Leaking sliding Hatch

[Jacomo]

Anyone have an experience with repairing a leaking sliding cabin hatch?When we have a heavy to mild rainfall, I have 2" to 3" of fresh water on the cabin sole. (No, I do not wire the bildge pump directly to the battery, nor do I leave the battery switch on.) I only recently discovered this problem. My boat was built in 1985.

 

[Peter]

Hatch thoughts

At some point after my boat was built (1974), Catalina added a seahood to the sliding hatch, which, if the sealant is still good after 20+ years, should prevent leaks from the forward part of the hatch. I don't remember when that was, but I believe before '85. If so, (and your sealant is still good) then your leaks are not coming from the hatch, but from either:1. Hatch boards (try putting pipe insulation across the top hatchboard where it mates the companionway hatch, or for more bucks get a canvas covering for the entire companionway area).2. Hardware bolted thru the deck (winches, handrails, sheetstoppers, etc.)3. Some other gremlin far away place, relatively speaking: stanchions, shrouds, mast step, etc. that can drain to the main cabin. You'll see telltale signs of a leak from these places elsewhere in the boat.I've got a leak that I've been trying to chase down for 14 years, and it's evaded me to date. I just sigh and sponge out the bilge after a rain (I've got a '74 with the mild steel keel bolts, so YOU KEEP THAT BILGE DRY!)

 

[John P12803]

Yep, I get some water tood, but..

I never have water in my bilge, however, I do get water down on the floor in front of the sink (where there is the depression). I have two gaps that appear to be standard for the make/model around the top hatchboard and the sliding hatch. It appears to be fixable with either more teak glued to the wood on the sliding hatch, or just another new piece in the same location.Good luck with your search.

 

[rsn48]

Sometimes leaks through the transom storage area

The transom storage area can leak a significant amount of rain if you have rubber stretching cords to hold down the gas tank and propane tank. Eye bolts that were attached had over the many many years worked themselves very very loose and created larger holes. This took me a while to track down and was the cause of my sole being covered in 12 inches of rain water (didn't taste salty) over a month of our Pacific North West monsoon season.