Recent content by LuckeCatanias

I didn't come across the Imtra line when I was looking for a viable hatch. After reviewing the 4000-series product info they look like they are quite a bit smaller than the ones I ended up with. Something of a priority as building up that much material back onto the sole would be challenging for...

I'll report back if they have issues. "Jim Black" is a label under the same manufacturer of the "Innovative Product Solutions" hatches referenced in Cody's thread according to the Great Lakes Skipper website. They seem sturdy enough. Definitely an improvement on what was there before.

Yeah, I read this thread. Unfortunately I was unable to source the P/N that Cody used in the off white to match my gelcoat. I was unwilling to have the that pure "arctic white" hatch and/or paint them as Cody did.

As part of the refresh for my entire bilge area that climaxed with removal and replacement of my fuel tank, I am also replacing these hatches that almost everyone seems to find problematic. I’ve begun prepping the existing penetrations to build up the profile with fiber reinforced epoxy and...

Boat fueled! I did only put in 50% or 50 gal. so I could evaluate everything without a full tank. We did discover a small leak upon filling at the starboard fill where the hose connected to the tank fill. Able to eliminate it with a torque of the band clamps. After I took a closer look at my...

Yes sir! Should be fueling her up next week and getting out on the Sound for some prime winter cruising. Still some tangential projects -- replacing the aft cockpit sole hatches, finishing installing the aft tank hold-downs, caulking everything water-tight. But we are fuel-ready!

Fill and vents attached. Definitely need to cut the fills not too long or too short - quite stiff.

The assumption of zero is conservative. Assume it does not contract which would close the clearance faster. That way you don't have to consider which way the fiberglass is Nice. That was a good thread there for a similar project. I'm a lot better off with the location/configuration of my fills...

Good thought, thanks! I do think it'll be okay after considering the numbers. I don't have any more margin to give anyway without completely rebuilding the steps that cover this area. It might not look like it, but I have ~ 0.150 clearance on each fill to the sole. If you assume the...

Here is how close I’ve trimmed the sole to provide clearance for the fills. Super close. Also had to chamfer the edge of the steps that go over the hole.

UPDATE -- The tank fabricator built me a tank which is slightly different than the one being replaced. - They added hold-down tabs. Four ells welded to the upper surface of the tank near the four corners. Just surfaces for bolting the tank to structure. - They shifted the center line of the...

HDPE rails in. Since HDPE is difficult to bond to, I’m relying on the mechanical strength of the adhesives. I shaped a 0.25 wide keystoned groove in the faying surface. This groove took fiber-reinforced 5:1. Around the periphery, the vertical walls got another 0.125 groove all the way around...

It's a good question! Probably the most direct, easy to understand reasoning is that this support spacing is (as Pat points out) no worse than what the tank (and likely all 100 gallon aluminum tanks in 25's) have. That is, a couple of rubber strips spaced about 24 inches apart. Here, not only...

Micarta attached. 5200. 0.125 phenolic.

The fabricator actually recommends against doing any kind of coating. Not sure of their exact logic -- the guy on the phone from the fabricator I asked said something about trapped water accelerating corrosion which I would have to agree with...if it were to happen. Where I don't agree is...