Cockpit gasket

[Sabre27Admin]

S.Pavis
United Kingdom
4 Posts

Posted - 20/10/2016 : 20:41:37
Hi, has anyone replaced the gasket in the cockpit area on a 27? - mine is leaking and the cork isn't too clever! I assume these cant be brought so does anyone have any words of wisdom? I Any advice very gratefully received !
Steve
yerffoeg
United Kingdom
48 Posts

Posted - 20/10/2016 : 21:43:16
Hello Steve,

Can you please explain what you mean, in a bit more detail? My Sabre doesn't have a gasket or cork in the cockpit, as far as I know.

GEoff

rory7520
United Kingdom
58 Posts

Posted - 20/10/2016 : 23:02:41
Hi Steve, happy to help! What's the question?
Best wishes
Rory Steevenson
SMMUGGLER of Keyhaven

S.Pavis
United Kingdom
4 Posts

Posted - 21/10/2016 : 07:00:39
Hi, sorry not to be clearer! Myrine (my Sabre) has a hatch just in front of the tiller, about a ft sq, this gives access to the back of the engine, gearbox and primary fuel filter. The hatch screws down (although several screws have lost their grip on the fibreglass) with a cork gasket underneath. I was wondering whether I could create some form of encapsulated nuts on the inside and bolt the hatch down, but not sure about the gasket replacement? I wondered about some kind of silicon, perhaps covered in cling film until it dries to make a gasket? Any other better suggestions?
Thanks for your help.
Best Steve

rory7520
United Kingdom
58 Posts

Posted - 21/10/2016 : 10:27:11
Hi Steve, Thanks for your last. I had an inkling what you meant but was not sure. I will now watch the Forum with interest; over the winter I am fitting a cockpit floor inspection hatch which I don't currently have.

This is in preparation for changing my Yanmar GM 10 for a Beta 20 HP. I can climb over the GM 10 to access the stern gland and gearbox but the Beta is much bigger! I know others have used a silicone sealant which dries 'rubbery' and is held down with screws. That is what I will be doing.

Sorry I cannot help further but someone will!

Best wishes

Rory Steevenson
SMUGGLER of Keyhaven

S.Pavis
United Kingdom
4 Posts

Posted - 21/10/2016 : 14:34:30
Hi Roy
I have a beta 20hp great engines, v reliable and pushes her alone nicely
Steve

yerffoeg
United Kingdom
48 Posts

Posted - 22/10/2016 : 01:15:42
Hi Steve,

Thanks.

I struggled with the same problem over several years, but have hit on a fairly complicated solution, which seems to have lasted.

1. I got some solid rubber from Seals direct
http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/listDepart ... teAreaId=1
Off the top of my head this is about 2 cm width and 4 mm depth. I glued this to the cockpit floor, flush with the edge of the hole the hatch goes over, on all four sides.

2. I bought a sheet of solid fibreglass, about 5 mm in depth, and cut 4 squares about 5 cm square. Each square takes one of the four bolts that hold down the hatch. Drill a hole right through each of the fibreglass squares, big enough to easily take the bolt. Now the difficult bit. PLace a bolt through each square and attach a nut to the other side. Heat the nut with a blow torch. Once it is hot you can gently pull it into the fibreglass (pliers holding the bolt on the other side), which will melt. Then let it cool. The nut is now effectively encapsulated into the fibreglass square. Now glue each of the squares to the underside of the cockpit floor. Each of the hatch bolts can then be screwed into the hatch and then into the encapsulated nuts and tightened. As further weather proofing I have a rubber SS washer and then a rubber washer under each bolt head.

I am sure there are easier ways of doing the job, but this has worked for me.

GEoff

Regards,

Geoff

rory7520
United Kingdom
58 Posts

Posted - 22/10/2016 : 09:10:42
Dear Geoff

This is exactly the sort of detail that makes this Forum so useful; thank you!

Q: Did you cut out and make your hatch or was it already in place? If the former, I would be very interested in how you went about it. I won't rehearse my plan now but have it in draft but am always interested in others' ideas.

Steve glad you are happy with your Beta!

Best wishes and Thanks

Rory Steevenson
SMUGGLER of Keyhaven

yerffoeg
United Kingdom
48 Posts

Posted - 22/10/2016 : 11:11:44
Steve,

Thanks. I was keen to preserve the existing hatch that the boat had when I acquired it; I made no changes to this or the underlying hole size.

Feel free to ask any other queries - I sweated (and sweared) a lot over this, and am keen to share thoughts and ideas.


GEoff

S.Pavis
United Kingdom
4 Posts

Posted - 22/10/2016 : 17:36:27
Hi Geoff, really helpful advice - I think I will follow your path... A winter project for me
Thank you!
Steve

Mikenfi
United Kingdom
40 Posts

Posted - 08/03/2017 : 11:39:36
I rarely open this although I have been more recently to change the fuel filter. We have been running on the engine soley as the mast is down.

I found the Pound Shop silicone sealer is really good I bought 5 it takes haf a tube to seal and screw in! This is by far the cheapest way I have made a rubber gasket for it. But I have sinced used this rubber elsewhere on the boat as the silicone actually seals it better it leaked ever so slightly with the gasket.

In addition on the outside hatches I removed the rubber that was trying to seal the hatches (cockpit storage lockers) from the fibreglass and applied clear silicone on the GRP put some cling film on it and shut the hatch. This has done a great job and for a quid per seal. Its clear cannot really be seen the rubber was black and dirty looking.

this is just another of my cheap fixes on the boat! Its amazing whats in the pound shop!