MacGregorSailors.com

My hatch slide is eating thru the gel oat. How do you repair this and prevent future problems?

I am thinking that I will need to take the hatch off and suspect this is what the caps (in the cabin ceiling)that seem to align with the screws on the cabin hatch are for.

http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... =8&t=15418

I added the velcro soft side to the gelcoat. Seems to make it smoother.

To save all the work of loosening bolts, taking hatch out etc, just put a velcro dot in each corner. Use something stronger than the glue on the back of them to stick the dots down. 4200 etc should keep them in place.

I just did this 2and weeks ago, but i removed the hatch by pulling it back into the cockpit and over the hump. No bolt removal needed. Once installed and i moved the hatch open and closed...i had to laugh at how delightfully smooth and quiet it was! I also put velcro on the hatch board to make it more snug and quiet.
When I reinstalled the hatch, I stood on the ladder going down by the galley *2000x* and pushed forward and up at the same me to clear the hump.
It was very easy to do and allowed me to clean the hatch very well before putting it back on. I think I used three 3 inch strip s on each side. Front middle and back. this was the soft side of the velcro. Cheers!

I did this from new.
I used felt pads. Velcro is probably better.
This was a problem on my (73!) venture.
In thirty (Dr. Evils voice) frickan years one would think the builder would have addressed this issue.
Ixneigh

The hatch can pop out on an X as others have said.
Not so the M.
(At least I quit trying to horse mine out before something broke.)

Remove just six rail screws from one side (port in my case) only.
Count from the aftmost screw forward.
Remove the switch panel to get the aftmost screw or two.
The interior buttons for the rest.
3/8" deep socket on the insides.
The factory sealant is not hard like 5200, so that's good news.

The rail material is very flexy.
Sorta bend the rail upwards while sliding the hatch aft until it clears the rail.
The hatch can then lift up, aft, and towards port and it's yours.

I used long pieces of Heavy duty sticky sided velcro, somewhere around 1/2" - 3/4" wide, pile side -not the hook side, sticky to the hatch lips and long enough to wrap the ends around and continue a few inches on the upper side of the hatch lips.
For re-assemble, don't forget to use some new sealant on the six screws.
I used plumbers putty stuff because I know I'll need to replace the velcro one of these years.

Did mine several years ago and am still waiting for it to wear out (sooner or later it will).

One of the best mods you can do for your Mac.
No more nasty, gritty, head turning screeching when the hatch slides, and the gel coat thanks you.

Russ, velcro may work up North but not in Florida.
I used velcro for my companion way hatch for screens, I have done this 3 times. First try I used 3m 4200, second try 3m 5200 fast cure than third time 3m 5200 7 day cure and all failed after a few months. The heat down hear will not allow a strong backing on the velcro. Next step is to try to take off the coating on back side of velcro so the 5200 will make a solid bond.
I to have the rubbing and plan on building up the worn areas with marine tex epoxy on deck and under hatch.
Marine Tex is much harded than gel-coat and will slide much smoother.
air sand dust is like sanding the gelcoat every time you open the hatch.
Dave

RussMT wrote:http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/v ... =8&t=15418

I added the velcro soft side to the gelcoat. Seems to make it smoother.

DaveB,
Your results, as described, could be due to a different, more normal use for Velcro.
Using 1/2 of two piece Velcro as a "less friction" slide does'nt really add very much shearing action to the bond as would the normal "two piece" uses for Velcro as you describe.
The weight of the hatch simply sits on the stuck pile.
Nothing in this hatch slide use is trying to pull the bond away from the hatch lip.

I thought to reduce any potential bonding issues on the mod by turning the extra strip length over the hatch lip and onto the upper side of the lip to make the raw edges better protected.
It seems to have worked very well for me.
Cheap and easy to do and/or redo whenever needed.

2+ years and still quietly sliding along.

But you are right, as with any suggestions on the board, YMMV.

( So Cal ain't exactly up north )

Hardcrab,
Temps. here in Summer reach over 120 degrees when sun hits it, tho the velcro is under hatch the surounding area heats up and will brittle the velcro in short time, even before that happans the velcro will unfasten it's self to any adhisive you put down.
Dermon 1/4 strip would work much better than velcro but requires fastners and clearance between hatch and deck track.
I work with epoxies and polyester resins in my profession.
As I mentioned before a Hard fill of Epoxy is much harder than Original gelcoat or Velcro.
Not to sound objective but I think Velcro is only a tempory solution.
Dave

Hardcrab wrote:DaveB,
Your results, as described, could be due to a different, more normal use for Velcro.
Using 1/2 of two piece Velcro as a "less friction" slide does'nt really add very much shearing action to the bond as would the normal "two piece" uses for Velcro as you describe.
The weight of the hatch simply sits on the stuck pile.
Nothing in this hatch slide use is trying to pull the bond away from the hatch lip.

