www.iFourWinns.com

My 22" round foredeck hatch leaks under hard rain. Now that I've really looked at it, I've found that the hinge has degraded and allows the aft edge of the hatch to rest about 1/8" above the rubber seal; there is an obvious gap when it should be tightly closed.

Has anyone encountered this? Is there a solution short of a $500 complete replacement?

Tom

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Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

Even better news, the hatch is no longer made and there are no parts. There was a dispute between Four Winns and Lewmar. The new hatch is a bit larger which will require topside deck modifications. This is assuming that you have the Lewmar Concept hatch. I am too looking for a new hatch on a 2002 Vista.

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2002 Vista 298 VP 5.0Gxi

Thanks. Another project! Oh boy! I guess I'll somehow rebuild the hinge. Thankfully, I have a friend with a mill so maybe we can whip up a clone in aluminum.

Tom

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Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

This is obviously not the direction that promotes ventilation when at anchor mooring, but it means that the boat is not too wet when the door is open. I always close the tailgate into the sea unless conditions are very mild - but do enjoy a breeze through the room when the weather warms.

It does appear to be a Lewmar, yes.

I think the hinge, while deteriorating and a little sloppy, isn't the immediate problem afterall. It looks like the neoprene seal has simply flattened to the extreme, so it does not close the gap on the hinge side. I've found a temporary solution by running a #18 insulated wire (~1/8" OD) around the circumference, under the seal; it lifts the seal edge sufficiently. I suppose I could also replace the seal with a self-adhesive half-round foam tape.

The hatch hinge plastic is well crazed and will surely fail someday so I expect it will need replacement, probably sooner than later. My wife asked a reasonable question: are there recreational boating junkyards - like auto graveyards - where one can find specific serviceable parts from otherwise-retired vessels?

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Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

Remove the hatch and the seal. Clean it all up, put down a nice bead of LifeCalk, and reinstall the hatch. Shouldn't take much more than 2hrs, if even that long.

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

I was able to effectively seal the foredeck hatch by cutting out most of the original seal with a razor knife (I left the inner circumference, about 3/16" wide, since it provides a lip) and installed a 5/8"-wide D foam self-adhesive seal tape around that seal lip.

On to the companionway: on the '99 258 Vista, the smoked acrylic door and top hatch are sealed with a continuous ~178-inch-long ~3/16" neoprene tube that, like the foredeck hatch seal, has flattened over its 10 years. Is it replaceable?

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Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics