8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

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Hardcrab
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8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by Hardcrab »

After doing the M hatch Velcro slide mod to stop the painful gritting and grinding noise every time we slid open the hatch 8 years ago, I just replaced the Velcro and wanted to give a report on my results.
First of all, this mod works as advertised.
Opening the hatch will no longer be that gritty sounding, head-turning embarrassment...

At first, 8 years ago, I was concerned with the life span I could expect from the Velcro pile.
Well, after many hundreds of slides, it was still intact and working just as new, but had gotten very dirty.

Rather than attempt to clean it, I just replaced it with new.
The glue gave up the ghost ok enough with an alcohol soaking and a putty knife.

Back in business for another 8 years!
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NiceAft
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by NiceAft »

It’s nice to read that sometimes, things work as advertised.

Ray
Last edited by NiceAft on Thu Dec 27, 2018 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Wind Chime
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by Wind Chime »

Just out of curiosity, which side of the Velcro did you use? The hook or the loop.

We installed the softer loop side about six years ago and is also still holding strong and works as advertised - but does get a little dirty. Wonder if the hook side has any benefits?
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sunshinecoasting
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by sunshinecoasting »

I need to do this to my :macx: but have no idea how to go about it, I looked just yesterday at the hatch, I am guessing you need only take off one track cover? But which side, port or starboard? both sides have one bolt that does not have access inside the boat, about half way along, how do you undo this one bolt? Also, how do you prepare the track ready for the Velcro? do you use self adhesive Velcro or glue? do you use a full width strip or cut it in half lengthways? the track does not seem wide enough for a full 1 inch wide strip? Can someone point me at instructions to do this properly with full details please?
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sailboatmike
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by sailboatmike »

sunshinecoasting wrote:I need to do this to my :macx: but have no idea how to go about it, I looked just yesterday at the hatch, I am guessing you need only take off one track cover? But which side, port or starboard? both sides have one bolt that does not have access inside the boat, about half way along, how do you undo this one bolt? Also, how do you prepare the track ready for the Velcro? do you use self adhesive Velcro or glue? do you use a full width strip or cut it in half lengthways? the track does not seem wide enough for a full 1 inch wide strip? Can someone point me at instructions to do this properly with full details please?
The slides are a know leak point in the X (not sure about the M), best to take them both off are reseal the bolts with some butyl tape while your there, we removed one side to do the mod, used the hook side, works like a charm but we still have leaks from the side we didn't reseal, thats a job for this winter
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ris
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by ris »

Go to mods and search, type in hatch and several will come up. Our hatch mod is under ris mods

https://macgregorsailors.com/mods/index ... em&id=2023

We first took one side loose put velcro on the boat top reinstalled the hatch and it still made loud noise. We then discovered that the problem is the front of the hatch hitting the boat top when sliding the hatch forward. So we removed both sides of the hatch hold down strips. (this is a lot of bolts). I do not remember a problem with access to the screws its been a few years. Our boat is a 2003X. We then filled in the grove in the cabin top with epoxy to the depth of about 1/8 of an inch. We also painted the underside of the sliding hatch while we had it off. We then glued the velcro to the lid reinstalled. For sure put something around the screw heads like 4200 or as others have done but butyl tape between the roof and the hatch hold down strips. It was kind of hard to push at first as we almost put too much epoxy in the groove in the cabin top. But after a week or so of use it slid just fine. Now when you slide the hatch if you watch the space between the cabin top and the front of the hatch there is a gap of at least 3/16 of an inch. This is a must mod for quietness. Also it repairs the groove worn in the cabin top by the hatch sliding and saves the area on the cabin top where the hatch slides back and forth. We traveled on the boat for almost 9 months in 2016 and it never leaked around the hatch.
If you have any questions you can ask here or PM me with your phone# and a time. Will answer any of your questions.
Last edited by ris on Wed Dec 01, 2021 4:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tomfoolery
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by Tomfoolery »

I don't recall there not being access to all the small bolts holding the track strips, as I did mine a few years ago. What was difficult was getting a socket on all the nuts on the underside, as many were half (or more) buried in the foam and FRP. It took a bit of digging around to get some of them clear enough to get a wrench on.

But other than that, it was a pretty straight forward project. Sealing all those holes with butyl tape also stopped the leaks that dripped onto the back of the 12V electric panel, which in turn gave me the mental green light to upgrade it and also add a proper marine shore power panel and toss the dangerous home-brewed mess the PO had installed. :)
JamieJune
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by JamieJune »

I could not for the life of me figure out how to slide the hatch off our '01 26X as described in the 'mods' section of this site. And when I saw all the bolts that would have to be removed (and wondering how to access some of them) well...? So I cut 2" pieces of the sticky backed velcro (fuzzy side), slid the hatch all the way forward and stuck them into the track as far as I could and about 2" apart each. Then slid the hatch closed and did the same at the more forward end of each track... 10 pieces into each track (they don't run the full length of the tracks).
Just sort of in the middle of the tracks. No more screeching and has worked fine for a year now. Easy to redo they ever wear out. May try the other 'hooks' side vs fuzzy side next time.
(Wanted to add a photo but don't see how, sorry. Will do so if/when shown how.)
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dlandersson
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by dlandersson »

When I did it, I did not slide the hatch "off". I did one-half of each side at a time. Still working. 8)
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ris
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by ris »

We did the velcro mod without taking the top off. Problem was the top still made a terrible screeching noise. We finally discovered the middle of the hatch would hit the cabin top as you slid the hatch open and closed. At that point we took all the screws out and removed the top. We poured 1/8 inch of west systems 105 epoxy mixed with 205 hardener into the track. We then painted the underside of the sliding hatch, then put fuzzy side of the velcro on the hatch top. At first it was a little tight but silent. Now after 2.5 years it is still working great. I do have pics under ris mods as sliding hatch repair.
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Neo
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Re: 8 year update on Velcro hatch slide mod

Post by Neo »

ris wrote:We poured 1/8 inch of west systems 105 epoxy mixed with 205 hardener into the track. We then painted the underside of the sliding hatch...
Thanks for the tip ... I'll need this in 6 years time :D
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