26x Hatch/Companion slider track

[Rick Mathews]

We found out that this method does not work on the newer boats with the plastic slider guides. We tried several methods and couldn't remove them. Zoran

Thanks, Zoran. I thought I had heard that the "jerk the hatch back real hard" method doesn't work on newer Macs. And putting the hatch back on by reversing the motion sounds real risky to me.

Has anyone else tried Frank C's method?: "I chose to squeeze the hatch . . . kneeling on the stbd deck, I pushed the stbd edge of the hatch strongly toward portside ... it bends and reveals the raw edge of the hatch. Just ease it up, passing the hold-down rail and lifting the hatch right off the deck."

Frank's method sounds safer. Any other success stories?

[Frank C]

Mine is model 2000 and the squeeze method works fine. (Maybe my hatch is a lighter layup than some). If your's won't squeeze enough, I also found the black trash bag worked fine. Have a Mate pulling gently while you stand in the cabin pushing up on the slider, and just nudge it over the deck ridge. Reverse the process to reassemble.

[Rick Mathews]

Thanks Frank. I'll give those two methods a try. The "gentle" approach you describe sounds better than the "jerk back real hard" method.

[vatalon]

I just power washed my 2001 the other day. The plastic rails had weather discoloration but with a close pass of the power washer wand they look as bright as new but not quite as smooth anymore!

[ESPERANZA]

Hey thanks Frank,
Garbage Bags , and all this time I've just been using them for empty beer cans...
Dik...

[Dan B]

I just replaced mine after an "oops" with the mast. I felt it was probably easy getting the old one off, but had concerns about getting the new one on. So, I first pried off one of the caps in the cabin roof and checked to ensure I could remove the bolts holding on the track if I had to. It takes an extended socket (3/8 inch I think.)

To remove the old -
I stood on the dock and pushed the starboard side edge towards port while the wife (inside the cabin) pushed up. Came right out.

To install the new one -
Put the port side in the track but couldn't compress from the starboard side and exert downward pressure enough at the same time. I got it even with the top of the track but couldn't get below it without some "help." So, I enlisted my 10 year old to stomp down on the starboard edge and it popped down inside the track.

I found it easier to install the new hatch in the full open position, rather than full closed. Seemed to have a bit more width in the track up front.

[Frank C]

Yep! That's a good description of the hatch-squeeze that I've done a couple of times now. The slider is easy to squeeze except where it has the extra stiffness of its vertical structures, fore and aft. Anyway, I've done it both ways, squeeze or tugging-aft, and neither is too difficult.

If you haven't added the heavy-duty velcro slide-patches, you're missin' out! Be sure to wipe the tracks and deck clear of sand and grit before reassembly.

[Frank C]

• Flying Hatches Reminder.

Try to remember to tie-down your sliding hatch, by X-strapping it to stanchions. At a minimum, replace your padlock before trailering. My sliding hatch was lifted right out of the tracks by the vacuum (suction effect) of driving at 65 mph into a 20-30 mph headwind. (I suppose the same thing could happen during a hurricane). My hatch ended up hanging down into the cabin.

I am fortunate that the lock had been hooked through the hasp. Otherwise, the sliding hatch might easily have been lifted and flown off the boat into following traffic. I grant you that the headwind was a rare condition and I should probably have eased off my speed of 65 mph. (The actual California speed limit for a car/trailer is 55 mph). Just insurance won't really help if an innocent follower was to become injured by this strange event.

[Dan B]

Bernoulli's principle at work.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

I suppose the same thing could happen during a hurricane

Having had way too much hurricane experience lately, I can confirm that the hatch does indeed move during a hurricane. Actually, that was the only thing that moved on my ballasted down boat. But as long as the top hatch is padlocked to the vertical companionway hatch, it is limited by how much it can move and it certainly does not fly open.

The only thing (besides the mast of course) which I tied down was the captains seat. I was worried that some wind might get under it and flap it open. I didn't want to secure it in the "up" position as that seemed to be too much windage on that flimsy hinge.

