Lazarette Hatch Replacement

[hobbystuff]

I would like to build a new lazarette hatch for my boat, as the old one is a heavy, unwieldy unit that seems to be finally starting to fail.

My thoughts are fiber glassed plywood, maybe with a welded aluminum backing structure or straight aluminum/powder coated and non-skid applied. Stiff and light would be the goal.

Has anyone done this before, and if so do you have any recommendations before I embark in a specific direction?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Comodave]

Maybe some photos of the current hatch would help. How big is it? How does it attach?

 

[hobbystuff]

Maybe some photos of the current hatch would help. How big is it? How does it attach?

Amazingly I don't have a photo of the current hatch. Will get one this weekend.

Essentially it is a 27" x 36" hatch (approximately), with NO attachment. It just sits in the molded in cavity. The extreme weight of the silly thing holds it in place. As you can imagine it is a bear to handle - so my plan is to properly hinge it as part of the process.

 

[Capt Jack]

Following

 

[Comodave]

Yes, a hinge will help and maybe a gas strut ot two.

 

[hobbystuff]

Yes, a hinge will help and maybe a gas strut ot two.

100% agree and so does my petite wife! Darn hatch almost weighs as much as she does...

 

[Comodave]

100% agree and so does my petite wife! Darn hatch almost weighs as much as she does...

That does make it hard to handle.