The clear plastic panel on my '94 Hunter 26 must bow slightly downward. After heavy rains, the water in the bottom of the boat shows that rain caught on the plastic panel moves forward until it drops out on the floor right just aft of the salon table. Is there standard first aid, or a commercially available cover, that others use to deal with this? Thanks, Slim
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Tom Wootton
Wood "dam"
I would suspect the wood piece that is screwed to the top of the forward edge of the lexan panel. It is cut to conform to the shape of the fiberglass hatch that the lexan slides under. This piece acts as a dam, diverting water to the channels on either side. If it is not sealed to the lexan panel, water could leak in there. I would also check the wood handhold on the underside of the forward edge of the lexan panel, especially if the panel is truly bowing down. If the screws near the ends have stripped out, this handhold is not providing the added stiffness needed to keep the panel from sagging under its own weight. The exposed handhold on top of the aft edge of the panel performs a similar function; check the screws near the middle of it.
I would suspect the wood piece that is screwed to the top of the forward edge of the lexan panel. It is cut to conform to the shape of the fiberglass hatch that the lexan slides under. This piece acts as a dam, diverting water to the channels on either side. If it is not sealed to the lexan panel, water could leak in there. I would also check the wood handhold on the underside of the forward edge of the lexan panel, especially if the panel is truly bowing down. If the screws near the ends have stripped out, this handhold is not providing the added stiffness needed to keep the panel from sagging under its own weight. The exposed handhold on top of the aft edge of the panel performs a similar function; check the screws near the middle of it.
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Al
if screws stripped...
I recently fixed a leak on my lexan hatch. It was leaking because the "dam" piece of wood that Tom mentioned was separated from the lexan. The wood was tripped by the screw so I could not tighten it. I drilled thru the wood and replaced the two end screws with bolt/nuts along with some 5200. This fixed my leak.
I recently fixed a leak on my lexan hatch. It was leaking because the "dam" piece of wood that Tom mentioned was separated from the lexan. The wood was tripped by the screw so I could not tighten it. I drilled thru the wood and replaced the two end screws with bolt/nuts along with some 5200. This fixed my leak.
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Crazy Dave Condon
caulk
suggest using a silicon like West Marine which is actually a siliflex caulk. Best to work with and use it on the entire bottome of the wood piece. From your des cription, are you talkking about the water that drops down when opening the hatch? Crazy Dave Condon
suggest using a silicon like West Marine which is actually a siliflex caulk. Best to work with and use it on the entire bottome of the wood piece. From your des cription, are you talkking about the water that drops down when opening the hatch? Crazy Dave Condon
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Slim
Hatch leak thanks
Al and others: Thanks for your kind responses; they are quite helpful. Any recommendations on the best way to disassembble the hatch/lexan panel to perform the bolt remedy Al describes? (the holes in my damn are also stripped). Thanks, Slim
Al and others: Thanks for your kind responses; they are quite helpful. Any recommendations on the best way to disassembble the hatch/lexan panel to perform the bolt remedy Al describes? (the holes in my damn are also stripped). Thanks, Slim
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Tom Wootton
teak rails
The lexan panel slides into the fiberglass hatch on teak rails which "capture" the panel and enable the tilting up of the hatch and panel together. I did this last summer and I don't remember every detail, but you have to remove the screws securing the rails to the FG hatch from the outside edges of the hatch. I also removed the plastic caprails over the aft part of the channels where the lexan panel sits when closed, but I can't remember if this was essential or not. I think it will become clear as you go. It's worth considering revarnishing all the wood including the rails while you have it apart, and waxing all friction points, especially the rails. The rubber bumpers on the bottom of the rails should be replaced if worn (Hunter has them, pretty cheap.) And, as mentioned, the dam should be caulked to prevent leaks. One problem I discovered with my dam: one of the screws securing it was too long and the tip of the screw stuck above the dam enough to carve a groove in the underside of the FG hatch, making for increased friction and an awful noise when opening. I ground it down before reassembling. Using bolts on the dam will require countersinking the nut because of clearance with the hatch. Maybe a larger guage screw will work instead. The lexan can be drilled (and cut--I took 1/8" off the width of mine to fix a binding problem) with woodworking tools; just go slow to prevent melting.
The lexan panel slides into the fiberglass hatch on teak rails which "capture" the panel and enable the tilting up of the hatch and panel together. I did this last summer and I don't remember every detail, but you have to remove the screws securing the rails to the FG hatch from the outside edges of the hatch. I also removed the plastic caprails over the aft part of the channels where the lexan panel sits when closed, but I can't remember if this was essential or not. I think it will become clear as you go. It's worth considering revarnishing all the wood including the rails while you have it apart, and waxing all friction points, especially the rails. The rubber bumpers on the bottom of the rails should be replaced if worn (Hunter has them, pretty cheap.) And, as mentioned, the dam should be caulked to prevent leaks. One problem I discovered with my dam: one of the screws securing it was too long and the tip of the screw stuck above the dam enough to carve a groove in the underside of the FG hatch, making for increased friction and an awful noise when opening. I ground it down before reassembling. Using bolts on the dam will require countersinking the nut because of clearance with the hatch. Maybe a larger guage screw will work instead. The lexan can be drilled (and cut--I took 1/8" off the width of mine to fix a binding problem) with woodworking tools; just go slow to prevent melting.
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Slim
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