I could use some help. A few years ago I was t-boned in a race and my Hobie 18M had a nice hole about 1 foot back of the shrouds. The repair was over my head, so I took it to marine repair shop. They cut a six inch access port on the top of the deck, so they could repair it from the inside, then softened the access port plastic and screwed it into the fibreglass. Over the years the flexing worked the screws loose and I've tried everything to reseal it. The access port cannot be opened because it is shaped, so stainless bolts won't work because I can't attach and hold the nuts from the inside. They no longer make a six inch CURVED access port, just a four and a five. I tried drawing it in with rivets, but I wound up just destroying the hatch cover; it didn't hold. Any ideas on where I can get a curved six inch port or how I can fix this?

Wyatt

Wyatt,
Sounds like you do not need to have access to this area much, if at all. I would suggest the following.... locate the same area on the good hull, and use masking tape to mask off an area a couple inches bigger than the hole in the other hull. Wax the tape and lay-up 6-8 layers of glass and resin on the waxed tape.... allow to cure and remove. Cut the new glass to a diameter about 1/2" bigger than the existing hole. Sand and paint the new piece of glass to match the color of the hull. Remove the old inspection port entirely... place the new round glass piece over the top of the old hole and mask carefully around with tape. Lightly sand the 1/2" between the tape and the hole... lightly sand the glass cap around the bottom 1/2". Use 3M 4200 fast cure marine adhesive to glue the new glass cap in place. clean up the excess 4200 around the perimeter with mineral sprits and when happy with the clean up, remove the tape immediately... allow the 4200 to cure for a couple days before use. This will seal the hole and allow you to have access in the future by cutting the 4200 out from under the glass cap with a razor knife and some carefully applied heat.

good luck,
nacrazc

I just looked at the Viking Marine website in CA. It looks like part 1145 contains a 6" curved screw-in deckplate. This would be a lot easier. I wrote them an email; anyone know the company?

If I can stay away from major glasswork, I will.

Wyatt

Put a standard port, not curved, in the hole goobered with 5200. Rivet or through-bolt the part of the port that does rest on the hull without bending the port. let it sit. The 5200 will seal the lip and you should use enough 5200 so that it doesn't create a hanging edge to really grab things. It will leave a lip on the edges that can't be flush with the hull but you have solved the problem. Put some through-bolts into the area if you want (but probably don't need to with the 5200 there) but don't torque them down to the extent it tries to squeeze the 5200 out. This will work, but like I said, will leave the edges up.

If you can lift the access port up can you epoxy the nuts in and then install the bolts?

Otherwise fiberglassing the hole is not hard, as someone above said. I would make the repair patch and hole oval so you can put the patch inside and then build up the outside.

You can see what I did to my boat if you go to this link:

http://owners.aquarius-sail.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=328

I made several holes to get access inside.