Need to replace forward hatch on 1985 260-DA SunDancer

[HighLife]

Greetings all,

I want to start out by acknowledging that -- as a non-expert myself (feels better typing that,than, "as a idiot, myself..." which would probably be more accurate, But, I digress...) the wisdom that I have received from the knowledgeable, impressive 'post-ers' to this board has been invaluable to me. (Whether in direct reply to my questions, or just by my reading as much as I can on these forums of what others have asked.)

It is greatly appreciated!

So it is with great humility that I will attempt another trip to the well:


I own a 1985 Sea Ray 260-DA Sundancer.


I am looking to replace the main/forward hatch. (I have already re-glued and resealed the glass back into it once, as did the P/O, and much of the hardware is either broken or missing at this point. But its final, fatal blow was when the machined-in hinge broke in two late last season. As well as the frame cracking through. It's time to replace it.)



The existing (factory original, I believe) hatch is a TaylorMade: marked "47128."



I took several measurements...

The dimensions of the extruded portion of the base of the frame (i.e., the square-ish section that sticks through the rough opening in the deck) is approximately 17-3/4" wide (beam-wise), by approximately 18-1/2" front-to-back (fore-to-aft direction.) So, the rough opening, then, is slightly greater than these dimensions.

The footprint of the flange portion of the base/frame is approximately 20" wide, by approximately 20-1/2" front-to-back (fore-to-aft.)

The hatch lid (out-to-out dimension) is approximately 20-3/8" wide by approximately 21" front-to-back (fore-to-aft-wise.)

(Note: the hatch-lid width is a critical dimension on my boat, as the hatch is situated in a recessed portion of the deck.)



Much to my excitement, after some Google searching, I saw on Taylor's onlise brochure (copyright 2011) a hatch of these exact dimensions!
(From their "High Seas" series of hatches: Model#1818HS). (link: http://www.taylormarine.com/hatches/highseas.html)

But then, much to my horror, when I contacted Taylor Made, they informed me that they (now) no longer sell the High Seas line of hatches.
(Just my luck... Apparently, as it was in their 2011 offerings -- and was standard issue on Sea Rays in the eighties -- it was available for decades... Right up until the start of 2012, eleven weeks ago, when I attempted to purchase one.)

All other hatches I have seen on the market, whether from Taylor (including their still available Ultra 3) -- or from others -- are either (significantly) smaller, or larger, in one dim. or the other (or both).

(Note: The 'Vetus Altus' hatch, whose dimensions are listed in several online catalogs, is shown in the spec sheet with the WRONG dimensions. I learned this when I ordered one, and discovered -- after its delivery -- that in contrast to what the spec sheet said it was too wide to fit the recess on a 1985 260-DA.)

If I can avoid it, I'd prefer not to have to take a saw-saw to my deck. (And given the recess issue, that may not even be a viable solution.)

Can anyone offer any advice here?

Or a lead on a Taylor 1818-HS miraculously sitting somewhere, in leftover inventory?

Or even a used (exact replacement) hatch in good condition? (I have looked at a couple such hatches on local junk boats, but they were as bad as mine.)

Thanks!!

-AJ

 

[tbtapper]

I suspect that this is pretty much the same hatch as on my older 225EC. Same dimensions. I had the same issue with both the forward cabin hatch and the hatch on the anchor locker.

Though totally NOT a carpenter or the like in any way after I discovered the prices for contemporary (Bowmar, Lewmar . . ) replacement hatches that would have required substantial modification to make fit I decided to "make" them myself.

In all candor it was not that difficult. Plus, given the age of my boat teak better matched the other trim pieces on the boat.

I got some teak lumber in the size that I wanted to use for the frame. I screwed the frame pieces together and "bunged" the screw holes. next I got familar with the workings of a router and the various bits available. On the top side of the frame I routed an inset where a piece of 5/8" exterior grade lexan sat counter sunk a bit in teh frame. I screwed the lexan into the inset with sealant. (be sure to get a "special" plastic drill that is designed to not chip/crack the plasitc when drilling hole. On the underside I routed a channel all around the hatch frame that allowed the raised flange on the factory deck frame to sit "counter sunk". In side the channel I glued some gasket material.

Used the same hinges and added some adjustable holders to keep the hatch open as desired and I was done. Did a similar process on the anchor locker except it does not have the clear lexan. Frankly I like the look of the hatches they're not high tech looking but then neither is the boat and the teak looks very appropriate. Total cost maybe $200 not including the tools which I already had.

Travers
80 SRV225EC

 

[2texoma]

Check commercial skylite installers. Most do fabrication right in thier shop. You might have to furnish material if you want to customize it.

 

[HighLife]

Thanks for the tips...

Here's how it played out:

My ‘home’ marina gave me the number of a Sea Ray dealer down in Maryland (Gun Powder Cove), advising me that if anyone in the region might be able to help me it, would be them.
And indeed, they were very helpful!
They initiated a dialogue with Taylor-Made (maker of my OEM hatch, who had given me fairly short-thrift when I had contacted them directly.)
And by the next day, the Maryland Dealer was calling me to ask, what color I was looking for.
(I told him milled-aluminum, or black, would be great! But that, hey, even if it were pink – and fit my boat -- I could always paint it if I had to!) Optimism abounds!
Then, the next day, they called me to tell me the ‘good’ news!
They could get me the hatch that I needed from Taylor-Made!
The very one that I’d seen listed in their 2011 online brochure (that still comes up, when you Google, “Taylor-Made hatch” along with the dimensions of my hatch.)

For $1776.32 !!!!​

He actually said it with a tone that suggested that he fully expected the reply to be, “WONDERFUL! To whom do I make out the check??”
Well, needless to say, I found that number to be, VERY inspiring.
So I broke out the tools.
First, I cut a piece of 1” (1/8” thick, I think) aluminum bar-stock long enough to run across the back of my hatch-lid, the full length between the corner radii. (To both serve as a mending plate -- where my hatch-lid had a thru-crack -- and to close over the recess in the middle, where the factory hinge went.)
I then placed a 3” wide marine-quality butt-hinge (chromed brass) at each end of the aluminum bar, and ran the hinge screws thru the aluminum bar (which is now sandwiched between the hinges and the lid, at each end) into the cast aluminum hatch-lid-frame.
(I pre-drilled the aluminum bar-stock to match the hole-pattern on the hinges, and drilled and tapped the frame to receive the screws; My first such drilling and tapping attempt ever: Relatively successfully.)
Then I mounted the hinges to the surface of the fore-deck, behind the hatch-base frame, using ½” thick oak blocks (cut to be similar in footprint to the hinges) to raise the hinges to the proper height to allow the hatch to open and close properly.
It looks nice -- and so far -- is holding up well.
(Boat’s been in about a week now. Testing, to date, has been local, and, admittedly limited: Burned about a ¼ to ½ tank of gas, and maybe only about ½ a bottle of Captain Morgan at most -- the big bottle that is.)
-AJ

 

[tmsrb]

It sounds like you fixed it but if that does not work out have you tried ebay? Here is one that i think is the right size. If the link does not work just search taylormade hatch on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TAYLOR-MADE..._Accessories_Gear&hash=item2eae84f283&vxp=mtr

http://greatlakesskipper.com/produc...de-19-x-18-inch-aluminum-boat-deck-hatch.html