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So I'm excited...Its the second day out during a late-taking summer where snow is still piled deep only 500' off the valley floor. In my nervous bustle, I forget to twist in the hatch cover and only remember when I'm about 2 miles away from home...sh*#.
I canvas the ditch while slowly driving home. Can't find it. I jump on my bike and do the 2 mile lap twice. The second time I abandon the road and walk parallel but 30' towards the barrow pit. Bingo!!! I've only wasted 2 hours. My joy of the "find" is quickly stifled as the hatch cover has not fared well in its fall and ensuing roll. The flange, which traps the round seal, has been snapped off all the way around! What is left are the finger divots for twisting and the 'male' threads of the cover...no flange and seal. I have a new model black hatch from a Laser and this seems like the perfect fix. It won't fit: different make, different thread incline, just won't work. I'm slowly pulling my hair out.
Solution to save the day:
The boat is a cherry 77 h-16. The hatch location is under the crossbar between the posts and only on the starboard side. The hatch is riveted in by a prior owner and a bit weathered/dated. I've looked in there, stuck my arm in up to my pit, but have never actually used the hatch for anything purposeful, storage or maintenance. I took some marine grade silicone and after cleaning the male and female side of the hatch, put a generous bead on the threads. I then screwed it in as far as it would go (it goes deeper due to the lack of flange).
It is now permanent...or semi-permanent. If the hatch was screwed in instead of riveted, I would be able to replace the whole unit. As it is, I would have to take the whole boat apart just to drill out the hatch's rivets (it's under the crossbar). The old hatch has always been a suspect for leaking. Now it's glued shut for good and after finally getting on the water, she came out hours later dry as could be.
It seems that the sport of sailing invites troubles. There are so many parts, pieces, procedures, and any combination of these can go amiss...but that's why it's so much fun!!!
Just thought I'd share my goat-rope...ciao.
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