Hatch above V berth?

[Dean Arneson]

There is a small (5" x 7") white plexiglass "skylight" above the v-berth of my Catalina 25 (1985). It is midway between the anchor locker and the bow hatch. I assume this was installed by the previous owner, as it does not look like a factory option.It leaks....As one of my winter projects, I am considering replacing it with an actual hatch, such as those available through West Marine. Not too big, maybe 12 x 12" or so.Has any of you done this? Any recommendations for the unit itself? Can you walk on these, as in jib work or mooring? How thick is the fiberglass at the foredeck? Any info, pro or con, would be appreciated....Thanx, Dean

 

[George]

Skylights

I think that the "skylight" that you described is standard and was part of how the boat was built. My 1985 Catalina Capri 22 has two of those "skylights", one on the deck near the bow and over the V-berth, and the other behind the mast about a foot back. Both get walked on with a fair degree of frequency over the course of a summer. What you may want to do is to get some good marine caulk and dig out the seal a little around it, and then apply new caulking to seal it up.Good luck!!

 

[David]

Skylight must be Standard

It must be standard. I have an '83 25 and it has the same skylight. I would try to replace the seal first. Putting in another hatch sounds like a major job and you might end up with the same sealing problem in the end.