Has anyone replace the plastic slides that the cockpit hatch slides on? They are currently held in w/screws that can likely be pulled out, but impossible to replace w/o removing the wood work. Thinking of using HPDE or an acrylic but I don’t know if these can be adhesively fastened. Any thoughts appreciated.
Cockpit hatch slides?
- Thread starter LouisMK
- Start date
My ‘81 34 has teak slides which are screwed in. Not too difficult to get to. Would be nice to replace mine as well, they’re a bit shabby and are hard to slide at times.
You can't glue HDPE because it's too slippery. That's why the originals are screwed in.
My slides are cracked, maybe from temperature changes, but they still work well.
It would be a big job to remove the teak covering them if its just for the aesthetics of having cracked slides.
My slides are cracked, maybe from temperature changes, but they still work well.
It would be a big job to remove the teak covering them if its just for the aesthetics of having cracked slides.
I know this is a different design than the 25 I had but Ive discovered that the wood track wore away over 50 years and this in turn caused fiberglass to slide on fiberglass. The fuzy side of velcro on the hatch fiberglass was the quick fix
I was afraid that the HPDE could not be adhesively attached. My slides have broken & shouldn’t be too hard to remove. Maybe wood is a better choice & I could possible screw them into the side…..hmmmm
Replaced mine last year. Took advantage of having to remove the teak trim and refinished it while it was off. If I remember correctly I used 1/2" thick? x 3/4" wide? strips of HDPE. Inexpense project, but labour intensive.
As far as I know, nothing will stick to HDPE. I think any fabrication of HDPE is fused.
As far as I know, nothing will stick to HDPE. I think any fabrication of HDPE is fused.