Re: Hatch leaking
 

I am not sure what they are called, but the "hatch" above the cuddy, seems to be leaking. I have re-caulked around the perimiter where it is mounted. Can you get new seals for those? If so where? The boat is a 1990 Baja 300ES.

Thanks,
Scott

It's called a bow hatch.

Usually the seals are just marine caulk, like 5200.

Sometimes the wood core (if any) under the hatch edge gets wet and wicks water in. I had one that I had to remove the hatch, repair the underlying structure, then do a new caulk seal all the way around. That did the trick.

Either way the hatch will have to come out to do it right.
Otherwise more caulk added outside is just a band aid.

Is there any trick to getting the unit out? I did try caulking around the perimiter and re-caulking all the screws, but it has not helped. There is no chance the seal could be bad before I take this thing out? The seal looks fine though.

Scott

Hard to check the seal without getting anything else wet.

My problem was deeper than the outer rubber seal.
BUT...
I don't want to send you tearing out your hatch if it isn't necessary, but it's more likely the actual hatch frame seal underneath, as opposed to the outer rubber/poly compression seal for the actual hatch.

Can you tell inside whether the water is leaking back away from the hatch once it gets inside? In other words, does the leak cause a stain around the perimeter in your headliner? Usually the hatch installation problems make the leak seem to come from under the headliner, instead of from around the rubber window seal.

Maybe you can get more clues by having somebody hit it with the hose while you are inside.

The hose idea is a good one, I will try that next. The floor is almost always wet, it is running down the side of the wall I believe, because under the bench seat it is wet also.
No fun getting your socks wet!
Scott

If it's any consolation, it was some work, but the end product is nice and the hatch has never leaked again.

I had a little wet wood and used some "Git-Rot" to harden the affected areas that were exposed when I removed the hatch.

What about opening the hatch and trying to wet the frame edge without letting the hatch seal be "in play"?
That might be the trick. Just a little water, but with the hatch open and just to the edge of the frame.

It was the seal, the seals seems to have shrunk? I tucked it into the corners before locking the handles down. Should I replace? Do I simply call Bomar? Or reglue the seal back into place?

Scott

I would try replacing the hatch seals first before tearing everything apart. Even though a seal appears "good", it only takes one small compressed spot to let water past.

D. Ocean
Pompano Beach, FLA

Glad yours wasn't as bad as mine!

Fund razor -

My hatch also leaks and I know (from testing it with a hose) that it isn't the rubber seal. So, the hatch is coming out. I was just wonderin ghow hard it was to get it out and if there is any trick to it. Also, I assume I'm going to find it wet in there. What was that stuff you used for the repair?

Thanks

Scott,
Call Bomar directly. My brother had a problem with his Bomar hatch, and they were very helpful. As a matter of fact, the person he spoke to informed him that they sell scratch and dent hatches directly, and he was able to buy a brand new hatch with a little scratch in the frame for a fraction of what one would have cost him in the store.

Paul

out of town yesterday...

Hey Paul, thanks again for that info about my drives.

Scott? I got ahold of bomar too, but my hatch was so old (graymarine) that they couldn't help.

I didn't have extensive water damage so I used some "Git-Rot" to firm everything up. This was a 1979 Wellcraft Nova, so I wasn't going to redo the entire deck!

I used the screw holes for the hatch to get the "Git-Rot" to the places that didn't seem solid around the raw hatch opening. It dried like rock. Even in places where the wood was soft around the edge, it became hard enough to drill. After the "Git -Rot" cured, I glassed in the edges with west system, sanded that down and then spread new gel coat on my work and sanded that down. When I was done, the hatch opening looked new, and the deck was firm, not squishy. I filled and gelled the old screw holes (since I couldn't get the exact same hatch) and installed a brand new bomar hatch.
I actually had to make the hatch opening a tiny bit smaller to fit the new hatch right, but it all worked out great. It wasn't nearly as bad as many projects are... even though I had to completely remove the hatch and everything. In the end I was really glad that I took it on.
It's probably the only dry 79 out there!

I don't think I would the Git Rot trick with a newer or more badly rotted boat. But it was just the trick for that 79. Hope that helps!

Ok, received the new seal material from Bomar. Removed the latches (much easier to tuck seal into those corners) Tucked seal around perimiter, cut to length and superglued and butted the ends together. Once dry I used a marine silicon and placed a little on the corners and on the sides. Waited for all to dry and closed the hatches last night. It was tough to close with new seals! It is raining right now, so as soon as it lets up, I will go see how much success we had!