MK-II FORWARD HATCH FRAME REPLACEMENT

Marcel Steinz has been working on his MK-II (SOUTHERN CROSS) at the Assenmacher dock in Kinsale , VA (wintered over and going back south this fall). The MK-II's have a teak frame attached to the cabin top (V-Berth only - the center overhead hatch mounting is fiberglass). Both hatches have a 23" x 23" Atkins and Hoyle aluminum opening hatch installed, but the V-berth hatch (with the teak base) often leaks. Marcel has converted to a fiberglass molded base which is available from Whitby Boat & Specialty Wood Work Ltd., Whitby , Ontario (Contact Alex Magnone (905) 430-6766 for details).

This molded product should work for a MK-I too - but you should check with Alex. The base will accommodate the 23" x 23" hatch which is also a standard size.  This is quite a project, but should end any leaks. 

Work entailed cutting out the old teak hatch base, cutting out a section of the deck (first layer of laminate and the balsa core) and trimming the fiberglass molded base to fit.  After final fit, the molded base was laminated to the deck using glass mat, polyester resin, and fairing compound.  Final deck work consisted of painting the new molded base and surrounding area to match the deck.

Interior work consisted of removing the interior hatch trim, and retrimming  the hatch opening to match the contours of the new molded hatch base.

A Photo Gallery of the project tells the story!