Leaking cockpit hatches on R31

[NorCal]

We were out in some rough weather this past weekend. Lots of water all over the boat. After the trip when checking in the side hatches a fair amount of water had leaked in. The charger / inverter stopped working for a period due to water intrusion.

So my question is has anyone come up with a way that works to improve the seal between the deck and the hatch?

I tried some slightly thick foam tape from Ace Hardware but that does not stick well. I was wondering if maybe there was some fancy rubber seal that might work better.

 

[Andrew Custis]

What I do is lay inside the hatch and close it on myself. Take a pencil or marker and draw around the perimeter of the hatch where it meets the fiberglass on the boat to ensure the gasket is touching all areas evenly. Once that is done pull your scupper screens out as they clog and create slower flow out the boat. Beyond that it should drain and keep dry.

 

[NorCal]

Thanks for the reply Andrew, That is exactly what I did. Strainers were out before the trip. Beforehand I had added additional foam tape around the corners because as you mentioned there were some gaps. Maybe there was just too much water on the deck. I followed your advice on drying out the charger and it worked!