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Hatch Master

csoule13

Member III
As the endless off season of 2016 trudges on, I wanted to give a huge thumbs up to Tony at Select Plastics/Hatch Masters. Sent the front hatch of our '83 30+ out for a rebuild. Tony cleaned up the frame, had a crack welded, replaced all gaskets and the lens, drilled out a 4" hole for a vent, retrofitted the handles, etc. etc. Just got it back today, and it's fantastic.

More than that, Tony was just a good guy to work with, and we spent as much time talking about boats and boat projects as we did the details of the business transaction. Can't speak highly enough of the experience, and will be sending the other hatch out soon.
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KanH

Member II
agreed

I did my hatches a couple of years ago and Tony and his team did great work. I also had them cut new glass for the portholes which spruced things up as well.
 

Afrakes

Sustaining Member
$$$$$$$

I replaced the acrylic in my two Lewmar Super hatches this spring. Two 18.25 x 13.25 x 3/8 colored acrylic and one tube of Dow 795 = $ 265.01 I drilled my own holes. The worse part of the job was removing the old sealant and cleaning up the residue. Mineral spirits worked OK doing that. It does consume time.
 

Timsb

Member II
I don't know, I did mine myself, by the time your done with cleaning, prepping, new gaskets, special glue for the gaskets, hardware and the expensive dow sealant, along with the fact the replacement acrylic is not exactly the same thickness (I think Lewmar is metric). I wonder if I should have just sent them out to Select.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
A message to me from 2013:

They look new, and I know that they are done correctly... and, it only cost ~$850
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for my two hatches...


And then there's shipping...and they're heavy.
 
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Timsb

Member II
Oh, yeah - it was the sticker shock. I think it cast me a little over $300 to do the two and they turned out great. That reminds me, I should take the hatch covers off once in a while to admire them.
 

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
Ever since I redid ours, I always keep them covered lol. They look nice only I almost never uncover them.
 

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markvone

Sustaining Member
My Jan 2013 estimate from Hatchmasters for lens and gasket for two Atkins Hoyle, 22 x 22 and 26 x 26 was $419 + $509 + shipping. The A&H are cast aluminum so no structural repairs required. I replaced gasket and lens for $200 in materials plus $150 in CAD/layout/cutting charge, pretty high, but a local marine plastics shop. Going to an automotive or other supply will be cheaper.

Cleaning out the old sealant is very time consuming. One of mine had been re-done with clear silicone - lots of work. This is best done in winter.

My plastic guy said that rain on the hot plexi is what causes the crazing not UV. It's thermal stress from rapid cooling. I added 1/2 inch thick closed cell foam to my covers to insulate them. It's not helping that my current canvas is black (soon to be light tan).
 

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GrandpaSteve

Sustaining Member
I cut a 4.5 inch hole for a solar vent in the saloon hatch. The plastic was thick and solid. This convinced me that the crazing was purely cosmetic. Although pretty, clear, hatch windows are beautiful, it is not a structural thing, so it is quite a ways down on my list.
 

footrope

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
Old sealer removal

I re-lensed my own salon and v-berth hatches after a couple years of trying and failing to see the stars through the crazing. I did the frame cleanup the hard way, solvents, knives, scrapers. But, when I got to the sliding hatch over the companionway a few years ago I carefully tried an electric drill with a wire wheel and found that I could easily control the wheel and not even scrape through the anodizing under the old sealer (most of the time). So, now I use a knife to get the thickness down and then secure the hatch frame for the power tool use.
 

csoule13

Member III
To answer Tom's question, I can't divulge the bill, because it was a Father's Day gift to the boat owner who frequents these parts. But the discussion so far has been in the ballpark.

The original hatch was a disaster, and trying to do it ourselves quickly went downhill. New plexi, new seals, new gasket, welding of at least one crack in the frame, hole cut for a vent.

Given the scope of unfinished work that was started in January(see the previous thread on resealing the portlights, which lead to a re-core effor that is still rolling), the few extra bucks to have Tony do the work was worth it.
 
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