Replacing Bowmar hatch over v-berth

[Jared1048]

Not only did I rip my spinnaker and have my exhaust hose fall off some how broke my forward hatch over the v-berth. Isnt boating fun?!

Spinnaker is in the loft, exhaust hose has been replaced and now I'm off to replace the hatch.

Whats troubling me though are my measurments at 20 1/8 x 20 1/8. I'm a little worried about my measurments matching up to the right replacement hatch.

The Ocean Series hatches by Lemar looked very durrable... http://www.lewmar.com/products.asp?id=8018&lid=25106

Size 44 coming in at 20 1/16 x 20 1/16 looks like the best bet. Now my measurments were from the flange (part of hatch thats against the inside of the boat against the "wall" vertically)

Has anyone gone through this process before?

Thanks!
-Jared

 

[KD3PC]

most of the bomar hatches are still available...there will usually be a casting/model number along the ring..

size is made of several things, and unless you get them all right, you may have to do some cutting or glass work. The "radius" is important as well as the x and y dimension. Equally important is how high the hinge is and how high the top is. On my 42, there was minimal room to play with either of those measurements, as the Lewmars would have bottom out against the deck glass before opening completely.

I called Bomar for mine, and although the new "stop" was about 3 times flimsier than the 1991 model, the size was dead on and easy to replace. Below decks the trim ring fit perfectly...again another make did not, nor would the trim ring for that Lewmar mate to the cutout.

YMMV

 

[Jared1048]

I'll look for a model number to get more specs. I was thinking of trying to remove the hatch completly to take more accurate measurments.

I'm not too keen on getting another bomar after this last one broke both its hinges and those slider guides are a real pain to work with even lubed up pretty good. I want one that uses a gas piston style like on the inside of your hood on your car. Lot smoother.

Thanks!
-Jared

 

[walmsleyc]

Interestingly enough, I just recently put my butt through my forward Bomar hatch. Sounds likes the same model and size as yours. A 1039 U05 01. This number is stamped on the metal, near the hinge in a place where you can only see it with the hatch open.

I was never that confident with the thickness of the plexi on my hatch. I also had to re-bedded it a few years ago because the two support arm end up pushing the plexi up, and breaking the seal. I completely pulled the plexi out, cleaned all of the old sealant, and then some carefully applied 795 sorted it out, but I still felt that it was a flimsy hatch.

Anyway ... The Lewmar #60 looks to be the correct size for a replacement. It's a close fit. I like the Ocean series. The aluminum extrusions are much taller, the hinge design with detents seems much beefier and less problematic that the Bomar support arms, and the plexi is ~12mm thick, so I'm sure it can take the abuse of being a foredeck hatch. The Bomar plexi thickness was only about 1/8", maybe a hair more.

I will get the flanged model and the interior trim ring and screen kit.

Here is my Bomar:

As you can see, Duct tape is keeping it together, so this will probably be a spring project for next year.

Chris

 

[Jared1048]

Oh, nice. I ended up getting the Lewmar 60. Its a quarter inch smaller than perfect but its close enough once you split that difference to both sides. I havent rebedded it yet as I'll need a drill to get the pilot holes in. This Hatch is a lot nicer than the Bomar for sure. Granted, its 25 some years newer

Cheers,
-Jared