Sliding Hatch??

[macojoe]

My sliding hatch has just floated on the bow since I bought it.
The only thing that holds it in place is when the windshield is closed.

I noticed today that there are 4 rivets on each side of it that use to hold something?? What was it?

Now after I took the the Teak strips off I noticed that there is a grove routered on the bottom. I am sure that there is a could if pieces missing now!!

Does anyone have a picture of theres?? Or can tell me what the deal is?

Thanks all!! (and no I am not going to be using Wax anytime soon!!)

[steplift20]

i assume you have a steplift cuddy, if so continue
the hatch lays on the deck and the teak strips go over the hatch
the grooves in the strips alow the have to slide back and forwared
the hatch flares out on the ends and goes under the grooves of the teak strip
got it.

[macojoe]

Well if my hatch ever had sides to go under the teak strips they are long gone!!
Looks like someone had something rivted to the sides at some point?

I NEED PICTURES!! Someone show me yours and I will show you mine!!

[phester]

macojoe, if i were more familiar with this new camera, let alone how to post a picture, i'd love to help you out. maybe try removing teak, clean and rough up the underside of teak with sandpaper...then glue/PL/marine silicone..., a piece of weatherstriping on underside of teak..., this will create a little "drag" and make it a bit more tight to the elements....P.S. , i didnt take out new boat nor did i fish for any flatties

[macojoe]

Its not the teak, I don't have anything to put under it from the hatch.
6 years with nothing and now I am all about fixing it???

[Franco]

Hey MJ,
I was working on my boat today. I checked out the sliding hatch. i looks like it may have a piece of aluminum angle riveted to either side of the hatch extending inder the guide rails to keep the hatch from lifting. I'm not positive that it is aluminum, but it's something. I'll be pulling that trim soon, and I'll let you know what it is

[Vic]

It is alluminum I just saw it, its alluminum angle riveted except the back holes have short screws. The top of that smaller door has a short piece of teak to keep it from coming all the way out. If I hadnt just 5200'd the teak strips down I would take some pics for u sorry.

[macojoe]

thanks!! I will go get some tomorow!!

I have put some pic's in the repair section of the repairs I have been doing!

[reelapeelin]

MJ...I described repair for this couple of days ago...get a length of vinyl C or J channel used in trimming a vinyl sided house...w/ a large pair of shears cut to length then trim away edges until you got an L shape that will go up the inside of the hatch and under the teak...rivet to side of hatch...

Vinyl will slide better, cheaper, easier to work and be easier on sliding surfaces than aluminum... ;) ;D

[macojoe]

Were's the pictutres??? You guys have to show me pictures! I can't read!

[Franco]

SOMEBODY SUPPLY MJ WITH A SEEING EYE FISH

[chesapeake724]

I'm surprised no one here has MacGuyvered and redesigned the whole hatch "system". Instead of the flimsy slider, you could make the hatch hinged, opening to port like the windshield. Add some gaskets to the hatch and it'd be more watertight than what's there now. Just a thought.

On a different tangent, what if the rails could be replaced with aluminum or stainless, would you guys buy them? My dad has an in with a metal fabricator and was toying with the idea of pulling the teak strips and seeing how much it would be to make them out of metal. Just another thought.

[macojoe]

what were they to begin with??

[reelapeelin]

Chesapeake, I would be more inclined to toward a Starboard solution than metal , even aluminum...

MJ...I wish I had time today to get a couple of pics on the board...it's dark now...the VINYL "L" is a real easy solution to your problem...go get a piece of vinyl edging from a builder's supply store (Home LowesDepot) and you'll se what I'm talkin' about...called "J" channel....you'll have extra to experiment, cause it comes in long lengths...W/ snips ,cut "L" from the "J" so it will go INSIDE hatch edge for attachment and UNDER the teak slides...

Are you re-makin' the teak slides outta Starboard?...that's what I wanna do...the cut-out underneath that accepts the hatch-slides we're talkin' about will be my only problem to replicate...think they'll have to be routed out... ;) :)

I'll TRY to post pics today, but leavin' for Charleston offshore today and short on time to even scratch my rear end... :o

[Veeder]

I just bought material to make the hatch guides out of 1" Starboard. I'll let you know how it turns out....

[macojoe]

Yes I am making the teak strips out of starboard and threy will have to be routered

[macojoe]

Well thanks to you guys I now have a sliding hatch that has sides!!
I made them out of some thin aluminum angle. Its all set now!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/macojoe/1e46cdc3.jpg

Its almost done!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/macojoe/ffa94b25.jpg

[reelapeelin]

If it weren't for the bracket, I'd swear you went out and found another boat and took pictures...is that shiny bow deck really Macojoe's....MJ that's a really GREAT job...you did a LOT of work in a short time...especially with CB's help....your boat looks great...talkin' about a "man on fire"...MJs SMOKIN'...

[Mac_Attack]

MJ, did you polish your boat? It looks real nice. You've done some nice work. Maybe you had Scupgirl polish it? Bill Mc ;D

[chumbucket]

That's not polish. It's rain! ::) The only washdown it'll see for a while. ;D

[macojoe]

CB is dead on!!!
I anit waxing anything!!! *
Look at the dirt on the hatch! I did not even clean it when I did the strips and screwed it down!

Thanks Guys!! It was all way over due!!

Did anyone notice that the Bimi is on backwoods?? :-[

[chumbucket]

Doesn't matter if it's backwards. Leave it that way, get some stainless poles for rear uprights and let it free-stand when not in use.

I already know what the argument against this idea will be.

[macojoe]

you working?? call me!!

[chumbucket]

Yup, at work now. :'(

[Mac_Attack]

NO but is that my ladder? My top platform has a curve in it just like yours. Bill Mc ;D

[macojoe]

Thats from being to fat for the cheap ladder!! :o

[Mac_Attack]

Exactly what happened to mine. My bimini is on like yours with support poles to hold it up like a radar bridge. Bill Mc ;D

[macojoe]

CB, was telling me that I should add poles to mine also!! I might we will see??

[reelapeelin]

Poles on mine front and back...you'll like 'em better than straps...not much bucks and can do 'em yourself...put screws in BOTH sides of plastic end pieces and THRU the pole whether there's a hole or not, drill one... ::)...yeah, I learned that the hard way...only a little bloodshed... ;D...

[Vic]

Yeah, those strips of starboard should slide good. I think I might have to put that one on the list. Great idea.

[macojoe]

reel were did you get you ploes from?? I no I have to get the ends at like boaters world but do they carry the tubing??

[reelapeelin]

Mine came w/ top I had made...Boaters World or West should have it...ever heard of Overton's?...if you don't find it, let me know and I'll get it from them for ya... :D...

[macojoe]

I just got my new catalog from Overton's

Thanks!