entry hatch slider

Apr 3, 2016
14
hunter 34 guntersville alabama
Must replace my entry hatch lexan slider. Any ideas where to purchase , or have cut to size? Hunter 34. 1984.
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
I buy all my plexi from Interstate Plastics online. Otherwise, any local sign shop can get you any size, and you may even save a delivery charge if you have a vehicle to pick it up. I have gotten up to 8’x4’x1/2” delivered from IP, and 10’x4’x1/4” via pickup from my local sign shop.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Tap Plastic’s up here in the Pacific NW.
but you will need to drill your own mounting holes.
While the boat is a Hunter, the part manufacturers of the hatch was likely someone else. Any names engraved on the hatch?
Taking the hatch out and too a plastic’s shop I think would be the easiest deal. .
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Oh, and you can cut it on a table saw. If you do cut it, do not remove the mask before cutting. Or you can have the shop cut it. However, you may pay for a stock size larger than your hatch because the shop probably cannot sell the leftovers. Ask if that is the case, and ask to keep the leftovers. They are not better the next day, but they will not spoil like most leftovers.
 
Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
A few years ago someone placed a newspaper ad, giving away a basketball pole and backboard. I thought about getting it and trash the metal stuff and keeping the clear (Lexan?) backboard. But, I waited too long and it ws gone. Since then, I have been thinking if I needed a new slider, I'd price a backboard. That's my -2 cents worth.
 
  • Like
Likes: AlexB
Apr 18, 2017
23
Hunter 26.5 Brick, New Jersey
Don’t know any place but here, the Hunter Parts store on this site sold me mine, it’s the correct size, all I need to do is drill the holes...and was reasonably priced, much cheaper than the online stores I visited to get a blank cut sheet...
 
Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
Oh, and you can cut it on a table saw
I've done this in the past. The slower you go the less chipping occurs on the edge. Routers are supposed to work better. I've also heard of people turning their saw blade around to get cleaner cuts. It's supposed to melt the plastic a bit instead of relying solely on mechanical cutting/chipping

Petersen plastics in Chicago is another source thats been recommended to me by many people. They're DIY friendly. Getting a quote was straightforward. I ended up not going through with it as I am selling the boat.
 

burtj

.
Jan 6, 2016
1
Hunter 30T Brisbane, CA
I replaced all my fixed windows. Ordered sheet Lexan from Grainger, which was shipped to the local store for free. I cut it using a cutoff wheel in a die grinder and a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade. As a previous poster mentioned, the plastic tends to melt as you cut, so you have to go slowly and sand the edges when you're done. Material was available in a wide range of colors, thicknesses, and sheet sizes.
 
Feb 5, 2018
9
Hunter 23.5 Florida City
954-568-2002 Cesany I bought a new lexan slider from Cesany Plastics in Oakland Park FL. Gave Alan the dimensions off the Hunter 23.5 and he offered different edge finish options after selecting the tint I wanted, I drilled the holes to match the teak handles. No more leaks!
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
B crites
Tap plastics will manufacture anything you need.
Where ever you have it made try to have them cut a grove/ Chanel in the top side of the hatch. Make the Grove/Chanel about 1-1/4 inches wide and approximately 1/8 inch deep along the back edge of the hatch. Try to keep the grove/Chanel about 1 inch from the back edge of the hatch. Then make another 1/4 inch grove/ Chanel about 1/8 inch deep all along the under side of the hatch on all three sides. Right, left, and the back.

This will correct Hunter's design flaw regarding water infiltration during heavy rains. The grove/Chanel on the top will Chanel most of the water off the hatch that will be concealed under the decking hood. The bottom Chanel will not allow any run off to enter the cabin because the water would then have to run uphill.

Hope this helps.

Capt. Robbie,
 
  • Like
Likes: BigEasy
Apr 18, 2017
23
Hunter 26.5 Brick, New Jersey
B crites
Tap plastics will manufacture anything you need.
Where ever you have it made try to have them cut a grove/ Chanel in the top side of the hatch. Make the Grove/Chanel about 1-1/4 inches wide and approximately 1/8 inch deep along the back edge of the hatch. Try to keep the grove/Chanel about 1 inch from the back edge of the hatch. Then make another 1/4 inch grove/ Chanel about 1/8 inch deep all along the under side of the hatch on all three sides. Right, left, and the back.

