New hatch

[BonesD]

I’m looking for ideas on building a new hatch.
It is now basically a box framed up fro 1x71/4”
Wood that extends into the hole in the deck. The previous builder had a piece of plexiglass with a wooden frame built around it and hinges to the box.
In doing so he built a 1/2” water pool on top of the glass that has over time found multiple paths down in to the forward cabin.
I will be replacing the box so I can start fresh.
I was thinking about just the plexiglass hinged on to the box and some sort of seal mounted on the top flat of the box or on the plexiglass itself.
I don’t really want to experiment so I’m asking for solutions others may have found that don’t include expensive fabrications etc.
Thanks

 

[Comodave]

We had a Trojan F32 that had wooden hatches. They built the frame out of wood and then took 1/2” plexi and made it out to the edge of the wood frame and screwed it to the frame. So the plexi came out flush with the side of the froma, if you know what I am trying to say. So no water would sit on top otpf the plexi. Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of the hatch but if you can look up an F32 that was the standard hatch from Trojan.

 

[Comodave]

I did a search on Yachtworld for 32’ Trojan from 1975 to 1988 and a bunch came up. Some of the photos show the hatches pretty well so you can see what I was trying to tell you.

 

[BonesD]

Thanks for the direction.
Our family had a Trojan, I thought was 32’ back in the mid 60’s. Cabin cruiser with two v8 gas guzzlers in it. All mahogany and teak. Beautiful boat.

 

[Comodave]

I had always wanted an F32 because I loved the lines. We had a 77 that I did a whole lot of work on and then my wife fell and destroyed her upper arm and shoulder. With the vertical ladder the F32 really wasn’t the boat that would work for us anymore. Also we have an 85 pound black lab that couldn’t do the ladder, and I couldn’t carry him up it. So we sold it and bought our current boat.

 

[FF]

For those that wish to construct a sea going hatch look for the books by Mauruce Griffiths . His double coaming hatches are easy to construct in wood , and dont leak when washed by heavy seas..


MG designed over 600 boats , was editor for the British Yachting magazine before WWII .

 

[BonesD]

Thanks FF, I will take a look