Hatch Gasket?

['84_241_Offshore]

Removed the hatches from my '95 268 Islander. Just purchased July '19.
Hatch over the main tank had already been recored but the smaller rear one needed re-coring.
Found rubber strips around the edges, see pics.
Was this from Grady or the PO? There wasn't and caulking installed either.......

 

[Ky Grady]

The rubber strips most likely are Grady installed and held in place with double sided tape. The only sealant is after the panels go back down and screwed in, you run a bead of GE II silicone caulk in Almond color.

You can see the rubber strips on mine. Haven't put the strips back on my auxiliary tank yet in this pic.

 

['84_241_Offshore]

Those strips look like what I'm talking about........mine almost seem to fun the length of the hatch.
Are the necessary and can you buy replacements?

 

[Ky Grady]

Yours may very well run full length. They are necessary to keep panel from squeaking with it touching fiberglass to fiberglass. Also used to level the panel with the floor. Might be able to reach out to Grady customer service and ask or source locally.

 

['84_241_Offshore]

Reason I asked if they were necessary was because my '84 Offshore didn't have them.........

 

[DennisG01]

My Offshore doesn't have them, but I really have no idea if they didn't originally have them since I'm not the original owner. While I can feel 99% sure that the hatch is original (after tearing it apart and rebuilding it), I don't know if it was removed for tank inspection in the past and possibly the rubber strips (if it had them) were removed. It could very well be something that Grady added/changed over the years, too.

I'm familiar with the sqeaking of glass on glass, but I don't notice any of that - I rebuilt and re-caulked the perimeter about 5 or 6 years ago. My "theory" is that the caulking provides enough strength to hold the hatch in place well enough to stop it from flexing enough to squeak.

Is it necessary to use the rubber strips? Probably not. Would it be better to use them? Sure. I would call the use of them a "best practice" thing - may not be entirely "needed", but it certainly can't hurt and can ONLY serve to make things better.

 

['84_241_Offshore]

Thanks for the well written response Dennis.
I actually found a ""hatch seal" at a local marine supply store, looked like weather stripping....was closed seal. Didn't buy it, still thinking!

 

[Punch53]

Why put new ones? When I recored my aft hatch on my Seafarer it had the rubber strips. I just cleaned them and the flange with solvent and glued them back. Looked like new.

 

[Fishtales]

As stated, put there to mitigate/eliminate glass to glass interface. It would likely squeak and wear even screwed down and sealed. Can any rubber that would hold up in the environment if the right thickness. Just another short cut if you ask me. They should have a quality rubber seal around the entire hatch if you ask me.