Need your help on the cockpit side hatch

[Dale Niemann]

I need some help on the cockpit side hatch. Specifically, the front portion. I want to construct it like Grahams, but in plywood instead of constructing with fiberglass. From a previous post, I have photos of the back and side gutters so I think I understand these. However, I cannot figure out how the front portion works. I can not quite envision how it will seal in this area.

If anyone could post a photo of the front portion of the side hatch and provide any help with this area of the hatch, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

[Dale Niemann]

A second thought.

If you could provide any measurements in this area, I would appreciate it.

[Rob Blackburn]

http://homepage.mac.com/blackburns/Expeditions/PhotoAlbum121.html

This is a group of shots of ours. My only complaint with the fibreglass bits is that it is not easy to get something to stay on the sharp vertical edge. We used some metal bendable trim from the car industry but it does not stay on that well.. I wonder whether a thin layer of rubber glued to the underside of the lid would not work better in many ways with a stronger flange to bite down on sort of if you follow me...

ie build the glass lip thicker or of ply and then have the seat lid pull down onto it tighter.

We only get water in ours whilst hosing out.

Rob

[Dale Niemann]

Thanks Rob. Your photos are exactly what I needed. I now understand how the front needs to work. I will try to figure a way to make the tops a little thicker. I was actually planning to put the closed cell weather stripping foam on the hatch top as you suggested.

Thanks again.

[Rob Blackburn]

No worries mate...

I have often pondered whether we should have made one into an esky/cooler ie place for beer and ice?

Rob

[Tom Lathrop]

Dale, Rob,

I put the sealing strips on the underside of the cover and never had leaks. The main thing is to make the edge of the channels level so all sides seal equally. This was done by using a router mounted on a long board to trim the channel edges after all was installed.

Another way to seal such hatches that we used in the past was to lay on a thick bead of silicone and let it partially set up. Then let the hatch down but don't dog it down fully. When the hatch is dogged down later after the sisicone is cured, a complete seal occurs. Biggest problem in doing this is to get the silicone bead in just the right place on the underside of the hatch. This can be done by first putting a few dots of silicone near the corners on the channel edge and closing the hatch to mark the correct location.

By the way, that is a beautiful job, Rob.

[Rob Blackburn]

I might have a look at changing it to that system. I am a bit irritated by the way the black stuff keeps coming off.

Rob