Shut that [hatch] door

[LL 1975]

 

Shiscen stchtuper! See images some punk has side swiped my boat whilst i was out. Very annoying great injustice - no bastard to claim against cause of course they didn't leave a note or wad of cash or their cheque book!

 

With my mini rant and feeling of injustice behind us - please please tell me there is way that I with some industrial equipment or cheeky technique with a car jack can bend this door back into place. On the positive side it still fits the hinges, open and closes and although its clearly taken the brunt of a multi ton boat scraping along side it aside the bending the actual damage to the steel is quite peripheral. Main issue is an air gap when closed which not only lets in the draft but also looks perfect for a crow bar to fit through and leverage the full hatch open.

 

for clarity my questions are:

 

1. How could one DIY this back into shape
2. If one needed to use shop machinery or industrial equipment what should be used (i can then speak to my friends who work in these places to see if they could help)
3. Failing 2 and 3 what professional should be able to take this in the morning and return it bend back into shape later that day(minimizing the security concerns), panel beater, welder etc?

 

Other points:

1. I understand this Collingwood hatch door is not off the shelf so I couldn't just source a new one.
2. I understand the splintered wood in the door will have to be removed - wood work is no issue i can replace that and make it look nice.

[Tracy D'arth]

Lift it off the hinges and sit it across 2 supports and lower a heavy weight on it, car maybe? Or take it to a mechanic with a press.

[alan_fincher]

Assuming the damaged door, (is there only one?), will lift off the hinges, it might be worth asking Martin Kedian, who posts on here from time to time, if he could fabricate a replacement.  Martin is  the expert of all things hatch related, and I'm sure would give an honest answer.

 

Alternatively if might even be possible to straighten what you have.

[Chris G]

3 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Lift it off the hinges and sit it across 2 supports and lower a heavy weight on it, car maybe? Or take it to a mechanic with a press.

That should work.  Might end up with a slight ripple in the flange (upturn) though - out of sight when the hatch is closed.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Chris G said:

That should work.  Might end up with a slight ripple in the flange (upturn) though - out of sight when the hatch is closed.

 

The metal of the flange has been stretched so just pushing the door back to flat WILL result in the flange kinking. 

 

Some slots cut with a grinder prior to straightening the door will keep the flange from kinking, which can then be welded up and ground flat again after.

 

Not a five minute job though, with the re-painting and woodwork necessary too. 

[BEngo]

A press is the simplest option.  Try a car menders where they deal with economic  write-offs.  They are likely to have the hydraulic kit to push it into shape.

 

However you will get  the best result by having a new one fabricated.  Even with a press and heat it will always show as having been bent.

 

It would be easiest if you can take either the boat, or just the old  door to the fabricator, so that the hinges can be  put in the right place.

 

In any event all the woodwork will have to come off as the first step.

 

 

[David Mack]

The guys at Brinklow would straighten that on the fly press. The wood lining would need to be removed first, and has been said the flange might buckle on straightening, so some refettling with the welder and angle grinder would probably be needed. 

At least with lift off hinges you can take the door off for repair elsewhere.

And while it is being repaired get a sheet of plywood clamped over the opening for security and weatherproofing - some window tape or mastic would keep the drips out.

[Tracy D'arth]

This is what you have insurance for, if you are not 3rd party only.  Sad that no one owned up.  Its a bit high up to be a simple side swipe from another boat unless it was an old Harborough with the window smasher bow.

[Martin Nicholas]

Have a new one made.

The biggest problem will be getting the hinges to line up. Probably that will have to be done on-site.

[Francis Herne]

It is a strange impact mark. Not only unusually high, but multiple tracks at a wobbly angle. A single point scraping down the boat would be horizontal?

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Francis Herne said:

It is a strange impact mark. Not only unusually high, but multiple tracks at a wobbly angle. A single point scraping down the boat would be horizontal?

 

I was musing about that too, thenlike Tracey, decided it must have been the prow of an old Harborough or similar window smasher. When hitting a glancing blow the boat will heel over a bit, perhaps leading to the scrape changing height. Also the victim boat will heel a bit too. 

 

More puzzling though is that the striking boat must have approached at quite an angle to get the prow to hit the cabin side at all. 

 

 

[Tracy D'arth]

 

5 minutes ago, Francis Herne said:

It is a strange impact mark. Not only unusually high, but multiple tracks at a wobbly angle. A single point scraping down the boat would be horizontal?

Boats rock as they are hit.

[Rob-M]

Probably one of them old unloaded working boats with a high bow.

[Alan de Enfield]

It's London - don't assume it was a NB, it could have been a block of flats on a couple of pontoons. or a mobile rubbish skip or a ................. !

[truckcab79]

Unless you’re any good at metalwork get a new one made or give that one to someone to be repaired.  Easiest to cut off the damage and weld new.    For a quick fix a screwfix hydraulic jack and put it between two immovable objects.  Slowly jack it straight. You’ll need to go slightly past straight for it to spring back. Hydraulic jack gives you a level of fine control. 

[Martin Nicholas]

If it's very recent, a walk along the towpath will produce the culprit. Look for your paint on someone else's bow. It must have been  heading to the right in your picture.

[jonathanA]

for a quick, rough fix whilst you decide what to do, take the handle and bump stop off and drive over it with your car, i've 'repaired' a few landrover back doors like that- although on a landie its considered 'character' 🙂

 

[truckcab79]

2 hours ago, jonathanA said:

for a quick, rough fix whilst you decide what to do, take the handle and bump stop off and drive over it with your car, i've 'repaired' a few landrover back doors like that- although on a landie its considered 'character' 🙂

 

Must have been driving over them with a car full of helium balloons I assume given they’re as flimsy as hell.  😂

[Iain_S]

3 hours ago, Martin Nicholas said:

If it's very recent, a walk along the towpath will produce the culprit. Look for your paint on someone else's bow. It must have been  heading to the right in your picture.

I'd have thought right to left. Initial impact to door, then scrape as Tilley Anne rocks away from impact, so the scrape goes down the side as it progresses. 

[blackrose]

I can't figure out how the impact has bent one door quite badly but left the other one completely undamaged? Or is it also bent? Must have been someone trying to turn who then T-boned your boat quite hard?

[Rob-M]

On 23/02/2024 at 15:30, Iain_S said:

I'd have thought right to left. Initial impact to door, then scrape as Tilley Anne rocks away from impact, so the scrape goes down the side as it progresses. 

That was my thinking, the impact must have been to the door first and then scraped down the side otherwise the cabin side would be dented and there wouldn't be enough momentum left to cause damage like that to the door.

[Tonka]

On 23/02/2024 at 15:50, blackrose said:

I can't figure out how the impact has bent one door quite badly but left the other one completely undamaged? Or is it also bent? Must have been someone trying to turn who then T-boned your boat quite hard?

The right hand door has the lip which goes over the left hand door so has extra strength to resist the bend. But it also appears to have no scratch mark.

Are we sure the  op's boat is not moored in the winding hole