First 36.7 hatch repair

J

jarcher

.
May 11, 2009
52
2 MK IV Warwick, RI
Hi All...

My First 36.7 is a 2004, and it has a hatch over the head. The hatch is fine except that the handle has detached. From some research it seems that it was glued on at the Lewmar factory and apparently people have had no success gluing it back on.

Can someone tell me the model of this hatch? I'm wondering if I can get a lens replacement that has the handle glued on, or if it can be retrofit with a bolted handle.

Thanks!
 
BigEasy

BigEasy

.
Jun 21, 2004
2,919
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
J, I had a handle debond from a lewmar overhead hatch last August.
I cleaned all of the old adhesive completely from the plastic handle and acrylic lens and used Plexus MA310 (MMA adhesive)
to rebond the handle to the lens. After reassembly, I clamped it for 24 hours before using the hatch. Still working well; waiting for the remaining three hatches to debond at after 11 years.
When researching the repair options, I recall that Lewmar does make a repair kit that would involve drilling a hole thru the lens and thru bolting the handle. Check on Lewmar's website for further information.
 
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J

jarcher

.
May 11, 2009
52
2 MK IV Warwick, RI
Thanks @BigEasy I appreciate the info. I looked on Lewmar's site and couldn't find the repair kit you mentioned. I'm guessing this is a "low profile" hatch and I did see I can get a replacement handle. Apparently there is just one each of left hand and right hand handles for the entire low profile line.

I'll try to phone them and see what they say, thank you.

UPDATE:

The hatch is a low profile 00. It looks like I can buy an entire new lid, and from the pic I think the handle is no longer glued on.
 
Last edited:
BigEasy

BigEasy

.
Jun 21, 2004
2,919
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
J, You can also check out "HatchMasters". They have replacement parts for Lewmar hatches and can repair/replace as necessary. My hatch was also a low profile hatch. I think that you are correct in that Lewmar no longer manufactures lens with glued handles.
 
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J

jarcher

.
May 11, 2009
52
2 MK IV Warwick, RI
Okay more research complete. I called NE Yacht Rigging, a Lewmar dealer, and they found a "low profile handle kit" for about $22, part number 360255990 but they don't know exactly what it is. I'll try to figure that out.

I did call Hatch masters. For $114.40 they will send me a new lens with a handle installed. For $177.85 I can send them the hatch lid and they will install a new lens with the handle installed.

If I can find the retrofit kit for about $25 bucks I can give the job a try myself, and if I screw it up, I can always send the hatch lit to Hatch Masters. I'm in RI, they are in CT and they said the lead time is only a few weeks.

I found a video made by Lewmar that explains how to remove the lid, so this should all be doable.
 
BigEasy

BigEasy

.
Jun 21, 2004
2,919
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
J, I postsed a similar message on a Beneteau 343 site in August '17. Another owner used the Lewmar small handle kit (left) #360255990 and thru bolted onto his hatch. He stated that he ordered it from Mauripro.com.
Because I have four similar Lewmar low profile hatches, I thought that I would try the Plexus MA310 ($30.) before replacing the handles. Lewmar used a similar product when the lens / handles were manufactured. So far, so good. Still have plenty remaining to repair the other handles if/ when they debond. If you opt to replace the handles, please update us on the repair.
 
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