Questions for spetre owners

[Bushwacker]

Don't know how much of a gap you have between hatch and deck, but here's an idea based on what I've observed with my gas tank hatch, which was originally caulked/sealed with silicone. I pulled up the hatch to inspect the tank right after I got the boat. Most of the silicone stuck to the hatch and not the deck. What if you put some heavy paste wax on the deck around the hatch, clean the edge of the hatch real good with acetone, and then caulk it with silicone. The silicone should not stick to the wax, but if it sticks well to the sides of the hatch (you could even sand it a bit after cleaning), you'd basically have a "formed in place" gasket that might keep most of the water out. Could also put some thin (~1/16") shims under the hatch before you caulk it, then there would be a little compression on the resulting "gasket" after you remove the shims. Not as elegant a solution as Capt. Chucks, but a whole lot easier!

[htillman]

I have sealed these hatches with silicone with success. They must be clean and silicone applied to the deck ledge. Then install the hatch. I tape the hatch and deck area and then fill the gap with silicone and wipe/push down with my finger, keeping it clean as I go, dipping your finger in water after cleaning and working the silicone makes it easy. You cannot let the silicone skin over. Or you will have a mess. I have learned a good pointer on the website, lie 80 pound mono in the bottom silicone so removal of the hatch at a later date will be simpified.

[abl1111]

Bush - I don't know how durable or effective that would be ? I understand what you're describing, but sand, fish guts etc might make that set-up breakdown quick.

I always thought that a thin, durable, closed-cell, adhesive, rubber gasket or weatherstrip placed on the deck's horizontal lip ( where the hatch closes ) would be the best option to make a water-tight seal. That, along with a strong latch - which I already have installed.

Note: My hatch used to be screwed down, covering a 2nd fuel tank. I removed the tank and made the area for needed storage. I put the hatch on a SS piano hinge and put SS latches for positive closure. Works great, but I really want to keep my bilge dry. I have played with the idea of using the area for a fish locker and adding a macerator to the hatch drain and pumping it all over board - this would keep the bilge from getting water, but then this storage/locker would fill with rain water !?


ET3 - you're describing to silicone the hatch down permanently - or at least till you cut it back out. We're looking for a way to keep the hatch in use and waterproof.

[Bushwacker]

Bush - I don't know how durable or effective that would be ? I understand what you're describing, but sand, fish guts etc might make that set-up breakdown quick.

The silicone is still stuck to my tank hatch 36 years after it was installed! Of course I don't open it often, but I left the screws out so I can quickly open it to check for leaks around sending unit gasket after I fill the tank. I used some foam weatherstrip gasket around my cabin hatch and it didn't hold up that well, although it was some cheap stuff from HD. . maybe there is better stuff available now. I think the silicone would be a lot more durable as long as it sticks well. Maybe could create an additional secondary seal by adding a thin bead of Si around bottom lip of hatch after the stuff on the sides cures.

[abl1111]

I always wanted to try something:

Clean the that lip well w/ acetone, sand it nice and flat, clean again, then add a uniform 1/2" high x 1/2" wide bead of very durable silicone, and while still wet, place a flat wood 'jig' over all (4) sides of the lip - almost like a 'long paint stick' ( the bottom of this thin wood jig would have wax paper on it ). Then, press very this lightly to get a uniform flatness - not smooshed flat! - let it dry. Then remove the waxpaper/wood and that would be a built in gasket ?

Does this sound like it would work ?

[Bushwacker]

ab1111 - it'd probably work pretty well - same basic idea as I had, only you're saying to apply the silicone to the deck opening, which would provide more surface area to stick to than the hatch. However instead of your wood sticks, why not just coat the bottom and sides of tank hatch lip with some paraffin-type wax like Strick uses for his molds. Then your silicone "gasket" is literally molded to the tank hatch!

One caution about thickness of the silicone "coating" - something I learned from 35 years in the aerospace business is that bond strength of any coating is inversely proportional the thickness. In other words, the thinner that silicone "gasket" is, the better it will stick and the more durable it'll be!

[jongolds]

This may be silly but has anyone ever thought of using the same type of gaskets you see on refrigerator doors or some other sort of magnetic gasket. I'm not sure how you'd actually do it but it seems like one of the tightest seals you see for a frequently opened door is on your refrigerator so why not. If you figure out the details be sure to let us know how though.

[abl1111]

Might have to try it this Spring. One area that concerns me w/ this application is the hinged side; that edge will not 'come down' onto the dried silicone seal so much as it will 'sweep' into the silicone to close.

As for using a pc of wood as a 'flattener' vs using the hatch itself - there seeme to be pros and cons to each.
- Using the hatch itself, I think there'd be a lot of extra ooze of silicone around the seal ( I can't make out if this would give either a better seal, or be a dirt collector )

I don't think any of the gasket/silicone fixes are perfect because a lot of crud and especially sand would get into the space between the hatch and the deck ( as it does now )and eventually the silicone seal area and over time, as you walk on the hatch, it will slowly but surely dig through the silicone seal...