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Sliding Hatch


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My hatches slide on an inverted L topped with a flat brass runner. In this country it rains now and again (:)) and water runs down the flat surface of the runner under the hatch and in to the cabin. Any suggestions on how to fix this? Had thought of cutting a strategically placed slot in the brass runner.

Thanks

Colin

Edited by Traveller
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8 hours ago, Traveller said:

My hatches slide on an inverted L topped with a flat brass runner. In this country it rains now and again (:)) and water runs down the flat surface of the runner under the hatch and in to the cabin. Any suggestions on how to fix this? Had thought of cutting a strategically placed slot in the brass runner.

Thanks

Colin

If there's some thickness to the runners, try asking someone who's fairly good with an angle grinder, to grind a groove across each runner.  Say an angle of about 45 degrees and avoid grinding all the way through.  Hope this helps....

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5 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Photograph? Much easier if we can see what you are describing. Should be possible. Most slide hatches don't leak.

Jen

Next time I am at the boat will do. But it is just a flat metal bar with a brass runner on top. The hatch slides on that. Cannot see how it cannot leak as the rain lands on the flat bar and runs or is blown under the hatch. The hatch cannot be sealed effectively imo as it just rests on the slider.

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On my boat the hatch overlaps the runner with a downwards facing lip. Seems to work well. No leaks and very little draught. The hatch runs on brass runners on the edge of the L angle steel. The runners angle down towards the front of the boat, draining water away from the hatch. Most narrowboats the roof tilts up towards the stern and this may be part of the reason for that, draining water away from the hatch and doors. Some boats don't have this and the stern down trim of the boat drains water towards the rear of the roof. Cheaper and easier to build, which is why they are done like that.

Jen

 

IMG_20180314_113714312.jpg

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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The water gets in from the back of the hatch, where the runners extend across the roof to provide the track for the hatch to slide back. The water hits the slide and then runs under the hatch. Where your brass runner is upright mine lay flat and cover the entire inverted L. It appears from what you are saying that your runners do not extend out the back of the hatch?

Thanks

Colin

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1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Our hatch has little hinged flaps on that cover the end of the runners.

Is that on the front or back? We have that arrangement on the front and it is fine. Cannot have that at the back for as I said the sliders extend about 14" behind the hatch to allow it to slide back.

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Another pic of how it works on my boat. The roof, runners and hatch tilt up towards the stern, draining water away from the hatch, till it falls away through the gap in the handrail. Check the difference in angle of the solar panal on the hatch, compared with the other two. The rails extend out beyond the hatch to the bow end, but water drains away.

 

 

IMG_20180314_115247836.jpg

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Yup that is how mine is, thanks :-) But what happens is the rain drives onto the rails where they extend out the back of the hatch and runs under the hatch into the cabin. There is no real seal there as the hatch just rests on the rails basically. The one that leaks is the side hatch but the construction is the same.

Edited by Traveller
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Ok. Mine doesn't have a seal either and the bow is usually moored facing the prevailing wind, but I don't get this. Might be worth checking the actual angle of the slide to the horizontal with a spirit level. Increasing the angle by cutting the runners off and welding them at a steeper angle may be the most effective cure. Water is persistent stuff and will get past all but the most effective seal given the chance to pool against it. When you say back and front, do you mean stern and b9d of the boat?

Jen

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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Another pic showing the hatch closed. There is no seal and a gap between the hatch and slide. Only gravity is stopping water running in to the boat, but it works well. I do need to clean it and clear up some rust though as this cruel close up shows!

 

IMG_20180314_121358713.jpg

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The larger slide on mine had the same problem. I riveted two pieces of brush strip aka draught excluder a bit longer than the runner is wide, onto the back of the hatch over the runners.

A bit of rubber may do as well but I had the brush to hand. It has bristles about 20 mm long mounted in a metal crimped strip, just drilled and pop riveted them on, been dry ever since. 

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They are at the front of the hatch. On mine the water seeps in from the rear.

15 minutes ago, Boater Sam said:

The larger slide on mine had the same problem. I riveted two pieces of brush strip aka draught excluder a bit longer than the runner is wide, onto the back of the hatch over the runners.

A bit of rubber may do as well but I had the brush to hand. It has bristles about 20 mm long mounted in a metal crimped strip, just drilled and pop riveted them on, been dry ever since. 

That's a good idea. Was also thinking of cutting grooves in the slide itself to break the flow of water.

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5 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Its Bloody freezing out there, of course it was quick:)

Sorry, that was a rather thoughtless request on my part :rolleyes:

At least you didn’t fall in - that would have made me feel REALY bad!

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4 minutes ago, gbclive said:

Sorry, that was a rather thoughtless request on my part :rolleyes:

At least you didn’t fall in - that would have made me feel REALY bad!

No problem. I had to go out anyway cos Mrs Rusty had fallen in. She was outside taking pictures of our hinges for some reason:)

Edited by rusty69
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25 minutes ago, Traveller said:

Is your water getting in from the front of the hatch then?

 

(Sorry to hijack)

To be honest, after several years of head scratching and experimentation, I’m still not entirely sure.

At first I thought maybe rain was getting in between the wooden runners and the top of the cabin, but the fixings are blind.

Then I thought maybe the aft cabin stove chimney collar was to blame, so built a dam out of plastercine - no luck.

Then I concederd the forward part of the runners, so cut grooves in the brass runners - still some drips.

Then the mushroom which are mid and forward - but no staining of the ceiling.

So now I’m minded towards the aft end of the runners as a culprit.

The drips appear at the forward corners of the frame around the Trad hatchway.

I’m rather embarrassed at my failure to track down the culprit or culprits - just how hard can it be?

 

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25 minutes ago, gbclive said:

(Sorry to hijack)

To be honest, after several years of head scratching and experimentation, I’m still not entirely sure.

At first I thought maybe rain was getting in between the wooden runners and the top of the cabin, but the fixings are blind.

Then I thought maybe the aft cabin stove chimney collar was to blame, so built a dam out of plastercine - no luck.

Then I concederd the forward part of the runners, so cut grooves in the brass runners - still some drips.

Then the mushroom which are mid and forward - but no staining of the ceiling.

So now I’m minded towards the aft end of the runners as a culprit.

The drips appear at the forward corners of the frame around the Trad hatchway.

I’m rather embarrassed at my failure to track down the culprit or culprits - just how hard can it be?

 

Reasonably confident mine is getting in from the rear of the hatch. Rain gets on the flat of the runner (the brass) and just runs under the hatch cover. I covered mine with a plastic sheet and it has remained dry.

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On 14/03/2018 at 11:10, Traveller said:

Next time I am at the boat will do. But it is just a flat metal bar with a brass runner on top. The hatch slides on that. Cannot see how it cannot leak as the rain lands on the flat bar and runs or is blown under the hatch. The hatch cannot be sealed effectively imo as it just rests on the slider.

After 12 years of being dry mine started leaking. I took the hatch off and found a bit of rust underneath which was collecting water. I also cut a 45 degree slot just in front of the hatch on each runner with a hacksaw. I actually cut a 5mm slot from each brass runner. No more drips now. 

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