For 265 Owners

[eppem]

My boat is on the hard for the winter and its next to a fiberglass shop for the winter. We have had some flexing / cracking issues on the starboard gunnel and although cosmetic, it needed to be repaired...sending the problems to GW, not sure what they will say.

Anywho, reason for the post, while at the shop, the lightbulb went off over my head. You know the aft deck/hatch cover..(access to the pumps, etc), only access is thru a spin off deck plate, so when ever you need to access the pumps (livewell, raw wash or bildge), the whole cover has to come off and then be rechaulk...a real PIA! So I explained the scenario to my glass guy and we came up with an idea that included a hinge and some flush latches...just flip that hatch up and have total access now...maybe even some storage for a fender, etc...he filled the old screw holes and color matched..Ihave yet to see the finised product but will see it today or friday if anyone wants me to post some photos...

He also, fixed up a few dings around the bow from a swining anchor, (doh)...I hope to get her back in the water 3/15...

 

[HMBJack]

Great idea. I often wondered if anyone did what you describe. Please post pictures when finished. I question the effectiveness of such a seal over the long term. Seems like all of these hatches leak at some point which I why I haven't done this. I will tell you this - on the 265, those lift out boxes at each corner of the transom - they LEAK like a kitchen faucet. And the water drips right onto your batteries (not good of course). I bedded mine with Dolphnite and the problem is 100% solved. Dolphinite is a peanut butter like material that is used on wood boats for bedding all sorts of stuff. Never gets hard and is very effective for waterproofing things like this. I can still lift my boxes out for the occasional check on batteries, etc. Again - please post photos and water test it for us (with a garden hose). Thanks!

 

[jellyfish]

YOU hit the nail on the head, I had the same problem with my 265 PITA! Anyway I now have the 208 and on the 208 is a hatch as well, please post pictures and I would love to see how it works.

 

[eppem]

Photos

Will do..

The FB guy is a member of my boat club and really rolled up the sleeves with me on this, I haven't seen the boat since he put the gaskets in and finished the job. I just saw the hatch finished with no screw holes (cant even tell they were there!), the latches and teh hinge...

He said it might leak a tad, i can live with that..its pro vs con, and the pro being access to those pumps. We run this boat a lot and fish hard, (190 hours last season out of CT!), we are replacing one of the pumps literally every year so I was time to make some kind of change. Plus some new storage and access to keep the bildge clean!

Plus much easier access to seacocks and pumps for winterization, I love the 265 but that hatch access sucked!

 

[eppem]

Oh yeah, funny how the same boat can be so different? My starboard lift out box doesn't leak at all...its actually a pretty functional design for access to batteries, etc. The port side leaks, but into the lift out box! There is a cut to size piece of platic in the bottom which keeps water ever week keep in there dry (brushes for cleaning, etc), but every now and then I have to empty water out of it, go figure?

 

[jekyl]

Now that sounds like a great idea. When i had my 2 strokes i was having probelms with remote oil pumps and filters. It was frustrating sealing then cutting it open again. I reckon I've recaulked it at least 6 times over 2 years.

A hatch is a great idea If you had a really clever guy or lots of dollars you could put an inside lip with drains either side to the scupper drains.

Alternatively 2 bilge pumps and the best seals you can get may be enough to minimise water intrusion.

 

[Bill_N]

Sounds like a great idea Mike! Put some pics up when you get a chance. My pump was replaced just before I bought my 265 2 years ago and I haven't had to replace it yet. Hopefully it'll still work this spring - they seem to go over the winter.

Bill

 

[eppem]

Heading down at lunchtime, will take some photos with my phone and then do my best to post....

 

[fishingFINattic]

Great idea!
Would love to see the pictures!
Tim

 

[drbatts]

I always wondered why they didn't come up with a better way to access that area. I think a hatch idea is great, would love to see the pics.

 

[eppem]

I took some pictures with my phone..I am out of town but will try my best to post some pics, sunday night ( after the sb, go saints)...

The hinge is not flush to the deck (we knew that), so its sticks up maybe an 1/8 of an inch, not to bad. The glass guy, ground / smoothed out the edges of the hinge...the gaskets seal tight which is nice...
s
I will probably run a bead of chaulk along the edge of the hinge to flush it a tad....it might hold a little water on the aft section, but it wont leak..(pro access / con the slight opening on teh aft side)...I will search the hardware store / homedepot for some type of weatherproofing of sealing, something to divert any rainwater away from the aft edge but something we can just lift up when we need to get into the bilge...we keep a large marine cooler back there anyways so I will all be hidden anyways..(hope this make sense)...

Is it Spring yet?

 

[eppem]

I have some photos, saved them from my phone to my laptop harddrive, how do I post em?

 

[Bill_N]

Upload them to photobucket or some other pic sharing site, then copy/paste the links.

 

[eppem]

Photos on their way

For of all, who dat! How bout them Saints! Picked up the Saints at 16 - 1 in Vegas in Sept, and the $25 bet will go towards some fishing gear (or maybe this hatch?)...

I spoke to Jeff at GG, he walked me thru the "how to", but said to forward to him and he would just post em, (thanks!)

Ok, three photos, not in this order,

One of the actual latch, it rotates underneath and latches closed, all we have to do is lift straight up from the top of the latch.

One of the new hatch closed with the hinge...as you can see, it will flip forward.

One of the bildge, please forgive me, I know it dirty...the shop had not water and it needs to be vacced from the repair and then clean...trust me, you will be able to eat out of it in a few weeks! For those who noticed, the gasket will be cut out and redone on the forward (hinge) side of the the hatch, it got hung up and stuck to some glue/epoxy, glass guy said he would redo it when it was warmer...

All in all I am happy - the hinge sticks up just a tad, I am pretty sure I can run a bead of chaulk in front and behind it, just to flush it a tad - come July I am sure nobody will notice.

The gaskets are nice and tight, because the way the original hatch was fit, there is a large gap in the aft end of it - it may hold water and debris is not rinsed out. My thinking is a rubber piece of gasket or even a piece of clear hose just to use as a water diverter....

 

[Seafarer228G]

 

[drbatts]

looks great.

 

[eppem]

Hatch update from July

Well finally saw the reason why we did this. Once again a pump has failed. The washdown pump which was replaced last summer has failed again. Opened up with hatch that we motified and figured we saved a few hours of work (instead of unscrewing, rechaulking, etc).

FYI, send old pump back, its still under warranty. But bought a new one (will keep old as back up), from West Marine and bought up to the extended warranty - basically if this pump fails between now and 48 months from now (and it will), I just bring it back to west and they hand me a new one!

Will keep the extra on board in case pump fails while offshore, etc.

 

[gradyfish22]

Great idea...that might be one of my mods for this winter. That makes life a lot easier for repairs as well as to gain access to the sea cocks and a lot of the under deck hoses, and as you said it opens up some room for you to get creative with maybe some storage if needed. I just replaced a washdown pump and did it through the small circular inspection hatch...basically had to look then feel and hope for the best, it was a tough job but I did not feel like taking the deck up, if I was going to do that I would have replaced EVERYTHING under there and did not have the time to do so, nor the energy. Great mod, its very practical and looks great.

Could you send me a pm with who did the work for you and what was the price so I can anticipate what this might cost me to do. Thanks!!!

 

[eppem]

PM sent! We do a lot of work / maintaince ourselves but took it on the chin and had a pro do this - it looks like it also!

Really the only flaw I see with this boat, better access from the factory would have been a huge improvement!

 

[mronzo]

That's cool! I always thought that would be a good idea for access on my 265! There's lots of bilge space I'd use to store a 2nd anchor and line too!
Has it been watertight?