I'd like to replace my hinged piece of acrylic with a real hatch, but to do so I'd have to enlarge the hatch opening about 1-1/2" which means I'd be cutting into the lip that has the current gasket. Would there still be enough strength-stiffness for the opening?
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Surveyor
I wouldn't touch that without consulting a surveyor. By cutting out the molded-in hatch frame, you would be reducing the deck reinforcement and may be cutting into the core. That will present its own set of problems. It is certainly doable, but you have to figure out what you achieve by doing so. If you have leakage on the current hatch, get a new gasket. Just one opinion, but I would urge a dose of caution considering this project. Rick D.
I wouldn't touch that without consulting a surveyor. By cutting out the molded-in hatch frame, you would be reducing the deck reinforcement and may be cutting into the core. That will present its own set of problems. It is certainly doable, but you have to figure out what you achieve by doing so. If you have leakage on the current hatch, get a new gasket. Just one opinion, but I would urge a dose of caution considering this project. Rick D.
Yeah, I'm with rick..
It sure is doable, but I think the concerns about strength of the area (it is part of the mast holding structure) that Rick mentions are VERY valid. A new chunk of Plexi and/or a new seal would be a lot simplier. You could even get a different kind of hardware for the hatch and have something really slick! Now, if you really want to do it, make sure you take notes and pictures- I want to see how it goes. The laminate in that area looks real thick (remove the underside trim around the mast for a look-see) and there is a ton of very hard putty stuff in the area. Good Luck!
It sure is doable, but I think the concerns about strength of the area (it is part of the mast holding structure) that Rick mentions are VERY valid. A new chunk of Plexi and/or a new seal would be a lot simplier. You could even get a different kind of hardware for the hatch and have something really slick! Now, if you really want to do it, make sure you take notes and pictures- I want to see how it goes. The laminate in that area looks real thick (remove the underside trim around the mast for a look-see) and there is a ton of very hard putty stuff in the area. Good Luck!
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