Forward Hatch Opaque Panel

[lumina]

Hi All,

Has anyone ever replaced the traditional rectangular opaque yellow insert on the forward deck hatch ?

Wondering if its all one piece or is it an insert. Is it an easy job or PITA.

I'd like to get a bit more light into that stateroom.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

Mine is 40 yrs old and I'm afraid of someone stepping on it and it breaking... So am interested in the answers you get

 

[GJH]

Not sure about your vintage, but all the ones I've seen, including my original, were one piece of glass and the "insert" you refer to was merely an area that was unpainted. Get's all scratched up and cruddy looking. I replaced with a modern style, full window, glass hatch and the difference in light is dramnatic. I lost the closed ventilation feature, which I liked, but like they say everythings a compromise on a boat. Here is my old hatch, just to make sure we are talking about the same thing:

And here is the new:

 

[rsmith]

Mine are blue instead of the resin color. I've always wondered if Hatt used some type of UV resin there.

 

[bobk]

I wonder if you could get some more light through if the translucent panel were clear-coated? It would also protect the weathered fiberglass. Has any one tried this?

Bobk

 

[rsmith]

I thought about it but worry e west system I have isn't UV

 

[boatwright]

I have used clear gel kote to good effect in cases like this

 

[jim rosenthal]

It is a one-piece fiberglass molding, but the center part is left unpainted. It doesn't weather well; the center part turns yellow, or may have always been that way.

I painted mine with AG- I didn't bother masking the center part off. Light still comes through, although not a great deal of it. But enough to make it warm in the forward stateroom.

I've seen hatches added as noted above. You could also put a smaller hatch in the middle. And, you could set a piece of tempered glass or something like that in, but inevitably it would leak. Which an added hatch is less likely to do.

 

[GJH]

Sky Cheney posted a modification he made to an existing hatch. I think his comment was after doing all the work and hassle, he's just get a new hatch if doing over.

Edit: here's the thread with pictures of Sky's mod:

http://www.samsmarine.com/forums/sh...r-Sale-Foredeck-Hatch&highlight=forward+hatch

 

[rsmith]

Mine definitely is thinner in the translucent area and looking from underneath you can see a step where it meets the painted part

 

[Bcollier]

We just had new windscreens made for the fly bridge of our 48LRC by Fantastic Plastic in Stuart, FL. While speaking with the owner, Brian, about this yellow panel he said he had fixed this issue on a couple of older Hatts. They did good work with our windscreens and I haven't had a chance to follow up to inquire about his remedy, but they do a lot of custom fiberglass and clear plastic work. Don't have their number handy but Google them and it comes right up.

 

[rsmith]

Is that the guy that advertises on Craigslist? I've heard several people happy with custom plexiglass work he does.

 

[bigbill]

george, is that a custom hatch? or is it a standard model? if it is a standard model, please post the brand and model number, i would like to do that to my yf