Replacing Lexan and Hatches
Date: February 8, 2000
From: Carl Hibbard Chgypsy@aol.com
Hi Paul,
I'm working on the deck hatchs. I Have to replace the Lexan as the slight starboard slant allows water to puddle and it's leaking through seperations in the seals. Also you can't really see through them anymore, and weatherstrips which are going rotten pretty quickly.
Has anyone figured out a way to remove the upper part of the deck hatchs without breaking off the ears trying to drive a hinge pin out? (Opposing tangs, you'd have to remove one of the three). This is for ease in replacing the plastic lens and weatherstrips.
Have you used the wire sawing/cutting method of removing the complete hatch from the wood surround (as I pray that its boat life caulk and not 5200).
Date: February 10, 2000
From: John Bartoszek jbartosz@symbol.com
Carl,
I replaced all my hatches so obviously I had to remove the old ones. Mine were sealed with 5200. It was hard but they did come off. It took a lot of prying with a BIG screwdriver. There was essentially no damage to the teak frame. I did have to replace one of the teak frames because the new hatch did not exactly fit the old frame (30" hatch in the v-berth). Even though I used Atkins & Hoyle direct replacements, the new hatches were slightly different in size from the old ones and the 30" one was sufficiently smaller that I had to replace the teak frame. Hope this helps.
Date: February 10, 2000
From: Paul Uhl endvr32@endeavourowners.com
John,
Where did you find or get the new teak frame, or did you have it made up?
Date: February 10, 2000
From: John Bartoszek jbartosz@symbol.com
I made it from flat teak lumber. I used a sabre saw and sander to make it. Had to make it in 4 pieces, 1 for each side.
Date: February 10, 2000
From: Pete Doddato lapdog@olsusa.com
Carl,
I gave up on trying to repair the old hatches and replaced mine with new Lewmars. The old ones came out easily. I took a wide putty knife and tapped it with a hammer, driving it up under the edge all the way around slowly breaking the hatch loose. It came right out.....no problem....a little bit of sanding and I popped the new ones in and bedded them in 3M 4200.....good stuff.
Date: February 10, 2000
From: Bruce Bonbright Hale-Moana@worldnet.att.net
Carl, I have an Endeavour 38 CC and replaced all my Atkins Hoyle hatches with new Lemar Ocean hatches. They were the correct size and have worked wonderfully. To take the upper part of my old Atkins Hoyle hatches, I used a bar of metal that was slightly smaller than the hinge pin that runs through the "ears" as you describe. I hammered it out and it slowly came out. To take the whole hatch off, I used a 1 1/2" putty knife and a hammer. The putty knife is thin enough to get under the metal lip of the hatch, yet was strong enough to stand up to hammering. It was a lot of work and you need to work the putty knife around the entire hatch in order to break it free. Good luck!
ps: I also replaced all my ports with Lemars as well.
Date: February 11, 2000
From: Sam Woolsey SamWoolsey@aol.com
Carl,
The OEM supplier for the hatches on the Endeavour 40 is still alive and well and on the net. The supplier was Atkins and Hoyle in Toronto, Canada. Don't have their phone number, but it is listed on their site. They should be able to tell you how to disassemble the hatch.
Also, before taking any kind of saw to your hatch, you may want to take a look at the prices listed on their site for replacement hatches. As I recall, the frame was simply screwed into the wood. A piece of cake to remove.
I, too, was unable to remove the pins, so I removed the arm and lay the hatch flat on the deck. They were is such sad shape, that it took about 3 hours digging all variety of sealant out of the groove. I then removed the glass (plastic), cleaned it out and rebedded. 3 hours x 5 hatches = 15 hrs. Then I had to put it all back together.
Let me know if you find out how to painlessly remove the pins.
Date: February 13, 2000
From: John & Carol Chapman cra@visi.net
Howdy Folks,
Our E32 '78 uses VETUS hinges which are different from your description. The hinges comprise one vertical piece which attaches to the aluminium hatch frame with two screws, readily removed, and the other piece which screws into the plexiglas hatch. The hinge is thus a fairly fragile snap-in intersection of the two pieces. Mine were almost all partially broken in 20 years of careful previous ownership but easily replaced. The hatch seals (also available from VETUS) were also readily replaced and now condensation and toe-rail leakage are the primary unwanted H2O sources!
