Solution to leaking hatch.

[Dennis]

Here is David Peck's modification to eliminate leaks from the sliding hatch on some Honnor Marine built boats.

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Thanks to David for permission to include his article.

[Julian Porter]

I read this article with interest as I’ve been getting water into the cabin. The article gives you a way of containing water bypassing the rubber seal and the foam strip. I took out my sliding hatch today and the rubber seal is missing entirely. I can’t see any evidence that it has ever had a seal fitted. Has anyone else got this problem? It is one of the South African boats.

[zimp]

We have a SA boat, (SN 004) with a full GRP hatch. No rubbers or something, no leakage. But I have to pay regular attention to drain-holes, to keep them clean.

See picture http://www.capecutter19association.org/ ... play_media

[Julian Porter]

@zimp my garage has a window on top and a sliding glass panel. If I were to spray water with a hose at the panel the cabin would fill with water. There is nothing at all to stop it.
Here is a photo of the of the rear of the sliding glass panel beneath the front section of the garage

https://flic.kr/p/2i1ALuv

From within the cabin do you look at the bottom of the sliding fibreglass panel or is it like a conventional garage where it goes into a slot above the cabin roof. What stops the water passing along the panel and into the cabin like with my glass panel?

[Dennis]

Hello Julian

The picture you have posted looks suspiciously like a Honnor Marine hatch to me.

If you study the photo of Zimp's hatch and compare it with your's you will see what I mean. http://www.capecutter19association.org/ ... play_media

I believe you have hull number 18. If that is the case, it looks as if you boat has been modified at some time. This is quite feasible as many boats have been refurbished by Honnor Marine especially before being re-sold.

[Julian Porter]

@Dennis Yes it’s boat number 18.
Do you think Honor Marine would have replaced the hatch without adding the rubber seal? I can see no evidence of there being one.
Did the early boats have toughened glass hatches.
The modification described above is only possible where an acrylic hatch is fitted.

[zimp]

I've added a picture of the hatch construction of Zimp. http://www.capecutter19association.org/ ... play_media
Never had a single drop in the cabin. (with the hatch closed of-course )

[Julian Porter]

@zimp My hatch is quite different to yours.
Maybe it was modified at some time to give extra leaks :-(

[Dennis]

Do you think Honor Marine would have replaced the hatch without adding the rubber seal? I can see no evidence of there being one.
Did the early boats have toughened glass hatches.
The modification described above is only possible where an acrylic hatch is fitted.

When I bought my boat from HM in 2008, Bob Brown went to great lengths to point out the "improved" hatch arrangement which he had developed to eliminate the leaks associated with the SA boat hatches. When I asked about the glazing material he was using, he told me it was "Lexan" (poly-carbonate). He was using this as he was unable to source suitable toughened glass.

It is perfectly possible for a hatch to be fitted without any seals, Mine has a very simple foam rubber seal which is fitted to the front of the garage opening and rubs on the top of the sliding poly-carbonate hatch. I believe later boats may have been fitted with a second seal attached to the top of the sliding hatch to divert any water which gets past the first seal to the sides where it should simply drain away and not leak into the cabin.

My hatch does not leak in normal use because it never gets wet. Mary Ann lives on a swinging mooring and therefore is always bow to the wind and I have sprayhood which is always erected. The only time I can get any leakage is when the boat is on it's trailer, slightly nose down and the wind direction is not "bang on the nose".

[Julian Porter]

It seems so obvious to have a seal on the front of the garage.
It would be easy to put a rubber edging strip on the front lip of the garage.
Also a neoprene strip on the sliding glass would help divert the water to the sides and into the gutters.
The double lipped rubber seal shown in the original document looks highly engineered when something simpler might be acceptable.
I keep Grace on a swinging mooring but it dries so I’m not guaranteed to be head to wind.
I’ve also got leaks around the glass in the top of the garage roof so I could be chasing my tail looking at the sliding hatch.