Sealing cockpit hatches

[johnjen50]

Morning! I have three hates leading to the lazarett on my 58 Yachtfish. During heavy rain water leaks down into the bilge as the hatches are not sealed and just sit on the gutters around the edges of the hole. Has anyone found a way to seal these hatches that works? I’m also contemplating hinging and putting latches on these so in a seaway they would be more secure. Thoughts on that?
thanks!

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Morning Jon,Had same issue with my three laz hatches. The problem with mine was clogged or sagging drains. A sagging drain facilitates clogs. My solution was to remove the hoses. Marineteched in pvc coupler under cockpit deck for center hatch. Then installed pipes to transom sloping to back corner. There, Tee’d into through hull on an existing drain. Been dry since-a few years. So here’s what not to do. Make sure the overboard drain you tap into is not an A/C drain or your new cockpit drain line becomes a geyser.

 

[johnjen50]

Thanks Robert, yes I remember that excellent post you did with great pics. My issue seems to be that a strong rain forces water under the hatch before it gets to the drain tube. So overwhelming the gutters capacity to handle a lot of water. I’m looking to see if people sealed their hatches and with what. That way the water would go from the gutter up onto the deck where it would flow out the back scuppers.

 

[bigbill]

what about a piece of hose cut long ways and slipped over the lip of the hatch? it may raise the hatch up a little bit though. maybe 1/4 hose?

 

[whoover]

I tried P shaped weather stripping, it didn't work. You can save yourself from that trial.

Walt Hoover

 

[Cricket]

First you really need to get the drain tubing right and oversized with no loops, ours is all PVC now using both corners on the aft gutter. We recored all of our hatches and made the the bottom sides very smooth and flat so we could glue on sheet gasket, nothing on the gutter lip where the hatch sits.