Hatches
Hatch covers and other hardware
The teak handrails and table were reworked and installed they look fine. To follow along with the pics, see hatches under the hull section of the gallery.

The hatch covers were in rough shape with over 30 years of weathering. The Plexiglas was all crazed and unusable. The original covers were screwed on to the hatch frame and all the screw holes were cracked from expansion and contraction over the years.
The Plexiglas was removed along with all the hardware and the frame and hinges refinished .A new glass was ordered through the local glass shop. It is 3/8th inch in thickness, and we used one of the hatch covers as a pattern. This was my first mistake to assume that both Plexiglas sheets are the same. Ill explains in the end.

Fist peal back the paper covering off the glass and locate the position on the frame making sure that the hardware drill holes are in the right position. If not you will be in trouble. Do this project best in warm weather so that the glass can expand to its max size .
Next run a bead of pure silicon all around your frame and position the glass flush with the back edge and the side with the drilled holes. The glass will not fit perfectly and most likely be oversize. Now place a bucket of water on the glass and let it set up and cure. About 2 hours will do. Get out your small planner and set it at its lowest point, then plane down the Plexiglas to size on the two sides that are overhanging, taking care not to dip the planner into your teak because it will take off the finish and cut a grove into it, forcing you to refinish the frame again.

Install your hardware, the hinges on the frame and the hatch fittings and latches. Do this in the following manner. Fist tap the screw holes with a thread tap so you can screw the hatch fittings back on. The original was bolted through from the top, this is why the top is countersunk. What I should have done was drill ¾ of the way though the glass and then bottom tap the holes and install the fittings with some short screws. Instead I tapped all the way thru and kept the screws just below the top of the glass and filled the countersink with silicon without pealing the paper back this gave me a nice round fill just above the paper and it will finish nicely.

Since we did not screw the Plexiglas down and it needs to expand and contract I built a small aluminum frame around the hatch to allow for expansion and contraction on the frame. An 8-foot section of 1-inch aluminum angle will be needed per hatch. Measuring and layout is very critical here or it will not fit properly and you will have gaps for water leakage. Measure each side and lay it out on the aluminum making a 45-degree layout for the edges. Do this for all 4 sides with the ends meeting in the rear between the two hinges right in the middle. Don’t cut anything yet. Now drill your holes for the screws. I centered mine with a one-inch inset from each corner. This misses the hinges in the rear. Now cut the 45-degree layout and bend the extrusion with a pair of wide flat pliers to a 45-degree. This is a one-time shot only, you will harden the edges with this process and if you screw up and want to reposition the frame will brake and you have to start all over. Its time to pre fit. Don’t worry if they don’t meet in the back.
. Peel back the paper. Start at the front running a bead of silicon on the front and sides then screw in place. Do the same with all sides. Now back off the hinges and fit the angle behind each hinge plate and mark with a pencil. Remove and rescue your hinges. Take your cutters and cut just above the line contour of the hinge. Continue with the attachment process in the same manner as you did the rest of the frame. It is wise to do the finish end first around the back; this will give you a nice square edge to work with. Take the other part and lap it over the end, mark it, and cut back to the shoulder. This will give you a nice clean fit.
You’re done
The one part that was an error was cutting both pieces of the glass exactly the same. The latch point on the front hatch was offset and this is the one I used for a pattern. When I mounted the main hatch the latch point did not match up the old teak-mounting bracket. I had to drill out the teak remove the screws and reposition the plate to match my screw up. This left 2 small holes in the headliner and the teak. Once fixed I am probably be the only one that will notice it but its my screw up. The price you pay for learning as you go.