Ama hatch leaks

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Gin
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Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 1:36 pm
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Ama hatch leaks

Post by Gin »

Any tips for a T26 Mk2 which has very sloppy fitting ama hatch lids, which let in considerable amounts of water when they take a sea over their deck-

1. the neoprene seals look thick and not squashed- should they be replaced as a matter of course?
2. the handle is very sloppy and has no apparent sealing collar around the thru bolt connecting the handle to the lever locking bar
3. Is the simple flat length of bar which simply swings under the hatch opening rim to hold the lid down the usual fitment?
wooden
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Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:37 am
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Re: Ama hatch leaks

Post by wooden »

By your description, it sounds as though the installed hatches are not sealing properly. Replacing the seals may not solve that problem. I remember seeing a post that some of the T28s had the wrong hatches installed, and they needed to be replaced. You might find it more productive to replace the old hatches completely with new hatches, using proper sealant, and hatches with better closures.

You also will want to make sure that the leak is actually coming from the hatches. One brave T28 owner actually crawled in the ama, had someone lock him in, and using a hose determined exactly where the leak was coming from. That might help you come up with better solutions. There is nothing more frustrating than applying a fix and finding out that was not the problem in the first place.


Steve
Steve & Mittie Wooden
Bayou Vista TX (Galveston)
"Gnarly's Poop Deck" Hull #340
Gin
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2015 1:36 pm
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Re: Ama hatch leaks

Post by Gin »

Thanks Steve,
I am a claustrophobic and a little large around the middle to get inside- thank goodness!

I think the eventual solution will be as you suggest - to replace the hatches completely but this is not my boat and therefore not my decision, so for the time being we'll just have to try to stabilise the wobbly handle/locking arm which means separating the parts and I imagine that after so many years that will not be easy and may cause disintegration of the mechanism.
Hull52
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Re: Ama hatch leaks

Post by Hull52 »

The original molded hatches were a horrible design on the old Telstars to begin with. As you have observed, the two part handle is largely the culprit. First, the handle is passed through the hatch in a hole drilled through a plywood core molded into that portion of the hatch. It elongates over time and, because nothing on the early boats was properly wetted out or sealed before lamination, as soon as there is some wear on the bearing surfaces, the core wicks up moisture and delaminates the material supporting the handle. Another problem is the design of the point that the handle contacts on the underside of the Ama. It is just a block of wood glassed over that the lever arm fits under to prevent the hatch from opening. I think that the original design was for the hatch to squeeze down the rubber gasket under it and while compressed, close under the wooden block, locking the hatch. If that ever worked, it ceases to do so over time. The other thing I have found is that the nut on the bottom of the handle needs to be pinned with a cotter pin to prevent any movement. I had mine drilled out by a machine shop. The hatch needs to be overdrilled and reinforced on the bottom. West Epoxy has a graphite additive that makes a great bearing for the handle. If you can keep the handle from turning, it is easier to lock down the hatch with a wedge shaped addition to the block on the underside of the deck. With a gradient on the block, turning the handle snugs the hatch into the gasket. The best gasket I have found is the hard rubber (or whatever they sell for rubber these days) gaskets you can buy in commercial fishing chandleries that I think they use in their watertight hatches and doorways. I had to shave mine a bit to get it to work.

Of course, my repairs are untested because my boat is still in the driveway.
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