A very basic question

[LoneWolf]

Hello,

 

I've been on my 1st boat for the last few weeks, pottering about the lower GU waiting for licence to arrive & getting used to doing things single handed and feeling chuffed to bits with it all.

 

I've found this forum very useful (I know nothing about engines etc but am learning as i go along) but i have very basic question..

 

this is my weed hatch cover

 

 

The stuff that creates the seal looks somewhat flat and knackered and I'm thinking i should probably replace it

 

Does it look like it needs replacing?

What is it called?

Where can i buy it?

What type of glue should i use to stick the new stuff on?

 

sorry for asking such a simple thing; more difficult questions will follow...

[Night Hawk]

I'm glad you've asked that one - our weedhatch looks like that but longer - I'd thought of replacing the rubber with that 'draught excluder' stuff you put around your front door! I guess there'll be a product out there - wonder what members of the forum will suggest.....

[AlanJ]

Unless you have water ingressing through the seal, I would leave well alone.

[carlt]

I cut up one of those roller type rubber blackboards, that I liberated from a school and stuck it down with Marineflex.

 

Worked perfectly.

[Heffalump]

Yep, with the weed hatch shut properly, and the decking removed so you can see it, bang it into forward and rev it up a bit, if it don't leak then it aint broke if it aint broke don't fix it

[nb Innisfree]

Hello,

 

I've been on my 1st boat for the last few weeks, pottering about the lower GU waiting for licence to arrive & getting used to doing things single handed and feeling chuffed to bits with it all.

 

I've found this forum very useful (I know nothing about engines etc but am learning as i go along) but i have very basic question..

 

this is my weed hatch cover

 

 

The stuff that creates the seal looks somewhat flat and knackered and I'm thinking i should probably replace it

 

Does it look like it needs replacing?

What is it called?

Where can i buy it?

What type of glue should i use to stick the new stuff on?

 

sorry for asking such a simple thing; more difficult questions will follow...

 

 

Looks a bit iffy to me, you can buy self adhesive weed hatch rubber from chandlers

[ditchcrawler]

I'm glad you've asked that one - our weedhatch looks like that but longer - I'd thought of replacing the rubber with that 'draught excluder' stuff you put around your front door! I guess there'll be a product out there - wonder what members of the forum will suggest.....

Does it leak, if so it needs changing, the new stuff will look like that inside 12 months.

If it does need replacing then go to Midland Chandlers or any other canal boat chandlers and ask for Weed Hatch sealing strip and they will sell you a length, so measure how wide it is and how long a piece you need before you go. Its self adhesive, you just need to make sure the old stuff is all removed, its very dry and very clean. A good time to do it is while the boat is out being blacked. Take care when you join the corners to get a very close fit or it will leak. I always miter mine, I don't run the miter right through but cut a tab at the outside edge, I then cut the next strip to fit, so I don't have a straight cut right from the inside to the outside.

[LoneWolf]

Unless you have water ingressing through the seal, I would leave well alone.

 

Ah..but I may have water ingressing through the seal. I dried out the engine bilge last week & now there is water in it again. Only a little but I'm trying to find out where it could be coming from (and starting with the easy things)

[Greybeard]

Couldn't do any painting today due to the rain so I replaced the weed hatch seal.

 

Took about 10 minutes to clean off the old seal which was leaking.

 

Self adhesive on one side and stuck really well - cost £2.00 metre from local chandlers = £4.00 in total.

 

If it leaks I'll use the marineflex sealant that Carlt suggested.

 

Only thing I did different to yours was I mitred the corners - only because the old ones were.

 

GB

[Iain_S]

I agree that if it ain't broke don't fix it, but I used hatch sealing tape (801018 from ASAP Spplies) on the last one I had that leaked.

Iain

[PhilR]

I reckon the best thing is one piece of thick rubber mat, then there are no joins to worry about.

 

Years ago I bought an off cut of ¼ ins thick rubber sheet (the type of stuff they use for horse box floors etc)

 

Cut a rectangle out of the centre so it will fit over the bottom plate and you won't really need to be too bothered about

adhesive, just use duct tape to hold it in position on the top cover. This will last for many years hard use.

[LoneWolf]

THanks for your replies all

 

 

Yep, with the weed hatch shut properly, and the decking removed so you can see it, bang it into forward and rev it up a bit, if it don't leak then it aint broke if it aint broke don't fix it

 

I've just realised i can do this when moored cant i. I was thinking I would have to be moving to test it which would be difficult with the step lifted up.

