Building an Epoxy Hatch????

[SilverBack]

Guys...I have been thinking about putting a new hatch on my ZX. I was thinking about different designs and I called Donzi Marine and they thought that they may have had the mold and could make me one however I wanted it. The one that I have is 2 piece and weighs about as much as a SBC!! It is HEAVY.

I got an email back from Donzi that stated....

"I can't find the hatch mold therefore making a new one is not possible. However I have an idea for you. Remove your current hatch and use it as a mold. Have someone where you live lay the part up for you. If you want make it out of epoxy it would weight about 20 pounds. You can heat it in shrink wrap."

What does thins mean? Would a hatch made out of epoxy really only weigh 20 pounds? That would be huge!! Would it still be strong enough to walk across? I am a really big guy...I don't want to break the thing.


What is up with the heat in the shrink wrap and how does this work? How much work is involved in doing something like this?

Blown Crew Cab or GCarter..can you walk me through the process?

[BlownCrewCab]

I don't know why your current hatch is so heavy. But Yes you can make a Cored Panel that is 4x8 that you could walk over that only weighs 20lbs, maybe evn less. Especially if you add a curve or crown or most any shape than flat (flat is the weekest) If your hatch came from a mold then a mold could be made from your hatch and a Lighter version is probably possible. Got any pics of your hatch without the cushion on it? (top and bottom preferably)

[SilverBack]

I am going to take some when I get back home. I just have the pictures of the outside with the upholstery on it. It has a top piece and a bottom piece. The bottom has two big mirrors in it that I do no have to have. That is unbelievable!! Why would the stock one be so HEAVY...it is unreal!!

BCC..are you looking for any projects to take on??

[zelatore]

By heat shrink I'm guessing they meant vacuum bagging? It's entirely possible that whoever was writing to you was not personally technical and was repeating a suggestion from a 'glass tech and simply got a few words wrong.

I too wonder exactly why your hatch is soooo heavy, although it sounds like that was the norm for that model boat. And yes, you could definitely build a lighter one that would support your weight. Even if you end up at 50 or 100 lbs, that's a big improvement from the 200+ you've said it weighs now.

[SilverBack]

You are right..the guy that sent me the email is a really nice guy but he is a sales guy. I think that Hedge Hogs is pretty heavy too. I know when they took it off and put it back on they thought that they were just going to climb up a latter on both sides and lift it off. Wrong...can you say ...overhead engine hoist. I bet it is over 300 lbs . The hatch ram was moved when the engine was changed and it can barely lift the thing. It is a hydraulic lift too.


This is really good news!! Why would they have not made it this way to begin with??

[mrfixxall]

You are right..the guy that sent me the email is a really nice guy but he is a sales guy. I think that Hedge Hogs is pretty heavy too. I know when they took it off and put it back on they thought that they were just going to climb up a latter on both sides and lift it off. Wrong...can you say ...overhead engine hoist. I bet it is over 300 lbs . The hatch ram was moved when the engine was changed and it can barely lift the thing. It is a hydraulic lift too.


This is really good news!! Why would they have not made it this way to begin with??


What they probably ment was to use epoxy with carbon fiber matt! with your boat having grey on the sides a carbon fiber hatch would look cool!

if you need it done let me know,i have a friend that owns a fiberglass shop and he does carbon fiber also..

http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

[SilverBack]

What they probably ment was to use epoxy with carbon fiber matt! with your boat having grey on the sides a carbon fiber hatch would look cool!

if you need it done let me know,i have a friend that owns a fiberglass shop and he does carbon fiber also..

http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm


I had not thought about that...I have carbon fiber dash and carbon fiber in the upholstery also. That sounds great. Do you guys have any idea on time to do this and materials involved? How long would it take to lay the mold up and get the new hatch made?

[mrfixxall]

I had not thought about that...I have carbon fiber dash and carbon fiber in the upholstery also. That sounds great. Do you guys have any idea on time to do this and materials involved? How long would it take to lay the mold up and get the new hatch made?


if you want we need to get pics of your hatch,,is it padded? strip off the padding ans send it to vfn and i can take it from their but i need to talk to vick and frank first to see if he is willing to design one for you..we also need a few ideas like scoops? etc of what you want done.

[SilverBack]

It is padded. I will have to take some pictures when I get back home and get the boat back from the shop. Here is a picture of the hatch from the top. I think that I am going to do away with the padding.

[BUIZILLA]

leave the damn boat alone already.. :nilly: :bonk:

geez

[SilverBack]

As you can see from the pictures it is going to have to be fairly thick. Can you make a mold over the padding? It is going to have to be that thickness. What do you do about that?

[SilverBack]

leave the damn boat alone already.. :nilly: :bonk:

geez


Lighter weight....better look...what is not to love???? I need something to tinker with. Plus...DWM remounted the hatch and moved the hatch ram and put it right in the middle of the mirror and is not centered. Now the thing makes a noise when it lifts and is not perfectly level when lifted. It really is not up to snuff so to speak. I am thinking of going to those Dana car type lift hinges and want to get the hatch right before I mount the lift hinges.

[72x2]

I am remaking a hatch for an x18 using nidacore then vacuum bagging it will be lighter than an original an I am incorporating a scoop similar to the Shelby 22. You could use a molding foam and build up to a level and shape you want. Then you can construct your mold from there. www.jamestowndistributors.com has a lot of supplies.