This will correct Hunter's design flaw regarding water infiltration during heavy rains. The grove/Chanel on the top will Chanel most of the water off the hatch that will be concealed under the decking hood. The bottom Chanel will not allow any run off to enter the cabin because the water would then have to run uphill.

Hope this helps.

Capt. Robbie,

Any idea how I can do this myself? Already have the hatch as I said on here...
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Any idea how I can do this myself? Already have the hatch as I said on here...
You can cut a channel with a router. Set up a guide, so you cannot exit the area you intend to route. For 1/8” deep, you can make a single pass. If your channel is more than 1/4” deep, set your router to make multiple passes.
You could also use a table saw if the channels run all the way to the edge. That would require a Dado, so you do not have to make mutiple passes.
 
Apr 18, 2017
23
Hunter 26.5 Brick, New Jersey
You can cut a channel with a router. Set up a guide, so you cannot exit the area you intend to route. For 1/8” deep, you can make a single pass. If your channel is more than 1/4” deep, set your router to make multiple passes.
You could also use a table saw if the channels run all the way to the edge. That would require a Dado, so you do not have to make mutiple passes.
B crites
Tap plastics will manufacture anything you need.
Where ever you have it made try to have them cut a grove/ Chanel in the top side of the hatch. Make the Grove/Chanel about 1-1/4 inches wide and approximately 1/8 inch deep along the back edge of the hatch. Try to keep the grove/Chanel about 1 inch from the back edge of the hatch. Then make another 1/4 inch grove/ Chanel about 1/8 inch deep all along the under side of the hatch on all three sides. Right, left, and the back.

This will correct Hunter's design flaw regarding water infiltration during heavy rains. The grove/Chanel on the top will Chanel most of the water off the hatch that will be concealed under the decking hood. The bottom Chanel will not allow any run off to enter the cabin because the water would then have to run uphill.

Hope this helps.

Capt. Robbie,
The 1/4” groove/channel on the bottom is how far from the edges? Left, Right and Rear...
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
I don't remember exactly, I think it was made approximately 1/4 " from the edges so that the plastic would not chip.
 
Apr 18, 2017
23
Hunter 26.5 Brick, New Jersey
I don't remember exactly, I think it was made approximately 1/4 " from the edges so that the plastic would not chip.
Okay, Thanks...I’ll check into the measurement...do I take it that the groove/channels do not run to the edge of the sheet? Meaning the whole set of grooves/channels remain approx 1/4” from the sides of the sheet...
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
If the channel is close to the edge, use another sheet to create a level bed for the router. Be sure to clamp the sheets and guides in place.
 
Jan 24, 2017
666
Hunter 34 Toms River Nj
Yes , the grove/ Chanel was approximately 1/4 inch from the outside edges of the underside of the hatch. The top grove on the top side of the hatch I believe was about an inch or so from the back edge as I recall.

Basically the grove on the under side of hatches function is to make a natural drip edge on the underside of the hatch. As I mentioned previously rain water will not be able to flow uphill across the grove/Chanel. It will fall into the molded slides that Chanel the water under the deck hood.
All you really need to look at before cutting the grove is that it remains within the molded sliders under the decking hood.
The rain water needs to follow the natural path that the hatch slids on.

Just a note make sure you are using new sharp blade or you will chip the lexxan hatch.

Hope this was helpful.
 
Feb 5, 2009
255
Gloucester 20 Kanawha River, Winfield, WV
My boat came with a single plexiglass hatchboard for the companionway, and I ruined it trying to remove a layer of messy looking stick-on window tint that someone had put on there. To replace it, I bought some tinted Makrolon (a polycarbonate like Lexan) remnant pieces on eBay and made a two-piece hatchboard set. I found the stuff very easy to work with, not much different from hardwood. I cut it on a table saw and used a router table to put a rabbet joint where the two pieces come together.
 
  • Like
Likes: BigEasy
Apr 18, 2017
23
Hunter 26.5 Brick, New Jersey
My boat came with a single plexiglass hatchboard for the companionway, and I ruined it trying to remove a layer of messy looking stick-on window tint that someone had put on there. To replace it, I bought some tinted Makrolon (a polycarbonate like Lexan) remnant pieces on eBay and made a two-piece hatchboard set. I found the stuff very easy to work with, not much different from hardwood. I cut it on a table saw and used a router table to put a rabbet joint where the two pieces come together.
My guess is you made a new hatch for the companionway, not the top slider over that hatch, am I correct?