Removing companionway hatch

[Jim Boernge]

Question for 36/37c owners:

Just finished sanding and treating my above deck highly weathered woodwork. I now need to remove my companioway hatch to replace the 3/4" x 1/4" trim piece that is at the aft end of the hatch and glides on the metal side rails. Mine broke somtime ago. Problem is what to expect to remove the hatch. I assume that I remove the screwed on metal deck that is above the opened hatch. Mine has screws on the side and a caulked seam. Anybody have further info on what I can expect to find below? I know there is a trim piece that stops the hatch from sliding further aft than the closed position.

 

[Jim Legere]

Jim,
From your picture, I would say your companionway hatch is quite different than my H37C hatch. On the 37, the cover over the sliding part extends further forward and also all the way aft on the side (it covers the side edges of the sliding part). I have avoided disassembling mine to date since there are a lot of screws and caulking to remove!

 

[Bill1565]

I'm with Jim. My hatch doesn't look anything like you photo. God only knows what you will find.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Appears to me that once removed the top should slide our forward. Is that traveler original? Can you remove the spray hood without removing the traveler? Looks like it sits right in the hood. Like Jim says, ours are different. From the picture I guess ours would lift out, not slide forward or aft. Maybe yours will be the same.

As I study it more I wonder if you might have to remove the rail screws. Slide all the way forward and remove screws. Then, hopefully, slide all the way back and remove the rest. With my luck the slider is half the length of the rails and I couldn't get to the middle screw.

 

[Jim Boernge]

Thanks, Jim, Bill, Ed. Ed, I'm hoping that removing the screws and caulk that I can lift the aft end enough to get to the fwd edge of the sliding hatch. I believe the traveler is original equipment and location. Don't want to remove that if I can avoid it.
I'll post my report after my next adventure step.

p.s. moved from Keesler AFB marina on Biloxi back bay, month ago, to to Gulfport Small Craft Harbor. 10 minuters vs 90 to sail in the gulf. I'll post a separate discussion on the brand new marina.

 

[rardiH36]

I've wanted to take my clamshell off also. Everything is working underneath right now, but I know its a matter of time before the wood pieces wear enough to affect smooth operation of the lexan sliding hatch. But from what I can determine, the traveler rail must be removed first. And the long attachment screws on each side have resisted all attempts to remove ... PB Blaster and even some propane heating. Eventually I'll need to do it ... maybe by grinding the screw heads off?

I am not at my normal computer now. I might have a picture on it that will present better than Jim's.

The traveler is the original equipment on the 80-82 36'er. The deck FRP is custom molded to mount it.

 

[rardiH36]

Traveler Over Companionway Clamshell Pics

The attached pictures show how/where the Cherubini H36 traveler is mounted over the companionway sliding hatch protective clamshell.

The closeup shows the starboard side cast stainless block fitting that serves to route the traveler line back towards the cockpit and also to secure the traveler rail onto the boat. The same fitting is mirrored on the other side. The SS machine screws (1/4" diameter from memory) go down through it into the deck. I am not sure if Hunter embedded an aluminum plate under the area and threaded into it. Or between the deck and the liner are nuts and a backing plate. But in any case, all but one of the screws won't budge. And the screw I did get to turn locked up after about 1/4-3/8" removed.

In my last post, I forgot to include that I tried an impact extractor as well. But I didn't want to whack it too hard for fear of doing collateral damage somewhere!

 

[rivettw]

Looks like your traveler is attatched to the companionway cover. On the 37C I have the traveler is in the cockpit and removing the cover was no problem. There are two pieces of teak extended from the teak door frame at the top and side on the cockpit side that have two inset screws holding them. These form a barrier to keep the hatch from sliding all the way out. There is also a piece of teak on the top of the hatch aft that hits against the bottom of the cover aft. Cover was sealed apparently with 4200 and a lot of screws 'cause it came off with no problem. Hatch plexiglass was replaced with 1/2" Starboard . Plexiglass doesn't hold up to 190 lbs. falling on it too many times.
Wally

 

[rivettw]

"correction"...piece of teak on the top of the hatch forward.
Wally

 

[Blaise]

On Midnight Sun, (bridge deck traveler) you just remove the screws and lift the sea hood off. You do break the caulk seal, but it is no big deal. With the sea hood off just lift the hatch off. There is a piece of teak screwed along the forward edge to keep it from coming out when you close it. The srcews have a habit of breaking pieces out of the lexan. Wally's comment was interesting to me for a couple of reasons. First, he said that he replaced his with starboard because he was worried about it supporting 190 lbs. I weigh WAY more that that and have never givin it a second thought. Secondly, I would love to replace the black lexan with something that would keep the sun out, but my hatch is slightly curved. Starboard sounds great, but how do you bend it?

 

[rivettw]

Blaise,
Mine was 3/8th Plexiglass (probable from PO replacement and was cracked and duct taped. First thought was the Starboard since I already had some.)
The 1/2" starboard holds many hundreds of pounds for that amount of area. I placed my framework on 2 sawhorses with my wallpaper steamer lodged underneath. No problem at all conforming to the slight curved frame. When it fit flush removed the steam , sealed and screwd. Already had a middle dark Lexan on the 3 board companionway so still get a little light.
Wally