1) How has anyone, H37C or otherwise, repaired the cockpit locker seals under the cover edges? Mine are mostly missing. What is left is brittle and breaks off. Just clean it off and forget it? Or should the covers seal when closed? My covers/seats are at home for repainting and this would be the time to fix. 2) The screws that hold those two deflectors at the rudder go into a hollow area. Not sealed correctly you will get water in the bilge from those holes. Using a wad of newspaper and aluminum foil I stood on my head in the rear lazarette to make a template. It's about 14" top to bottom and 2" thick. The width tapers from over 4" at the top to less than 3" at the bottom. I plan to fashion something to fill that void and glass it in. Anyone look at this? 3) Believe I have found the right color scheme for deck, trunk, and non-skid. I have been testing with a rear lazarette cover. I like a mix of 2/3 white and 1/3 off-white for the smooth. Gets rid of that "too white" look that is too bright(for my tastes). Then I am using a straight off-white for the non-skid. Looks good, or as good as paint can look compared to gelcoat. As always, thanks for sharing your experience.
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37c rudder fairings
When I replaced my rudder fairings, I noticed some water leakage through the SS screws that hold the fairings on. Some of the screw holes were stripped out, also. So I gooped up the screw holes with a thick mix epoxy and filler, and reinstalled the fairings with the expoxy still wet. I may have to apply heat to the screwdriver should I ever want to remove them, but the leaks have stopped. If this didn't work, my second plan was to smear some 5200 on the inside, covering the screw tips and bonding them to the inside fiberglass. I suppose you could just build up the entire inside area with cloth and resin, too, but that seems to be a bit of overkill, since leakage (at least in my case) was minimal. Hope this helps. Walt G.
When I replaced my rudder fairings, I noticed some water leakage through the SS screws that hold the fairings on. Some of the screw holes were stripped out, also. So I gooped up the screw holes with a thick mix epoxy and filler, and reinstalled the fairings with the expoxy still wet. I may have to apply heat to the screwdriver should I ever want to remove them, but the leaks have stopped. If this didn't work, my second plan was to smear some 5200 on the inside, covering the screw tips and bonding them to the inside fiberglass. I suppose you could just build up the entire inside area with cloth and resin, too, but that seems to be a bit of overkill, since leakage (at least in my case) was minimal. Hope this helps. Walt G.
Various things
1. I never saw any sign of a seal on my cockpit locker lids. I have thought about installing some, but it's one of those things that was way too far down the list. What I did do was to extend the edge of the starboard one up to the level of the underside of the seat. I just made a mold and glassed it up. I figured that with the edge a lot lower in the front, if I ever took a cockpit full of water, it would go right in. My plan was to glue a foam strip on the underside of the seat so that it would seal against the new top of the opening. Someday I probably will. 2. The first time I hauled Rainbow Chaser, I threw those things away. I put the screws back in with some sealer - it's been 9 years so I've forgotten what kind - and have never thought about them again. They've never leaked since. What the heck were they supposed to do for us, anyway, besides make more work??
1. I never saw any sign of a seal on my cockpit locker lids. I have thought about installing some, but it's one of those things that was way too far down the list. What I did do was to extend the edge of the starboard one up to the level of the underside of the seat. I just made a mold and glassed it up. I figured that with the edge a lot lower in the front, if I ever took a cockpit full of water, it would go right in. My plan was to glue a foam strip on the underside of the seat so that it would seal against the new top of the opening. Someday I probably will. 2. The first time I hauled Rainbow Chaser, I threw those things away. I put the screws back in with some sealer - it's been 9 years so I've forgotten what kind - and have never thought about them again. They've never leaked since. What the heck were they supposed to do for us, anyway, besides make more work??
37C maintenance
Gene: I too removed the rudder fairings from my 37c and filled the holes with MarineTex. I haven't a clue what they were for as I found no adverse reactions resulting from not having them on there. I haven't thrown them away as of yet but I do not plan on putting them back on. As for the cockpit locker seals, I have not seen any evidenceof there ever being any on mine either. The fact of the matter is, I don't remember ever seeing any on any of the other boats I have ever been on. I am not sure that seals were ever installed at all. I wonder if putting seals on would restrict ventilation enough to cause other problems. I would have to sit down and give this a very serious think before I make any changes.
Gene: I too removed the rudder fairings from my 37c and filled the holes with MarineTex. I haven't a clue what they were for as I found no adverse reactions resulting from not having them on there. I haven't thrown them away as of yet but I do not plan on putting them back on. As for the cockpit locker seals, I have not seen any evidenceof there ever being any on mine either. The fact of the matter is, I don't remember ever seeing any on any of the other boats I have ever been on. I am not sure that seals were ever installed at all. I wonder if putting seals on would restrict ventilation enough to cause other problems. I would have to sit down and give this a very serious think before I make any changes.
Thanks guys.
Those locker seals looked original, maybe something they tried in 1979 only? I'm considering scraping the residual off completely. Then I thought I might put some of that edging around the bottom of the seats. You know, the u-channel stuff that just pushes on. Not sure whether to use a contrasting color like black. Those rudder deflectors have at least one purpose. It's about the only place where the zebra mussels can get a hold. I was hoping that John C. might venture an opinion about their value(the deflectors, not the zebras).
Those locker seals looked original, maybe something they tried in 1979 only? I'm considering scraping the residual off completely. Then I thought I might put some of that edging around the bottom of the seats. You know, the u-channel stuff that just pushes on. Not sure whether to use a contrasting color like black. Those rudder deflectors have at least one purpose. It's about the only place where the zebra mussels can get a hold. I was hoping that John C. might venture an opinion about their value(the deflectors, not the zebras).
I tried automotive weather stripping....
(the kind that goes around a trunk)on my '80 H37C. I put it around the bottom edge where the lids touch. I thought it would seal the lids and reduce rattle. I was wrong on both (although it did reduce the rattle). Now I have to remove it because I do not like the way it looks and it doesn't work! There were none on the boat originally. Jerry s/v Makai
(the kind that goes around a trunk)on my '80 H37C. I put it around the bottom edge where the lids touch. I thought it would seal the lids and reduce rattle. I was wrong on both (although it did reduce the rattle). Now I have to remove it because I do not like the way it looks and it doesn't work! There were none on the boat originally. Jerry s/v Makai
Thanks again.
Jerry, I tried to e-mail you from here on HOW but got an incorrect address. Thanks for your reply. Think it was on Carl Wood's H37C while at the Annapolis boat show that I saw the u-channel shaped trim on the edges of seat/locker covers. I see that BoatUS stocks it and I have to go there to pick up my new head. Since the covers are at home I may take one in to get the correct fit. Not sure whether to use white or black. The contrast might look pretty sharp. And it might provide enough of a seal with some sound deadening. I also have stainless hasps on my seats and keep them locked. They are snug so my covers really do not rattle. I don't think there was any kind of latch originally.
Jerry, I tried to e-mail you from here on HOW but got an incorrect address. Thanks for your reply. Think it was on Carl Wood's H37C while at the Annapolis boat show that I saw the u-channel shaped trim on the edges of seat/locker covers. I see that BoatUS stocks it and I have to go there to pick up my new head. Since the covers are at home I may take one in to get the correct fit. Not sure whether to use white or black. The contrast might look pretty sharp. And it might provide enough of a seal with some sound deadening. I also have stainless hasps on my seats and keep them locked. They are snug so my covers really do not rattle. I don't think there was any kind of latch originally.
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