Replacement hatches for Grand Banks
We have seen a lot of Grand Banks hatches that were saturated with water. These are usually the teak decked variety. Bad decking and loose plugs allow water to travel down into the core of the hatch creating a soggy situation.
In the past we have often removed the moisture from the hatches using a variety of methods – including a vacuum cleaner and acetone, but if water is left in too long, the plywood core will rot away creating a weak hatch. We decided the best approach is to build new hatches. In the 42 above, we decided the quickest and cleanest route was to replace the double hatch with a single. Using core materials instead of plywood makes the hatch strong enough but the weight light enough to achieve this.
The ones we have built so far did not have the teak planking, since they were on boats that we were removing decks on anyway. It would be just as easy to build one and add the decking on afterwards if the client needed that.
We start with a mold. We don’t have to build any elaborate mold for a hatch. We keep some formica covered plywood around for these type of temporary molds. We simply measure the hatch and put the sides where ever they need to be to build that size hatch.
After the mold is screwed together, we through a bit of wax on it and lay down a layer of gelcoat. Even on hatch that is going to be painted, we still use the gelcoat to create a smooth surface. After the application of the gelcoat, we begin the layup.
The layout has been selected to maximize the strength and minimize the weight of the hatch. In this way we are able to merge the double opening hatch to a single. By eliminating the plywood there should be no further problems with the hatch.
Although you would think these are of a consistent size across like-models, but even production boats vary from year to year so we would need to actually measure the hatch before making a replacement.
The hardest part is inseting the hinges and lifting hardware. For this we use a router and dremel tool. We also make sure that any fasteners are properly bedded.
If you have been fighting a soggy hatch, contact us for pricing on making a replacement.
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