I thought to reduce any potential bonding issues on the mod by turning the extra strip length over the hatch lip and onto the upper side of the lip to make the raw edges better protected.
It seems to have worked very well for me.
Cheap and easy to do and/or redo whenever needed.

2+ years and still quietly sliding along.

But you are right, as with any suggestions on the board, YMMV.

( So Cal ain't exactly up north )

Dave,

I'm in Florida so the velcro may not be a great solution. Too bad, it sounds easy.

It would seem as mentioned that putting a bit at the front and back would be all that is required as it would lift the whole thing up and ride on the velcro.

Heart's Content

Easy as pie.

A full length installation logically seals out the dust and dirt more so than spot placements would, plus it spreads out the load making it more effective over the long run. (IMHO).

I'll agree it's more of a temporary solution, but in the area of wearing out time.
Sooner or later, the pile will wear out needing a refresh.
What I don't know yet is how much of a b*tch it will be to remove the old velcro bond to replace with new.
Still counting.

If you dislike the grinding noise, the gritty feel, the worn gel coat of a stock hatch, and you get a chance to actually slide a velcro modded hatch lip on someone else's boat some day, try it.

I can assure you its not the heat that is doing in your velcro dave, as mine has held fine for four plus years now, I can assure you that the heat is way more intense in central-southern arizona then anything you'll experience in florida.There must be some other envrio-chemical cause to your failure with applying sticky back velcro to your boat,maybe the salty humidity.

It's the humidity, I don't use sticky backing why I said I was to use a chemical to get off the acrlic backing on the velcro.
Thats for my Noseeum screen for companion way hatch. Hatch rubbing I will do as previous posted.
I work with All types of resins and epoxies on a weekly basis in my profession at a major water park.
Velcro backing melts here in SW Florida.
Dave

raycarlson wrote:I can assure you its not the heat that is doing in your velcro dave, as mine has held fine for four plus years now, I can assure you that the heat is way more intense in central-southern arizona then anything you'll experience in florida.There must be some other envrio-chemical cause to your failure with applying sticky back velcro to your boat,maybe the salty humidity.

You might search the forum under Hatch Mods.

I used nylon strips I purchased at LOWE'S glued to either side of my hatch. I believe I cut them to about 1/2" wide.
They were glued down using silicon seal.

I don't remember exactly what the strips are called, but I found them in the window or storm door section
of the store. They are used as a weather seal.

I remember the discussion in the forum (over 2 years ago) had a SKU number listed, but it wasn't for a product
sold in this part of the country (Wisconsin).

It's FINALLY warm in the frozen tundra - 65 degrees F today, 70s tomorrow!

Dale
Y.B.Normal
26

I found this in the Mod section:

Hatch slides
On March 23, 10, "BK" wrote the following:
"hatch slides
I also had a problem with the hatch removing the gel coat when sliding but did not want to remove the hatch to fix.I went to Home Depot and bought a 12' by 1 and a half inch wide length of Jeld-Wen(the door manufacturer) plastic door siding. It is less than a sixteenth of an inch thick but very hard and easy to cut. I cut it down to half inch wide using tin snips and slide it under the hatch sliding area from the front in the cockpit. The hatch now slides on this plastic. I put a smear of silican glue under it to hold it in place. The sku for this product at Home depot is 3321300430. This stuff will last longer than the boat. Fast and easy mod and no removal of hatch. I feel Macgregor should have used this Jeld-Wen plastic in this area in the first place. It is like putting a half inch stringer under the hatch slide area."

This suggestion sounded like a great idea so decided to copy. Home depot was not able to track the sku for it is an incorrect number, missing two digits. After considerable searching within Home Depot with the assistance of a customer rep the part was finally located. The part number listed is missing the first and last number of the bar code. The correct number should have a "7" for beginnning digit and a "4" for ending digit. I hope this notice eliminates some confusion at Home Depot

NOTE: This SKU is only sold in parts of the US, the product is correct.

Dale