Sea Trials Flush A Badly Leaking Hatch

A blog can be cathartic, putting words to thoughts and deeds. Often, though, we do not consider the end effect on the reader. With that in mind, today's story records a really annoying experience, the players, and the positive end result, hopefully with a salutary warning to others.

Foredeck hatch. Leaks become obvious when heading in to our first steep seas. After two days we decided replacement was the only solution. Temporarily sealed with Sikaflex.

The players:

• The owner is competent enough to know what seaworthy is and diagnose a problem.

• The yard, Naval Yachts, genuinely decent staff who want to do well, management and QC have been an ongoing issue (starting at the top).

• Third-party hatch manufacturer: Naval Yachts subcontracted our hatches and watertight doors and retained QC oversight (which they ignored).

• Ocean Chandlery, Emsworth UK, took my call and acted on it.

The problem:

• Hatches were hose tested and confirmed effective under those conditions. There are a total of 9 watertight enclosures of various designs.

• The "artistry" on those hatches was rather variable, but nothing couldn't be remediated on-site in the quiet hours. We did this ourselves.

• A first transit from Turkey to Spain put us through fairly steep 2.5/3 meter seas on the nose, resulting in considerable solid water on the foredeck. The forepeak hatch is a 4-dog design and performed well. The fore cabin hatch is the next in line going aft and was subjected to similar conditions. It leaked badly - not an annoying drip, more like a waterfall. After two days of messing, we could greatly reduce the deluge but not eliminate it. We eventually sealed it shut with Sikoflex.

Hinge with missing nuts, studs that are too short, bondo separating from the frame, leaking dog catches (I'm not sure what that is), 5/7mm edge seal runout, and a stripped-out hatch being cleaned up.

The diagnosis.

• The securing of two fitted dogs did not engage the frame properly; the hatch weight created a seal (of sorts). This was easily fixed with some packing blocks.

• The hatch dogs themselves leaked, an annoying drip, enough to wet everything below.

• The hatch drain gutter flooded (flush hatches), and water leaked through every unsealed screw fitting.

• The rim that formed a seal had been machined on site; it was uneven and had a maximum runout of 5/7mm in two directions (not flat).

• The frame sported a heavy glass panel. Forcing the hatch shut distorted the frame. One of these did not easily bend, and the glass separated from its frame, creating another leak path.

Our final conclusion was that this hatch was not fit for purpose. Add sloppy workmanship to this, and the best option would be to scrap and fit a commercially available foredeck hatch approved for this location and likely cruising area. Many good examples exist, and everyone has their stories to recall. We eventually plumbed for a Lewmar Ocean series foredeck hatch. This met the approval and location requirements. It was rated for the application and fitted the existing framework (mostly!). It also drained to the deck and not to an internal gutter. We located one, thereby bypassing the 6-8 week delivery hurdle.

The frame is now stripped to bare aluminum. As requested by the MCA Surveyor, we salvaged the original good-quality trim work and repurposed the hinge brackets for an emergency escape sling.

Lastly, riping that new but irretrievably lousy hatch from its nest on the deck felt good.

Lessons.

• It's an easy mistake to assume others think alike. Naval Yachts are not sailors and sometimes need help with the concept of seaworthy.

• A contractual guarantee backed by a self-proclaimed "Yard Reputation" is worthless and often answered by silence, excuses, or blame, at least in my example. That does not preclude an owner from getting a good product inspected during the build; rather, any perceived benefit of that guarantee should be discounted to zero at the outset. It's mostly BS; Caveat Emptor would be a thought to carry to the negotiation.

• When things look bleak, some people will selflessly move a mountain to help!

And finally, Moving the Mountain!

A new hatch has been secured from Ocean Chandlery of Emsworth Sussex, UK, and paid for by my son, Jeff, via his yacht delivery company, Polus Yachts, also in Emsworth. It will be delivered to my brother David in Prestatyn. North Wales. He is due to arrive in Palma on 21st August, and we will report back as soon as it's fitted.

As luck would have it, Vanguard has a seawater fire main, so we will be using that to test the integrity as opposed to a low-pressure freshwater hose.

Might even be fun!

Chris Leigh-Jones