www.iFourWinns.com

I can't be the first one this has happened to. The hatch arm connector broke on my Bowmar hatch. Is the only solution a new hatch or is there a fix that I am not aware of?

If the fix is a new hatch bracket does anyone have a source? Seems to this is one molded piece that is the ring that is affixed to the boat.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

You can try some JB Weld (or any other 5 minute epoxy). Stuff does stink until it dissipates.

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-Tony
2016 Robalo R200 w/Yahama 200!

Previous boats:
2003 Four Winns 248 Vista - sold
1994 Sunbird Corsair 200 - sold
1980 Checkmate Predictor - sold

Already have it glued up with Gorilla glue but given where it broke I'm not giving it a high percentage of success. I've always worried about that point on the hatch. Today just happened to be the day it gave out. Lucky for me the Admiral was the one who was moving it when it broke.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

Yep...better her than you! I've used Gorilla glue and epoxy is much stronger..IMHO



Good luck.

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-Tony
2016 Robalo R200 w/Yahama 200!

Previous boats:
2003 Four Winns 248 Vista - sold
1994 Sunbird Corsair 200 - sold
1980 Checkmate Predictor - sold

Considering the price of a new hatch plus the pain of installation, I wonder if a local fab shop could just make a new tab out of aluminum to screw into the body of the hatch. You could grind whats left of the old tab away and screw the new one in...just a thought.

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Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

I agree with bliss. Something either fabricated or a trip to a home improvement store is in order. I would try an epoxy first with maybe a backing plate to hold the two sides together. Best of luck.

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Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

I agree with Bliss36 also (and jnizi), but first you could try a plastic cement from a hobby shop (the kind used on model cars, that chemically melt the plastic together).

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

I had this EXACT same thing happen this past weekend! I had been watching that thing bend and flex every time I put the hatch up and was just waiting for it to break. My first thought was grinding down the remaining part of the hinge and crafting something to screw in its place. It will almost certainly be stronger than the original design. I'm a stickler for fixing stuff to as close to new as possible, so I kicked around the internet looking for a complete replacement hatch or ring. Bomar's site lists the hatch at $615!!! Insanity. Let me know what you come up with and I'll do the same. Post pics if you fab something up before me.

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2006 Vista 258
2007 Yukon Denali

WOW...yep guess I'll be doing a refab on the piece. I like the idea of using aluminum to create the new piece. This may become a winter project. Thanks for the ideas. Maybe I'll find out the glue holds when I go back to the boat. I'll update when I find a solution. We can't be the only two people this has happened to with the way that piece is attached and the stress that must be on it.

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2008 Vista 278 Volvo Penta 8.1 Gi 375 hp
1999 Horizon 220 5.7 GSi

Has anyone contacted Bomar? I'm keeping an eye on this thread, I'm sure my three hatches are all the exact same design. Maybe we can do something to beef it up as a precaution.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Odd that you mention this. While partaking in an adult beverage after dinner on Knot Me this weekend, I pondered this exact same scenario and how terribly flimsy that tab looks compared with the amount of stress it is subjected to. If mine ever breaks, a piece of aluminum from home doodle and a few stainless screws will make a fine replacement that won't.

The same thing happened with our old 268 about a week after we bought it, the hatch was never opened again and it was sold that way 5 years later, poor design.

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Current Boat - '04 328 Vista "Be As You Are"

Previous Boats
'04 268 Vista
'97 238 Vista
'94 210 Marada
'88 175 Sunbird

The same part was broken on my boat when I bought it (it was two year's old). I found a scrap of aluminum T Bar and cut a small piece off, drilled 3 holes as shown and made a backing plate from flat aluminum. It is still working after four years. I will get down to the boat in the next few days and take a photo.

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John
2006 Four Winns Vista 278 (sold)

thats a great fix! that should last as long as the boat does.

deffinitly better than plastic or gluing the old crap together

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"Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes "

1996 238 Vista dlx "Casper's Toy Too"
2006 5.0GXI w/closed cooling, DP-sm 1.95 drive
Previous boat:
1998 Sundowner 205

The photos of my project.

The aluminum T bar stock is 1.5" x 1.5" and 3mm thick (1/8th). I put a slight bend in the areas that contact the curved plastic, and rounded the corners of area that sticks out in to the hatch opening.

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John
2006 Four Winns Vista 278 (sold)