Lewmar Hatches

[ub1]

does anyone know if its cheaper to rebuild, than new or of a company to rebuild lewmar ocean hatches. frames are fine dogs,hinges,seals,and glass are tired.

[Southern Star]

If the dogs, hinges, seals and glass all need to be replaced, I can virtually guarantee that it would be cheaper and easier to simply replace them. The good news for future maintenance is that Lewmar's new ocean series hatches are designed so as to permit owner replacement of the windows.

brad

[Highlander40]

There is a company in Norwalk CT that will put in new glass (really plastic)
at a big savings over replacing the whole thing. You are stuck with the original hardware. Not sure about the seal.

[bstreep]

We have a member/sponsor here that does refurbishment. Quick turn time, about 1/2 the cost to replace. Folks swear they come back "as new". He should chime in any minute...

[Pblais]

Ben, From Atkins and Hoyle does rebuilds. I just ordered parts from them last week. Glazing in the window and seal is not rocket science but it helps if you have done a few. They also have jigs to help get things perfect.

There is a lot of money in the frame. All the rest is a lot less. If you have cheap extruded aluminium frames it may not be worth rebuilding. Good cast Al/Mg frames are serious big money. For mine all the parts are a fraction the cost of the frame itself. My cast acrylic ports look as good as new after 18 years. They do not craze I'm rebedding a few right now and replacing all the screens. The older screens don't last as long as the newer ones.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Highlander40

There is a company in Norwalk CT that will put in new glass (really plastic)
at a big savings over replacing the whole thing. You are stuck with the original hardware. Not sure about the seal.

Not sure the big savings are actually there. It depends who's doing the install and removal work -- you or a paid installer. I could buy new Lewmar Ocean hatches for about the same price as I could have my old ones re-glazed and handles replaced. Of course the new Lewmars of the same size and model didn't have a single mounting hole that lined up with the originals. So the install was more work than I planned.

Paul L

[bstreep]

Paul L,

It doesn't matter whether you or someone else is doing the install or removal work - it's the same either way. You still have to remove the old one, and you still have to install a new or renewed one.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by bstreep

Paul L,

It doesn't matter whether you or someone else is doing the install or removal work - it's the same either way. You still have to remove the old one, and you still have to install a new or renewed one.

I don't know for you, but for me my bill is usually a lot less when I do the work.

Paul L

[bstreep]

LOL, Paul! I just went through that with a plumber this morning - cost me more after I had tried to fix it!

No, what I meant was that the work when removing the old one, and replacing it with a new one or a refurbished one, the work is the same - whether it's the old one or a new one.

[Highlander40]

When you have the plastic replaced. All you take out is the hinge pin and support arm. Quick and easy. Removing and re bedding the the whole hatch---- not so quick or easy.

[vientoman]

This particular question is regarding hatch opening orientation: Is there a common practice an logic for orienting the hinge direction on deck hatches? I am installing lewmar ocean 60 hatches on a 44ft cat and have not decided which way to orient the hinges.

First Thinking is that at anchor, it would make sense to position the hinges of the forward hatches so that the hatches would form "scoops" and have the hinges on the aft hatches so that the hatches can form a venturi to "pull" air through the boat.

Second thinking is that it would be safer to have the forward hatches so that the hinges are facing forward to keep a hatch from being blasted open if the deck were to receive blue water from the bow.

Third thinking is that I am completely unsure now.