Cockpit Hatches

N

Nunya

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Jun 22, 2008
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C Dory Year
2007
C Dory Model
25 Cruiser
Has anyone removed the cockpit hatches on a CD25? I would like to remove them this winter and inspect fuel tank and anything else under there. Also need to remove old sealant around hatches as it is molded pretty bad. What sealant would be best to use that wouldn't mold?

Thanks
 
Ours was pulled for a fuel tank replacement just before we bought it and the sealant used seems like a 4200ish type sealant that I am sure would need to be cut through for future hatch removal. I have spent more time than anyone should in the dark stern regions of our 25 for rewiring, replumbing, hatch install, bilge pump install and sealing tasks plus cleaning and battery re-org. There is nothing too exciting down there but you will find some fasteners to improve, tank shims to adjust and cleaning to do at least. Take some pics for the rest of us and I am sure someone else will answer the sealant question.

Greg
 
Wow, need to do the same project. I've got to admit that I probably was really not going to get beyond the thinking about it stage. Interested in your findings and maybe I'll get better motivated. :thup
 
Definitely all of the 25 cockpit hatches should be pulled, and the area under inspected. See our album on the restoration of the CDory 25 cockpit floor.

If the floor is balsa cored (as many are)--the core needs to be cut out between he two glass layers, in the way of both the edge of the hatch and where the screws go thru. Then this area filled with thickened epoxy (Cabosil and medium density filler)--redrill the holes, and re-install the hatch with Boat Life Life Seal. Life Seal is a bedding compound specifically for the plastic hatches--it is a combination of both urethane and silicone. You don't want to use 4200 or 5200, or even a simple silicone...
 
Maybe my cockpit hatches are different in 2003. Mine are just lids with a frame around them, removing them won't provide any more access below. The only way to inspect the tank and other areas, is to cut out and remove a section of the cockpit floor or the entire thing. Am I missing something?
 
We are referring to the floor of the cockpit over the fuel tank as a hatch in this case. I thought the thread was about the access hatches originally as well.
 
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