Richard Elliott
Member III
How difficult is it to reverse the Lewmar main cabin hatch on an E34? I'm considering a Boomkicker solid vang and eliminating the topping lift. I just purchased a new North full-batten main. Dick Elliott.
Reversing the main hatch
- Thread starter Richard Elliott
- Start date
u079721
Contributing Partner
Should be easy
Given the age of most Ericsons you probably should need rebed the hatch by now anyway, so this project would not be a waste of time. In the process of removing it and cleaning off the surface to rebed the hatch, remounting it so that it then faces aft should be no problem. For removal I found that a heated putty knive works well to slide along under the aluminum extrusion.
BUT, I can't recall from when I did mine whether the mounting screws in the base would line up with the frame after you swung it 180 degrees. It they don't the worst that would happen is that you would have to then drill all new mounting screw holes in the deck. Of course you would then want to fill all the old screw holes with thickened epoxy.
It would also be a good idea to fill all the new holes with thickened epoxy, as described in the West System manual for protecting any holes drilled on deck. This is a technique where you drill out the core and replace it with thickened epoxy, let it cure, and then redrill the hole - all to keep water from getting into the core and making the deck spongy. This should be done for EVERY hole that you drill into the cored part of the deck, though of course most people and hardly any builders follow this advice.
Given the age of most Ericsons you probably should need rebed the hatch by now anyway, so this project would not be a waste of time. In the process of removing it and cleaning off the surface to rebed the hatch, remounting it so that it then faces aft should be no problem. For removal I found that a heated putty knive works well to slide along under the aluminum extrusion.
BUT, I can't recall from when I did mine whether the mounting screws in the base would line up with the frame after you swung it 180 degrees. It they don't the worst that would happen is that you would have to then drill all new mounting screw holes in the deck. Of course you would then want to fill all the old screw holes with thickened epoxy.
It would also be a good idea to fill all the new holes with thickened epoxy, as described in the West System manual for protecting any holes drilled on deck. This is a technique where you drill out the core and replace it with thickened epoxy, let it cure, and then redrill the hole - all to keep water from getting into the core and making the deck spongy. This should be done for EVERY hole that you drill into the cored part of the deck, though of course most people and hardly any builders follow this advice.
another reversal...
I reversed the Lewmar size 20 vent hatch on our '88 boat when we replaced the original one (hinges bad and lens quite crazed).
It's just as Steve sez -- fill old holes with thickened epoxy and redrill for the new holes. We also have a rod vang.
Loren in PDX
I reversed the Lewmar size 20 vent hatch on our '88 boat when we replaced the original one (hinges bad and lens quite crazed).
It's just as Steve sez -- fill old holes with thickened epoxy and redrill for the new holes. We also have a rod vang.
Loren in PDX