Must replace my entry hatch lexan slider. Any ideas where to purchase , or have cut to size? Hunter 34. 1984.
entry hatch slider
- Thread starter b crites
- Start date
I buy all my plexi from Interstate Plastics online. Otherwise, any local sign shop can get you any size, and you may even save a delivery charge if you have a vehicle to pick it up. I have gotten up to 8’x4’x1/2” delivered from IP, and 10’x4’x1/4” via pickup from my local sign shop.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,171
Tap Plastic’s up here in the Pacific NW.
but you will need to drill your own mounting holes.
While the boat is a Hunter, the part manufacturers of the hatch was likely someone else. Any names engraved on the hatch?
Taking the hatch out and too a plastic’s shop I think would be the easiest deal. .
but you will need to drill your own mounting holes.
While the boat is a Hunter, the part manufacturers of the hatch was likely someone else. Any names engraved on the hatch?
Taking the hatch out and too a plastic’s shop I think would be the easiest deal. .
Oh, and you can cut it on a table saw. If you do cut it, do not remove the mask before cutting. Or you can have the shop cut it. However, you may pay for a stock size larger than your hatch because the shop probably cannot sell the leftovers. Ask if that is the case, and ask to keep the leftovers. They are not better the next day, but they will not spoil like most leftovers.
A few years ago someone placed a newspaper ad, giving away a basketball pole and backboard. I thought about getting it and trash the metal stuff and keeping the clear (Lexan?) backboard. But, I waited too long and it ws gone. Since then, I have been thinking if I needed a new slider, I'd price a backboard. That's my -2 cents worth.
Don’t know any place but here, the Hunter Parts store on this site sold me mine, it’s the correct size, all I need to do is drill the holes...and was reasonably priced, much cheaper than the online stores I visited to get a blank cut sheet...
I've done this in the past. The slower you go the less chipping occurs on the edge. Routers are supposed to work better. I've also heard of people turning their saw blade around to get cleaner cuts. It's supposed to melt the plastic a bit instead of relying solely on mechanical cutting/chipping
Petersen plastics in Chicago is another source thats been recommended to me by many people. They're DIY friendly. Getting a quote was straightforward. I ended up not going through with it as I am selling the boat.
I replaced all my fixed windows. Ordered sheet Lexan from Grainger, which was shipped to the local store for free. I cut it using a cutoff wheel in a die grinder and a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. As a previous poster mentioned, the plastic tends to melt as you cut, so you have to go slowly and sand the edges when you're done. Material was available in a wide range of colors, thicknesses, and sheet sizes.
954-568-2002 Cesany I bought a new lexan slider from Cesany Plastics in Oakland Park FL. Gave Alan the dimensions off the Hunter 23.5 and he offered different edge finish options after selecting the tint I wanted, I drilled the holes to match the teak handles. No more leaks!
B crites
Tap plastics will manufacture anything you need.
Where ever you have it made try to have them cut a grove/ Chanel in the top side of the hatch. Make the Grove/Chanel about 1-1/4 inches wide and approximately 1/8 inch deep along the back edge of the hatch. Try to keep the grove/Chanel about 1 inch from the back edge of the hatch. Then make another 1/4 inch grove/ Chanel about 1/8 inch deep all along the under side of the hatch on all three sides. Right, left, and the back.
This will correct Hunter's design flaw regarding water infiltration during heavy rains. The grove/Chanel on the top will Chanel most of the water off the hatch that will be concealed under the decking hood. The bottom Chanel will not allow any run off to enter the cabin because the water would then have to run uphill.
Hope this helps.
Capt. Robbie,
Tap plastics will manufacture anything you need.
Where ever you have it made try to have them cut a grove/ Chanel in the top side of the hatch. Make the Grove/Chanel about 1-1/4 inches wide and approximately 1/8 inch deep along the back edge of the hatch. Try to keep the grove/Chanel about 1 inch from the back edge of the hatch. Then make another 1/4 inch grove/ Chanel about 1/8 inch deep all along the under side of the hatch on all three sides. Right, left, and the back.
This will correct Hunter's design flaw regarding water infiltration during heavy rains. The grove/Chanel on the top will Chanel most of the water off the hatch that will be concealed under the decking hood. The bottom Chanel will not allow any run off to enter the cabin because the water would then have to run uphill.
Hope this helps.
Capt. Robbie,
Any idea how I can do this myself? Already have the hatch as I said on here...
You can cut a channel with a router. Set up a guide, so you cannot exit the area you intend to route. For 1/8” deep, you can make a single pass. If your channel is more than 1/4” deep, set your router to make multiple passes.
You could also use a table saw if the channels run all the way to the edge. That would require a Dado, so you do not have to make mutiple passes.
The 1/4” groove/channel on the bottom is how far from the edges? Left, Right and Rear...
I don't remember exactly, I think it was made approximately 1/4 " from the edges so that the plastic would not chip.
Okay, Thanks...I’ll check into the measurement...do I take it that the groove/channels do not run to the edge of the sheet? Meaning the whole set of grooves/channels remain approx 1/4” from the sides of the sheet...
Yes , the grove/ Chanel was approximately 1/4 inch from the outside edges of the underside of the hatch. The top grove on the top side of the hatch I believe was about an inch or so from the back edge as I recall.
Basically the grove on the under side of hatches function is to make a natural drip edge on the underside of the hatch. As I mentioned previously rain water will not be able to flow uphill across the grove/Chanel. It will fall into the molded slides that Chanel the water under the deck hood.
All you really need to look at before cutting the grove is that it remains within the molded sliders under the decking hood.
The rain water needs to follow the natural path that the hatch slids on.
Just a note make sure you are using new sharp blade or you will chip the lexxan hatch.
Hope this was helpful.
Basically the grove on the under side of hatches function is to make a natural drip edge on the underside of the hatch. As I mentioned previously rain water will not be able to flow uphill across the grove/Chanel. It will fall into the molded slides that Chanel the water under the deck hood.
All you really need to look at before cutting the grove is that it remains within the molded sliders under the decking hood.
The rain water needs to follow the natural path that the hatch slids on.
Just a note make sure you are using new sharp blade or you will chip the lexxan hatch.
Hope this was helpful.
My boat came with a single plexiglass hatchboard for the companionway, and I ruined it trying to remove a layer of messy looking stick-on window tint that someone had put on there. To replace it, I bought some tinted Makrolon (a polycarbonate like Lexan) remnant pieces on eBay and made a two-piece hatchboard set. I found the stuff very easy to work with, not much different from hardwood. I cut it on a table saw and used a router table to put a rabbet joint where the two pieces come together.
My guess is you made a new hatch for the companionway, not the top slider over that hatch, am I correct?My boat came with a single plexiglass hatchboard for the companionway, and I ruined it trying to remove a layer of messy looking stick-on window tint that someone had put on there. To replace it, I bought some tinted Makrolon (a polycarbonate like Lexan) remnant pieces on eBay and made a two-piece hatchboard set. I found the stuff very easy to work with, not much different from hardwood. I cut it on a table saw and used a router table to put a rabbet joint where the two pieces come together.