Wanted: bow hatch cover

[agostig]

Does anyone know where I might be able to locate a hatch cover for my 1964 34' sedan?

Also has anyone installed a replacement type hatch, any comments would be appreciated.
Thanks, Gerry

[67HAT34C]

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE REPLACEMENT HATCHES FIT WELL. HOWEVER IF YOU WANT TO KEEP ORIGINAL LOOK THEN YOU MAY HAVE TO HAVE ONE CUSTOM MADE. POSSIBLE TO MAKE MOLD FROM SOMEONES EXISTING HATCH.

IS YOURS MISSING OR JUST DAMAGED. LET ME KNOW AS I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH REPAIR. I MODERNIZED OURS WITHOUT TAKING AWAY FROM CLASSIC LOOK

STEVE HIERHOLZER
SHIER@AOL.COM

PS WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED AND HAVE YOU POSTED YOURS ON OUR CLUB PAGE? THERE IS A LINK ON SAMS. VINTAGE HATTERAS CLUB. NO COST.

[agostig]

Hi Steve, Thanks for the comments.
My hatch is not damaged, it has a square piece of tinted plexi sitting on top and it looks like an amateur did it.
I'm in the process of painting the boat with Awlgrip and I'm trying to figure out what to do with the hatch. I like the light it brings into the v-berth with the plexi on top, but there has to be a better way to secure it.

My boat is located on Long Island's south shore (Freeport) and I have not yet posted it on the vintage club page. I'll check it out and maybe list some photos when the painting is complete.

Thanks, Gerry

[jim rosenthal]

If this hatch is similar to mine (71 36 conv) it was made as one piece with a section in the middle where the fiberglass was not painted or gelcoated, so it is kind of translucent and the light comes through. You could probably make up a square section of resin-cloth laminate and then epoxy it into there and have essentially what they came with.
Another possibility is try Tom Slane....he has updated several of these boats and I think sometimes they replace the hatches. He might have an old hatch cover left over from one of those projects.

[67HAT34C]

THE PLEXI WAS INSTALLED THAT WAY FROM FACTORY. AGREE IT LOOKS POOR.

I RE FINISHED MINE MYSELF. I STRIPPED OFF THE OLD PLEXI AND CLEANED UP ALL EDGES AND RE SQUARED THE HOLE. FILLED ALL HOLES IN ETC, SANDED WHOLE THING DOWN TO THE BLACK GELL, FIXED CRACKS ETC. THEN PAINTED WITH AWLGRIP. I PURCHASED A 1/4" THICK PIECE OF POLYCARBONATE DARK PLEXI AND SIMPLY GLUED IT IN WITH SILICONE, IT FITS FLUSH WITH THE SURFACE OF THE HATCH. AND LOOKS GREAT. NO MORE METAL TRIM AND NO MORE LEAKING. THE 1/4" POLY CARB PLEXI IS VERY STRONG, WONT CRACK. YOU CAN JUMP ON IT AND IT WILL NOT BREAK PER THE MANUFACTURER, HAVE NOT TESTED THIS HOWEVER. WORD TO THE WISE WHEN YOU GLUE IT IN MAKE SURE YOU MASK OFF THE HATCH AND THE PLEXI TO KEEP THE SILICONE OFF OF THE MATERIAL OTHERWISE IT WILL MAKE A MESS.

WE HAVE A 67 34C AND AM TRYING TO MODERNIZE IT WHILE KEEPING ITS CLASSIC LOOKS. AND THE HATCH MOD WAS ALONG THESE LINES.

PS I BET I HAVE 20HOURS IN THE HATCH. I WORK SLOW AND AM VERY FUSSY. COULD NEVER EARN A LIVING DOING THIS.

[67HAT34C]

OH BY THE WAY, PLEASE DO JOIN THE WEB PAGE. MARK IS NOW UPDATING IT SO IF YOU E MAIL HIM, HE MAY NOT GET BACK TO YOU FOR A WHILE.

[34Hatt]

Well unlike Steve I wanted to change my 34C to look new. The boat already had the hatch changed to a new bomar it fits like the boat was made for it. Nice light thru the tinted lexan and water tight.
Dan
End Of The Line II
P.S Steve I and have already meet and have helped one another out a few times already do to the Vintage Hatteras Club and agostig I am also located on Long Island.

[ELECTRA VI]

Steve, It is interesting what you did. As you know, Electra is a 1966 34C and the bow hatch came as you described. It leaked when I got the boat so I pulled out the plexi and rebedded and put back. Thought this was original. George

[67HAT34C]

GEORGE, I SHOULD HAVE SHOWED THE HATCH TO YOU WHEN YOU WERE THERE. WE KEEP IT COVERED SO YOU REALY CANT SEE WHAT WE DID. AS YOU KNOW BOAT WAS AWLGRIPPED BEFORE WE BOUGHT IT BUT SOME OF THE WORK WAS POOR, HATCH WAS NOT PAINTED ON INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WAS BLISTERING AFTER ONLY 2YRS. THE JOB I DID SHOULD LAST.

MAIN REASON FOR DELETING THE ALUMINUM TRIM ON TOP AND BOTTOM IS THAT IT HELD WATER ON TOP, SECONDLY IT CORRODED AND DID NOT LOOK VERY ATTRACTIVE.

I AM MAKING A NEW SCREEN FOR INSIDE , FRAME DONE,I AM GOING TO ROUTE A SLOT IN IT AND INSTALL SCREEN WITH ROUND SPLINE, NOT GOING TO INSTALL THE TRIM AT THIS TIME.


I AM ALSO WORKING ON ENGINE ROOM HEAT AND I THINK I CAME UP WITH A GOOD IDEA, PLAN TO INSTALL HALF OF IT NEXT WEEK WHEN WE TAKE IT ACROSS FL. WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW WELL IT WORKS.

ALSO I TALKED TO MY DAD ABOUT GFI, SINCE YOURS AND MINE DONT HAVE SAFETY GROUND SYSTEM, HE SAID IT IS OK TO RUN A JUMPER FROM THE GROUND SCREW ON THE GFI TO THE COMMON GROUND ON THE GFI. THIS WILL ALLOW THE GFI TO TRIP WHEN NEEDED.

[ELECTRA VI]

Steve, I did not have any aluminum trim on my forward hatch. I would like to see what you did. As far as the jumper, for the GFI, I will check it out. Let me know if you figure out how to install it in the galley. The wire on mine is so short that it looks almost impossible to take out the old and install the GFI. I am due to go into the boat yard Saturday and may have to add this to the list. Got my survey results back from BOAT U.S. and they want this addressed.

Hope you have a good trip over to the West coast. Give me an email an let me know how you made out.

I just made a new screen for the forward hatch as the original was missing and SAMS wanted an awful lot for the plastic one (not sure it would fit). I made it out of mahogany I had left over from putting in the new sink in the head. Also trimmed it with teak molding which holds the aluminum screening in the frame. Looks pretty nice.