Parts for top hatch

MitchK

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Sep 22, 2017
102
Capital Yachts Newport 28 Burbank, WA
Well got a little sailing in, now time to do some more repair work while keeping the boat sailable. I have started the much needed repair/replacement of the Lewmar Super hatch just aft of the mast. The acrylic had separated from the aluminum frame, and when it rained, it leaked pretty bad. Last winter I lashed a plastic tub cover over it to keep the rain out. So I decided to do a replacement of the original acrylic. Since it was already separated from the frame, that part was easy. Now getting the screws out of the hinges was a royal pain. The hinges are held to the acrylic by four stainless screws and brass inserts that I think are called sex nuts(?). Anyway, I was able to get two of them loose, but ended up breaking half the inside flange off on one, and the other was seized solid. So out came the skinny wheel cutter and ground/cut enough of the brass away to get them out of the acrylic. I then had to cut the barrel off of the screws. Anyway, I have the acrylic and frame here at the house. I ordered some 3/8 grey cell cast acrylic from an online supplier. The original measured at 10mm, and the 3/8 I was able to locate is about a half a mm thinner. I'll make up the difference with a slightly thicker spacer on the latching dogs and frame edge. Does anyone know where to get replacement screws and brass inserts for my hatch? Before I removed the hatch, I fabricated a plywood hatch cover out of 1/2" plywood and 1" x 3" boards for the sides. This is all glued together with Titebond III waterproof wood glue. Anyway, the hatch is held in place with four 1/4"-20x6"carriage bolts through the plywood and through a pair of short boards across the inside opening. A pair of spacer blocks were made so the bolts could be tightened, and not cause the top to be concave and hold water. The excess bolt length was cut off with my multitool and a bi-metal cutting blade. I had a partial quart of Interlux Britesides Polyurethane paint that I used to put three coast on the wood for weather protection. Not the prettiest thing, but it is weathertite. I also used some EDPM weather stripping on the bottom edge of the sides to form a seal between the cover and the cabin top. The forward and aft sides of the cover were cut with a curve that matched the cabin top for a better seal. The extra effort to paint and weatherproof the cover is because I do not know how long it will take me to round up all of the necessary parts and re-seal the acrylic to the frame and reinstall. I already have the hinge and latch seal kits along with a new hatch to frame seal that I purchased from Hatch Masters. Boy they are really proud of the seal material! But it beats buying a new hatch and fitting it. Here are a few pictures to show what I am up against, and showing the hatch cover and how it is secured. Again, I am looking for the replacement chrome plated brass inserts or at least what the proper name for them is so I know what I am looking for..
 

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