Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

Quick update:
Measured where the seats would go and how high the stands need to be, cut them and put a coat of neat epoxy on inside areas. Next will be gluing all the pieces together and installing a mount for the speakers (cut outs). Have not came up with a location for the other pair of speakers, if I even use them. Mixed up too much epoxy so as it was heating up, I went back and slap more on and you can see there was some sticking and roller coming apart.



Today, I cut out for the strikers on all the rear hatches and test mounted them. Will need a little neat epoxy, detailed sanding and then primer.



Mounting the strikers and getting the slam latches to catch was a challenge for the first one, a few hours, but once I figured out how to do it the other four went quickly. All the metal parts will come back off and the hatches primed, then painted before they go back on. It was nice to finally get those hatches working.

Nice fitting hatches!

Fuzz wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 1:52 am Nice fitting hatches!

Thanks Fuzz! I was going for "they work and stay closed" look!

I agree really nice OQ! Tom

TomW1 wrote: ↑Sat Oct 01, 2022 11:29 pm I agree really nice OQ! Tom

Thanks Tom.

Some of the builders make hatch making look so easy but for me it was a headache and then rewarding at the same time.

I still need to put a little foam gasket in them to keep them from rattling but after they are painted. They are not expected to be watertight, as two are for bait and live wells, cooler, anchor locker and control valve locker. I also did the front deck hatches, but it was after this picture.

Mounting the strikers and getting the slam latches to catch was a challenge for the first one, a few hours, but once I figured out how to do it the other four went quickly.

Yeah, 6 yrs later and I still haven't figured that one out!

BarraMan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 7:38 pm

Mounting the strikers and getting the slam latches to catch was a challenge for the first one, a few hours, but once I figured out how to do it the other four went quickly.

Yeah, 6 yrs later and I still haven't figured that one out!

The front strikers were extremely easy as I was able to pull the fore deck off and work from the bottom. Shimmed the striker enough and glued the shim down. The 90 deg angle striker became a plate with slots to adjust the contact point of the latch.

The aft strikers would be easier to take pictures to explain them.

I have a lip the hatch mates to that is narrower than the striker depth. Predrilled the striker mounting holes as close as possible to the deck. With the multi tool I cut out a relief below the deck and into the lip and cleat. The relief depth needs to be deep enough, so the hatch lip doesn't hit the striker mounting screws, and the hatch still sets flush. Also have to clearance back enough so the striker can be adjusted to hold the latch catch without hitting the latch body.


The striker needs to be bent to about a 50 to 60 deg angle to also clear the latch body and just the catch hits it.


Striker mounted.


The wood will get sealed before the locker gets final painting.

Been doing a lot of little detail work and trying to get the motor mounted before the end of Oct.

Here are all the hatches with the first coat of paint. Custom color. Was hoping for less color.

Looks really good OQ!! Jeff