repair. Select Plastics (Select Plastics, LLC) will repair hatches (cost is pretty high--similar to A&H). I found do-it-yourself instructions at Moore 24 Forward Hatch Repair (caveat--I have no first hand experience doing it). The author recommends Dow Corning 795 or GE SILPRUF, silicone-based industrial structural adhesives designed for glazing applications, to seal the gap.

[captain465]

defjef,
The hatch dogs sould come apart be loosening the screw taht holds everything together. Disassemble and clean all the parts,(including any plastic washers) and then reassemble using a silicone grease.

[donradcliffe]

Any good silicone will work, and the glazing silicones will work better. Use a knife to break the seal, scrape off all the old silicone, and rebed. Don't press the lens down too hard, as you want a layer of silicone to permit expansion and contraction without breaking the seal. Don't use paint thinner or other solvents on the plexiglass, because they will cause it to craze in the sun.