Companionway slider repair

[Ryan Turner]

I've been meaning to ask this question for some time now but always get caught up in something else first. The other day I was flaking my sail on the boom when I heard this awful cracking sound beneath my feet. I was standing on the closed sliding hatch that secures the companionway (what do you call this thing anyway?) at the time. On close inspection I found that the fiberglass tab on the starbourd side had cracked. The tab is the fiberglass "wing" that extends from both sides of the slider and rides in the two wooden tracks on each side of the companionway. Does anybody have suggestions on how to repair this item? I don't know much about fiberglass repair but would sure like to get this fixed. My boat is a 1983 CD33 sloop by the way.

Ryan Turner
s/v Zenobia
CD33 hull no. 100



rdtec@aol.com

[Jim Stull]

I've been meaning to ask this question for some time now but always get caught up in something else first. The other day I was flaking my sail on the boom when I heard this awful cracking sound beneath my feet. I was standing on the closed sliding hatch that secures the companionway (what do you call this thing anyway?) at the time. On close inspection I found that the fiberglass tab on the starbourd side had cracked. The tab is the fiberglass "wing" that extends from both sides of the slider and rides in the two wooden tracks on each side of the companionway. Does anybody have suggestions on how to repair this item? I don't know much about fiberglass repair but would sure like to get this fixed. My boat is a 1983 CD33 sloop by the way.

Ryan Turner
s/v Zenobia
CD33 hull no. 100

Ryan
Not to bad of a project. (Although I don't know how the hatch is removed on the CD33.)
My sliding hatch was as you describe plus the edges of mine were not square thus it tended to twist in the tracks and bind up. Repair provided a perfect fit.
Call West Systems and ask for a copy of their epoxy manual. You will have to sand or grind back far enough (underside) to get a good bond to the origionl material. About 12 times the thickness is a good rule of thunb. If you clamp the hatch down onto a piece of wax paper or visqueen this will provide a flat surface (mold) to build up the repair section with epoxy and glass cloth. Work clean.
Vinegar will clean up the mess if you get it before it sets up.
Jim



jtstull@icubed.com

[Ryan Turner]

Jim,

Thanks for your response. Tell me, did you replace the whole tab or "wing" (the one that rides in the wooden track) or did you just wrap it in new epoxy and glass mat?

Ryan

Ryan
Not to bad of a project. (Although I don't know how the hatch is removed on the CD33.)
My sliding hatch was as you describe plus the edges of mine were not square thus it tended to twist in the tracks and bind up. Repair provided a perfect fit.
Call West Systems and ask for a copy of their epoxy manual. You will have to sand or grind back far enough (underside) to get a good bond to the origionl material. About 12 times the thickness is a good rule of thunb. If you clamp the hatch down onto a piece of wax paper or visqueen this will provide a flat surface (mold) to build up the repair section with epoxy and glass cloth. Work clean.
Vinegar will clean up the mess if you get it before it sets up.
Jim

rdtec@aol.com

[Jim Stull]

Jim,

Thanks for your response. Tell me, did you replace the whole tab or "wing" (the one that rides in the wooden track) or did you just wrap it in new epoxy and glass mat?

Ryan

Hi Ryan
From what you have written, it sounds like you have a reasonable small area to repair. If so, you possibly could grind back to solid laminate then "build in" a patch.
The "wings" on my hatch were in very bad condition. They were of uneven thickness, twisted, as well as worn and out of square. Sliding the hatch open was unpredictable. Sometimes a good push would suffice other times it would jam.
I ended up sawing the port side off completly and just grinding off the faulty areas on the starboard. After the repair the hatch goes back and forth like a well oiled piston.
I did not use any matt. Just cloth, epoxy and filler. If you are new to epoxy work you may want to get 2 or 3 different fillers to mix with the epoxy to fair the repair. Use the high strength filler mixed with silica initially (about like peanut butter) then use the lite filler for easy sanding, final fairing. If you have more than a small area to repair a 4" power grinder will prove invaluable.
Jim



jtstull@icubed.com

[Ryan Turner]

Thanks Jim. I have done some glass work and am familiar with the various fillers and their uses. Your advise has given me the confidence to give it a go. How bad could I screw it up anyway?

Ryan



rdtec@aol.com