Date: February 14, 2000
From: Carl Hibbard Chgypsy@aol.com
Hello Pete,
Thanks for the information. Whatever my hatchs are they will not be easy to remove. OH WELL ! I had planned on the 4200 for the rebed for ease in the future, have used it before.
Date: August 20, 2000
From: Michael Gendel mgendel@worldnet.att.net
All,
I agree w/ Don & Jerry. I am doing a nearly complete reno of my E42 #145. All 4 hatches were in my garage. At first AH tried gave me the field replacement is a no go pitch. Then the nice lady mentioned in the trail told me how to go about it. It is essential that the frame be absolutely clean of old caulk residue and any other impurities. Then USE the primer reco'd by the mfg for the mastic you will use for bedding. This primer is usually silcone suspended in a carrier and promotes adhesion to the acrylic and the frame. And mind the fumes.
One horror story, the GE1200 sold to me by a building trade supply company was BAD, BAD. It did not set up. GE would not stand behind it. Hours down the drain to remove and RECLEAN the hatch! So I switched to the DOW equivalent. The tech reps were more than happy to discuss which product was best for the app. No more GE for me. BEWARE. The aft hatch has 1/2" lens. The other 3 are 1/8 less. My memory on the depth may be hazy by an 1/8 BUT they are different. In my case I did know this and took a sample of the lens from the aft hatch to the local acrylic supply place, which I will not use again...very poor customer service and poor material. When you buy the stuff make sure you have no cups or warps. So now my three forward lens are very strong for the span. An 1/8 inch above the frame is really not noticeable. By the way, wish I had known about the ice cube trick. The Dow stuff tacks up pretty quick. Almost need two people with guns and fairing tools to beat the clock. I think the extruded/poured argument with current technology is now just an advertising sibboleth. I agree, no real diff.
Also, I can't recall why now, but I believe that in the long run, Lexan is not the proper material for hatches. Not sure if it has to do with UV, or crazing or something else. It is certainly strong stuff. And yes, AH prices border on outrageous. Anyone have a second source for the opening mechanisms, the rods, the knobs, etc? Bowmars are a poor substitute. I heard one fellow who had some machined.
Date: February 5, 2005
From: Paul Uhl endvr32@endeavourowners.com
We've recently had a number of inquires about replacing the stock plastic Beckson ports on Endeavours with more substantial replacements. Up until now the alternatives have been to replace them with heavy stainless steel, bronze, or chrome plated cast metal ports.
While at the Strictly Sail show here in Chicago yesterday I came across the Atkins Hoyle booth. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Atkins Hoyle, they were the supplier for the deck hatches on almost all the Endeavours made. What was interesting is that they now make standard size ports (5x12 and 7x14) that will fit the existing cut outs on our Endeavours. And the best part is that they are anodized cast aluminum which are MUCH lighter than the cast bronze ports, and not much heavier than the Becksons. Cost appears to be comparable to the cast bronze ports, roughly $368 for the 5x12 and $415 for the 7x14
I know that adds up to a significant amount of money but for those of you seriously considering the upgrade, the weight savings alone makes them worth serious consideration. I'm not sure what Lewmar ports cost however they have three "quality" options to choose from: Standard, Atlantic, and Ocean.
Also, Atkins Hoyle will recondition existing deck hatches replacing the Lexan lens and the gasket for roughly $200. That of course depends upon port size and lens thickness but it's considerable less money (and work) than replacing it with a new one.
They also manufacture motor lifts, dinghy davits, and swim platforms.
Date: May 29, 2005
From: Hammerhead Nautical Systems info@hhns.ca
For repair of hatches or ports, try these guys, they fix a lot of Atkins & Hoyle ports and hatches (as well as other manufacturers') for a fraction of the cost that AH will do it. They have lexan, gaskets, screens, etc. Hammerhead Nautical Systems, website is www.hatchrepair.com