 

I'll do it now while there's still light

[PhilR]

THanks for your replies all

 

 

 

 

I've just realised i can do this when moored cant i. I was thinking I would have to be moving to test it which would be difficult with the step lifted up.

 

I'll do it now while there's still light

 

You can't really test it properly when moored. When the boat is under way the stern will probably be a few inches lower in the water ........... and more so if you have a few passengers/crew stood on the back

[LoneWolf]

You can't really test it properly when moored. When the boat is under way the stern will probably be a few inches lower in the water ........... and more so if you have a few passengers/crew stood on the back

 

ok, thanks Phil.

Decided not to test tonight due to proximity of neighbours & slack mooring ropes

I shall see if my visitor tomorrow fancies crouching on the back (under where the tiller swings) watching the weed hatch while I sit on the roof to drive.

 

Does it leak, if so it needs changing, the new stuff will look like that inside 12 months.

If it does need replacing then go to Midland Chandlers or any other canal boat chandlers and ask for Weed Hatch sealing strip and they will sell you a length, so measure how wide it is and how long a piece you need before you go. Its self adhesive, you just need to make sure the old stuff is all removed, its very dry and very clean. A good time to do it is while the boat is out being blacked. Take care when you join the corners to get a very close fit or it will leak. I always miter mine, I don't run the miter right through but cut a tab at the outside edge, I then cut the next strip to fit, so I don't have a straight cut right from the inside to the outside.

 

And thanks for this ditchcrawler that's exactly the kind of comprehensive advice I like.

[Chertsey]

This is obviously all far more sensible advice than the thick layer of grease used on Tarporley, which transfers itself to the person of anyone who has the misfortune to have to wriggle down it.

[PaddingtonBear]

I/we use waterproof grease sorry

[denboy]

Ah..but I may have water ingressing through the seal. I dried out the engine bilge last week & now there is water in it again. Only a little but I'm trying to find out where it could be coming from (and starting with the easy things)

Are you sure its not a bit of a drip through the stern gland tho?

[bottle]

Just read this this morning and agree with Denboy, you have been using the 'greaser' after the prop has been running.

[ChrisPy]

water shoots up my rudder stock tube when I rev the engine up.

the deck drains it away OK.

is this normal on a Liverpool widebeam?

[magpie patrick]

Do all you can to make sure it isn't leaking, the potential to get this wrong is great and if you don't do the job well you can end up with a bigger leak than you started with! Only if it's leaking should you consider replacing it, and unless you regard yourself as an expert improviser on such things, use the stuff from chandlers that has been described. It works very well, (I've used it) and while a one piece gasket would be better if fitted properly, you'll have to make it and stick it on yourself, so again the potential to make a mistake is greater.

[PaddingtonBear]

You have a superior Liverpool widebeam you lucky thing otherwise it would leak every where.

[Chertsey]

That is very norty PB. The same thing happens on Tarporley so it must be right It is no doubt OK using grease when you have a hatch directly above the weed hatch, but not when you have to crawl under the counter to get to it.

[ChrisPy]

You have a superior Liverpool widebeam you lucky thing otherwise it would leak every where.

dryzabone

[MoominPapa]

That is very norty PB. The same thing happens on Tarporley so it must be right It is no doubt OK using grease when you have a hatch directly above the weed hatch, but not when you have to crawl under the counter to get to it.

You need to get that nice Mr Huggins to make you a hatch He did a great job on Melaleuca.

 

MP.

[LoneWolf]

Are you sure its not a bit of a drip through the stern gland tho?

 

Thanks denboy, no I'm not sure, i realise thats a possibility as well. I recently refilled the stern greaser (with help from the thread on it here) and was wondering if I'd not done it properly.

 

 

 

 

 

Just read this this morning and agree with Denboy, you have been using the 'greaser' after the prop has been running.

 

 

Ah....Indeed i have (well deduced). I will 'do greasing' in the mornings only before starting the engine - Thanks Bottle

 

Do all you can to make sure it isn't leaking, the potential to get this wrong is great and if you don't do the job well you can end up with a bigger leak than you started with! Only if it's leaking should you consider replacing it, and unless you regard yourself as an expert improviser on such things, use the stuff from chandlers that has been described. It works very well, (I've used it) and while a one piece gasket would be better if fitted properly, you'll have to make it and stick it on yourself, so again the potential to make a mistake is greater.

 

Thanks magpie_p - that seems good advice.

 

I shall leave the weed hatch alone for now, only grease when the engine is cold & continue to monitor the situation.

 

 

This forum is brilliant - so many helpful people