Beneteau 361 companionway hatch is tight at night or in cold weather

[Harry Mathias]

I have a 2001 Beneteau 361 in excellent condition. The companionway hatch is very tight at night or in cold weather. It is fine on a warm day. I have cleaned and smoothed the visible tracks but haven’t yet removed the fiberglass hood because I don’t know what I will find underneath.
I do most of my own work on the boat. I am afraid if I take off the fiberglass hood that what I will find underneath will take awhile to repair and leave the boat vulnerable to break-ins. Even though my marina is safe, I am not at the boat all the time.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kappykaplan]

Have you tried to lubricate with something like McLube Sailkote?

 

[Harry Mathias]

Actually no. But the resistance is so tight in the cold that I can barely open it without throwing my whole body into the effort. In warm daylight it’s trivial to open. This is the way it’s been for the 3 years that I have owned it.

 

[kappykaplan]

Can't hurt to try.

 

[Harry Mathias]

No it can’t and I will.
Thanks!

 

[jssailem]

Sounds like there may be some wet fiber material that has swollen. The reason to remove the hood is to attempt to identify and repair the problem.

To keep the boat secure you could use plywood and a few drywall screws. They make small holes that are pretty easy to fill with epoxy and then paint over with gel coat.

 

[Harry Mathias]

Thank you. It may be that or just the accumulation of crud on the extended hatch track.
I am curious if anyone here had a reason to disassemble their main hatch hood and knows what is under it? Is it sealed to the deck? Or just screwed in?
I have a nagging suspicion that the deck could be warped by the previous owner over-tightening the standing rigging which may distort the hidden hatch track.

I appreciate your help.

 

[Lia Harbor]

I hope your nagging suspicion isn’t true, but how does that explain that you only have issues in the cold and at night?

 

[jssailem]

Harry. You have a 21 year old boat. Any thing may have happened. My boat first saw the water in 1974. I’m no longer shocked nor surprised by what I discover.

Take on each challenge as they come, and try to resolve them the best way feasible.

I’m constantly surprised by the resilience of fiberglass boats. Like Timex watches they seem to take a licking and keep on ticking.

When I get frustrated I remind myself I have a boat and I get to play on the water. It is a better day than wacking a golf ball in a field towards a golfer hole.

Best of luck.

 

[DArcy]

If it's that bad you will need to take off the cover and have a look. On my old boat (C&C 27) I suffered for a few years with a stiff hatch just like you. I finally bit the bullet and unscrewed the cover. I removed the cover, had a look, took measurements then put it back on in a day. In my case there were wood sliders that had swollen. I made some new ones out of UHMW which only took a couple hours to replace after I made them and the hatch was always easy to move after that. I didn't need to leave the boat open at all.

 

[Harry Mathias]

Very sage advice from you all. I believe that it’s a “sliding fit” problem. And somehow the cold makes one of the sliding parts contract reducing the clearances and makes the part (plexiglass?) that should slide, bind. That’s what it feels like. I will have to take it apart to see.
I will take pictures of what ever is below the hatch cover.