Here a different question. I have a 1979 O'Day 25. The cockpit has 3 opening lockers. A deeper locker forward on the starboard side, then a small ice chest/cooler/locker aft. These two lockers make up the entire starboard cockpit seat. On the port side the cocpit is solid forward(no locker because the quarter berth is under), then the gas tank locker. Now here is my problem. The locker lid over the fuel locker is starting to push down past the mating part. Think of overbite as a discription (hope it helps). When my fat behind sits there I can fell it give about a 1/16 to a 1/8 inch as it rides off the ledge it is suppost to sit on. No suggestions to sit on the other side please!!!!! When closed,the sides of the lid close down onto a ledge, thereby getting a positive support surface. The forward edge, however, has no offset. It is simply a straight piece of fiberglass that comes down onto a inward turning flange that is flat (think of an upside down "T" with the base fo the T as the forward edge of the lid, and the top of the T as the landing support surface. Problem is the "T" turns into an "L". The straight forward edge of the lid could slide forward, or backward because it has no positive stop. The lid edge then gives way to the outside (toward the center of the cockpit) then sides down the face. Any ideas on a attractive fix?
- Status
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
perhaps an invisible fix
As you bear weight on the middle of the hatch, the front edge bows downward in the middle causing the upper lip of the hatch to move forward (out) and as you note causes it to slip off the lower lip. To prevent the bow, create an V shaped rib from cardboard that runs the length of the lid but under the lid and about 2 inches from the edge. You will have to remove the hatch to do this repair upside down. The V brace will be about 1.5 inches for each angle of the V. Over this you will drape, and eventually fiberglass down several strips of fg cloth to bond the cardboard to the underside of the lid. The cardboard is irrelevent, it only forms the shape of the fg brace. A foam triangular shaped rib going along the underside of the lid will create the same kind of shape for the fg cloth. 3 or 4 layers is likely all you need. This brace then prevents your 'sit upon' to distort the lid, and the upper lip will then rest on the lower lip it is meant to rest on. Also check the inside of the upper lip for hairline cracks. A thin sheet of fg glass laminated under the lid lip may go a long way to reinforcing these multiple cracks. Since both of these reinforcers are on the underside of the lid, cosmetics are less of an issue. Hope those suggestions help.
As you bear weight on the middle of the hatch, the front edge bows downward in the middle causing the upper lip of the hatch to move forward (out) and as you note causes it to slip off the lower lip. To prevent the bow, create an V shaped rib from cardboard that runs the length of the lid but under the lid and about 2 inches from the edge. You will have to remove the hatch to do this repair upside down. The V brace will be about 1.5 inches for each angle of the V. Over this you will drape, and eventually fiberglass down several strips of fg cloth to bond the cardboard to the underside of the lid. The cardboard is irrelevent, it only forms the shape of the fg brace. A foam triangular shaped rib going along the underside of the lid will create the same kind of shape for the fg cloth. 3 or 4 layers is likely all you need. This brace then prevents your 'sit upon' to distort the lid, and the upper lip will then rest on the lower lip it is meant to rest on. Also check the inside of the upper lip for hairline cracks. A thin sheet of fg glass laminated under the lid lip may go a long way to reinforcing these multiple cracks. Since both of these reinforcers are on the underside of the lid, cosmetics are less of an issue. Hope those suggestions help.
Flexing lid
Dennis, Check out Don Casey's books; "This Old Boat" or "Sailboat Hull & Deck Repair." I think you may be able to solve this issue with no problem at all. There's a chapter in there that goes into detail of what Rogers just suggested to you. Joe
Dennis, Check out Don Casey's books; "This Old Boat" or "Sailboat Hull & Deck Repair." I think you may be able to solve this issue with no problem at all. There's a chapter in there that goes into detail of what Rogers just suggested to you. Joe
Great Suggestions
Roger and Joe, Great suggestions. The brace sounds like a easy, straight forward prolem solver. And Joe, I just picked up a copy of Don Casey's "Sailboat Hll & Deck Reair" yesterday. Th process that Roger explained is listed under "stiffening a skin". Looks like this problem is solved. Now on to the next problem.
Roger and Joe, Great suggestions. The brace sounds like a easy, straight forward prolem solver. And Joe, I just picked up a copy of Don Casey's "Sailboat Hll & Deck Reair" yesterday. Th process that Roger explained is listed under "stiffening a skin". Looks like this problem is solved. Now on to the next problem.
- Status