I almost took off from a boat ramp a couple weeks ago with the hatch open but thought better of it when I realized I had to go about 30 miles at speeds around 50-55 mph. Normally, when I ride the quarter mile from my neighborhood boat ramp at speeds of 25mph or less, I don't bother to close it until I get home..

[dclark]

Well, maybe it's that I'm super picky when it comes to my boat or maybe it's just the nature of the beast, but what started as a simple idea has become a bit more involved...

As mentioned, they are flat. I considered Teak, but discarded that idea pretty quick. Ideally I'd like to get a set of the aluminum tracks that were used on the earlier models, but I don't think I'll find that...

So I figured the best thing was to use strips of SS. Should be at least as good as the aluminum and I know where to get it cut to length at little or no charge. But there are a bunch of holes I'd need drilled for the mount screws. On top of that there is the CB block and a cleat mounted to it as well. If I do the drilling, I figure that'll mean about 4 days drilling, I'll blow through about 14 bits (home depot's finest ), and maybe burn up a motor or two. Or I could have the shop drill the holes in a matter of minutes. I prefer option 2. But that means taking everything off so they can exactly match the holes. Now my 1 day quick swap becomes a two week deal. Since it's in a slip, that means finding some way to lock it up or pulling it out of the water.

Or I could take Roy's idea and go with something other then SS that could easily be drilled out and I'm back to a 1 day quick swap. for that matter I could get a similar aluminim alloy (annodized or whatever - black looking). What I really need to find is an recently wrecked early model X salvaged for parts...where do old X's go when they die?

I'll probably end up taking them all four off, making a template, putting them back on, dropping off the templates at the shop, and swapping them when they are done.

[kmclemore]

So I figured the best thing was to use strips of SS. Should be at least as good as the aluminum and I know where to get it cut to length at little or no charge.

OK, sounds good so far....

But there are a bunch of holes I'd need drilled for the mount screws ... If I do the drilling, I figure that'll mean about 4 days drilling, I'll blow through about 14 bits (home depot's finest, and maybe burn up a motor or two.

Huh? ...make a template (see below) and center-punch the drill centers, then use a drill press, or a good electric hand drill, take it slow (about 450 rpm sould be OK on stainless*) and use plenty of drilling lubricant... you should be just fine! Take it slow, apply steady moderate pressure and "let the drill do the work", as my Dad used to tell me.

(Oh... and his other standard advice also fits here... "with all things in life, son, proper lubrication is the key to success." )

Or I could have the shop drill the holes in a matter of minutes. I prefer option 2. But that means taking everything off so they can exactly match the holes.

Huh? (again)... why not just take some stiff cardboard and make a proper template of each part? Then either you or your machinist can simply cut and drill to the template's markings. If it's off by a hair or so it won't matter a huge amount since you'll be mating up to the core/glassfibre holes and that wasn't exactly a 'precision' drilling in the first place. I should think the important bit would be to make sure the holes are in a straight line... I haven't checked mine, but I'm betting that they are in a straight line and drilled on some regular pattern.. like every 4 inches or something. (If you really want to be anal-retentive about it, you could use some blue Dykem (aka "prussian blue") and a scribe to lay out the material, then take it up onto the boat to match it before you drill.)

=============================================
* The formula for determining proper cutting RPM is:
RPM =(12*V)/(Pi*D)
where RPM is the drill motor speed, V is the cutting speed of the material in fpm (which is 30 fpm for 410 Stainless), and D is the hole diameter, which I am estimating at .25".

[dclark]

I could drill out the holes myself, but in SS it will be a major PITA, so I'd rather let the shop do it. i have a friend with a machine shop that will do it when he has time (meaning leave and stop by in a couple of weeks). It'll come out best if I give him a template (cardboard is good) that is as accurate as possible. The best way to make a template is to trace the existing pieces and give him four templates.

[kmclemore]

I could drill out the holes myself, but in SS it will be a major PITA

Your choice, of course, but drilling stainless isn't really all that different than any other material... just use about 1/2 the speed that you would for drilling steel, and use plenty of lube.

If you do get him to drill them, though, don't forget to have him countersink them - if I recall these strips are all secured with countersunk phillips screws?