[fogducker III]

Keith, think about how quite it is in your cockpit right now, a "lighter" hatch will not have the sound dampening effect your current hatch has....just a thought...:confused: Why not just change the hinges, relocate the ram and spend the $$$ on something else...:yes:

[mrfixxall]

It is padded. I will have to take some pictures when I get back home and get the boat back from the shop. Here is a picture of the hatch from the top. I think that I am going to do away with the padding.


i wouldnt be cheep! but it would look cool if you made a complete carbon fiber hatch that covered the swim platform forward then incorperate a shelby style scoop into it!

[SilverBack]

Keith, think about how quite it is in your cockpit right now, a "lighter" hatch will not have the sound dampening effect your current hatch has....just a thought...:confused: Why not just change the hinges, relocate the ram and spend the $$$ on something else...:yes:


Those are all good points J.

[The Hedgehog]

I am remaking a hatch for an x18 using nidacore then vacuum bagging it will be lighter than an original an I am incorporating a scoop similar to the Shelby 22. You could use a molding foam and build up to a level and shape you want. Then you can construct your mold from there.
www.jamestowndistributors.com has a lot of supplies.

I would like to see some pics of that for my X-18. I am going to redo my X hatch and would like to see some good execution of that project.

[The Hedgehog]

Guys trust me. His hatch is HEAVY.

I would have a hard time messing with it though after all that nice work that has been done.

[boxy]

Keith, why don't you repair the hatch you have and keep it for family use. Then have somebody build you an epoxy "race" hatch that not only covers the engine, but also covers the cockpit right up to the captain/navigator seat backs.
Come on .... if yo're going to be a BEAR, be a GRIZZLY.... :shades::shades:

[SilverBack]

Don't tempt me!! Just kidding...You guys do not realize how heavy that thing is. If it fell on you when you were climbing out it would break some ribs at the least. I am telling you hundred of pounds!! It has just has never set well with me and the Upholstery is not up to snuff!! It needs to be a little better finished.



I may go ahead and do the swim platform and bimini cover if you guys talk me out of this!!!

[SilverBack]

BTW...that one was for you Hedge Hog!!

[BUIZILLA]

make one out of light smoke 1/2" acrylic... that way you can watch things go up and down and round and round :kingme:

[gcarter]

I recently posted a link to some cork decking.....
If you did a really light weight hatch, the cork on the inside would be a great sound deadener.

[SilverBack]

I recently posted a link to some cork decking.....
If you did a really light weight hatch, the cork on the inside would be a great sound deadener.


Thanks George!! I will look at that. I wish that you were close enough that I could get you to come up with something. I know that it would be first class and space age!!:yes: I just wish that I knew more about the process of how these things work!! Do you have an opinion about doing a normal deck deck that is light weight with epoxy that I could paint or cover vs a carbon fiber hatch??

[gcarter]

Thanks George!! I will look at that. I wish that you were close enough that I could get you to come up with something. I know that it would be first class and space age!!:yes: I just wish that I knew more about the process of how these things work!! Do you have an opinion about doing a normal deck deck that is light weight with epoxy that I could paint or cover vs a carbon fiber hatch??

I'm kinda glad you'r not nearby........I have two years into the TR....I have to get this thing finished.

There's some real good guidance on Serious Offshore about mold making.

[The Hedgehog]

BTW...that one was for you Hedge Hog!!


Needs a diving board!:kingme:

[VetteLT193]

Could the foam be wet inside the hatch? If it needs to be done regardless it might be worth taking it apart to see how much the hatch weighs vs. the foam. That new drain through foam that does not hold water may fix the issue.

[SilverBack]

Could the foam be wet inside the hatch? If it needs to be done regardless it might be worth taking it apart to see how much the hatch weighs vs. the foam. That new drain through foam that does not hold water may fix the issue.


I don't think that is the problem. But that is a good idea.

I keep the boat in a covered garage and I just had the foam replaced when they did the upholstery work and it was heavy when the foam was brand new and had never seen water at all.

If you tried to lift it you would swear that it had lead bricks in it!

[SilverBack]

I'm kinda glad you'r not nearby........I have two years into the TR....I have to get this thing finished.

There's some real good guidance on Serious Offshore about mold making.


You will get there!! You just need to get serious about it!:wink: No just kidding....there is quick and there is perfection.....this boat will be perfection...I bet that it will be far better than it was when it left the showroom when you are done!!:yes:

[VetteLT193]

I don't think that is the problem. But that is a good idea.

I keep the boat in a covered garage and I just had the foam replaced when they did the upholstery work and it was heavy when the foam was brand new and had never seen water at all.

If you tried to lift it you would swear that it had lead bricks in it!

Figured it was worth asking at least. The factory foam in my boat made the interior quadruple in weight after it got wet.

[SilverBack]

Figured it was worth asking at least. The factory foam in my boat made the interior quadruple in weight after it got wet.


I don't know what they used to do some of these panels with but the back seat bottom that you have to pull to get to the little ice chest weighs 80 lbs. I think that if or when I do the hatch I am going to redo the seat bottom insides too. It is a pain and my wife can barely move it.